INSIDE VOLLEYBALLLessons to be learned

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 ■ VOLUME 6, ISSUE 4

COVER STORY

HIS TURN, HIS TIME Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: A talented Wisconsin running back is ready to step

into the spotlight after learning the craft from great ones who’ve come before him.

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COORDINATED EFFORT

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Get to know Dave Aranda and Joe Rudolph (left), the men who call the shots for the Badgers on defense and offense, respectively.

Much will be made of Leo Musso’s small size — he stands 5-foot-10 — but the Wisconsin junior is focused

on his big opportunity at safety.

FOOTBALL

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FEATURES

IN [FOCUS] The week's best photos

BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW

INSIDE FOOTBALL Badgers embrace technology

WHAT TO WATCH Where to catch the Badgers

ASK THE BADGERS First day of school traditions

BADGERING Drew Connor (Men’s Soccer)

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LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM

Musso embracing his big opportunity

After Paul Chryst accepted the University of Pittsburgh’s head coaching job, he brought three Wisconsin assistant coaches with him, including Joe Rudolph, and hired a strength coach, Todd Rice, with strong ties to the Madison area. Rice’s brother, Pat Rice, was the uber-successful head coach at Waunakee High School. All of these local connections factored into Leo Musso’s decision-making process as a recruit.

Musso seriously considered Pitt but after UW coach Bret Bielema upped the ante with a full scholarship offer, he accepted an opportunity to stay close to home and play for the Badgers. Musso was part of one of the smallest recruiting classes, 12 tendered players, in recent memory; a class that was assembled by Bielema and just three assistants: Chris Ash, Charlie Partridge and Thomas Hammock.

The Badgers were in the midst of a major staff turnover, a common occurrence in college football. Ash was Musso’s first position coach; Bill Busch was his second; Daronte’ Jones is his third. And, yes, Musso, the former Waunakee tailback, is finally going to get that chance to play for a Chryst-coached team. Mus-so will be starting at safety when Wisconsin takes on Alabama in its season opener Saturday.

This will be his second start; the first came in 2013, and it

was memorable from the standpoint that it took place in front of 105,826 fans at the fabled Horseshoe, Ohio Stadium, in Columbus. The Badgers opened with five defensive backs against the Buckeyes. Musso, then a redshirt freshman, joined Sojourn Shelton, Darius Hillary, Michael Caputo and Dezmen Southward in the secondary.

“I remember walking out of locker room and it was like a big valley,’’ Musso recalled. “I was standing out there and it was like one of those video games. I was watching Braxton Miller at quarterback and Carlos Hyde running up the gut and you have to make a play and tackle him. That was a crazy, crazy game. It was my second year of playing defense and I was still trying to figure things out.’’

“I LOVE GETTING INTO THE BOX WITH THE FRONT SEVEN GUYS AND TAKING ON A BIG, 333-POUND PULLING GUARD, THAT’S FUN,’’ CLAIMED THE 5-10, 194-POUND MUSSO.

The Buckeyes won, 31-24. Musso had five tackles, including a TFL. But his playing time dwindled and he had only three more tackles the remaining eight games. At the beginning of last season, he was slowed by a hamstring injury. That dropped him behind freshman Lubern Figaro

and fifth-year senior Peniel Jean. Musso ended up with more tackles on special teams (six) than at defensive back (five).

Reflecting on 2014, his third year in the program, Musso said, “At end of the day my motto has always been to control what you can control and make the most of your opportunities. Whether I was getting reps with the ones, the twos or the scout team, I knew I had to make sure that I was doing the right thing and that was about being in the right place at the right time.’’

Since then, Musso’s fortunes have been tied to Tanner McEvoy, who started the first six games at quarterback last year before relinquishing the position to Joel Stave. When UW athletic director Barry Alvarez took over the team as the interim head coach for the Outback Bowl, one of the first things he did was move McEvoy into a starter’s role at safety. And that’s where McEvoy played the entire spring.

“It was one of those things where you had to keep working and keep playing and wherever the chips may fall that’s where they fall,’’ said Musso, who took a pragmatic approach to how the Badgers were planning on utilizing McEvoy, whether at safety or wide receiver which is where he has spent a majority of the practices during training camp. “Credit to him. He’s an awesome, awesome player.’’

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LUCAS AT LARGE BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM

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Because the 6-foot-6, 231-pound McEvoy, a former prep receiver, is filling a need on offense ― he’s still expected to get reps on defense, too ― it created an opening at safety. Figaro had the first crack but he was eventually beaten out by Mus-so who had more interceptions, by far, than anyone else during camp. Prodded to explain his ball skills, Musso shrugged and said, “I really don’t know how to.’’

At Waunakee, he was used exclusively as a running back and “I came here not knowing a lick of defense’’ before finding free safety to his liking. “I love getting into the box with the front seven guys and taking on a big, 333-pound pulling guard, that’s fun,’’ claimed the 5-10, 194-pound Musso. “I also love being in the back end ― trying to read the quarterback and trying to make a play.’’

Musso knows that he has plenty of help. “The front seven gets great pressure,’’ he said. “The corners are locking down and Mike (Caputo) is doing a great job communicating with me. Everyone else has a hard job and they’re making my job a lot easier. Obviously, it helps with film work to know where you have to be at the right time, but I’ve got to give credit to the rest of the defensive unit.’’

The Captain, in particular, has been influential. That would be Caputo. “He’s awesome,’’ Musso said. “Anybody who works with Mike is going to come out a better player … he’s pretty much always intense. We were in the DB room and he was drawing up concepts that our offense runs and what to expect on certain plays. He’s one of those guys that is wired and very passionate and I love him for it.’’

Alabama plans on returning to

smash-mouth football by featuring its one-two tailback punch of Derrick Henry (6-3, 242) and Kenyan Drake (6-1, 210). How does Musso compensate for his lack of size? “I try to get as low as I can and use it to my advantage,’’ he said. “Being 5-10 definitely helps my cause in that aspect. In terms of people looking at me, they might think size is a factor. But I don’t think it is.’’

What about the physical mismatch between Musso and Alabama’s receivers, specifically 6-6, 242-pound tight end O.J. Howard? “If it’s a bigger guy, there are different ways you can handle the situation,’’ said Mus-so, suggesting it’s about positioning and leverage “depending on what kind of route is run, what kind of coverage you’re in’’ which “changes your alignment and where you are on the ball.’’

Find the ball and you’re likely to find No. 19. ■

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This photo of Alvarez (33), then a Nebraska line-backer, chasing Alabama All-America wide receiverRay Perkins ― who went on to coach the CrimsonTide from 1983-86 ― in the 1967 Sugar Bowlhangs in Alvarez’s office at Camp Randall Stadium.

BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ ■ UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Alabama game brings back memories

I’ve got a picture in my office of Alabama receiver Ray Perkins. It shows Perkins running with the ball and me and my buddies Gordo Coleman and Wayne Meylen chasing him in the 1967 Sugar Bowl.

Someone gave me the picture and I wrote the caption, “Here are Nebraska jake-legs Barry Alvarez and Gordo Coleman along with All-American Wayne Meylen chasing All-American Ray Perkins.”

They beat us 34-7. The late Kenny Stabler was their quarterback and that’s when he could really move around the pocket. He was just so good. They were far better than us that year.

But the year before we had the better team. That would have been my sophomore year at Nebraska and we were

We trailed 24-7 at halftime. I thought Bob Devaney was one

of the greatest coaches of all-time. But I can tell you that Bear Bryant was the greatest coach I’ve ever played against. He flat out-coached us in that bowl game.

