With spring workouts drawing to a close and the annual spring
game set for this weekend, it’s time to take a look at the
2004 UW football team.
With a new defensive coordinator, a new quarterback, and an
untested group of linebackers, this squad will face some key
questions. Wisconsin’s success in 2004 may come down to
whether the new-look Badgers can replace an accomplished
coordinator and a number of departed standouts.
Can Bielema replace Cosgrove?: New defensive coordinator
and linebackers coach Bret Bielema has large shoes to fill this
season. He will be asked to replace Kevin Cosgrove, the veteran
defensive coordinator who led the Badgers’ defensive corps for the
past 10 seasons.
Cosgrove, who coached the UW linebackers for four seasons before
taking over as defensive coordinator, is a member of Barry
Alvarez’s original coaching staff. Without his contributions,
Barry may not be on the verge of recording his 100th victory this
season.
During Cosgrove’s tenure at Wisconsin, the Badgers won
three Big Ten titles and three Rose Bowls. The team appeared in
nine bowl games during Cosgrove’s 14 seasons, winning
seven.
When the Badgers won back-to-back Rose Bowl titles,
Cosgrove’s units led the Big Ten in scoring defense during
both seasons. In 1998, Cosgrove’s group led the nation,
allowing just 10.8 points per game.
The departed Cosgrove holds 22 years of Big Ten coaching
experience. When Cosgrove earned his first Big Ten coaching job,
Bielema was only 12 years old.
However, Bielema is no stranger to the Big Ten conference. The
Prophetstown, Ill., native coached at Iowa for nine seasons and
helped lead the 1997 Hawkeye squad that ranked fourth in the nation
in scoring defense.
After coaching the Iowa linebackers for six seasons, Bielema
took over as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for Big
12 champion Kansas State. In two seasons with the Wildcats,
Bielema’s defenses ranked in the national top 10 in points
allowed and yards allowed during both campaigns. In his first year
with the Wildcats, Bielema’s group led the nation in scoring
defense (11.8 ppg) and ranked second in total yards allowed (249
ypg).
This season, Bielema will have full control over a defensive
unit for the first time in his coaching career, and he will face
the challenge of replacing one of the most celebrated coordinators
in school history. Bielema has coached elite defenses and achieved
tremendous success, but he does not compare to Cosgrove in terms of
experience. The young coordinator will need to prove himself early,
as his ability to replace the departed Cosgrove will play a major
role in the Badgers’ success this season.
Can the passing game survive the loss of Sorgi and Evans?:
With a first-year starter under center, the passing game will
always be a question mark. Add the departure of All-American Lee
Evans to the mix, and panic begins to set in. But don’t
worry, Badger fans; there is still plenty of talent in this
season’s aerial attack.
Redshirt sophomore John Stocco has impressed the coaching staff
during spring workouts and should be ready to step into the
starting role. Known for his powerful arm, Stocco has all the tools
to be a solid quarterback, and though he will be the starter for
the first time in his collegiate career, the fall campaign will be
his third season in the system.
If Stocco struggles, senior Matt Schabert will be ready to step
in, along with a group of talented young quarterbacks that includes
redshirt freshman Tyler Donovan and true freshman Shaun Lewis.
Schabert may not have the talent to be an everyday starter, but
he proved last season that he can be effective in a supporting
role. I’m sure cornerback Chris Gamble still remembers the
79-yard touchdown pass Schabert threw to Lee Evans after Sorgi left
the Ohio State game with an injury.
In addition to providing a quality insurance policy, Schabert
will act as a player-coach this season, guiding Stocco from the
sidelines and in practice. With Stocco’s arm and
Schabert’s mind, the Badgers should have a solid quarterback
under center in 2004.
Though Evans is on his way to the NFL, Stocco will have plenty
of options to choose from in the receiving corps. Headlining the
2004 group are juniors Brandon Williams and Jonathan Orr, who will
look to emerge from Evans’ shadow and lead the passing game as they
did as freshmen in 2002.
After setting a UW freshman record with 842 receiving yards in
the 2002 campaign, Orr disappeared when Evans returned in 2003.
With Evans dominating the passing attack, Orr managed just seven
catches for 117 yards. After a strong spring, the talented junior
is poised to reemerge this season as a major option in the
Badgers’ aerial attack.
Williams avoided a similar letdown after setting a UW freshman
receptions record with 52 catches in 2002. The 5-foot-11 wide-out
posted 649 yards on 49 catches in 2003 and should put up impressive
numbers again this season.
With Orr determined to reestablish himself, the junior duo,
along with 6-foot-6 senior Darrin Charles, should be able to fill
the large hole left by departed All-American Evans.
With junior Brandon White, whom Alvarez and wide-receivers coach
Henry Mason both described as the best route-runner on the team,
also in the mix, along with sophomore Ernest Mason and 6-foot-5
freshman Brandon Tobias, the only question facing the receiving
corps is how to get everyone on the field.
Can anyone replace Lewis and Mack?: The biggest question
mark heading into the 2004 season is the ability of an untested
group of linebackers to replace a unit that included all-Big Ten
selection Alex Lewis and last season’s leading tackler, Jeff
Mack (98).
Junior LaMarr Watkins and senior Kareem Timbers are the only
members of the 2004 unit to break into the starting lineup in 2003,
and Watkins’ two starts came at a different position than the
one he will play in the fall.
With freshman Brandon Kelly joining Watkins, Reggie Cribbs, Mark
Zalewski, converted defensive back/wide receiver Dontez Sanders,
Elliot Goode, and Timbers, the Badgers have no shortage of talent.
However, outside of special-teams action, the group has very little
game experience at the college level.
Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that Goode and Zalewski,
who were both listed as starters heading into the spring sessions,
were unable to participate in spring practices due to injury.
New defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Bielema will
have his hands full preparing the young group for the 2004
campaign. Though Bielema coached a set of elite linebackers at
Kansas State, he faces a tremendous challenge in his debut season
at Wisconsin.
An unproven group, the 2004 linebackers will play a major role
every Saturday. If they can learn the system and perform
consistently, the Badgers have a chance to field one of the top
defenses in the Big Ten. If not, it could be a long year for the
cardinal and white.
