[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]Flash back to the 2004 football season. The Badgers were at one point 9-0, on top of the Big Ten and ranked among the top-five teams in the country.

The team fielded the No. 1 defense in the nation, powered by the consensus best defensive line in football. The starting front four, Antajj Hawthorne, Jason Jefferson, Jonathan Welsh and Erasmus James, found themselves the subject of a Sports Illustrated feature story and all four would go on to be selected in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Jump back to present day Madison and another such storyline could be in the making. While few believe the young Badgers are destined for another Big Ten title run in 2006, at least one person believes that the '06 edition of the defensive line can equal the successes of the '04 unit.

"I think this is going to be one of the best years for the D-line in Wisconsin," said junior lineman Kurt Ware. "I think we are going to be just as good as that D-line with [James, Hawthorne and Welsh].

"Just as good, if not better."

Those are strong words for a group that contributed to UW surrendering over 160 yards a game on the ground, the fourth-worst mark in the conference.

However, there is much reason to believe that Ware's words could ring true. At the very least, there are definitely grounds for optimism.

While the UW defense was porous for much of the season and the defensive line was as much to blame as any group for the lack of productivity, no area was as badly hampered by injuries as the D-line. During the course of last season, at least seven regular contributors along the defensive front were sidelined with injuries, including season-ending knee injuries to ends Jamal Cooper and Matthew Shaughnessy. Tackle Justin Ostrowski also suffered a severe knee injury before the season started and was only available minimally for UW during the season.

"People get hurt and other people have to step up and play," Ware said. "We found that out last year."

However, after having a month to heal up and lick their wounds, the defensive line dominated Auburn, picking up four tackles for loss and three sacks, wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage, despite still being without Cooper and Shaughnessy.

All told, the injuries could be a blessing in disguise, as the unit is now more experienced than they would have been had they gone through the season injury-free.

"Having guys hurt like that is never a blessing, but it's good to have so many other guys get work, if that makes sense," said fiery new defensive line coach Randall McCray.

As the Badgers go through spring practice, the defensive line group has been one of the most impressive positions on the field, often owning the line of scrimmage and outplaying the offensive line in drills.

"The part I really like about the defensive line is they've always carried themselves with confidence," UW head coach Bret Bielema said. "I feel good about that position in particular."

Since the unit was so short-handed throughout the course of last season, it is only fitting that several players would be missing during spring practice. Shaughnessy is out, Cooper is limited, sophomore Travis Beckum changed positions to tight end and sophomore Gino Cruse is also absent to focus on academics.

While Shaughnessy will not practice this spring and Cooper is limited to non-contact drills only, the pair are both expected to make full recoveries not only for the upcoming season, but for Wisconsin's summer workout program.

"They are both powerful, even though they are both lean young men, they're powerful," McCray said. " Speed and power, that's the name of the game these days, and that's what they'll bring us."

Meanwhile, as Shaughnessy and Cooper recuperate, the rest of the defensive line is already taking shape.

Ware and senior Joe Monty have taken snaps as the first-team ends, but both could find themselves reassigned when Cooper and Shaughnessy return. Either way, both should see extensive playing time.

"Joe Monty, he's our head guy, leading us all the way through," Ware said. "All we need now is just Shaughnessy and Cooper to get better, and we'll be alright."

The first-string tackles during spring have been sophomore Jason Chapman and junior Nick Hayden, but Ostrowski could realistically crack a spot in the starting lineup.

"I think he still has something left over from his injury in the fall," Bielema said of Ostrowski.

One thing is for sure, the unit will be highly energetic, if only because their new coach would not allow anything different.

"It's hard to keep an eye on Randall, he runs around a lot," Bielema said of McCray, who made maybe the hardest hitter of Wednesday's full-contact practice, laying out Joe Monty in exuberance following a solid tackle.

"That guy is just … I don't even know, just a crazy guy," Ware said.

"He comes out with an energy on the field that really gets us going. I'm glad he's our coach."