The red hot Badger football squad looks to extend its three-game winning streak Saturday when the Northern Illinois Huskies march into Camp Randall stadium. NIU, known as a rushing force, must play without injured star running back Thomas Hammock, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2001.
Wisconsin players are beginning to gel on the field and recognize that strong non-league play will prepare UW for Big Ten opponents later in the season. In simpler terms, here are the five keys to victory to a Badger victory.
No. 1: Don’t be overconfident. Ranked in the Top 25 in every poll across America, UW has a lot to be proud of so far this season. The Big Ten is a powerhouse football conference, but NIU, a Middle American Conference team, will stop at nothing to pull off an early-season upset in Madison.
Several of the Huskies’ players are either Madison natives or from the state of Wisconsin, which makes victory in each of their minds an even stronger priority. Consequently, the Badgers must remain focused and stick to the game plan that Barry Alvarez established for Saturday’s game and not be overconfident. Just get the job done.
No. 2: Strong Special Teams. Alvarez has had his trials with discovering place kickers early on, but this week he will have to stress to his special-teams unit the importance on stopping kick returner Michael “The Burner” Turner, who averages 32.2 yards per return this season. Turner, a senior, has the explosiveness to break open big returns as well as three years of experience under his belt.
Along with Turner is Randee Drew, a talented cornerback who is quick on his feet and able to break loose from tackles. With Hammock out of the regular offensive attack, it is apparent that the Huskies’ most lethal offensive weapons will be their kick returners.
No. 3: Offensive creativity. With Brooks Bollinger, Anthony Davis, Darrin Charles, Jonathan Orr, Brandon Williams and a solid offensive line, Alvarez has the luxury of implementing numerous plays on offense that will confuse the defense.
Bollinger’s effectiveness as a quarterback that can run, creates opportunities for the Wisconsin wide receiver triumvirate to shine as linebackers and safeties will look for the quarterback to run with the ball, leaving Charles, Orr and Williams open down the field. Though Alvarez keeps a conservative playbook, look for Bollinger to throw the ball downfield more or even dump the ball off to Davis. Bollinger’s athleticism and leadership on the field will determine how many points the Badgers can put up on the scoreboard.
No. 4: Badger Rookies Step Up. In the first three games of the season, Orr, Williams, and Jim Leonhard have stepped up and have had integral roles in propelling UW to victory. Orr and Williams have manhandled the secondaries that they’ve seen thus far, making a number of big plays downfield.
Williams, a true freshman, is averaging 18.7 yards per reception, while Orr has been the go-to guy, hauling in 14 catches for almost 300 yards. If they continue to improve and make plays, Orr and Williams will ease the return of star wide receiver Lee Evans later in the season.
In addition, walk-on phenomenon Jim Leonhard already has three interceptions and has become one of the leaders on Wisconsin’s tenacious defensive squad. Leonhard’s ability as a linebacker to read the quarterback will be key this week, as NIU QB Josh Haldi has a solid arm and will be looking to pass without the services of Hammock.
No. 5: Send a message. Football analysts have commented that Wisconsin’s schedule up to this point has been light, in terms of the opponents faced. The Badgers have the potential to beat almost any top-25 team, but it is imperative that they shutdown NIU and send a message to the nation that Badger football is moving toward the top in the post-Ron Dayne era. The Huskies don’t pose much of a threat, but the Badgers must move beyond that and play with the football values that Alvarez has instilled in his players for the past decade.
