For every Russell Wilson touchdown throw or scamper, the sight of Nick Toon hauling in passes up and down the field might still be the most pleasant sight for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Saturday, Toon caught seven passes for 69 and one touchdown in Wisconsin’s 35-0 win over Oregon State. The seven receptions tied his career-high, which he set in week 11 of 2009, his sophomore season. Saturday’s total was also his highest since the Badgers’ 31-18 win over Ohio State last Oct. 16.
Toon had just two catches in the season-opening win over University of Nevada-Las Vegas, though the starters played essentially just one half of the 51-17 blowout. Saturday, Toon showed what the Badgers’ offense is capable of in a full 60-minute contest.
“I think we were good last week,” Toon said. “I only played basically the first half of the game, and we only threw the ball 13 times when I was in there. Obviously, we aired the ball out a little bit more [Saturday] and the ball came my way a little bit more [Saturday]. That’s just the way it panned out …, but I don’t feel like my connection with Russell is any better or any worse than it was last week.”
Wilson’s acclimation into the Badgers’ offense has generated a significant portion of the headlines thus far, and after his week 1 performance against UNLV – 317 combined yards and three touchdowns – it seems the hype is justified. But for an offense loaded with weapons – Wilson joins one of the nation’s most potent backfields with running backs Montee Ball and James White – Toon could be the one that makes Wisconsin a national title contender.
Opponents will forever key on the University of Wisconsin’s running game, and behind Toon there is a noticeable lack of experience. Redshirt sophomore Jared Abbrederis has emerged as a capable playmaker, but behind him, Jeff Duckworth, Manasseh Garner and Kenzel Doe have played a combined 16 games and caught a total of four passes – all Duckworth’s. Garner appeared in 10 games last season, but only recorded statistics at defensive end. Doe is a true freshman.
“I thought Nick Toon played extremely well,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “The thing I like about our offense is that [Wilson] has a lot of options now, with [Jared Abbrederis], Toon, [tight end Jacob] Pedersen and the running backs out of the backfield.”
With Toon actively filling his No. 1 receiver role, an explosive Badgers offense becomes downright scary. Last year, Toon was limited to nine games (seven starts) while battling a turf toe injury. Still, UW finished with the nation’s fifth-best scoring offense at 41.5 points per game.
This year? After two games, the offense seems like it can become even more proficient.
“We’ve got a lot of weapons on offense, obviously, in the passing game with the tight ends, receivers and running backs, and then the run game,” Toon said. “When you can have success doing all that stuff, you’re pretty dangerous.”
Toon’s lone touchdown came with 7:42 remaining in the second quarter and capped Wisconsin’s longest scoring drive Saturday, eight plays that went for 51 yards and consumed 4:11 of the clock. The score put the Badgers up 14-0 and seemed to set the tone for an offense that initially struggled to gather momentum early in the game.
“It’s always good to be able to control the clock and have success on long drives,” Toon said. “Those were crucial. Obviously, when you can put points on the board at the end of the drive, that helps.”
“We knew [the touchdown play] was going to work,” Wilson added. “I’ve just got to make a good throw, and he’s got to go up and make the play. Nick’s been really working hard. He’s got a lot of talent; he’s got a lot of work ethic. He goes and attacks the ball.”