I like the fact that we’re opening up the season with Alabama in Dallas. It’s an attention-grabber. You had the players’ attention in the spring and all summer in preparation for this game.

They know that they’re going to be tested by a very well-coached and talented Alabama team. They’ll know where they stand after it, strengths and weaknesses, and what they have to work on.

It’s a prime-time game and whenever you get on such a big stage, in front of so many eye

balls, you have a chance to sell your program and let people know what you’re all about.

People around here should already know what Paul Chryst is about, and what he stands for.

I like the way he manages his staff. I like the way he communicates with his players, and that’s not just with the quarterbacks, that’s with everyone.

I like the way he tries to teach his team about football and what’s expected of them ― what’s expected in our program and how we can be successful and reach those expectations.

I just think he communicates so well with all the people around him, 24/7. It’s obvious ― and I’ve know this for a long time about Paul ― he loves football and he loves to practice.

During training camp, unbeaten going into I’ve watched how he the 1966 Orange Bowl has gotten his philosoagainst Alabama. phy and his way of do-

With Michigan State ing things across to the losing to UCLA in the kids. When it comes to Rose Bowl and Arkansas practicing, the message losing to LSU in the Cot- is clear. ton Bowl, the winner of Quit counting how our game was going to many periods we’re be the national champi- working. Quit trying to on. They beat us, 39-28. pace yourself. We’re go-

We were more talented ing to practice, so let’s than they were. On the concentrate on getting first series, we went right better and playing foot-down the field and fum- ball the way it’s sup-bled inside the 10 and posed to be played. they came out throwing Paul is teaching them on almost every snap. how to get out of their

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BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ ■ UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

comfort zone and how to practice. He has made them work on basic fundamentals. I don’t think we spent a lot of time on that the last couple of years.

I’ve always been a stickler for fundamentals.

To be honest, during all the years I’ve been here, I don’t know if we’ve ever spent as much time on special teams as this outfit has. And now you want to see it pay off.

We have a lot of former players that are involved with the program as coaches on the field and in the weight room. I see it as a good thing, a positive thing.

They’ve lived what Paul is teaching. They understand the formula that we have here to win. They all believe in that formula and they’re trying to teach it themselves.

I KNOW ONE THING, PAUL IS ONE OF THE BEST TEACHERS

AND DEVELOPERS OF QUARTERBACKS THAT I’VE EVER BEEN AROUND. AND I’VE ALREADY

SEEN THE DIFFERENCE THAT HE HAS MADE IN JOEL STAVE.

I know one thing, Paul is one of the best teachers and develop

ers of quarterbacks that I’ve ever been around. And I’ve already seen the difference that he has made in Joel Stave.

I see Joel with more confidence. I see the ball coming out quicker which means the game has slowed down a little bit for him. He’s seeing things better and he’s making decisions quicker.

Am I anxious for the opener? I’m always anxious. I love this time of the year. I’ve been looking forward to the start of this season and I know Paul has been, too. Hopefully our guys will play their best. ■

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THE VOICE BY MATT LEPAY ■ VOICE OF THE BADGERS

After a long wait, we get to the games

It’s always good to get into game week. Or is it Game Week? I prefer the latter. It stands out a bit more, and it signals the end of the weeks, if not months, of trying to figure out how good your favorite team will be this season.

Probably similar to many programs across the country, the Badgers have dealt with their share of training camp injuries. Other than left tackle Tyler Marz and center Dan Voltz, there has been plenty of mixing and matching along the offensive line. In certain spots, experience will be lacking.

The inside linebacker positions also took a hit, but the recent return of projected starters Leon Jacobs and T.J. Edwards is encouraging. Also, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has liked what he has seen from some other young players, such as Chris Orr and Ryan Connelly. As a matter of fact, Connelly can now call himself a former walk-on. Last week the redshirt freshman from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, earned a scholarship. So did defensive lineman Zander Neuville from Waupaca.

Every coach loves those team meetings when he can surprise a player or two with such good news.

Maybe you have heard this before, but in college football opening games are almost always tricky. In addition to preparing for Alabama, the Badgers are con

tinuing the process of figuring out who they are as well. How will the first-time starters, or any player who is seeing the field for the first time, react on a big stage?

How will the offensive line hold up against the Crimson Tide’s front seven ― a group some believe could be the best in college football?

MAYBE YOU HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT IN COLLEGE

FOOTBALL OPENING GAMES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS TRICKY. IN ADDITION TO PREPARING FOR ALABAMA, THE BADGERS

ARE CONTINUING THE PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT

WHO THEY ARE AS WELL.

Badgers fans know about tailback Corey Clement. While Melvin Gordon was running wild last fall, Clement wasn’t too bad either, rushing for 949 yards. Now he is the man. Can Wisconsin continue its tradition of having a great running game?

That group would like to think so, regardless of experience, or lack thereof.

Last season, Dare Ogunbowale had some work in the Badgers’ backfield. To be exact, he had 34 carries for 193 yards and a touchdown. Now, he and redshirt freshman Taiwan Deal are vying for opportunities behind Clement. It is a group that plans to carry

on the tradition. “We had it written on our wall

in the running backs room,” said Ogunbowale. “The Standard is the Standard.” In other words, no matter who has moved on, the expectations remain as high as ever.

“We don’t want to be that group that loses the standard,” said Ogunbowale. “We are trying to make sure we uphold that.”

Clearly, Saturday’s opener in Arlington will be a very difficult test. Coach Nick Saban’s team will have several new starters of its own on offense, including quarterback. Still, the Tide are ranked No. 3 in the preseason AP poll, and once again Alabama could very well be in the mix for a national title.

Going into last year’s opener with LSU, I was hoping at the very least that the Badgers could compete. I left the stadium thinking they let one get away. But keep in mind last year’s group went on to have a very good season, earning a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game, then going on to win an overtime thriller against Auburn in Tampa.

Moral to the story? Try not to make final judgments after the first game. If the Badgers play well and win, that is great. If they lose, so be it. It is simply the first chapter of the season. A season that is ready to begin ― at long last.

Enjoy. ■

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ASK THE BADGERS

?WHAT IS YOUR ‘FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL’ TRADITION?

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MARIAH WATTS Sophomore ■ Softball

“Since my mom moved to New York, she always calls me the night before school to remind me to send her a picture of my first day of school outfit. So I have always gotten up early to do it the next day.”

VITTO BROWN Junior ■ Men’s Basketball

“Starting in high school my dad would always tell my brother, Xavier, and I to get up early and do some push-ups before you shower and get ready for school. We’d be like, ‘What?! We can barely get out of bed!’ But it got the blood flowing early and actually made us more energized in class, allowing us to focus better.”

MALAYNA JOHNSON Junior ■ Women’s Basketball

“Get a good night’s sleep, wake up early enough to eat a big breakfast and say a quick prayer for a good semester.”

MEGHAN LEDIN Sophomore ■ Women’s Soccer

“Every year for the first day of class I get up and have to go to the Starbucks on State Street. I go with my teammate Brianna Stelzer and we kick off the semester with some iced coffees.”

Against Sexual Assault. Our goal is to get some really cool vid-eos that include some of Wisconsin’s top athletes and hope-fully have them air at future sporting events here on campus.”

