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Special teams struggle, shine against ASU
MADISON – Every play matters.
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema has worked to instill that mentality in his players, and on Saturday, those players provided him with two perfect examples in big moments.
While the Badgers special teams units struggled in coverage for the most part against Arizona State, two big plays on special teams made all the difference as UW came out on top, 20-19, over Arizona State.
“It’s the difference between good and bad today,” Bielema said. “Every season I reflect back on, there’s a handful of plays that determine a game, that determine a season.”
Following a touchdown that put Wisconsin up 13-10, Sun Devils returner Kyle Middlebrooks took a Philip Welch kickoff from the 4-yard line and raced for the end zone. With no one in front of him, Middlebrooks looked as though he would score to put ASU back on top heading into the locker room.
Enter Shelton Johnson.
After Dezmen Southward slowed Middlebrooks down, Johnson caught him from behind and made the tackle at the 1-yard line, saving a touchdown as the clock ran out on the first half.
“Honestly, I was just running hoping that I could get him,” Johnson said.
The play was remarkably similar to one late in the first quarter, when cornerback Omar Bolden took a Welch kickoff back 97 yards for the touchdown, putting Arizona State up 7-3.
So what was Johnson thinking when it looked to be happening again?
“No, don’t let this happen again,” Johnson said. “That would’ve been the second of the game, and it would have been really deflating going into halftime.”
Johnson’s tackle kept the Badgers up three points at the half, but more importantly, it meant John Clay’s third quarter touchdown put them up 20-13, rather than tying the game at 20 apiece. That proved crucial late in the fourth quarter, when the Sun Devils found the end zone for their only offensive touchdown of the game.
With 4:09 remaining, running back Cameron Marshall ran it in from two yards out, which appeared to tie the game for the second time. Instead, the extra point proved to be the deciding factor in game.
Looking to preserve their lead, the Badgers called for a block scheme they had not used yet this season. It worked out, as senior safety Jay Valai got around the left end and made the most of his 5-foot-9 frame, knocking the kick offline on an all-out dive.
“The PAT block is normally unheard of in college football,” said ASU head coach Dennis Erickson. “In all my career, I’ve never seen something like that. The bottom line is they got someone through.”
It’s hard to argue against the two plays made by Johnson and Valai as being among the biggest of the day for the Badgers.
The two players involved did disagree, however, on who made the more important play.
“Probably Jay’s,” Johnson answered when asked which play was bigger. “If he didn’t make that play, we’re probably still playing right now. I definitely think Jay blocking that kick was a huge, huge impact on this game.”
Valai, on the other hand, preferred his teammate’s touchdown-saving tackle to close out the Badgers’ less-than-stellar first half.
“Shelton’s just being nice — that’s a touchdown,” Valai said. “That’s not one point, Shelton stopped six, seven points right there. Shelton Johnson made a great play, that’s the biggest play of the game.”
The key to both plays, though, was effort.
Once Middlebrooks got into the open field, Johnson and Southward easily could have packed it in and headed to the locker room. In the fourth quarter, Valai could have accepted the Sun Devils were going to tie the game and 20 points apiece and put the burden on the offense to come away with the victory.
Instead, both put together the kind of effort expected out of them by the Wisconsin coaching staff, and in the end, it paid huge dividends.
“Football is a game that is comprised of four quarters, 15 minutes each, 60 minutes of playing time,” Bielema said. “But really it’s 60 minutes of reaction, who reacts better to what happens.”
Watt continues block party in win
If he’s on the field, it’s a pretty safe bet to expect defensive end J.J. Watt to be wherever the football is.
Between sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles and pass break ups, he contributes in as many ways as anyone in a Badgers uniform.
He didn’t break up any passes this week, but that didn’t stop Watt from getting his hands on the ball.
As San Jose State lined up on 4th-and-6 late in the second quarter, Watt got his hands on kicker Harrison Waid’s field goal attempt, sending it offline.
“It seems to be a trend and I’m kind of happy with the trend,” Watt said. “A couple blocked passes last week and then a blocked field goal this week, I’ll take it.”
