Watt provides spark for Wisconsin D-line
April 23, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
J.J. Watt's long, strange journey back to Wisconsin was almost complete, as head coach Bret Bielema offered him a chance to walk onto the Badgers' football team.
Watt just had one final item to address.
"I had to look at his contract to make sure everything was OK," Watt said, laughing.
You couldn't blame him for…
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Recapping Wisconsin’s spring game
April 20, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Wisconsin put a bow on spring ball Saturday with its annual spring game at Camp Randall Stadium. Not surprisingly, the Cardinal team, made up of the starting offense and starting defense, beat the second stringers from the White team 56-20.
Badgers offensive coordinator Paul Chryst wanted to narrow the team's quarterback competition from four players…
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SB: No. 15 Ohio State Travels to Wisconsin for Weekend Series
April 17, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Buckeyes and Badgers take the field at Goodman Diamond Saturday & Sunday LIVE on BTN
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Sherer brings edge to Badgers’ QB race
April 3, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
MADISON, Wis. — When Dustin Sherer moved into Wisconsin's starting quarterback spot midway through last season, head coach Bret Bielema and others remarked on the edge he brought to the huddle. David Stluka/Getty Images Fifth-year senior Dustin Sherer hasn't been named the starter for the 2009 season…
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Improved WR play highlights Wisconsin’s practice
April 2, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin went through a full-pads practice Thursday afternoon at the McClain Center, and I was there for almost the entire workout (had to step out to interview Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman, and a friend called informing me the Bears had traded for Jay Cutler, woo hoo!).
All four candidates for the Badgers' starting quarterback…
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Destination: Madison
April 2, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Gotta admit, I've been getting a bit antsy seeing my fellow bloggers bounce all over the country to spring practices the past week or so. After a nine-day hiatus, I'm back on the road today, heading up I-90 to Madison to check out the Wisconsin Badgers.
I'll be visiting with head coach Bret Bielema and offensive coordinator Paul Chryst early…
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Badgers aim for belt in conditioning program
March 26, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
OK, confession time.
I got really into pro wrestling during fifth and sixth grades, and refused to believe those who claimed it was fake. I still remember going to see the original Ultimate Warrior, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and a casket match between The Undertaker and Sid Justice at the Cow Palace in South San Francisco, circa 1992. I also…
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Who are the nation’s greenest units?
March 17, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
The ESPN bloggers are getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit by breaking down the least experienced units in college football. Some highlights below, with links to the full reviews….
BYU offensive line: The Cougars will have to fill four of the five starting spots on the offensive line, but do have some depth there since several players received playing time due to injuries and some shuffling last year.
Boise State wide receivers: Boise State lost its three starting receivers, including Jeremy Childs, who left early for the NFL. Childs led the team in receiving yards and receptions last year and now quarterback Kellen Moore is going to have to break in some new playmakers.
Louisville: The biggest bunch of newbies are at quarterback, where there are four candidates for the job but not one who’s seen any significant playing time at this level.
South Florida: Look no farther than the offensive line, where four of five starters need to be replaced.
Oklahoma offensive line: The departure of starting center Jon Cooper, tackle Phil Loadholt and guards Duke Robinson and Brandon Walker means that Sam Bradford will have an inexperienced group protecting him next season. Trent Williams moves to left tackle and Bob Stoops likes his incoming talent, if not its early work habits.
Texas defensive line: The major question dogging the Longhorns’ national title hopes will be rebuilding a defensive front that loses All-American defensive end Brian Orakpo, defensive tackle Roy Miller, defensive tackleAaron Lewis and defensive end Henry Melton from last season.
Texas Tech offensive line: New quarterback Taylor Potts will be relying on a retooled offensive line protecting his blind side after left tackle Rylan Reed, left guard Louis Vasquez and center Stephen Hamby all departed from last year.
Alabama: The Crimson Tide are replacing three-year starter John Parker Wilson at quarterback, but losing the threesome of Andre Smith, Marlon Davis and Antoine Caldwell on the offensive line leaves the biggest void. They were at the crux of just about everything Alabama did on offense last season.
Georgia: Much of the focus this spring will be on Joe Cox and the quarterback position, but the Bulldogs’ most glaring weakness is the lack of a dominant pass-rusher from the defensive end position. They’ve got to find somebody who can consistently get to the quarterback.
LSU: Jordan Jefferson started the final two games at quarterback last season as a true freshman and enters 2009 as the favorite to win the job. His main competition will come from another true freshman, Russell Shepard, who graduated early and is going through spring practice.
GEORGIA TECH — Having lost three of four starters on the defensive line, it’s easily one of the greenest groups in the whole conference.
MIAMI – The Canes are still young everywhere, but remember quarterback Jacory Harris has only started two games and his backups have no collegiate experience.
NORTH CAROLINA — The Tar Heels lost their top three receivers and will be counting heavily on inexperienced players to replace Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster.
Arizona State — QB: Combined starts of the five candidates to replace Rudy Carpenter at quarterback? Zero.
Oregon – DT: Both starting defensive tackles are gone and this unofficial depth chart shows 14 combine tackles for seven potential replacements.
Oregon State — DE: Sackmasters Victor Butler and Slade Norris and their 41.5 combined sacks over the past two seasons are gone. Sophomore Kevin Frahm and senior Ben Terry, who split two sacks between themselves in 2008, are in.
Ohio State’s offensive line — Don’t be shocked if Ohio State enters 2009 with three sophomores (Mike Brewster, Mike Adams, J.B. Shugarts) and a transfer (Justin Boren) on its starting line.
Penn State’s defensive ends — Jerome Hayes should be back from another knee injury, but Penn State will be on the lookout for a proven pass rusher after losing Aaron Maybin, Maurice Evans and Josh Gaines.
Purdue’s wide receivers — New coach Danny Hope made wide receiver a peak priority in his first recruiting class after losing Greg Orton and Desmond Tardy, who combined for 136 receptions and 1,596 yards last year.
Wisconsin’s defensive line — The Badgers lose three multiyear starters (Matt Shaughnessy, Mike Newkirk and Jason Chapman) and don’t return many proven players aside from ends O’Brien Schofield and Dan Moore.
And — of course — everyone’s favorite green unit:
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Former Badgers RB Hill arrested for drunken driving
March 16, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Former Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill was arrested during the weekend on a drunken driving charge after allegedly leading police on a chase before crashing his car in Madison, Wis.
Hill, who decided to forgo his senior season at Wisconsin to enter the NFL draft, faces tentative charges of drunken driving, fleeing police, second-degree reckless…
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A few Wisconsin injury notes
March 16, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Wisconsin's injury report entering spring practice looks more like a Post-it and less like a phone book, as it did a year ago, but there are some names who remain hobbled.
I caught up with Badgers head coach Bret Bielema today — check Wednesday's blog for a full Q&A — and he said reserve running back Bradie Ewing and reserve safety Kevin…
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