Bucky's 5th Quarter - 2014 Big Ten Media Days: Wisconsin enters year 2 of Gary Andersen eraWelcome to the unofficial online tavern of the Wisconsin Badgers. Please seat yourself.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47803/buckys-fave.png2014-07-30T10:30:34-05:00http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/rss/stream/57085282014-07-30T10:30:34-05:002014-07-30T10:30:34-05:00Warren Herring more comfortable than ever
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<figcaption>Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Now one of the undisputed leaders of Wisconsin's defense, Warren Herring has a chance to be special this season.</p> <p>CHICAGO -- Like many first-year players who walk through the Camp Randall Stadium tunnel, redshirt senior defensive tackle <span>Warren Herring</span> didn't see action in his first year on campus, instead opting to redshirt. Still, he was named Wisconsin's Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year for the 2010-11 season. Ever since that first year, Herring has continued to improve little by little to where he is today: the leader of Dave Aranda's defense.</p>
<p>Coming off the best season of his career in which he recorded 17 total tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks, Herring is no longer in a secondary role for the Badgers following the departure of defensive lineman Beau Allen, now a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. His physical style of play will need to be on frequent display from the first game to the last this season, as the Badgers face several opponents that boast a formidable running attack.</p>
<p>Game No. 1 features LSU's hyped freshman running back Leonard Fournette, who accumulated over 5,000 total career rush yards to go along with 72 total touchdowns at St. Augustine High School (Louisiana). That's also not including seniors <span>Kenny Hilliard</span> and <span>Terrence Magee</span>. Bowling Green running back <span>Travis Greene</span>, who travels to Camp Randall on Sept. 20, is the program's <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BGathletics/status/409135504303464448">all-time leading rusher</a> and added over 1,500 yards on the ground. Northwestern's <span>Venric Mark</span> is a hot commodity, even though he missed most of last season due to injury, and should be a tough test when Gary Andersen's squad travels to Evanston in the first weekend of October.</p>
<p>Nebraska's <span>Ameer Abdullah</span> and Iowa's <span>Mark Weisman</span> are some of the premier backs in the Big Ten, and Wisconsin faces them in back-to-back weeks in the middle of November. This, nonetheless, doesn't necessarily equate to Herring doing all of the work and collecting all of the stats by himself, even if defensive line coach Chad Kauha'aha'a has a lot of youthful but talented bodies to work with along the defensive line in addition to the linebackers at the next level.</p>
<div class="pullquote">"We're stout; we're going to be stout. That's just what Wisconsin thrives on -- being tough at the point of attack -- and that starts with the defensive line." <span>-Warren Herring</span>
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<p>"We're stout; we're going to be stout," Herring told reporters at Big Ten media day on Monday. "That's just what Wisconsin thrives on -- being tough at the point of attack -- and that starts with the defensive line, so I think we'll be fine at stopping the run."</p>
<p>While Herring didn't directly acknowledge the tough tests he and his defensive teammates will face throughout this year, he did make known the discipline he exhibited this offseason in getting into the best shape possible, which was suggested by the coaching staff. As a result, he had to cut out burgers, pizza and other non-healthy foods. Instead, he "incorporated lean chicken, a lot of salads, a lot of veggies."</p>
<p>No matter what Herring's new diet entails, he's certainly coming into his own as he prepares for his last season in the red and white uniform. Could it be attested to getting better with experience? Absolutely. Could it be attested to that diet? Sure. But what might be the most integral part of his development, especially from last year to this year, is the new game plan and schemes brought forth by Aranda and his defensive staff.</p>
<p>"Last year was my best year, personally. [I] played a little bit more free, got a chance to play outside of myself, meaning from a pass-rushing standpoint," Herring said. "I'm really enjoying it. They let us loose a lot more last year, which was really nice. It was kind of like, 'Whoa, coach is actually going to let us run; he's actually going to let us pass rush.'"</p>
<p>UW freshmen who've redshirted in their first years have long wanted to reach the highest level possible and Herring is no exception. The Belleville East High School (Illinois) product has constantly kept in touch with Allen to get pointers about what to takes to make it to the league. Those discussions largely center around what NFL scouts focus on, as well as the areas they could care less about. Nevertheless, if Herring continues on his upward trend, he'll be joining Allen and other former Badgers on Sundays.</p>