What are your plans post-graduation? Do you intend to con-tinue playing soccer?“Playing professionally has always been a dream of mine.There are a few different ways it could happen, so I’ll just haveto wait and see what happens after this season.” ■

BADGERING

A senior team captain and talented midfielder, Drew Conner returns for his final campaign with the Badgers. The Cary, Illinois, native is ranked as one of the best players in the Big Ten by TopDrawerSoccer and was named to the 2015 Big Ten Players to Watch list. Conner was a Big Ten All-Freshman team member in 2012, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2013 and was ranked as a top-100 player in the country last season by TopDrawerSoccer. He started 17 games last year and led all Badgers in minutes (1,608).

What’s changed for you as a leader of such a young team? “Being a leader has forced me to focus more on the entire team’s performance rather than my own, which I think has made me a better player. Although the team is pretty young, it has been awesome to see the development in just one year with some of these guys.”

What makes the game of soccer so special to you? “I think soccer is so unique because the game is constantly flowing and forces you to use creativity and a unique type of athleticism to pull off plays within a split second. I love the fact that every player has complete freedom to make any decision they like when the ball is at their feet.”

Do you have a bucket list of things to accomplish during your senior year? “A few of my teammates and close friends have just created a student organization called We’re Better Than That: Men

ALL ABOUT DREW Year: Senior Hometown: Cary, Ill. High School: Cary Grove Height / Weight: 5-11 / 164 Position: Midfielder

QUICK Qs FOR DREW Age you started playing soccer? “Three years old.”

Favorite emoji? “Heart eyes... Heart eyes, for sure.”

Nickname? “Drewby, Scooby, 7 and, sometimes, D-Con $.”

Most prized possession? “My phone... isn’t that sad?”

Best sporting event you’ve attended? “Chelsea vs. Manchester United in 2004.”

Favorite athletic memory at UW? “There are three or four games over the last three seasons that I’ll never forget, but scoring team-oriented goals at our home field is a feeling that will always mean a lot to me.”

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The only thing that held Corey Clement back in his first two seasons at Wisconsin was his spot on the Badgers’ depth chart. Of course, it was that position behind the likes of James White and Melvin Gordon that helped him get ahead ― a hands-on

education that pushed him to rush for nearly 1,500 yards as a backup. Now, Clement is taking a back seat to no one ― and he’s ready to grab the wheel.

The televised ESPY Awards show can inspire people in different ways. It motivated Wisconsin tailback Corey Clement into a late-night workout at Camp Randall Stadium with his teammate Dare Ogunbowale. “Ohio State was my motivation,” Clement explained.

At the 2015 ESPYS, which were held in mid-June at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, the national champion Buckeyes were represented by head coach Urban Meyer and four players: U-back Braxton Miller, quarterback Cardale Jones, tailback Ezekiel Elliott and linebacker Joshua Perry.

With the V Foundation for Cancer Research as its lifeline ― the charitable organization was founded and named in honor of the late Jim Valvano ― the ESPYs annually recognize team and individual achievement with a heavy dose of ESPN self-promotion, red carpet hype and celebrity hoopla.

Ohio State was up for the Team of the Year (which went to the U.S. women’s World Cup championship team). Meyer was up for the Best Coach/Manager (which went to Golden State Warriors coach Steve

Kerr). Jones was up for the Breakthrough Athlete (which went to Little Leaguer Mo’ne Davis).

Miller, who was injured and didn’t play last season, and Perry were up for a trip to LA.

Clement wasn’t up for any of it. “Why am I watching?” he asked of himself. Whenever he saw one of the Ohio State players in

the crowd, it was nothing personal. “They were a great team” he said, “and they

earned it (the championship and recognition).” But there’s only one way to get to that level, he

thought. And it’s not by sitting on your butt. “I want to be in that (ESPYS) crowd someday,” he

said, “so I had to get some work in.” UW strength and conditioning coach Ross

Kolodziej laughed at the recollection of Clement’s summer epiphany.

“He got all fired up,” he said, “and he was here trying to work out at 10:30 at night.”

A powerful 5-foot-11, 217-pound junior from Glassboro, New Jersey ― and the heir to the Melvin Gordon, James White and Montee Ball legacy

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― Clement has carried that momentum through the scenario is not unlike what he experienced in high preseason training camp and it has him itching for school and the numbers are comparable. Saturday night’s kickoff against Alabama. As a freshman and sophomore, he was the backup

“It’s hard not to think about it (the opener) ― to the incumbent starter, Paul James. During those football is here and it’s time to get going,” said Clement. “I was trying to be hard on myself (in camp). No matter how the play turned out, I tried to finish in the end zone because that’s where I want to be most of the season.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit nominated Clement for one of his preseason “Herbie” awards: Breakout Star of 2015. Joining Clement in the category were Tennessee tailback Jalen Hurd, Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan, Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph and Baylor quarterback Seth Russell.

In many respects, Clement and Russell, who won the Herbie, are dealing with the same expectations ― their own ― in replacing a marquee performer. For Clement, it’s Gordon, who rushed for 2,587 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. For Russell, it’s Bryce Petty, who threw for 3,855 yards and 29 scores.

Russell, a fourth-year junior, appeared in eight of 13 games with one start last season as the backup quarterback for the Big 12 champions. He completed 74 of 128 passes for 11 touchdowns. A year ago, Clement played in 14 games with one start and rushed for 949 yards and nine touchdowns.

After languishing in the shadows of White and Gordon, Clement is ready for his turn as the “go-to” running back after averaging 7.0 yards per rush on his 214 carries with the Badgers. The tailback-in-waiting

So after James graduated as a walk-on ― Clement put his own mark on the

tailback position. As a junior, he had 249 carries for 2,510 yards (10.1) and 34

TDs. As a senior, he had 191 carries for 2,323 yards (12.1) and 33 TDs.

“I have to keep in mind that I’ve been here before and I can’t feel new when I walk out there (against

Alabama),” said Clement, who ran for 6,245 yards and 85 touchdowns as a prep. “Melvin is in the NFL now. I can’t look for him being on the sidelines. I have to get going on my own.

“That’s how I did it with Paul James (in high school),” continued Clement, who

constantly reminded himself back then, “He’s not

here anymore. The only player that the coaches are looking at is

me to be a leader ― to be an example of how to play this game the correct

way.’” Clement, thus, became his

own man ― da man ― for the Glassboro Bulldogs. Another South Jersey running back, Ron

Dayne, the pride of Overbrook, has given Clement something to think

COREY CLEMENT: HIS TURN, HIS TIME PAGE 3 OF 8

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So why not get used to it?”

SETTLE ON CLEMENT:

“EVERY REP IS IMPORTANT FOR HIM, HE “ APPROACHES IT LIKE A PRO, HE FINISHES EVERY

REP. AS A COACH, THAT IS THE ONE THING, THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN ASK OF A PLAYER ― THAT HE

FINISHES EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES.”

two years, Clement had 179 rushes for 1,412 yards at Glassboro High compared to 215 rushes for 1,496 yards at the UW. “It has been kind of like a repeat for me,” Clement said.

James was two classes ahead of Clement. ― he went to Rutgers

▲ TAP TO WATCH - Corey Clement Highlights

about. And when a Heisman winner like Dayne, the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher, talks, Clement listens.

“He told me, ‘Be you and nobody else,’” related Clement, who will occasionally run into Dayne, a goodwill ambassador these days for the Badgers. “He saw what I was going through last year with Melvin getting all the praise and the hype and he said, ‘You can’t be him, you can only be yourself.’”

In this context, who is Corey Clement? Why not ask Dayne’s college head coach?