Coming as no surprise to anyone who knows him, Watt is not satisfied with just his role as defensive end. As evidenced by the field goal block, he is a fixture in the Badgers’ special teams units.
Additionally, Watt was featured at tight end twice Saturday on UW red zone drives. He did not play a major role in the outcome of the plays, but his mere presence shows his willingness to do whatever is needed to help his team win.
“J.J. is an unbelievable competitor,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “Now he thinks he’s a specialist too because he gets to go in on offense.
“I was always concerned that J.J. wasn’t going to be around when we called for that personnel, and he’s practically in the huddle before it’s even said. That’s how much he’s enjoying it.”
As a former tight end, Watt certainly knows his way around the offensive line and, more importantly, the football.
With that in mind, it’s easy to wonder if offensive coordinator Paul Chryst might call Watt’s number at some point this season when he’s on the field. If Chryst were so inclined, Watt would certainly provide quarterback Scott Tolzien with another big, sure-handed target to throw to near the goal line.
True to form, however, Watt is satisfied with simply blocking and drawing the attention of the defense.
“If I score a touchdown, I’d be pretty happy with that,” Watt said. “Right now, I’m just doing anything I can to help the team.”
If he’s on the field, it’s a pretty safe bet to expect defensive end J.J. Watt to be wherever the football is.
Between sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles and pass break ups, he contributes in as many ways as anyone in a Badgers uniform.
He didn’t break up any passes this week, but that didn’t stop Watt from getting his hands on the ball.
As San Jose State lined up on 4th-and-6 late in the second quarter, Watt got his hands on kicker Harrison Waid’s field goal attempt, sending it offline.
“It seems to be a trend and I’m kind of happy with the trend,” Watt said. “A couple blocked passes last week and then a blocked field goal this week, I’ll take it.”
Coming as no surprise to anyone who knows him, Watt is not satisfied with just his role as defensive end. As evidenced by the field goal block, he is a fixture in the Badgers’ special teams units.
Additionally, Watt was featured at tight end twice Saturday on UW red zone drives. He did not play a major role in the outcome of the plays, but his mere presence shows his willingness to do whatever is needed to help his team win.
“J.J. is an unbelievable competitor,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “Now he thinks he’s a specialist too because he gets to go in on offense.
“I was always concerned that J.J. wasn’t going to be around when we called for that personnel, and he’s practically in the huddle before it’s even said. That’s how much he’s enjoying it.”
As a former tight end, Watt certainly knows his way around the offensive line and, more importantly, the football.
With that in mind, it’s easy to wonder if offensive coordinator Paul Chryst might call Watt’s number at some point this season when he’s on the field. If Chryst were so inclined, Watt would certainly provide quarterback Scott Tolzien with another big, sure-handed target to throw to near the goal line.
True to form, however, Watt is satisfied with simply blocking and drawing the attention of the defense.
“If I score a touchdown, I’d be pretty happy with that,” Watt said. “Right now, I’m just doing anything I can to help the team.”
Tolzien struggles throughout sloppy win
MADISON – Perhaps the most encouraging thing about the Badgers through two games is the fact that they have yet to play their best football.
Between injuries, turnovers and missed opportunities, the Wisconsin football team has looked like anything but the 11th best team in the nation. At no position is this clearer than at quarterback, where senior Scott Tolzien has yet to deliver a complete performance.
As Wisconsin hosted San Jose State for Saturday’s home opener, Tolzien turned the ball over just once on an interception, but added three crucial fumbles that stalled three drives.
“We’ve just got to get better,” Tolzien said. “That’s an obvious statement, but we’re not there yet and I’ve got to be accountable for myself, first and foremost.”
As for the fumbles?
“That’s on me,” he said. “I’ve got to make sure it doesn’t happen. Plain and simple.”
Tolzien’s ball security issues began in the second quarter when he coughed up the football on the first play of the Badgers’ second drive following a six-yard sack. After that drive ended in a three-and-out, Tolzien had trouble hanging onto the ball again during the next drive.
