"It's starting to get down to crunch time," junior tight end Travis Beckum said. "I know a lot of people are expecting a lot out of us, and we're expecting a lot out of ourselves. One of our main goals is to be better than in 2006."
Washington State makes its first appearance at Camp Randall since 1976, hoping to represent the Pac-10 well.
"They're going to come ready to play," Beckum said. "I think out of all the opening games we've had, they might be one of the toughest.
"But we're not worried about it. We know we're going to come in and play Wisconsin football."
Wisconsin last played a Pac-10 team in 2004, when it traveled to Tucson to play Arizona. Given the historic rivalry between the two conferences — they play each other in the Rose Bowl each year — UW head coach Bret Bielema played up this notion to his players.
"I think that anytime you get an out-of-conference game scheduled you can build up to that," Bielema said at a press conference Monday.
As promised, Bielema announced his 2007 starters last week. Almost everything went as expected. Still, some choices were significant on an individual level.
In what has been a long time coming — four years in fact — fifth-year senior Tyler Donovan is finally the primary signal caller.
"It feels good," Donovan said. "It's a really great opportunity for me."
The difference between starting and not, according to Bielema, was Donovan's experience.
"I think that Tyler has definitely been able to show that he can win at this level, and I expect those same things to continue," he said.
Pushing himself to be a better, more aware player by going the extra step, studying film on his game and his opponent didn't hurt either.
"Tyler is who he is," Bielema said. "[Sunday] night he was up there until, we got done with practice right about 7 p.m., guys had dinner, and I know I left the office about 10:15 p.m. and he was still down there with coach Chryst."
Donovan may be a new face under center this season, but he's about the only one. Just four other players — left tackle Gabe Carimi, middle linebacker Elijah Hodge and safeties Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant — will be starters for the first time, giving Wisconsin the semblance of a team with more firepower.
Perhaps the most surprising news surrounding the release of the team's depth chart was that oft-troubled Jamal Cooper got the nod over Kurt Ware at left end. That experiment didn't last long as Cooper was "suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team" at practice just two days later.
Correcting his "poor English," Bielema said during his press conference Monday that Cooper will not be back with the team.
"I told my players last week this week when we met … I said, 'the worst thing that happened was that it happened last Friday and the best thing that happened was that it happened last Friday. It's not going to happen this Friday or the Friday after that.' It's behind us and we're moving on."
The loss of Cooper should not be too disconcerting as the Badgers are two or three deep at the position.
Washington State led the Pac-10 in passing yards per game, largely thanks to the play of its senior quarterback Alex Brink, a second-team All-Pac-10 selection in 2006. Brink enters the season primed to break nearly every team passing record. He threw for 2,899 yards and 19 touchdowns last season and is a force with the ball in his hands.
"Offensively they have a quarterback in Alex Brink that as long as I've been here is probably one of the best ones we'll see come into Camp Randall," Bielema said. "He's very accurate, strong, strong arm as well as a soft touch when he needs it."
Brink will have one of the Pac-10's top tight ends, Jed Collins, to pass to and senior wideout Michael Bumpus is an All-American candidate.
With two new starters at the safety position, Wisconsin's secondary may appear to be susceptible to Brink and Washington State's passing attack. According to Bielema though, that just isn’t the case.
"Well it is except for when we go against our offense in fall camp you see about everything you can," he said. "I really think as a whole there wasn't a position that took the spring, summer program and fall camp … as serious as Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant take it.
"I think the two took a huge step in what it takes to be a good football player and more importantly, a successful starter at this level."
Defensively, the Cougars lost two of their best players from last season, Mkristo Bruce and Eric Frampton, to the NFL. Additionally, a suspect secondary last season — the Cougars gave up 243 yards per game through the air, second worst in the Pac-10 — will get tested Saturday as all but two of their linebackers and defensive backs will be first-time starters Saturday.
But their size up front could prove advantageous for the Cougars. Three players on their defensive line are 6-foot-7 or taller. Anchoring the unit is senior tackle Ropati Pitoitua, a 6-foot-8, 290 pound behemoth who, in an injury-riddled season, finished with 7.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.
With strong fall camps, several members of the 2007 freshman class look to make an immediate impact this year for the Badgers. Wide receiver David Gilreath will see time right away returning kicks.
"I think David has the possibility of being a really good player," senior wide receiver Luke Swan said. "A guy like Nick Toon, he's from here, like right away, the first thing you notice about Nick is he always wants to be out catching the ball."
Cornerback Aaron Henry and wideout Kyle Jefferson played well enough in fall camp to make the two-deep depth chart as true freshmen.
Although the preseason hype won't go away and the speculation about the team earning a BCS bid lingers, the biggest thing for Wisconsin right now is to just go out and play the game.
"I think all those guys will be excited and ready to hit a jersey other than Wisconsin," Bielema said.
