Heading into last season's camp, Erasmus James was on the verge of becoming an elite defensive player. Coming off a pair of impressive seasons, the talented lineman seemed destined for greatness.

James' rise to national prominence had begun in 2001, when he exploded onto the scene with three sacks and a forced fumble in his first college game, garnering Big Ten defensive player of the week honors. In a strong sophomore season, James led the Badgers with three forced fumbles, ranked second with six sacks, and finished second in hurries (4) behind All-American Wendell Bryant.

The talented defensive end entered the 2002 campaign as one of the most promising defensive linemen in the Big Ten. Named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski award, the most prestigious defensive honor in college football, James was poised for a career year.

The Pembroke Pines, Fla. native did not disappoint. Starting 13 of the Badgers' 14 games, James led the team with 17 hurries and finished third in sacks (4). 'Raz used his speed and agility to record 57 tackles, including eight tackles for a loss. He continued to develop into a big-play defender, forcing a pair of fumbles and adding a fumble recovery while generating relentless pressure on the opposing quarterback.

In the 2002 season, James had established himself as a dangerous pass rusher and a player that can create havoc on the defensive line. After breaking onto the national scene in his junior campaign, 'Raz seemed ready to take his game to the next level in 2003. It seemed as if nothing could stop the fiery defensive end from becoming one of the most feared pass rushers in the nation.
Then disaster struck.

Before the 2003 season even began, James' year came to an abrupt end when he suffered a severe hip injury during preseason workouts. The player who had seemed virtually unstoppable in 2002 now wondered if he would ever play football again.

"They kind of compared it to Bo Jackson, and when you compare something to Bo Jackson it's not good." James said.

Sidelined for the season before opening day, James was forced to stand idly by as the Badgers struggled through a 7-6 campaign and finished in the bottom half of the Big Ten standings for a third consecutive season.

"It was just hard that I couldn't be out there to bring my best effort and know what I can bring to the table," James said. "I think that was the hardest part."
In addition to the tremendous frustration of suffering a season-ending injury in preseason training, 'Raz faced an even more haunting condition: uncertainty. As James contemplated his football mortality, the Wisconsin medical staff was baffled by his mysterious injury.

"When I first got the idea that I might not be able to play again was when I first went to the doctors here and the doctors were like 'we don't know exactly what's going on,'" James said. "It was like my third MRI and they were still like 'we still don't know.'"

Unable to find any answers in Wisconsin, James traveled to New York to visit a specialist. Desperately seeking a diagnosis, 'Raz was examined by the New York Giants' team doctor, who gave the beleaguered lineman the answer he was hoping for. The doctor identified James' condition and announced that it was curable through a simple rehabilitation program.

"There was no surgery needed and everything turned out perfect," James said.
However, after a successful rehabilitation James found himself in an unfamiliar position. He was healthy and ready to return to the field, but now he had to earn a spot in the starting lineup.

Throughout preseason camp, 'Raz battled with sophomore Joe Monty for the right to rejoin a defensive line that he was once such a powerful member of. As camp neared its end and opening day grew increasingly closer, the UW coaching staff was not ready to grant James the starting nod.

"I don't know if he's going to start," defensive coordinator Bret Bielema said in the final week of camp. "That's the great thing, is that he's back and he's doing some good things, but Jonathan Welsh and (Joe) Monty are playing good football and had at the end of last year and throughout the spring, so it's kind of a battle by committee out there."

In the end, 'Raz was simply too talented to deny. In an 11th hour decision, Alvarez and company placed the resilient lineman in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against UNLV.

James made an immediate impact, dropping Central Florida tailback Alex Haynes for a two-yard loss on the first play from scrimmage. With four tackles, including two for a loss, one sack and a hurry which forced the errant throw that led to Anttaj Hawthorne's interception, 'Raz made one thing perfectly clear: he's back.

In a dominant performance in the season opener, James showed no lingering effects from the injury that nearly ended his career a season ago. He was as explosive as ever, tearing around the corner to meet the opposition in the backfield just as he did in 2002.

Playing alongside Hawthorne, Jefferson and Welsh, James is now a member of what could be the strongest defensive line in the conference. For a player who once wondered if he would ever play again, there can be no greater opportunity.

This time, there are no preseason honors, no hype and no lofty expectations. There is only football. But sometimes, that is all you need.