<p>"Every little bit helps," Herring said. "While also, [I] have to focus in on what I have here at the University of Wisconsin, not trying to overshoot anything or foresee things that are further down the road."</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/30/5946699/warren-herring-wisconsin-badgers-defense-big-ten-media-daysRexford Sheild2014-07-29T12:33:20-05:002014-07-29T12:33:20-05:00Badgers prepping Melvin Gordon Heisman campaign
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<figcaption>Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon at Monday's Big Ten media day at the Hilton Chicago. | Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>As expected, the Badgers are planning a Heisman campaign for their star running back.</p> <p>CHICAGO -- Wisconsin has boasted two Heisman Trophy winners in its program history -- Alan Ameche in 1954 and Ron Dayne in 1999 -- but the Badgers also had another prolific running back finish as a finalist, Montee Ball, in 2011.</p>
<p>Ball, now a member of the Denver Broncos and the likely starter at running back there -- was a two-time consensus All-American, earning the honors in his final two seasons on campus (2011, 2012). Not to be forgotten is Ball's place in history, as the Missouri native sits atop the FBS record books in career touchdowns (83) and career rushing touchdowns (77).</p>
<p>After Ball decided to pass on the NFL following his junior year and returned to Madison, the UW athletic department and public relations staff went all-in on a Heisman campaign. <a href="http://www.uwbadgers.com/moneyball28/" target="_blank">"This Fall Belongs to Ball"</a> was plastered across campus-area buses and a video presentation was developed to garner the national attention that undeniably plays a critical role in determining the winner of the Heisman.</p>
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<p>Entering 2014, <span>Melvin Gordon</span> hasn't quite <span>put up the gaudy numbers that Ball did in terms of touchdowns, but most agree that Gordon is as impressive as his predecessor, if not better. That surely warrants a similar campaign for the Kenosha (Bradford) product, and that's exactly what head coach Gary Andersen and UW's PR staff plan to do for the upcoming season. Andersen was, of course, mostly tight-lipped about what the campaign will entail. </span></p>
<p>"There needs to be, and there is," Andersen acknowledged during Tuesday's roundtable session at Big Ten media days. "They're doing a lot for it. They're building that up as we go, and I think you'll see that as we continue through the next few weeks."</p>
<p>Gordon's body of work in 2013 puts him in viable contention for the award, at least from a preseason hype perspective. He ranked 10th in the country and second in the Big Ten with just over 1,600 yards on the ground, while also leading college football in yards per attempt, with 7.8.</p>
<p>That all was in a split role with former running back James White, and Gordon isn't expected to take every snap with the talented <span>Corey Clement</span> right behind him on the depth chart. Nonetheless, Gordon will get his carries and you can bet he'll make the most of them.</p>
<div class="pullquote">"We need to make sure that we do everything we can to help out." <span>-Gary Andersen, on Melvin Gordon's Heisman hopes</span>
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<p>"In my opinion, he's well deserving of being on the [Heisman] list and being in that situation," Andersen said. "We need to make sure that we do everything we can to help out."</p>
<p>Heisman winners typically come from a team with a top-end record for that particular season, save 2011 winner Robert Griffin III, who led the Baylor Bears to a 9-3 record and, eventually, a 67-56 victory over Washington in the Alamo Bowl. It was an outstanding season for the Bears, but it, pales in comparison to the records of BCS-bound teams year in and year out.</p>
<p>Altogether, Andersen is a firm believer that Gordon's play and numbers will take care of themselves, no matter how successful the team is in 2014.</p>
<p>"A lot goes into the Heisman and what it is," Andersen said. "We'll see how he plays, and Melvin will sit here right now and say the same thing. He's honored to be in the mix; I'm honored to be his coach, and have him be a kid that has a opportunity to even be in that mix. Hopefully, his team helps him get to where he wants to head."</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/29/5948345/melvin-gordon-heisman-trophy-2014-wisconsin-badgersRexford Sheild2014-07-29T07:50:30-05:002014-07-29T07:50:30-05:00Monday's Big Ten media day leftovers
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<figcaption>Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Some leftovers from Monday's opening session of Big Ten media days.</p> <p><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/160711271&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false"></iframe></p>
<p>With several common threads running through Monday's opening session of Big Ten media days, there are a few leftover items for Tuesday morning. Rex is also still in Chicago and will be following up with a few more stories, including a couple on the opener vs. LSU and the still-unsettled quarterback situation.</p>
