By Ian McCue

The University of Wisconsin football team is known for its talented running backs and this year the Badgers added yet another talented back: freshman Montee Ball.

Recruited out of Timberland High School in Wentzville, Mo., the four star recruit was highly touted coming out of high school. Ball set various records in the Wentzville School District and was one of the top running backs in the country.

Transitioning to the college game is no easy task, and Ball admits it has been harder than he expected.

“I came in here expecting for the defense to be a lot faster and everything to be a lot more fast-paced,” Ball said. “Everyone’s great, everyone’s a good player.”

When asked about the adjustment, Ball was quick to mention the elevated speed of the game.

“I kind of expected for it all to be, faster, you know the intensity way higher,” Ball said. “But I think I’m pretty much over the freshman head-spinning thing.”

As a true freshman, Ball will play a backup role this year but he will have an impact on the Badgers’ running game.

“He’s a guy we’re looking at to come in and give John a break here and there, ” running backs coach John Settle said.

Settle sees a lot of potential in Ball, as he has already seen a great set of skills in the freshman running back.

“The thing that he’s shown us so far is that he has a quick burst to the line, he runs the ball hard, he’s able to get behind his pads, and surprisingly he has pretty decent speed,” Settle said.

Ball had the first carries of his college career last week against the University of Minnesota, taking five for four yards. The freshman running back learned quickly how intense college football, and it’s longest rivalry, really is.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking, rival game, you know, hostile environment. I was just mainly focused on protecting the ball,” Ball said.

Now that his first college plays are out of the way, Ball is looking forward to the upcoming game against Ohio State. As for expectations for the next game, Ball remains modest.

“Whenever they call my number, I’ll be ready to go in and do my job,” Ball said. “As long as we’re winning, I’m happy.”