“Corey is one of the better backs in the country,” opined UW athletic director Barry Alvarez. “He has bided his time for a couple of years and he’s following some great backs here ― one (Ball) broke the NCAA scoring record and the other (Gordon) broke the single-game rushing record, if only for a week.

“Now with them gone, it’s his turn. He’s a hard worker. You see him every day at practice on every run, when he gets out of the trash (the clutter of bodies on the line of scrimmage), he’s going to get more yards out of the play by finishing the run.

“I just think that he’s an exceptional running back,” Alvarez said. “He’s physical; he’s built very sturdy so he can run for tough yardage between the

tackles. And yet, he has got speed; he can outrun people; he can make that one cut to break off a big one.”

Clement had his own interpretation of what a finisher is; or what it means to finish a run.

“It’s a positive play,” Clement said. “If you can’t get back to the line of scrimmage, if it’s a bad play, don’t make it worse. I believe in finishing behind your pads. Alabama is very big up front, so I know I will have to have a forward lean on every run. Just keep two hands on the ball and give it your all.”

Clement went to school on Gordon, a valuable resource. “I’ve been learning as I’ve grown,” he said. “You see how Melvin finished all of his runs in practice and now I’m translating that into my game. Hopefully it will work for me. It worked for him, why not me?”

He has already answered some questions for first-year running backs coach John Settle.

“Every rep is important for him, he approaches it like a pro, he finishes every rep,” said Settle, who has coached in the NFL with Carolina and Cleveland. “As a coach, that is the one thing, the only thing that you can ask of a player ― that he finishes everything that he does.

COREY CLEMENT: HIS TURN, HIS TIME PAGE 4 OF 8

SHEFFIELD ON CARLINI:

“FORGET ABOUT MALE OR FEMALE, FORGET ABOUT REVENUE OR NON-REVENUE SPORT, SHE’S TRULY ONE OF THE GREAT ATHLETES THAT I THINK THE COLLEGE GAME, IN ANY SPORT, HAS EVER SEEN. I’M INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE THAT SHE’S HERE.”

“

“I like his approach and the way he studies the game. It’s important to him. He wants to be very good. With Melvin, he’s following a guy that was a great example of what it takes to play this game,” said Settle, a former 1,000-yard rusher with the Atlanta Falcons.

“I’m always reminding Corey of the details. No matter how talented you are, not matter how fast you are, the details, in most cases, are going to make the difference. If you’re off six inches on a run, that could be the difference in making a big play or getting hit for a one-yard gain.”

Clement has made a favorable impression on another detail-oriented, first-year UW coach.

“First and foremost, if doesn’t take long when you watch him move or do anything, he’s pretty special,” said Kolodziej, who oversees the weight room. “You love his work ethic. You love his desire to compete. You can tell the game means a lot to him. He’s a positive guy that brings great energy.”

It’s not like Clement is an unknown commodity.

He has rushed for 1,496 yards in 26 games. “He was in the shadows but he was very success

ful the past few years,” said senior wide receiver Jordan Fredrick. “He has played and he has experience scoring touchdowns. But now, he’s the No. 1 guy and Corey wants to prove himself at that.”

Given that Clement’s backups are so raw and inexperienced ― Ogunbowale is a converted defensive back and Taiwan Deal is a redshirt freshman ― Fredrick acknowledged, “It’s not the same two-headed and three-headed monster that we’ve had (at tailback).”

Not to worry, though. “He’s just a workhorse, that’s what he is,” added Fredrick, whose downfield blocking has sprung the tailbacks for many long runs. “Some people might want to call him a darkhorse for some awards this year. But he’s just a workhorse. That’s why he’s successful.”

The Badgers have had their share of workhorses. Most recently, it was Brian Calhoun. In 2005, he had a monster season by rushing 348 times for

FREDRICK ON CLEMENT: ““SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO CALL HIM A DARKHORSE FOR SOME AWARDS

THIS YEAR. BUT HE’S JUST A WORKHORSE. THAT’S WHY HE’S SUCCESSFUL.”

COREY CLEMENT: HIS TURN, HIS TIME PAGE 6 OF 8

“I WELCOME THE CONTACT,” CLEMENT “SAID. “ALL I NEED IS ONE GOOD HIT AND I’LL BE RIGHT BACK INTO IT. AND I KNOW

THAT IS GOING TO OCCUR SOON.”

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1,636 yards (4.7 per carry, 125.8 per game) and 22 touchdowns. He had 279 more carries than the backup, Booker Stanley.

Calhoun also had 53 catches for 571 yards and two scores. That was only six fewer receptions than the team leader, Brandon Williams. Calhoun was just the second player in Big Ten history with 1,000 rushing and 500 receiving; only the second in NCAA history with 1,500 rushing and 500 receiving.

Paul Chryst was a co-offensive coordinator that season.

“He (Clement) has the capability to be that kind of workhorse,” Kolodziej said.

Clement has actually tailored his game around another Brian ― Brian Westbrook. A veteran of nine NFL seasons, eight with the Philadelphia Eagles, Westbrook was a hardnosed runner-slash-receiver. He finished his career with 6,335 rushing yards (1,385 carries) and 3,940 receiving yards (442 catches).

Calhoun (5-10, 209) and Westbrook (5-10, 209) were workhorses and about the same size as Clement. “I was an Eagles fan growing up and he (Westbrook) was one of the guys I admired,” Clement said. “He could do a lot of things; he could return kicks, run and catch the ball out of the backfield.”

In 39 high school games, Clement had a career total of 12 catches. With limited playing time at Wisconsin, he has caught 15 passes, 14 last season. But he wants everyone to know, “I’ve got great hands. Hopefully the coaching staff will realize that and put me in the flat a lot more.”

Settle has been accenting that aspect to his tailbacks and fullbacks. “Everybody in the backfield can catch,” Clement said. “Coach Settle puts everyone in a position to feel comfortable so when we get a pass play called, it’s not a shock. We’re out there for a purpose and that’s to catch the ball.”

What’s important to Clement is the yardage after the catch or the yards after contact.

“I pride myself on making people miss,” he said. “You can’t think too much about each play because that’s when you start to press and it tends to mess with you. But if a spin move occurs, it’s because it happened naturally, not because I thought, ‘Oh, let me spin here.’”

Clement has studied the moves of Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy, a former Pitt star.

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The 5-11, 208-pound McCoy rushed for over 1,000 yards in four of his first six seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. “He’s one of the best players at making somebody miss,” Clement said.

His former teammate, White, also has that knack. Or skill.

“He will look defenders off; he will look this way,” said Clement, turning his head to the right while moving his body to the left. “James has quick feet. He has a low center of gravity. If you’re lower to the ground, you can cut better. You have to have a little wiggle; it’s natural for a running back.”

You also have to enjoy taking on tacklers though collisions were limited during training camp.

“I welcome the contact,” Clement said. “In practice, I will try to purposely run into defenders just to get that feeling. I know it’s different from complete tackling. But all I need is one good hit and I’ll be right back into it. And I know that is going to occur soon (Saturday).”

So, who is Corey Clement? Better yet, how would

he describe his running style? “I’m balanced,” said Clement who has rushed for

over 100 yards seven times. “Power. Speed. Elusiveness. I like to change up a lot. I’m not the strider like Melvin was. He’s got those long legs under him. But my speed is top-notch as well. It may be deceiving to some people but I can pull away, too.”

Clement has quickly taken a strong liking to Settle because of his NFL background.

“He has been through so much at the next level and he has brought a lot of the knowledge and strategy to us,” he said. “He has heled me grow spiritually within the game. He has shown how passionate he is and I’m only feeding off him.”