<p>For now, here are some various thoughts from Gary Andersen's post-press conference media scrum.</p>
<h4>Jaden Gault</h4>
<p>Former Monona Grove standout and incoming recruit Jaden Gault is taking a leave from Wisconsin's football team while battling depression, the <a target="_blank" href="http://host.madison.com/sports/college/football/badgers-football-former-monona-grove-athlete-jaden-gault-takes-leave/article_cd4414a9-6a82-5f7b-82b1-9766e423f5bc.html">Wisconsin State Journal reported</a> earlier this month. Monday, Andersen made his first comments on Gault, a four-star offensive tackle recruit who missed spring practice to seek therapy, and said he remains confident that Gault will eventually return to the Badgers.</p>
<p>"I sure think so," Andersen said. "Jaden, we all know, is a very talented football player. I expect him to be a very talented football player as we move forward, but that's not the concern today. The concern is to get Jaden back into the proper scenarios to be able to move forward in life.</p>
<p>Gault faced a series of tough challenges last winter before beginning college. Six days after winning the state title with Monona Grove, his grandfather died after a long battle with cancer. Nine days later, his 30-year-old uncle died after suffering a blood clot. Gault then delayed an official visit to Madison in December, played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 4, before moving into his UW dorm room a few days later. Then on Jan. 29, he underwent knee surgery.</p>
<p>The State Journal reported Gault was hospitalized twice for having suicidal thoughts, once in early February and again in March. At the time of the July 7 report, it was believed Gault could return to the program in January if his condition improves.</p>
<p>"The basic plan for Jaden now is to get Jaden in school, mainstreamed in school and support Jaden," Andersen said. "And that is it. We're excited about that, we're going to be at Jaden's pace.</p>
<h4>Bryce Gilbert</h4>
<p>When Wisconsin released its official fall roster on July 18, nose tackle <span>Bryce Gilbert</span> was one of the most surprising departures. Badgernation.com's Badger Worgull <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TheBadgerNation/statuses/490180020082442240">reported at the time</a> that Gilbert had graduated from UW and sought a transfer to a smaller school. Andersen addressed the departure for the first time on Monday.</p>
<p>"He had his degree, which is great for Bryce," Andersen said. "We sat down, Bryce came into my office one day and we just discussed his situation and where he sat. He wanted to kind of move on, and I supported him. I would've supported him fully if he stayed; he decided that he wanted to go do that. He's playing at a smaller school, I think he's excited to continue his degree and that's where Bryce went. Our communication after he decided to do what he did was very good and I'll always be there for Bryce, and he knows that."</p>
<h4>New NCAA rules on summer workouts</h4>
<p>Back in December, the NCAA amended its bylaws to enable schools to require players to participate in up to eight hours per week of summer activities. Included in the possibilities are conditioning, weight training and up to two hours of film study per week.</p>
<p>When asked about the latter, Andersen said the new rules haven't changed much about Wisconsin's process in the summer. Previously, coaches couldn't communicate with players in the summer months and team workouts were expected to be purely voluntary.</p>
<p>"I put it a lot on the assistant coaches. We did not change our summer schedule as far as our coaches' vacation," Andersen said. "I'm a true believer in leadership between the team is built between the team, and not between the coaches in the summer time. So it's important to me that we've identified our leaders, we've put our leadership committee into work during the summer. I expect them to do a great job of handling it, so our coaches pushed away.</p>
<p>"We were there sometimes for two weeks, sometimes we weren't there at all for a week and then the next week, maybe we were there for an hour. It just depended on what the coaches felt they needed. We were prepared to educate our kids through video and everything we had without the new rule change, but the new rule change ... is a huge positive. But we have not changed how we work through summer; coaches gotta get away from players, players gotta get away from coaches. It's a long enough season without it; they'll look at us game five and say, 'Man, I'm so tired of you coach, I can't look you at anymore.' So we've got to be fresh."</p>
<h4>Quotables:</h4>
<p>Monday's media session might've been light on hard news, but the nature of the event is that questions are slung toward coaches and players on all sorts of topics. Here are a few more worthwhile quotes from Andersen.</p>
<h5>On the College Football Playoff:</h5>
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<p>"I see it game-by-game, one-by-one. I think it's great for college football. You sit back and you're going to have four teams playing it off, and everybody wants to be in that spot. It would be a tremendous opportunity to get there. There's a lot that's got to happen between now and then.</p>
