Last August, with the University of Wisconsin football season opener only weeks away, defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove faced a number of decisions.
Due to the departure of nine defensive starters from a year ago, the defensive depth chart had question marks at nearly every position. One position, however, was never a concern for Cosgrove.
The return of junior inside linebacker Jeff Mack was one of the few bright spots on a very inexperienced Badger defense. Mack is one of only two returning starters from the 2001 defensive unit and is by far Cosgrove’s most experienced player.
Having switched from outside linebacker back to what Cosgrove believes is his natural position at inside linebacker, Mack has been extremely productive thus far, and has played a critical role on a defense that has pleasantly surprised many Badger fans in the young 2002 season.
Growing up in Madison as the son of former Badger receiver Jeff Mack, Sr. (1971-1974), Mack was exposed to Wisconsin football at a very young age. He attributes much of his success on the football field to his father and believes that his father has had a significant impact on his football career.
“He was always my coach. He coached me from third grade up and has always been there for me,” said Mack. “I can’t tell you how many times we just went out and threw the football around together.”
Although Mack has always been a Badger fan, he kept his scholarship options open as a senior at Madison West and looked at several Division I programs before committing to Wisconsin’s class of 1999. During Mack’s recruiting process, his father was very supportive of his son and encouraged him to go where he felt most comfortable.
“My dad never put it in my head like, ‘yeah, I want you to go to Wisconsin,'” commented Mack. “It was moreso ‘you go to the school that is best for you.'”
When all was said and done, Mack felt that UW’s combination of academics and athletics outweighed his other options, and he delighted the UW coaching staff when he announced he was going to be a Badger.
While Mack has indeed made significant contributions to the Wisconsin defense on past game days, some of the biggest have been made on the practice field. Given the lack of experience among Mack’s fellow defensive teammates, he has assumed a leadership role and has served as a mentor to some of the less experienced players such as Kareem Timbers, Broderick Williams and recent JUCO transfer Alex Lewis.
“[I’ve tried] to just kind of help them along, make it a little easier and help them transition easier in any way possible,” Mack said of his fellow linebackers. “If they have any questions, they can come ask me, and I will try to help them out.”
Because of the experience that Mack brings to the young Badger defense, coaches not only depend on him to make big plays, but to help his teammates improve.
As busy as Mack is during football season, he always makes time for his schoolwork. A real-estate major in the business school, Mack takes his education quite seriously. On the rare occasion Mack does find time to spend away from the football field or the classroom, he enjoys kicking back with his friends and playing video games on his X-Box.
You won’t find too many players in Division I-A college football who demonstrate the class, humility and leadership that Jeff Mack does. As the most experienced player on a Badger defense that drew a great deal of skepticism entering the 2002 season, Mack has played a vital role in helping his team achieve a 5-0 non-conference record.
Given the contributions Jeff Mack has made to the 2002 Badger squad thus far, it is likely that the defense will continue to thrive under his experience and leadership.