The running backs have been bonding around one theme: The Standard is the Standard. “When you come out here, the expectations are to play the game correctly,” Clement said. “Play it fast. Play it physical. And it be dependable. You want to do what is asked and exceed the expectations.”

And now it’s his turn.

COREY CLEMENT: HIS TURN, HIS TIME PAGE 8 OF 8

For the taking: Aranda focuses

on creating turnovers

Having established a stingy unit at Wisconsin, third-year defensive coordinator eyes more takeaways

BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM

D ave Aranda is 20 years removed from an injury-checkered playing career at Cal Lutheran, whose campus is in Thousand Oaks, 10 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. He still hasn’t forgotten what it felt like to go through a training camp as a player. It was no day at the beach.

“I remember being in the dorms,” said Aranda, who’s entering his third season as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator. “I remember having to share bathrooms. I remember the food that we ate. And I remember forging some really good friendships.”

After returning to Cal Lutheran years later as the defensive coordinator, he remembered the players were housed off-campus in Navy SEALs barracks for training camp. That was “back in the day” of consecutive two-a-days when camps were far more strenuous than they are today.

During a subsequent coaching stretch at the University of Hawaii, Aranda remembered the players sleeping on cots in a dance studio above the locker room during the preseason camp. “That was a unique experience,” he said. “The windows were

cracked and the ocean breezes would come in.” Everyone has their own frame of reference, every

one does it a little differently, he concluded. “I do love how we do it here (Wisconsin),” he said.

“We’re using our (campus) facilities which are some of the best in the country and we’re able to get the kids out of the stadium at an appropriate time so they can get home and rest. They’re able to deflate, I guess.”

This was not Aranda’s attempt at Tom Brady or New England Patriots humor. Nor does he answer to the nickname, the Deflator. But he did say of the players, “They’re all filled up with football and when they go home, they can let it out a little bit and we can fill them back up in the morning.”

Aranda is not blowing hot air when he outlines the importance of this training camp.

“There are two keys for us on defense,” he said. “Number one, we have to become a team. Defensively, we have to see what our personality is. We made some strides in certain spots in the spring. But what type of defense are we?

SIDEBAR: DAVE ARANDA PAGE 1 OF 3

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“Are we a big-play defense? Are we a grind-it-out defense? Are we a bend-but-don’t break defense? What are we?” posed Aranda, not yet knowing the answers. “We’ll coach it as hard as we can. But the players will make the decision (on what they want to be).

“Number two, we need to improve where we were in the spring with our run fits. We’d like to be able to stop the run up front and we’d like to not allow big passes in the back (the secondary). We need to get everything fitted up to where we feel comfortable about playing defense.”

What Aranda is seeking is “11 guys playing together with everybody having a role and doing their job. In the back end, we have to keep things in front us. That’s a big key. I looked back at some of our bigger games and what has hurt us in the past has been big plays.”

Aranda listed a third key for camp. “We have to create takeaways,” he said. “Of all the things that we have tried to do on defense, I feel like I’ve failed in that category. A year ago today, we were talking about creating more tackles for losses and sacks

“ ARANDA: “WE HAVE TO CREATE TAKEAWAYS. OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO ON DEFENSE, I FEEL LIKE

I’VE FAILED IN THAT CATEGORY. A YEAR AGO TODAY, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CREATING MORE TACKLES FOR LOSSES AND SACKS AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.”

and we were able to do that.” That was a measurable positive. In Aranda’s first

year, the first of the 3-4 alignment, after years of lining up in a 4-3 scheme, the Badgers had 26 quarterback sacks and 64 tackles for loss. Last year, with the players more in tune with the defense, they had 37 sacks and 93 TFLs, a notable upgrade.

“At least there was a lean in that area from the first year to the second year,” said Aranda, whose defense has given up an average of 18.6 points the last 27 games; No. 5 among Power Five teams. “We have not made that same jump or lean in takeaways. What a big element we’re missing out on.”

He could not help but sigh. “You look at the NCAA stats,”

Aranda lamented, “and we’re on the fourth page.”

Wisconsin ranked No. 92 nationally in takeaways with 17 (11 fumble recoveries, 6 interceptions). Indiana (4-8), California (5-7), UMass (3-9), Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4), Kent State (2-9) and Idaho (1-10) also had 17. The combined record of those teams was 24-47. The Badgers were 11-3.

Aranda was astonished to have so much team success while generating so few turnovers on an otherwise stingy defense that ranked No. 4 in the nation in total defense (294.1 yards), No. 4 in passing yards allowed (168.0) and No. 17 in scoring defense (20.8).

“A lot of teams on the fourth page (turnover stats) are averaging three wins,” he noted.

The percentages are bound to catch up with a team so bereft of

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fumble recoveries and picks. “You just don’t want to go down that road again,”

he said, “I need to do a better job.” But it wasn’t his fault that the Badgers dropped

three potential interceptions against Auburn. “You have to be able to catch the ones they throw

to you,” he allowed. “It’s a piece of it.” Opportunistic defenses generally have at least one

bona fide playmaker at each level. In the secondary, the Badgers definitely have one

in safety Michael Caputo. “You have to look at Mike because of his experi

ence, intelligence, savviness and playmaking ability,” Aranda said. “You also have to leave the door cracked open there for Sojourn (Shelton). If we can just get the Sojourn from his freshman year ― that guy is a game-changer.”

As a true freshman, Shelton had four picks. Last year, he had none. Shelton and Darius Hillary are a solid one-two punch on the corners; Hillary has 28 career starts, Shelton has 24. Complementing them are Caputo and Tanner McEvoy, who’s also doubling at wide receiver.

“At the linebacker level,” said Aranda, “we have the two-headed monster with Vince (Biegel) and Joe (Schobert). We have to find ways to maximize those guys. We need to be creative in utilizing all of our best players.”

Aranda’s ingenuity and creative skills will be tested

at inside linebacker. The Badgers graduated both starters, Derek Landisch and Marcus Trotter. Last spring, Leon Jacobs and T.J. Edwards filled the void, if not replaced them. But they were injured early in camp leaving a thin position much thinner.

“Upfront, we’ve got nine guys that could potentially play,” Aranda said. “You’d like to feel really good about three. And we’re working on rounding out the rough edges to have a complete run and pass defender, and not just a pass guy who can sub in and a run guy who can sub in.”

Aranda feels that Arthur Goldberg is the “closest” to being a playmaker on that level of the defense. The Badgers will need significant contributions from all of their difference-makers ― Caputo, possibly Shelton, Biegel, Schobert and possibly Goldberg ― in the season opener against Alabama.

Aranda and Bama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin have crossed paths before. In the 2010 opener, Kiffin was making his debut as USC’s head coach. Aranda, likewise, was making his debut as Hawaii’s defensive coordinator. The Trojans won a shootout, 49-36, in Honolulu.

“They were doing a lot of the same things we’re seeing now (from Alabama) with the three-step game and putting the formation to the sideline,” he said. “We’re going to see shots taken downfield. He (Kiffin) wants to score big and score early. What a great challenge. It gets you energized for sure.”

ARE WE A BIG-PLAY DEFENSE? ARE WE A GRIND-IT-OUT DEFENSE? ARE WE A BEND“

BUT-DON’T BREAK DEFENSE? WHAT ARE WE? WE’LL COACH IT AS HARD AS WE CAN.

BUT THE PLAYERS WILL MAKE THE DECISION.