<p>"But overall, I would say, it brings just a little bit more excitement to it. The semifinals, the final game and those four teams that make it are going to be very fortunate. Would we like to be one of those teams? Everybody in the world's going to say, "Absolutely, yes" to that question. But you've got to take business one week at a time for sure."</p>
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<h5>On the Big Ten splitting into East and West Divisions</h5>
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<p>"First of all, I had no say in it whatsoever. I feel good about it. We get to keep our rivalries, which is so important. We get to keep the Iowa game, we get to keep the Minnesota game. That matters a ton to us, I think, because of the recruiting base and where and how we recruit. There's 54 kids from the state of Wisconsin, there's mid-70s of our kids from the Midwest, so our ability to kind of stay around there -- Northwestern, Illinois -- to be able to move through those is great for our recruiting base. So I like the way it's broken up. It's highly competitive, as I've said many times today and I'll continue to say it.</p>
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<h5>On suggested NCAA contact limitations:</h5>
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<p>"It did not change us one bit. In fact, we can still be even more physical wearing full pads more. We never crossed that line. For us, I think we practice clean, hard, crisp and fast, but I believe in keeping them as fresh as I can. So those rules did not affect us at all."</p>
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https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/29/5947251/wisconsin-badgers-news-rumors-big-ten-media-day-2014Mike FiammettaRexford Sheild2014-07-28T22:21:42-05:002014-07-28T22:21:42-05:00Randy Edsall speaks on transitioning to the B1G
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<p>The Big Ten Conference just got B1GGER (get it? - I hate myself sometimes) with the addition of Rutgers and Maryland for the 2014 season. Head coach Randy Edsall, who previously allowed former quarterback Danny O'Brien a release from his scholarship to transfer to Wisconsin back in 2012, took to the podium Monday at the Hilton in Chicago to talk about the transition to a new conference, recruiting, and if he watched the ACC Media Days (his answer was amazing).</p>
<p>For all things Maryland, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.testudotimes.com/">Testudo Times</a>.</p>
<p><b>THE MODERATOR:</b> We're joined by Coach Randy Edsall. Coach, an opening statement.</p>
<p><b>COACH EDSALL:</b> It's a pleasure to be here on behalf of our University of Maryland, our athletic department, and we're very thrilled to be a part of the Big Ten Conference and everything that it represents and stands for. And I know that the three young men that I brought here today with me have been very, very impressed with what they've seen so far. And three outstanding guys that you'll get a chance to talk to and visit with.</p>
<p>And <span>C.J. Brown</span>, our professional student, who is back for his sixth year, leader of our team as a quarterback, outstanding young man from Pittsburgh who hopefully has all the injuries behind him now. Had a good year last year, and we expect big things out of him this year as we look forward to this season.</p>
<p><span>We also have <span>Jeremiah Johnson</span>, a young man who is a defensive back for us, that is coming back off an injury from a year ago, fully recovered now, and has been a great leader for our team since he's been at Maryland and somebody that's 100 percent healthy now and ready to go. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And then also <span>Stefon Diggs</span>, our wide receiver, a junior wide receiver who has come back off his injury, and ready to go this year and fully recovered and really has done a good job this offseason.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>But three outstanding young men. C.J. is into his master's degree. J.J. has his degree, and Stefon's doing an outstanding job in the classroom. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Just to give you a little bit about who we are at Maryland and what we're all about. One of the things that we really believe in, and I think it fits into what the Big Ten is all about, we're a program that really believes in developing our kids holistically, and that means that we're going to develop them as students, as athletes, and as people, and to make sure that we provide them with all the things necessary so they can go on and be successful once their academic career is over, athletic career is over. And that's something that we take a lot of pride in and it's something that we're able to attract young men to come to Maryland.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>The one thing that we want to do also is we want to be able to win at the highest level and win the right way and to make sure that we're providing these young men with opportunities that maybe they didn't think they could get, but also what we want to do is we want to provide them with better opportunities than what myself and our coaches have had for ourselves.