[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]When the Wisconsin offense takes the field in Iowa City Saturday, there is a distinct possibility John Stocco will not be under center for the first time in 35 games.
Stocco — who left Saturday's game in obvious pain midway through the fourth quarter after being sacked by Penn State linebacker Sean Lee — will be reevaluated daily by the UW medical staff to determine his status for this week's Big Ten finale.
"I thought the signs coming out of the doctor's voice yesterday were very encouraging," UW head coach Bret Bielema said in his weekly press conference Monday. "We don't practice on Mondays and didn't really have any practice time on the field Sunday, so whether or not he is available Tuesday will be determined Tuesday."
According to Bielema, the hit that finally knocked Stocco out of the game was not the first time he was roughed up Saturday.
Stocco took his first shot in the third quarter as he rolled toward the sideline on a naked bootleg and was hit by reigning Butkus Award winner Paul Posluszny.
"We basically made an evaluation on the sideline at the time of his ability to function as a quarterback, and John felt comfortable and everyone did, otherwise we wouldn't have put him back out on the field," Bielema said.
If Stocco is unable to start for UW, Tyler Donovan will get the nod to start his first collegiate game.
Although the junior has been less than impressive in limited game action this season, Bielema is confident in his ability to lead the team.
"[Saturday] we knew John wasn't going to be able to finish the game, and we asked Tyler on the sideline what he was comfortable with and what he was able to do and we knew we needed him to go out and seal a victory for us … and he was able to do that."
Another factor contributing to Bielema's confidence is that Donovan would be surrounded by regular starters, as opposed to the less-experienced players he played with in his previous game action.
Hawkeye for an Eye
Many members of the UW football team have extra motivation for Saturday's contest. For one, this year's crop of seniors has never beaten Iowa — UW's last victory over the Hawkeyes was in 2001, a streak that includes Iowa spoiling two UW parties the last two years. In 2004, a UW victory in Iowa City would have netted the Badgers an improbable trip to the Rose Bowl, and last season Iowa defeated the host Badgers in Barry Alvarez's final home game.
"I think so," Bielema said as to whether the seniors may have a personal score to settle against the only Big Ten team they have yet to defeat. "Our guys are very proud individuals, they like to carry things over time, and I think it will provide a little extra motivation."
One might think that a coach who previously played and coached at Iowa and has a Hawkeye tattoo on his leg would have a little extra motivation, but that is not the case.
"It's very well-documented my history and my past with the University of Iowa, but the key word there is past … I am a strong believer in history is great to read about, but it really does not affect anything in the present or in the future."
Joe Pa update
Bielema began his press conference by extending condolences to Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who broke his left leg and tore ligaments in his knee during a sideline collision Saturday.
It was reported Monday that Paterno is expected to make a full recovery from the injury, and should be ready to coach the Nittany Lions next Saturday against Temple.
Later, the topic shifted to an issue Paterno was irate about before leaving Saturday's game. With 23 seconds remaining and UW set to kickoff to Penn State after a Paul Hubbard touchdown, Bielema called for consecutive offside kickoff attempts in an effort to run off time before halftime.
While Paterno vehemently protested the intentional infraction, Bielema shrugged off any extra hype surrounding the controversial strategy.
"I am hired here to win football games and graduate student-athletes," Bielema explained. "With 24 seconds left on the clock, I'm pretty sure it wasn't going to affect our GPA, whether or not I did what I did, but it could have a direct result of winning and losing football games.
"I don't necessarily agree with the rule, the way it's written," Bielema continued, discussing a new rule to college football this year in which the game clock starts when the ball is kicked, and not when it is received, "but I knew the rule and I wanted to maximize it."