[media-credit name=’Ben Smidt’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]When William Shakespeare wrote in King Lear, “Oh! The difference of man and man,” he was describing a fundamental human condition: that in the world there are men and there are Men; and that these two groups will always be divided by the failures of those who are forced to lean on the former.

The drama that has been the Badger offense in the past two weeks seems to have been defined by that condition.

With Anthony Davis (a Man) sidelined for the second straight game against Arizona (with some sort of eye malfunction), the Badgers are still searching for some way — any way — to survive with mere men in their backfield.

Dwayne Smith gave UW a good option in 2003 sans Davis, but the junior’s unfortunate heart condition has left the Badgers a bit short on proven talent at tailback this season; and the result has been a sputtering attack that has failed to find the end zone before the third quarter against two consecutive mediocre defenses.

Booker Stanley is a valid option for short-yardage plays and had a nice game against Arizona. But — in spite of reports that Booker has gained considerable amounts of speed — he still just doesn’t turn the corner on a sweep.

Jamil “Dy-no-mite” Walker appeared to be ready to step up as a replacement homerun threat for UW against UNLV; but Walker showed against Arizona the reason that coaches don’t often give starting jobs to true freshmen.

Thus all of Badger nation finds itself wondering what the Badgers will do to start manufacturing some points — all including typically answer-filled Badgers offensive coordinator Brian White.

Asked why Wisconsin has had such trouble finding the end zone after Saturday’s 9-7 victory, White replied, “I think if I had the answer to that $64,000 question, I wouldn’t go through the anxiety that I do.”

To keep the Badgers’ season from turning into a Shakespearian tragedy when Big Ten season begins, White will have to find an answer for recent end zone aversion quickly. Penn State isn’t Oklahoma on defense, but Penn State also isn’t UNLV or Arizona.

And if no one steps up, the UW may find itself without the undefeated mark it should bear going into Ohio State in three weeks.

Hopefully for the thousands of Badger faithfuls, come time to take on the Buckeyes, there will be another of Shakespeare’s famous sayings uttered around town: all’s well that ends well.