Wisconsin flipped the script on BYU Saturday. The Cougars entered Camp Randall, lauded for their fast-paced offensive attack that runs 90 plays a game in their constant attempts to dictate tempo. Following a 27-17 Wisconsin victory Saturday, head coach Gary Andersen called the flurry of plays a “non-factor,” and he wasn’t wrong.
Beau Allen figured the key would be communication on defense — getting people in the right positions as BYU yearned for Mach 1. As the game reached the fourth quarter, and Wisconsin held a 27-10 lead with 13 minutes remaining, it seemed as if the Badgers’ defense had done just that.
Only the fears of BYU’s fleeting attack weren’t dispelled entirely by the Wisconsin defense. Instead, ironically, it was the Wisconsin offense that played a role, methodically driven by Joel Stave and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig to keep the BYU offense off the field.
And it happened right away. The Wisconsin offense took the field and drove 76 yards for a 7-0 lead, culminated by a James White 4-yard touchdown run. White went untouched, splitting the backs of his left guard and tackle for his first of three touchdowns on the day.
It was an 11-play drive that took less than five minutes, proven a trendsetter by game’s end. Their next scoring drive would also take 11 plays, this one stretching 63 yards from the Wisconsin 17-yard-line that would eventually stall for a 38-yard Jack Russell field goal, the first of his career. That one gobbled up more than six minutes, starting with 9:55 in the second quarter, keeping the BYU offense sidelined for almost the remainder of the first half.
“Those are the kind of drives we want to have,” Stave said. “We know how nasty our defense can be when they are well rested … so if we can put together drives like that, change the field position, and eventually end with scores, that takes a lot of wind out of a defense.”
It was formulaic and a little different from what Wisconsin has utilized in 2013 — not including deep passes to Abbrederis or jet sweeps for Melvin Gordon. The drives weren’t the typical Wisconsin methodical, either; commonly enacted by a run, run pass to Abbrederis pattern.
The runs chugged Wisconsin along and the passes came in a very non-discriminatory lineup, as Pedersen and White each tallied six receptions, either matching or setting career-highs for both. Jordan Frederick caught his first pass since the Northwestern game and Kenzel Doe chipped in a pair of receptions as well.
“I think we did a good job trying to involve the other guys,” Stave said. “Jared, obviously, after his hit that he took against Iowa, wasn’t as involved in practice this week, so you want to make sure that you’re getting the other guys the ball. We have a lot of confidence in just about anyone we’re throwing to.”
Wisconsin found that methodical could score quickly, as well, when, at the end of the first half, yet another 11-play drive brought took the Badgers 65 yards in less than two-and-a-half minutes for another seven points before halftime.
Borland returns
After missing the last seven quarters of play with a hamstring injury, senior linebacker Chris Borland returned to his home at the center of the Wisconsin defense. Although the Badgers defense played well in his absence, including his replacement Marcus Trotter, Borland brings a different sense of assurance when he’s on the field.
“Chris is a great leader for the defense. Always getting him back for the defense was going to be something today,” senior linebacker Brendan Kelly said. “Trotter did a great job of filling in there when he had his opportunity, but Chris came back and he didn’t miss a beat.“
In fact, he made the first play for the Wisconsin defense, forcing BYU quarterback Taysom Hill to the sideline for a short gain. That was the first of his team-high four first-quarter tackles. However, it was his quarterback hurry that was vital.
With six-and-a-half minutes left in the first quarter, Borland crept to the line for a blitz. On the snap, one step left, one plant right and a spin move took BYU left guard Solomone Kafu out of sight and concern in just one second. The next second-and-a-half put him in the eyesight of Hill, forcing him to lob a prayer-bound pass to the middle of the field, where sophomore safety Tanner McEvoy had set up camp for his first career interception and 20-yard return.
Borland surrounded the field in his first game back, sideline-to-sideline for his team-high 2.5 sacks and 13 tackles, 10 of which came in the first 32 minutes of the game. He was the spike strip, if you will, to BYU’s Mazzerati at the start of the second half, with a tackle on each play of the Cougar’s first 3-and-out drive.
“With Chris, he’ll get his,” Andersen said, reciting his tackle total. “This defense is very happy to have him out there, and I am too.”