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So we know we have a tremendous challenge that's ahead of us this year as we enter the Big Ten, but one that we're really looking forward to.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We have ten new opponents that we have to prepare for. So the spring and the summer has been a whirlwind for us as coaches from the standpoint of getting to know the teams here in the Big Ten that we're going to be going against and understanding their personnel, understanding their schemes and what they like to do.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>But, again, we're also looking forward to the fact that being a member of this conference, because of what this conference stands for academically, the collegiate model that it represents in terms of helping the student‑athletes grow as students and as athletes. With that, I'll open it up to any questions.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q. </b> Have you sought any advice from other coaches about making a move to a new league?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH EDSALL:</b> We've talked to some of the other coaches, but the good thing for me is the fact that I've been involved with this quite a few times in my career, having gone to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the expansion team, going into the league there as an assistant coach, and then also made the jump from 1‑AA to the Big East. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So again, the biggest focus I think that we've had to have for us making this move is really just finding out who the other teams are and studying what they do, but also what we have to do is make sure that we continue to do what we do and continue to make sure that we get better.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So that's been our whole focus is continuing to work on making ourselves better and enhancing what we do, but getting an understanding and getting a feel for all the teams in this outstanding league. And I think we've done a good job with that throughout the spring and summer.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> I'm not asking you to look past your first game, but your first five. I want you to describe what's that atmosphere going to be like at your place when Ohio State comes in the first Big Ten home game?</span></p>
<p><b>COACH EDSALL: </b> Well, I think it will be electric. I think it will be a sold‑out crowd. It will be something that I know our fans are looking forward to. Ohio State is a program with great tradition and history and one that has done very, very well. And it will be something that I think everybody that's in attendance and everybody that gets a chance to watch on TV wished that they were there, because I think it will be a ton of excitement, one that I know we're looking forward to as well as all the other games we're going to play.</p>
<p><span><b>Q. </b> Wondering, coming from the ACC, is there a certain type of player that you recruit when you're in that conference, and is there another type of player that you have to turn your attention to towards recruiting in the Big Ten now?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH EDSALL:</b> The thing that, from a recruiting standpoint, we have a philosophy of who we are offensively and defensively and what we want to do special teams. We're not going to change the type of young man that we want to recruit to the University of Maryland just because we're coming to the Big Ten.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We have things that we believe in and what we want to do and all's we're going to do is we're going to continue to recruit that model and continue to recruit the business student‑athletes that we can that fit what we want at the University of Maryland. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And again, we want to recruit the biggest, the fastest, the strongest players that we can in order to give us a chance to be able to compete for championships here in the Big Ten. And the one thing that we have seen by being a part of the Big Ten now is it's really enhanced our recruiting. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We've expanded a little bit from our foothold that we were in, and kids want to be a part of being in the Big Ten in terms of the exposure that you get through the Big Ten network. The opportunity to play Bowl games in California, Texas, Florida, New York, Detroit, that's something that's very, very appealing. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And so again, we're already seeing those benefits from a recruiting standpoint, but we're not going to change the model that we have based on maybe what everybody else does.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q. </b> I asked Coach Flood this question, I'll ask it to you as well: The move for your two schools came very quickly, it seemed at least publicly, from one league to the other. From a football standpoint, what was your initial reaction to this and just overall maybe the story behind the scenes about how quickly this all came about?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH EDSALL</b>: Well, I just think it's an outstanding move for our institution. Not only from a football standpoint, but also from an academic standpoint, to be a part of the CIC and the consortium, those things. </span></p>
