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UW Report Card
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Also by Ben Voelkel:
- Rocky trip Outback for UW (January 1, 2008)
Related Stories:
- Hill, Donovan step to front (September 10, 2007)
- Rocky trip Outback for UW (January 1, 2008)
- Report Card: Grading Wisconsin's performance (October 1, 2007)
- Stocco shines, 2nd-teamers not so much (September 11, 2006)
by Ben Voelkel
Monday, September 10, 2007
Game ball goes to: Tyler Donovan
Statistically, Saturday's game wasn't as impressive for Donovan as the Washington State game. He struggled to throw the ball at times and compiled only 138 passing yards. When it mattered, though, Donovan led UW on a 61-yard scoring drive with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter to take the lead. He punched in the winning score himself, scoring from 29 yards out on a naked bootleg.
Overall: C
Despite all the precautions the UW coaching staff took to try and ensure the Badgers wouldn't get caught up in the party atmosphere of Las Vegas, Wisconsin still came out flat. The offense was disjointed for most of the game and never really found its rhythm. The defense was able to hold UNLV to 13 points and managed one takeaway, but the Rebels' spread attack was able to move the ball fairly consistently, and tackling was somewhat suspect at times. Special teams again had its moments of solid play mixed in with miscues. UW has yet to play a complete game like the kind it will need to live up to its lofty ranking. One thing that can be said about the Badgers is that they found a way to win despite playing well below their potential.
Offense: C
Save for drives at the end of each half, the passing game was nearly nonexistent. Donovan was late on several reads, and receivers dropped several passes that should have been caught. P.J. Hill was the statistical star of the offense, running for 147 yards on 30 attempts. For most of the night, the offensive line gave Donovan plenty of time to find receivers and opened up holes for Hill to run through. Twenty points against a mid-tier team like UNLV is not good enough for this UW offense, however. New receivers — possibly freshmen David Gilreath and Kyle Jefferson — will have to step up if Paul Hubbard is lost for an extended period of time, as it appears he may be.
Defense: C+
After initially struggling to stop quarterback Travis Dixon and the UNLV spread attack, the Badger defense tightened, as it did last week. UNLV was still able to rack up 143 yards in the second half, but the defense was able to hold the Rebels to two field goals. If cornerback Allen Langford does not tighten up his coverage, more teams will continue to ignore Jack Ikegwuonu's side of the field. Langford was beat often Saturday by UNLV wideout Casey Flair. Shane Carter's interception and return in the fourth quarter were critical in swinging the momentum the Badgers' way late in the game.
Special teams: C
Another inconsistent outing for Wisconsin's special teams units. Holder/punter Ken DeBauche fumbled the snap on UW's first extra-point attempt of the game and struggled again on a pooch punt attempt. Kicker Taylor Mehlhaff was rock-solid once more, booting the ball deep on kickoffs and nailing a 51-yard field goal with plenty of distance to spare. Luke Swan was solid returning punts, and Gilreath had a key kickoff return that set up the final touchdown drive. Bielema noted, however, there was at least one instance of players missing assignments on the kickoff return unit.
Up next: The Citadel
The Citadel visits Camp Randall this Saturday. Bolstered by fellow Division I-AA Appalachian State's shocking victory over Michigan earlier this season and fresh off a 76-0 thrashing of Webber International, The Citadel will have no shortage of confidence coming into the game. Quarterback Duran Lawson threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns and is the third dangerous signal caller in a row to face UW.
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