[media-credit name=’MATTHEW KUTZ/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]Last season, then-sophomore quarterback John Stocco secured himself the starting quarterback job after an impressive spring game performance. This year, the junior wasn’t looking to secure any job, but nevertheless Stocco again outperformed his fellow quarterbacks in the annual spring classic.

A year ago, Wisconsin struggled to move the ball through the air, ranking 103rd out of 117 teams nationally and averaging 167 passing yards per game. This year, the Badgers are trying to amend that statistic, switching up their passing game to a new, timing-based system of routes. While the transition has been anything but smooth, Stocco has stood head and shoulders above his competition.

“Stocco clearly had the best spring of our quarterbacks,” head coach Barry Alvarez said.

While Stocco did have the best day of any of the UW quarterbacks at Lussier Field, his day was far from pretty. With the offense working heavily on improving their new-look passing attack, Stocco and his receivers were clearly still working on gaining a solid rapport with each other.

There were, however, flashes of what is potentially in store for next season. On their third drive of the game, the Stocco-led Cardinal squad went to a hurry-up offense. After Stocco failed to connect with a receiver on his first two passes, he hit a slanting Jonathan Orr on a 14-yard route for the first down. The next play, Stocco found Jason Pociask on an out-route for a 17-yard gain. The drive would eventually stall, but the tone was set.

Two series later, Stocco connected with Owen Daniels over the middle on a 4th-and-10 situation to keep the drive alive. Stocco followed up the throw with a 25-yard toss to Orr in the back corner of the end zone for the Cardinal’s first touchdown.

On the day, the Richfield, Minn., native went 13-for-29 for 158 yards and a touchdown. Stocco was also picked off twice on deep throws in his one half of play.

“[What] we as receivers and quarterbacks need to do is get out there and get reps with it and work on the timing so I know when they are coming out of their break, where they are coming out of it, and they know where that ball is going to be,” Stocco said. “Over the summer, we’ll get a ton of reps with it and just keep getting better with it.”

Backup Tyler Donovan took the bulk of the repetitions on Saturday, beginning the game leading the White squad, before taking over all quarterbacking duties to open the second half, eventually giving way to walk-on Craig Meier late in the contest.

Donovan also struggled in the new system, completing just seven of his 22 attempts. The sophomore-to-be did toss a 45-yard pass to Marcus Randle El, and was the only Badger quarterback to not throw an interception.

But Donovan’s impact next season could come on the ground more than through the air. The best athlete at his position, Donovan’s ability to make plays with his feet continues to intrigue the UW coaching staff.

“I think [Donovan] just brings something to the table,” Alvarez said. “He has some athletic ability, he [poses] some threats. We wanted to do it in the bowl game; [we] let him play one series, probably should have got him in a little bit more. But I’d like to take advantage of some of his skills.”

Redshirt freshman Bryan Savage did not participate in the game after suffering an injury earlier in the week and will be out for the next three to four weeks. While the practice would have been beneficial for the young gunslinger, his performance this spring hadn’t warranted any movement on the depth chart.

“I didn’t think [Savage] pushed,” Alvarez said.