With the lights dimmed in the McClain Center film room Wednesday, Wisconsin head football coach Barry Alvarez shed some light on the Badgers’ outlook for the 2003 season.
In front of a large media turnout, Alvarez announced the 16 scholarship and five walk–on recruits who made their commitments to UW official by signing letters of intent. He also showed highlight clips of each player.
Wisconsin prospects dominated the recruiting list, with five scholarship signees and five walk–ons. UW signed four players from the football talent factory of Texas, two from Minnesota and one player each from Missouri, Ohio, Hawaii, Illinois, Georgia and New York.
Defensive lineman Justin Ostrowski, ranked the No. 2 defensive end in the nation and the No. 1 overall player in Wisconsin by the recruiting website Rivals.com, tops UW’s recruiting class. Ostrowski, 6–foot–5 and 255 pounds, garnered countless honors his senior season, including being named to the Parade All–America team, and totaled 14 sacks and 15 TFLs in his senior season.
Lineman/tight end Joe Thomas, a 6–foot–8, 260–pounder from Brookfield, gives UW another top in–state recruit. Thomas, who was ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in Wisconsin and was named an All–American by Prep Star recruiting service, possesses exceptional athleticism for his size. Alvarez said he envisions him as a left tackle in the future, although he may not start out there.
“He can play both sides of the ball; he played about every position on the field last year,” Alvarez said. “He can play tight end, could play defensive end. He’s athletic, physical. His best position could be left tackle, but he could play defense.”
The departure of graduating quarterback Brooks Bollinger has left UW without the services of one of its top performers from the past four years, but Alvarez feels he may have found a similar player in Tyler Donovan, a 6–foot–1, 176–pound quarterback from Arrowhead High in Heartland, Wis. Donovan, who has exceptional speed and a “nice touch” on his ball according to Alvarez, was named the No. 2 player in Wisconsin by Rivals.com and averaged 10 yards per rush his senior season.
“[Donovan] really reminds me a lot of Brooks,” Alvarez said. “He’s really athletic, runs well, is mobile, and he really has a presence on the field.”
After losing three starting offensive lineman to graduation, Alvarez felt filling the gaps in the trenches was essential. Alvarez and his staff succeeded, signing six offensive lineman, and Alvarez feels they will be the strength of the class. Joining Thomas in what Alvarez hopes will be a solid core of blocking talent are 6–foot–8, 285–pound Danny Kaye from New Berlin, Wis., 6–foot–4, 295–pound Stratford, Wis., native Luke Knauf and 6–foot–6, 305–pound Minnesota native Marcus Coleman.
“Offensive line was a primary need,” Alvarez said. “We felt like we needed at least four offensive linemen.”
UW added more receivers to its stable of young playmakers, signing two extremely exciting wideouts in Brandon Tobias and Ernest Mason. The 6–foot–5 Tobias, who caught 26 career touchdowns at Thornton High in Chicago, will join 6–foot–7 Darrin Charles, 6–foot–3 Jonathan Orr and 6–foot–3 Brandon White to give UW a substantial height advantage over nearly all Big Ten secondaries.
Mason, a 6–footer who hails from Dunbar High in Fort Worth, Texas, is listed by recruiting services as one of the top two fastest recruits in the nation, with 4.3 speed in the 40–yard dash and sprinter’s speed in 100 and 200–meter races. Another UW signee is Mason’s high school teammate, tailback Michael Turner, who brings speed into the backfield and also is “a very patient, smart runner,” according to Alvarez.
Alvarez tapped into some of his favorite targets once again this year, signing tight end/defensive end Jamal Cooper out of Hazelwood East in St. Louis. Current Badgers Scott Starks and Brandon Williams, as well as former UW and current NFL players Jamar and Terrell Fletcher are all Hazelwood products.
UW also found some talent at Ohio’s Beford High School, the school that produced former Badger Chris Chambers and current Badgers Lee Evans and Dontez Sanders, signing 6–foot–4 linebacker Brandon Kelly, a 220–pounder who lettered in three sports in high school.
Alvarez also ventured outside of his usual recruiting areas, signing safety James Kamoku from Kailua–Kona, Hawaii. Kamoku, a fierce hitter, played linebacker in high school but will likely be switched to free safety, and possibly drop linebacker, because of his size (200 pounds) and speed.
Overall, Alvarez seemed pleased with the 21 committed players.
“It appears as though it’s a very athletic class,” Alvarez said. “I think the players we signed are good fits for our program.”