Sitting on fourth-and-one at the San Jose State four-yard line, the Badgers opted to go for it. Following an exchange issue with the center, Tolzien was tackled for no gain, and Wisconsin turned the ball over on downs.
“Scotty was putting it on himself,” head coach Bret Bielema said. “As you guys know, he’ll beat himself up over it. It’s just something that we have to clean up.”
Following a fumble-free drive to end the first half that culminated in a field goal, the Badgers’ first drive of the second half was much like the one that ended on the four-yard line. Fortunately for Tolzien and Wisconsin, this time they had an extra down.
After another exchange issue, this time involving fullback Ryan Groy, the Badgers went from 3rd-and-2 on the 15-yard line to 4th-and-7 on the 20. Philip Welch delivered his second field goal of the game as the Badgers missed out on yet another touchdown opportunity in the red zone.
The worst was yet to come, however, for Tolzien.
Two drives later, Tolzien followed up first-down passes of 14 and 21 yards with an interception, which led to a two-play touchdown drive for San Jose State. On a deep pass intended for receiver Isaac Anderson, corner back Payton Thompson picked it off at his own 15-yard line.
“I know Scotty didn’t like the fact that he threw that ball,” Bielema said.
“Missed read, missed throw, bad play,” Tolzien added. “I’ve got to be smarter than that. I’ve got to play better, period.”
While Tolzien struggled passing and holding onto the ball Saturday, he persevered. According to his head coach, his best play was his last.
On 3rd-and-4, following a San Jose State timeout with 1:27 remaining in the game, Tolzien read the defense at the line of scrimmage and acted accordingly, leading to a big gain by running back John Clay that allowed UW to run out the clock following a kneel down.
“The best play of the day came on that last drive,” Bielema said. “We had a play that was going to get nulled and then the check was wrong. He totally changed the play at the line of scrimmage, and I believe it was an eight-yard first down.”
Meyer’s tirade out of line
Dana Summers, Orlando Sentinel
I’m not a fan of spring football. If for no other reason than the fact that no other sport has so much focus on it when the season remains six months away. That said, a recent story out of the Florida Gators’ spring camp caught my attention.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, or simply don’t spend most of your time watching, listening and reading things about sports, let me tell you what happened. After Wednesday’s practice, Urban Meyer, head football coach at Florida, confronted Jeremy Fowler, a reporter from the Orlando Sentinel.
According to Meyer, the reporter was out of line for improperly quoting one of his players, wide receiver Deonte Thompson. The problem there is, that Fowler correctly quoted Thompson in comparing quarterbacks Tim Tebow and John Brantley as follows:
“You never know with Tim. You can bolt, you think he’s running but he’ll come up and pass it to you. You just have to be ready at all times. With Brantley, everything’s with rhythm, time. You know what I mean, a real quarterback.”
Fowler even went one step further, suggesting Thompson may have meant “traditional,” rather than “real.” If Thompson had said traditional, this whole situation would never have occurred. Instead, the words “real quarterback,” in reference to Tim Tebow, sparked a huge controversy.
That controversy still would not have been nearly as significant if Meyer had kept his cool about it. After practice Wednesday, the following sequence was captured on video:
“If that was my son, we’d be going at it right now,” Meyer said. “Do it one more time and the Orlando Sentinel’s not welcome here ever again. Is that clear? It’s yes or no.”
“Urban, come on. Don’t make any threats,” Fowler said. “I’ll play by the rules, but all I was doing is quoting the guy. I don’t think I was the only one.”
Meyer’s last comment, though not quite on the level of “I’m a man, I’m 40,” was YouTube gold.
“You’re a bad guy, a bad guy,” he said.
Some have suggested the tirade could actually help Meyer in terms of recruiting because it shows he stands up for his players. While that may be the case, he sure didn’t do himself any favors when it comes to treatment by the media.
Here’s the video of the incident. What do you think?
Pro Day 3/11
Football presser 3/11
Backups will get chance for reps with 9 players out for spring drills
By Jordan Schelling The Badger Herald
A Schelling For Your Thoughts 
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