<p>I think everybody's a winner, and I think that's what, really, college athletics is all about and what institutions are all about, that everybody benefits from this, not just our student‑athletes, but our students in general and our faculty.</p>
<p>And it was something that I wasn't privy to. I just know that I had a discussion with my athletic director, <span>Kevin Anderson</span>, and he asked me about the possibility‑‑ what I thought about the possibility of going to the Big Ten. And I just told him I was all for it. I think it would be a really good move for us and one that I would embrace, and I'm sure that I know our players would embrace, to be part of the history and the tradition and what the Big Ten stands for.</p>
<p>So the thing is, I'm just glad that we're finally to the point now where we can go and play games. It has been a long time, it seems, to get to this point. But I'm glad we're here, and I'm glad it's getting close to August and starting practice and getting the opportunity to compete against these outstanding programs and institutions that we're going to compete against.</p>
<p><span><b>Q. </b> Just curious, your first go‑around here with the Big Ten Media Days, did you keep an eye what was going on in Greensboro last week with the ACC Media Days? Was it tough for you to let that go, so to speak?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH EDSALL</b>: No. I was in St. Thomas and I was enjoying the heck out of St. Thomas. </span></p>
<p>So, again, change is inevitable in life, and what you do is you embrace change. And at the end of last season, we pretty much put it forward that this is where we're going and this is what we have to concentrate on. And this is what our future is.</p>
<p>And, again, I've got to make sure that I keep everybody doing those things and looking straight ahead and concentrating on what we have to.</p>
<p>So it's great to be here in Chicago, to see everybody here and be part of this. It's really a lot of fun.</p>
<p><span><b>Q.</b> Penn State had some success recruiting in your area for those faster, stronger players they talk about. How do you compete against a program that James Franklin brings?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH EDSALL:</b> Well, I think when it comes to recruiting, there's always a philosophy that you have a profile that you're going to recruit. And a lot of times, some of those guys that maybe go elsewhere don't fit the profile that you're looking for. And we know that we're in an area where there's going to be a lot of schools come in and recruit where we're at. The thing we just stay focused on is just recruiting that profile and recruiting that young man that fits what we're looking for. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And recruiting is a very competitive, very competitive game, and we're going to go other places into people's states and recruit people from there.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So again, I think the biggest thing with recruiting is getting the guys that fit what you're looking for. And it also comes down to this: I think you have to be a staff that is good at developing those players, because there's no player that comes into the program as a finished product.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And I think I have a great coaching staff. I know I have a great coaching staff of being able to bring young men in and to be able to develop them and them to be better than what people thought they would be or better than what maybe they thought they could be. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So getting kids on your campus is one thing. But it's what you do with those kids once they're on your campus that truly makes a difference in your program. And that's one of the things that we're starting to see at the University of Maryland, is we have 20 starters coming back and we have a lot of depth as these kids are getting better.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And to me, that's the real thing about recruiting. It's not only getting the kids there, it's getting them developed and making them better once they're in your program and they're there for the four or five years.</span></p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/28/5946943/2014-big-ten-media-days-maryland-randy-edsallJake Kocorowski2014-07-28T22:11:10-05:002014-07-28T22:11:10-05:00Mark Dantonio talks Spartans' success, attention
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<p>Monday afternoon, Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio met with reporters at the annual Big Ten media days at the Hilton Chicago. How does he feel about carrying the torch, per se, of the Big Ten and getting more attention due to the Spartans' Rose Bowl victory against Stanford? Plus, he answers a question about Beaver Dam native and former Wisconsin recruiting target <span>R.J. Shelton</span>.</p>