DAVID STLUKA

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As player or coach, Rudolph

rolls with the punches

Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator working to put solid line on the field in face of injuries BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM

W hen Joe Rudolph, a converted sophomore linebacker from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, took over as Wisconsin’s starting right guard in the 1992 season opener, he was flanked by tackle Joe Panos, a UW-Whitewater transfer. The bookend left tackle was Mike Verstegen, a Kimberly native.

Twenty-three years later, Rudolph is Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator and O-line coach and one of his backup players is Panos’ son, George, a redshirt freshman center. On top of that, Verstegen’s son, Bret, is a walk-on freshman safety.

That Rudolph wound up in the coaching profession was not a surprise to his former head coach, Barry Alvarez, the UW athletic director. It was probably less surprising than Panos becoming an NFL agent, a good one, at that. Travis Frederick, Kevin Zeitler and Rick Wagner are among his clients.

“Rudy was very smart, very competitive and he loved football; he was a very good leader as a player for us,” Alvarez recalled. “There was never any question in my mind that he would do an outstand

ing job someday as a football coach.” Alvarez remembered having a conversation with

Jim Tressel, the former Ohio State coach, about Rudolph who got into the business as a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes. “Tressel told me how impressed he was with Joe,” Alvarez recounted, “and how he was going to be a good one.”

During an earlier tour of duty as Wisconsin’s tight ends coach ― mentoring such stalwarts as Lance Kendricks, Travis Beckum and Garrett Graham ― Rudolph laid the groundwork for his return to the Madison campus after spending the last three seasons on Paul Chryst’s staff at Pittsburgh.

“The one thing I like about Rudy is that I don’t see him complaining about anything,” said Alvarez, who has seen how Rudolph has dealt with a string of training camp injuries that sidelined his projected right tackles (Hayden Biegel and Beau Benzschawel) and their replacement (Walker Williams).

“I left town for a few days and I’m thinking to myself, ‘You’ve got two young tackles (Biegel and Benzschawel) competing for the starting assignment

SIDEBAR: JOE RUDOLPH PAGE 1 OF 5

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and between the two of them, you’re going to be in good shape at that position.’”

Alvarez also liked the competition at guard with freshman Jon Dietzen pushing fifth-year senior Ray Ball. “At those two positions,” he said of right tackle and left guard, “where they’re competing, eventually, you’re going to have a good player there and have a little depth.”

So it seemed, however briefly. “The next thing I know all of them are injured,” Alvarez said after Dietzen and Ball got hurt and missed practice time. “But I didn’t see Rudy flinch. You have to stay positive and keep coach-

as much of a decision as anything. You just have to choose to do it when it comes to communicating and talking in and out of the huddle; those little last-second things that you say on the way to the line sometimes mean everything.”

The Badgers are rebuilding their offense line around two dependable returning starters: redshirt

ALVAREZ ON RUDOLPH:

“RUDY WAS VERY SMART, VERY COMPETITIVE AND HE “ LOVED FOOTBALL; HE WAS A VERY GOOD LEADER AS A PLAYER FOR US. THERE WAS NEVER ANY QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT HE WOULD DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB

SOMEDAY AS A FOOTBALL COACH.”

ing your guys because that’s all you can do. “A lot of coaches will show it in their body lan

guage; you’re frustrated because it’s not the guys you expected to be playing with. But Rudy just moves forward. I see him out there after practice working with the guys that he’s going to have to play with. He’ll have them as ready as he can.”

Heading into Saturday’s opener with Alabama, Rudolph and UW head coach Paul Chryst were able to put together a depth chart that lists Biegel, at tackle, and Williams, at guard, as the starters on the right side.

Rudolph was unbowed as a player; he was first-team All-Big Ten and team captain. So far, Rudolph has been undaunted as an O-line coach by the things that have been out of his control; namely the graduation loss of three starters and the injuries that have led to a lack of continuity upfront.

“Cohesiveness starts with communication,” Rudolph said. “That’s

SIDEBAR: JOE RUDOLPH

junior center Dan Voltz, who has started the last 19 games; and fifth-year senior left tackle Tyler Marz, who has started 27 straight. Voltz was second-team All-Big Ten last year; Marz was honorable mention.

“I love him, I love being around him,” Rudolph said of Voltz, a 6-foot-1, 301-pounder from Barrington, Illinois. “He’s tough and he epitomizes what a Wisconsin O-lineman is. It’s great to have him back out there healthy and working. It means everything.”

In 2011, Chryst was UW’s offensive coordinator, Rudolph was the tight ends coach and recruiting co

ordinator and Bob Bostad was the offensive line coach. Marz was influenced by all three coaches. That was about 45 pounds ago when he was a true freshman out of Springfield, Minnesota.

“He works, man; he works to get better and he fights his tail off all the time,” Rudolph said of the 6-foot-7, 325-pound Marz. “I’m excited for him, I think he’s going to have a great year. He leads by reminding people of the (O-line) history, how things were done, and I love him for that.”

Chris McIntosh helped write that history. In 1999, he was a consensus All-America left tack-

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le for the Badgers and a finalist for the Outland Trophy. McIntosh, a first-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks, is now working for the athletic department in the area of business development.

McIntosh spoke to the team last week. “He talked about his time here and he referenced our group (the offensive line) and how it’s a fraternity,” said Rudolph, whose graduate assistant is Bill Nagy, a member of that frat. A three-year letterwinner, Nagy could play either center or guard.

Michael Deiter, a redshirt freshman, has exhibited similar flexibility. In fact, he opened camp at right guard and has been switched to the left side between Marz and Voltz. “I liked the way him and Tyler interacted,” Rudolph said. “I liked the way him and Dan interacted. That should be a solid trio.”

What prompted Rudolph to make the move with Deiter, a 6-6, 314-pounder from Curtice, Ohio?

“You’re trying to find the matches and the right mix,” he said. “The one thing that Michael struggled with on the right side was some of his footwork. I was kind of picking his brain and he told me he used to play left tackle through high school and he was pretty natural when we moved over there.”

Another redshirt freshman, Micah Kapoi, has been a pleasant development.

“Micah came out of nowhere,” Rudolph said of the 6-3, 330-pound Kapoi, a native of Kapolei, Hawaii. Kapoi, like Deiter, is flexible enough to play either left or right guard. “Throughout the spring, you didn’t seen anything where you thought he would be ready. You liked him and his potential.

“But he didn’t show you anything where you thought, ‘Geez, this guy is someone that we can have ready to be in the two-deep next year.’ And he has done that. He has done that in this camp. There are some things that come natural and that’s for me and him to keep pushing that level.”

Rudolph had hoped to see more of Dietzen, a true freshman from Black Creek who late last week returned to practice; and Benzschawael, a redshirt freshman from Grafton, who’s not back yet. “With guys like Jon and Beau,” he said, “they don’t have any reps under their belt and these practices are huge.

“They’re huge for everyone,” Rudolph stressed, “but especially those guys; we’ll keep trying to get them back … Guys like Walker (Williams) and

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Hayden (Biegel) will be back. They missed valuable time but at least they are guys who have reps and been through it before.”

Biegel, a redshirt sophomore and the younger brother of linebacker Vince Biegel, is a 6-7, 299-pound right tackle from Wisconsin Rapids. Williams, a 6-7, 321-pound redshirt junior from Tacoma, Washington, offers even more flexibility; he can play guard or tackle.

