For the first five weeks of Wisconsin’s 2004 campaign, the offense struggled to establish an effective aerial attack. Behind sophomore signal-caller John Stocco, the Badger passing game continually offered up paltry numbers as defensive coordinator Bret Bielema’s stalwart unit controlled the flow of the ballgame.

Then, with the core of the team’s arduous conference schedule finally underway last Saturday against Ohio State, Stocco stepped up and delivered the finest performance of his young career in the raucous confines of Ohio Stadium.

“He definitely came into his own and showed the type of quarterback he can be when he’s in there comfortable, cool and calm,” tight end Owen Daniels said.

Statistically the game appeared an only minor improvement over past weeks as Stocco completed 15 of 24 attempts for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Yet the field told a different story, as much of the passing game’s productivity came at critical moments when the formidable Buckeye defense held the Wisconsin rushing game in check.

“I thought he played outstanding,” quarterbacks coach Jeff Horton said. “In a hostile environment at Ohio State, as loud as it was, he made some big plays, managed the game well, didn’t get any delay penalties or any plays called wrong with the audible. It was the best game so far.”

Stocco’s breakout performance arrived in the midst of yet another Wisconsin quarterback controversy. Despite the Badgers’ undefeated record, many fans pointed to the meager passing figures as the weak point of a squad sitting on the edge of Rose Bowl contention.

While the Badger passing game lingered in the numerical basement of the conference in virtually every category, the buzz from local sports pages to Internet chat rooms consistently appealed for Stocco’s impeachment in favor of freshman quarterback Tyler Donovan — a state of affairs familiar to Wisconsin coaches.

“First thing I always tell those guys when they come in is nobody likes a first-team quarterback,” Horton said. “Nobody wanted Kav (Scott Kavanagh) when he was in there; they wanted Brooks (Bollinger). When Brooks got in there, they wanted (Jim) Sorgi. When Sorgi got in there, they wanted (Matt) Schabert and then Stocco. Now they want Donovan. It’s just got to be like water off a duck’s back.”

Even after the victory at Ohio State, the Badger passing game remains dead last in most statistical categories including passing yards, completion percentage, touchdowns and passer efficiency. Stocco and his coaches, however, expressed an absence of concern, citing the team success as a more accurate benchmark.

“He knows what’s important to win a football game, we’re not caught up in how many yards he throws for,” Horton said. “We just want to keep contending by playing smart on offense.”

“It feels good to play better than I have before, but I’m not out here to please people,” Stocco said. “I’m just out here to win football games.”

Despite demonstrating often times dreary pocket production, Stocco’s performance against Ohio State in certain areas remains consistent with a quiet strong suit the quarterback has exhibited all year.

Through six games, Stocco surrendered just five sacks to the opposing pass rush, a number bested only by Minnesota’s Bryan Cupito. For offensive coordinator Brian White, who witnessed his quarterbacks taken down 37 times in 2003, the figure speaks volumes of his new starter.

“Everyone all the sudden wants to figure out why we’re so good at minimizing sacks,” White said. “Well, a lot of that has to do with [having] a smart quarterback that understands what we’re trying to do.”

Stocco has also proven himself an astute leader of the Wisconsin offense. In his first season taking up the starting role, the young quarterback continues to display the poise of a veteran, throwing picks on just 2.16 percent of pass attempts — a notable improvement over 2003 starting quarterback Jim Sorgi, who finished the season at 3.63 percent.

“I think Johnny [Stocco] is a real good decision maker,” Horton said. “He understands what to do with the football, hasn’t put us in any binds, and I think he understands his protection. For a young guy those are key elements.”

Wisconsin travels to West Lafayette Saturday to face No. 5 Purdue in a Big Ten title fight between the only two remaining undefeated squads in the conference. Though the showdown between the dominating Badger defense and Heisman candidate Kyle Orton remains the feature attraction, coaches expect the Wisconsin passing game to play a prominent role.

Despite giving up an average of 326.2 total yards, Purdue has limited opponents to just 13.2 points per game. Wisconsin will look to Stocco to exploit head coach Joe Tiller’s glaring liability in pass coverage and break the malleable Boilermaker defense.

“These games are getting bigger,” Horton said. “We did some good things last week but we look to get better, and we have to get better. There’s going to be a point in time where we need to throw the ball a lot more.”