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After finishing third in nation for scoring defense in 2006, giving up only 11.9 points per game on its way to a 12-1 record, the Wisconsin defense was expected to be a force to be reckoned with in 2007.

However, the defense slipped back to 35th in the nation (and sixth in the Big Ten), giving up an average of 23.3 points per game and letting its opponents top 30 points six times on the way to a fourth place finish in the conference.

The linebacking corps of Jonathan Casillas, DeAndre Levy and Elijah Hodge combined to lead the team with 233 tackles. Despite leading the team, the linebackers realize they still haven’t played to their full potential.

“There were times that we showed glimpses of what we can do, but consistently we didn’t,” Hodge said.

“We’re nowhere near it,” Levy added. “I don’t want to make any excuses or anything. I think, as a unit defensively, we didn’t play to our potential. I think that’s a big reflection of the linebackers. We’re the core of the defense. We got to be the heart and soul of the defense, and nobody really stood out.”

After a disappointing season, the linebackers are using last year as motivation to come out in 2008 and show everyone what they are capable of. 

“It was kind of a disappointment on an individual level and a collective level, for the team and for a lot of people individually,” Levy said. “There were a couple of high points and a lot a low points. Those low points get you beat. They get you beat four times and a couple of near losses early in the season. We just want to improve.”

Casillas and Levy, who will be seniors in the fall, have the added motivation of having only one more year left to win the Big Ten.

“A lot of the seniors are a little more urgent this year,” Levy said. “Last year was kind of a disappointment. It ended in a disappointment. We try to instill in some of the younger guys that you have to be hungry all the way through because nothing is guaranteed. I’m sure everybody coming here thought we would have a Big Ten Championship. But it’s our last year and last shot at it, so we want to give it our all.”

Although they classify last season as a disappointment, one of the bright spots in 2007 was that the corps of Casillas, Levy and Hodge were able to build chemistry.

“We got a year under our belt, and we saw things we were good at and saw things we weren’t good at,” Levy said. “We get a chance to look back and critique ourselves and improve on what we weren’t satisfied with.”

“The chemistry is there, so now it’s just putting it on the field, going out and showing everybody what we can do,” Hodge said.

As spring practice progresses, the linebackers are taking it one day at a time with the goal of improving a little bit every day.

Hodge said his goal in spring practice is to “just to get better as a linebacker; get better as a football player and get my techniques better.”

“I just want to improve and take the next step,” Levy said. “Everyday I want to focus on something, whether its footwork or hard placement, tackling and coming to balance. Just the little things, the little fundamentals.”

Besides getting better every day, all three players have been dealing with injuries this spring, with Casillas the latest to be limited when he hurt his ankle during a drill at Thursday’s practice. And while they are all dealing with injuries, they realize it is important for them to get healthy now so they can be effective in the fall.

“I think one of the big things is to get healthy first,” Levy said. “First and foremost everybody has to be healthy. Hodge is still kind of recovering from his offseason surgery. [Casillas] is still kind of dealing with his ankles a little bit. I’m dealing with my back a little bit. Springtime is a good time to take care of all the things you don’t have time to during the season because you have to prepare so fast.”

It will be important for Casillas, Levy and Hodge to get healthy by fall, as the linebackers will once again be the core of the defense. But they have taken it upon themselves to bring Wisconsin’s defense back to 2006 form.

“You have a unique situation because you are very much in the run game and the pass game,” Hodge said. “Everything forms around the linebackers, so I’m anxious to see how we do this year.”

“It’s going to be just as big as it is every year,” Levy added. “If we play well, the defense usually plays well. If we play bad, the defense usually plays bad. We’re kind of that middle ground of pass coverage and run stopping. It’s a lot on us, but I think we will be ready for it.”