Coming into the season with three new starters on the Badger offensive line, there was much concern over how effective the unit would be in 2003.

Traditionally the center position is the leader of the line. He makes the calls and adjustments. With the graduation of center Al Johnson, the Badgers were facing a hole at this position. The team needed someone to step in and fill the gap.

That hole has been filled by sophomore Donovan Raiola. He is not, however, your ordinary first-year starter. In addition to being able to learn from Johnson, who was a second-round draft pick in April’s NFL draft, he also has a mentor that most people don’t.

Raiola’s brother, Dominic, is a former All-American center at Nebraska who now plays in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.

“My brother helps me a lot with things on the field,” Raiola said. “I have a brother that I can go to and ask questions of because I’m sure he has been through it all. He is at the top level. I know I can go and ask him how to block certain techniques and certain alignments. He really gives me a lot of confidence.”

Raiola is a soft-spoken guy off the field, but in the heat of the game he is quite vocal. However, the Hawaii native downplays that side of himself.

“I really don’t realize what I do. I just do it,” Raiola said. “I just go out and try to see what is going on in the game. I guess that is just what happens.”

Wisconsin came into the season with a lot of hype surrounding the potential of its passing game, but it is the running game that has brought the Badgers their 6-1 record. There have been many drives this season that have gone without a single passing play.

“You know, that’s Wisconsin. That’s what we’re known for: power football, and we (the offensive line) definitely take pride in running the ball, and we love to run the ball.”

The Badgers have run the ball successfully by controlling the line of scrimmage, which involves the entire line being on the same page and being confident. Raiola seems to provide the line with a certain swagger that helps their confidence, but he isn’t so sure he has that impact.

“I hope so,” Raiola said. “I think it gets the guys a little fired up, and if you’re not fired up to play this game, that is a problem. I think that should come naturally.”

Raiola brings his fiery nature to the table for every game. When he gets this energetic demeanor he doesn’t know where it comes from, but it definitely presents itself.

“I think it’s just the competitive nature of playing the game, and just go be able to go out there and hit somebody with a different jersey on,” Raiola said. “I guess it just comes on game day.”

Although very critical to his play, this competitive nature isn’t enough to get him ready for game day.

“Watching a lot of film, knowing what one opponent will do in different situations, knowing the favorite moves of the opponents on the defensive line, knowing how they play, and just studying them [helps me get ready],” Raiola said.

Playing for the Badgers is very important to Raiola. Although playing well for his team and his teammates is very important, Raiola takes the field for more than just his team.

“[I also play for] my family and the people where I’m from, Hawaii, to let people know we do have some talent out there,” he said.

But his teammates still come first on the football field. Raiola has shown a willingness to come to the defense of a teammate on the field on several occasions, especially his quarterback.

“That is your quarterback back there, you don’t want anything bad happening to him,” Raiola said. “You want to protect him at all times, no matter what the situation. It is just second nature, and it’s not necessarily the quarterback, it’s anybody.”

You would think that with his fiery on-field personality Raiola would be an intense person in all facets of his life, but the center is able to turn the switch when he needs to.

“It’s just something about running out on that field on Saturdays and knowing that it could be your last chance to play football. It is just a game-day thing. It carries over to practice, but off the field I’m pretty laid back.”