When Biegel and Williams were inactive, it created an opening for Jacob Maxwell, a 6-6, 309-pound redshirt freshman from Green-dale. “He’s really talented and he’s still gaining his comfort level,” Rudolph said. “When he gets

“ RUDOLPH ON CHRYST: “AS WE’VE WORKED TOGETHER, WE’RE PRETTY GOOD AT THROWING IDEAS BACK AND FORTH AND WE CHALLENGE EACH OTHER IN THAT RESPECT. IN SOME WAYS, WE SEE THE WORLD THE SAME, AND THAT’S A GOOD THING. OTH

ER TIMES, WE DON’T SEE IT THE SAME BUT WE WORK THROUGH IT. WE’VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT.”

there, he’s going to be really good.” Although he has taken most of the snaps lately at

right tackle, he’s just not there yet. “And that’s our battle,” Rudolph went on. “We have to get him to that point where he can kind of let it go and just play because he has the toolbox. He has some tools that will help him (someday).”

Rudolph has been putting his players, young and old alike, in a position to have success in the same

manner that Bill Callahan did with him in the mid-’90s at Wisconsin. Callahan, a former head coach at Nebraska and with the Oakland Raiders, is now the O-line coach with the Washington Redskins.

“That was a true blessing having him as an offensive line coach,” Rudolph said of the 59-year-old Callahan. “He gave you the tools that you needed to be successful. But you had to own them and you had to apply them. But he gave you the chance to do that and I’ll always be grateful.”

As UW’s offensive coordinator, Rudolph is entrusted

with sorting out the puzzle. After a Thursday practice where “we were all over the place” he was much more pleased with how the offense looked on Friday. “We made some strides,” he said. “And we definitely have more work to do.”

But he later conceded, “We’re getting closer.” The partnership between Chryst and Rudolph has

also grown closer over the years. “Paul is all about the

relationships that he has with people, his appreciation for the game and his willingness to put all of that, including his staff, in front of himself; it’s all about his humbleness,” Rudolph said. “It’s pretty remarkable.

“As we’ve worked together, we’re pretty good at throwing ideas back and forth and we challenge each other in that respect. In some ways, we see the world the same, and that’s a good thing. Other times, we don’t see it the same but we work through it. We’ve never had an issue with that.”

Rudolph shared some thoughts on some of the key skill players going into the 2015 season. Besides senior wide receiver Alex Erickson ― also a key and

SIDEBAR: JOE RUDOLPH PAGE 4 OF 5

a gritty former walk-on that led the offense with 55 catches last season ― these are the three individuals who have gotten the most public scrutiny.

On quarterback Joel Stave, he said, “I see him growing in his ownership of the offense. He works at it. He’s up here (Camp Randall Stadium offices) and he grinds late at night; he’s always on the film. That’s where you see his growth. You see the true confidence developing.”

On tailback Corey Clement, he said, “He’s a very talented football player. He also brings a great energy and focus. He’s fun. When he turns it on, the guys feel it. He’s a little bit electric with the group. I’m excited to get this season going with him.”

On wide receiver Tanner McEvoy, he said, “He’s still growing in that role, but he’s very talented. He can make plays on the ball; he’s a big target; and he can go, he can run. He means a lot to the offense. That group of receivers play off each other. As a group, I like them.”

The Badgers will open the season against No. 3-ranked Alabama, whose front seven on defense has already been hailed as the best in college football. Rudolph will recognize an old UW teammate

on the opposing sideline in Mel Tucker, the Tide’s assistant head coach and secondary coach.

Tucker was a senior safety for the Badgers when Rudolph was a junior. Tucker has worked for Saban at two other schools: Michigan State and LSU. He also coached in the Big Ten at Ohio State. The last two seasons, Tucker was the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears.

There’s no underestimating the challenge of facing Alabama, a tradition-rich program that has flourished under Saban with three national championships and an 84-11 record over the past seven seasons. For Rudolph, though, it’s about Wisconsin establishing its own offensive identity or personality.

“I think it’s still developing, it’s still to come,” he said. “Our players have to put their stamp on it. But that’s OK; they’re going to have that opportunity. We’ll continue to grow through the first few weeks (of the season). That doesn’t mean when we won’t be at our best in Dallas.

“But we need to keep getting better and it will be a group that will continue to grow.”

And at some point, he promised, “There will be a defining moment.”

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was in Australian and European soccer, rowing, rugby and Auss-ie-rules football.

“In the last five years,” said Wisconsin football strength andconditioning coach Ross Kolodziej, “it has gained traction inAmerican football.”

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher told ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifertthat soft-tissue injuries, muscle pulls and tears, had dropped by88 percent over a two-year period while using the informationfrom the GPS system. Fisher said that practice scheduling, play-er maintenance and training analysis had been enhanced. Healso told another interviewer, “The results talk to you as if it’s adoctor.”

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst and Kolodziej were intro-duced to the GPS system last season at the University of Pitts-burgh. Kolodziej was also the Panthers’ strength coach. “We werenext door to the Steelers,” Kolodziej said of their office space inHeinz Field, which is also Pitt’s home turf, “and we both got thesystem at the same time.

INSIDE FOOTBALL BY MIKE LUCAS ■ UWBADGERS.COM

Technology gives coaches new perspective Badgers gain insight on their training with GPS-based tracking system

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In 2013, a Forbes.com article detailed how Jason Kidd, then a 40-year-old guard with the New York Knicks, was outfitted with a GPS monitoring device to register his acceleration, agility and force after he had been sidelined with a basketball-related injury. The data was matched against a preseason reading on Kidd to determine his readiness to resume playing.

In 2014, an ESPN.com article documented how such technology had been implemented by a Florida State football program that was coming off a national championship. By that time, as many as 17 NFL teams and 13 NBA teams had adopted the GPS-based system from Catapult Sports, an Australian firm specializing in analytics.

Fast-forward to 2015 and the appearance of a Catapult representative on the Wisconsin football team’s practice field in Madison. She was working through the ins and outs of the system ― which can be monitored in real-time on a laptop on the sideline ― with the Badgers’ strength and conditioning staff.

Before the GPS monitoring technology had gotten its toehold in the United States, it had exploded world-wide. Catapult report-

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North Carolina team, one of the top programs in the country, andthen Louisville, who we are expecting to be another elite team,”Sheffield said.

INSIDE VOLLEYBALL BY DIANE NORDSTROM ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Loss gives lesson for Badgers to learn from

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It’s a cliché that many coaches use ― you have to learn from a loss. The 13th-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team is doing just that after dropping its season-opening match to Western Kentucky, which is currently ranked 20th in the national coaches’ poll.

Wisconsin, which was ranked fifth when it hosted the HotelRED Invitational last weekend in the UW Field House, fell to the Lady Toppers 3-1 on Friday before rebounding to defeat Colgate and College of Charleston on Saturday. UW takes a 2-1 record into this weekend’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We’re learning how hard you’ve got to play to be an elite team,” UW head coach Kelly Sheffield said. “We’re learning how hard you’ve got to be able to go every single point. We’re learning how to communicate at a level that is effective and make your teammates better.”

The Badgers will have to learn quickly, as they take to the road for the first time this season and face their first ranked opponent in No. 18 North Carolina. UW also takes on Louisville on its home court at the KFC Yum! Center.

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that this young group of talented players will find its footing intime.

Two players who have been called on this season to play con-siderable minutes for the first time in their careers are sophomoreAlex Masbruch in the midfield and freshman Sam Brotherton onthe back line. Both have impressed Trask and the coaching staffthus far, and when considering the prospects of pairing themwith the young core already in place in Madison, things continueto look up.

