For the Wisconsin Badgers, the whole season comes down to one game this Saturday, and the much-maligned Badger defense is looking to help the team become bowl-eligible and recapture Paul Bunyan’s ax. To do that, they will have to put the clamps on Minnesota’s diverse and talented offense.
“They’re difficult to prepare for because they can run the ball and they can throw the ball well, so you can’t load up on one thing or the other,” said safety Jim Leonhard.
The Gopher offensive attack starts with quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq. The multi-talented junior presents a difficult matchup for the Badger defense.
“He’s a guy that once he gets out of the pocket is when he can hurt you, scrambling with the ball … running the quarterback draw and that kind of thing,” said defensive end Jake Sprague. “He can hurt you with his feet as well as throwing the ball, so that’s something we have to pay special attention to.”
Abdul-Khaliq leads Minnesota in passing with 1686 yards and is third on the team in rushing, including his 103-yard effort this season against Toledo. For that reason, the Badger defensive line will look to keep him in the pocket.
“Everyone’s just got to take care of what they’ve got to do, and that won’t allow him to get outside the pocket,” said Sprague. “We’ll keep him contained.”
While keeping Abdul-Khaliq in the pocket is a goal, the Badgers do plan to pressure him.
“You just keep him always on his toes and aware of everybody around him and what they’re doing. It takes his mind off of being able to pick apart our defense,” said Sprague, who leads the team with six sacks. “When you put some heat on him and make him make some decisions, that’s when you can take him out of his game.”
The Gopher receivers, 6-foot-6 Aaron Hosack and 6-foot-1 Antoine Burns, will have a significant height advantage over the Badger defensive backs, 5-foot-10 Scott Starks, 5-foot-11 B.J. Tucker, and the 5-foot-8 Leonhard.
“You’ve just got to make sure you’re in the right position all the time. You can’t get into a jumping match because they’ll win some of them,” said Leonhard.
The Wisconsin pass defense has been vulnerable to opposing tight ends as of late. Iowa’s Dallas Clark caught five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, and last week, Bennie Joppru of Michigan snagged seven balls for 45 yards against the Badgers.
This week’s challenge will be Gopher tight end Ben Utecht, who is second on the team with 29 receptions, including five touchdowns.
“A lot of it is just being prepared so you’re in a better position. We’ve been in spots where we weren’t in good positions, especially against tight ends lately,” said Leonhard. “You’ve just got to work hard, and out work them.”
In Wisconsin’s 42-31 loss last year at the Metrodome, Utecht burned UW for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
The other dimension of the Golden Gopher offense is their running game, consisting of the two-headed monster of Terry Jackson II and Thomas Tapeh. Jackson leads the team with 1194 rushing yards, at a gaudy 6.0 yards per carry. Tapeh had chipped in with 804 yards on the ground.
The Badgers are looking to shore up their run defense, which in the past two weeks has yielded 158 yards to Illinois’ Antoineo Harris and 175 yards to Chris Perry of Michigan. “We’ve got a good plan in, and we’ve been practicing real well this week against what they’ve been running,” said Sprague. “I think our guys are ready to put a good game together.”
With a bowl berth and the Paul Bunyan ax riding on Saturday’s outcome, the Wisconsin defense is looking to shut down the Gophers.
“We’re just working hard, trying to correct the mistakes we’ve been making all year and just go out there and play real fast,” said Leonhard.
For Sprague, a senior, there is no lack of motivation.
“This is it; there’s no tomorrow when it comes to Saturday. It’s win or go home,” he said. “Everybody’s got to play their best game on Saturday, and everything else will take care of itself.”