INSIDE MEN’S SOCCER BY BRANDON HARRISON ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Coach Trask and Badgers growing together

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Wisconsin took steps last weekend in its continued maturation process

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T he group is talented, there’s no doubt about that. But in order to reach its potential, this year’s Wisconsin men’s soccer team must grow together. After welcoming in 12 true freshmen to the program last sea

son, the 2015 Wisconsin Badgers still feature six underclassmen in their starting XI this season.

Wisconsin officially kicked off its new season last weekend with games against Butler and No. 19 Xavier at the McClimon Soccer Complex.

Friday night’s opener was anything but ideal weather-wise, as UW endured a rain-drenched game against Drake. A scoreless and tight battle throughout, the Bulldogs were finally able to break through in the 66th minute and score the game-winning goal in a 1-0 triumph.

Wisconsin showed its bounce-back ability Sunday against a ranked opponent in Xavier. The Badgers looked sharp throughout the first half but Xavier found its footing after halftime and scored two goals to secure the 2-0 win.

While Wisconsin walked away from its opening weekend with a

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SOCIAL pair of home losses, head coach John Trask remained adamant MEDIA:

home win over Wisconsin.Caitlyn Clem came to play on a big stage for UW and provided

another bright spot in the loss. The redshirt sophomore goalkeep-er made a career-high seven saves and allowed only two goalsdespite facing 18 shots and six corner kicks from the Bruins.

Losing a pair of road games over one weekend wasn’t a feelingthe Badgers were accustomed to. The last time Wisconsin lostback-to-back road games was Oct. 24 and Oct. 27 of the 2013season.

Slipping to an even 2-2-0 record on the season, the Badgersget the opportunity to return home to fine-tune things before tak-ing to the road again. UW has a five-game home unbeaten streakdating back to last season, when their only loss at the McClimonComplex came at the hands of No. 7 Penn State.

Wisconsin will also work in freshman Victoria Pickett, after shewas officially announced and joined the team last week. The mid-fielder is a member of the Canadian youth program and playedwith new UW teammate Kinley McNicoll over the summer at the2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. She also played for Can-ada with McNicoll at the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women’s WorldCup.

The Badgers look for bounce-back results against Loyola onFriday at 7 p.m. and Illinois State on Sunday at 1 p.m. at McCli-mon.

Friday night will be a great chance for students to cheer on theteam, as it’s Back to School with the Badgers night. All UW stu-dents receive free admission to the game with a valid WisCard,and there will also be free pizza and drinks for all students inattendance. ■

INSIDE WOMEN’S SOCCER BY BRANDON HARRISON ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

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Effort on display during challenging trip Wisconsin played back-to-back games against top-12 opponents last weekend

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Considering the Wisconsin women’s soccer team just concluded one of its most challenging road trips in recent history, the Badgers shouldn’t return home hanging their heads.

UW was tasked with facing No. 10 Pepperdine in Malibu, California, on Friday, and then taking on No. 12 UCLA just two days later in Los Angeles.

While the Badgers were unable to steal a road win in either contest, they showed great effort on short rest in Sunday’s game against the Bruins.

After Gabbi Miranda scored a long-distance goal in the 28th minute, many may have wondered if UW was headed for a tough road loss. That was not the case, however, as Rose Lavelle responded just over three minutes later with a goal of her own to tie things up at 1-1.

Lavelle’s score against UCLA not only marked her team-leading third goal of the season, but it also matched her tally from all of last year.

The game remained tied until the 74th minute, when Amber

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Munerlyn put in a late goal and helped UCLA edge out a 2-1 SOCIAL MEDIA:

“Everyone was actually talking and truly listening to each otherinstead of focusing on their digital lives,” Hanson said. “Therewas hesitation at first but by the end of the night everyone wastalking and laughing and getting to know one another throughweird conversations.”

INSIDE CROSS COUNTRY BY A.J. HARRISON ■ UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

UW enjoys final week of summer ‘Up north’ Badgers spent a week training and growing as a team in scenic Door County

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I n the final week before classes resumed on the University of Wisconsin campus, the Badgers’ men’s and women’s cross country teams spent a week in Door County training and participating in team bonding activities.

A group of 38 student-athletes spent six days running in Peninsula Park and spending time together as a team on the beaches in Door County and at their lodge

“The whole trip was very fun,” UW senior Molly Hanson said. “Door County is a beautiful area and it was sort of clarifying to get away from campus for the week and be with the team. I think everyone had a really great time. We bonded over making dinners and doing fun weird team activities and had a blast up there.”

The team arrived in Door County on Tuesday and started the trip off with a team meal. After running on Wednesday and Thursday, the Badgers enjoyed the various beaches in the area, including Whitefish Dunes State Park.

“I had a blast playing whiffle ball with the boys on the beach,” junior Russ Sandvold said.

On Friday night, the Badgers turned in their cell phones to the

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coaches to help facilitate team bonding over dinner. SOCIAL MEDIA:

Structure BookmarksFigureCONTENTS COVER STORY HIS TURN, HIS TIME Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: A talented Wisconsin running back is ready to step into the spotlight after learning the craft from great ones who’ve come before him. COORDINATED EFFORT OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Get to know Dave Aranda and Joe Rudolph (left), the men who call the shots for the Badgers on defense and offense, respectively. Much will be made of Leo Musso’s small size — he stands 5-foot-10 — but the Wisconsin junior is focused on his big opportunity at safety. FOOTBALL LUCAS AT LARGE FEATURES IN [FOCUS] The week's best photos BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW INSIDE FOOTBALL Badgers embrace technology WHAT TO WATCH Where to catch the Badgers ASK THE BADGERS First day of school traditions BADGERING Drew Connor (Men’s Soccer) -SCROLL FOR MOREFigureLUCAS AT LARGE FigureAFigureLUCAS AT LARGE FigureBEHIND THE DESK FigureIFigureFigureBEHIND THE DESK FigureFigureTHE VOICE IASK THE BADGERS FigureFigureFigureFigureBADGERINGA senior team captain and talented midfielder, Drew Conner returns for his final campaign with the Badgers. The Cary, Illinois, native is ranked as one of the best players in the Big Ten by TopDrawerSoccer and was named to the 2015 Big Ten Players to Watch list. Conner was a Big Ten All-Freshman team member in 2012, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2013 and was ranked as a top-100 player in the country last season by TopDrawerSoccer. He started 17 games last year and led all Badgers in minutes (1,608).FigureTFigureESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit nominated Clement for one of his preseason “Herbie” awards: Breakout Star of 2015. Joining Clement in the category were Tennessee tailback Jalen Hurd, Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan, Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph and Baylor quarterback Seth Russell. In many respects, Clement and Russell, who won the Herbie, are dealing with the same expectations ― their own ― in replacing a marquee performer. For Clement, it’s Gordon, who rushed for 2,587 yards and scored 3FigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureDFigureFigureFigureFigureWFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureINSIDE FOOTBALL Technology gives coaches new perspective FigureFigureFigureFigureFigureITAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO VIEW TWEETS FigureFigureFigureINSIDE VOLLEYBALL Loss gives lesson for Badgers to learn from FigureITAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE FigureFigureFigureFigureINSIDE MEN’S SOCCER Coach Trask and Badgers growing together FigureTTAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE FigureFigureFigureFigureINSIDE WOMEN’S SOCCER FigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureCTAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE FigureFigureFigureFigureINSIDE CROSS COUNTRY FigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureFigureITAP TO VIEW SCHEDULE FigureFigureFigure