<p>Check out more Spartans news and notes from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theonlycolors.com/">The Only Colors</a>.</p>
<p><b>THE MODERATOR:</b> We're joined by Coach Mark Dantonio. Coach an opening statement.</p>
<p><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> It's great to be here. It's our eighth year coming here as a head football coach, and our staff is very much intact. It's great to be here again. And I think really, every August that we all come here for is sort of an opportunity for a new beginning. And that's what we challenge our players with every year and our coaches as well. And that's where we're at.</p>
<p><span>So with that being said, I want to congratulate last year's staff, our players, all the players that have come to Michigan State since 2007, and all the administration that's been so much involved in our run to the Rose Bowl and our Big Ten Championship. And wanted to move on past that.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Our goals really remain the same as we enter this eighth year. It's to have a relationship with our players, our young people. I think if you do that, you have great chemistry.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We have had great leadership among our seniors every year. And I think it's very evident in what we've been able to accomplish.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So the relationships, it's the education. We've graduated I believe 122 or 121 players these last seven years, helping them launch their career, going on to become self‑sufficient young people in this society. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Big time football, which the Big Ten gives you that. Rose Bowl. The championships. Those type of things are very evident for us to continue to try and push through.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And then we're constantly trying to give back and be givers and promote giving. I think our players have done a great job with that.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So we're going to remain a very disciplined football team. We've got great enthusiasm this year. Hard work is going to be, again, things that we emphasize, and we're going to continue to push through it.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We've got a great offense coming back. A lot of our production is back on offense.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Defensively, I mean, we've had tremendous success defensively these last three years, in particular. I think we led the Big Ten in nine categories defensively last year. And nationally we were up there in a number of them as well.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Special teams players are back. Had two excellent specialists and a great long snapper. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And that's where we're at. So I'll take some questions and we'll go from there.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> How are you adjusting to all the new attention?</span></p>
<p><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> I think the Big Ten Conference, you've always got attention coming your way. And it's what you do with that and how you handle that. So what we've tried to talk about, really, is how do we handle success now. We've had success. We've gotten to a point where we've done some special things. What's on our agenda next, how do we handle that success, and that's really going to be one of the biggest things we'll have to deal with this year.<br>I think we're a little bit more of the hunted. That's a good place to be, but it's also a very precarious place to be as well.</p>
<p><span><b>Q.</b> How did the No‑Fly Zone nickname take off? Pun intended. And two members of that unit, <span>Kurtis Drummond</span>, <span>Trae Waynes</span>, what makes those guys so special?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO: </b> Well, it sort of took off‑‑ sort of took off a little bit. <span>Darqueze Dennard</span> came in one day and sort of coined it. Darqueze has gone on now. He's with the Bengals. And it just sort of took. He made up some T‑shirts himself for our secondary, for our players in the secondary, and it just sort of took off. And I think we had success in that area, and those are good things.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Kurtis Drummond, Trae Waynes. We've got other players back that have a lot of game experience as well. So it's going to be interesting to see how we respond. And again, handling success moving forward, but our players did some tremendous things last year.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>I don't know how many places I've been where‑‑ I don't think I've ever been in a place where we've had three players in the secondary be first team all Big Ten or all conference. And then I believe the other one was either honorable mention or second team maybe on one ballot. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So those guys, they were gifted. They knew what to do. They played fast. They made plays on the ball. Tremendous asset.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> Mark, you said it, you're the hunted, not the hunter. Obviously your goals and your message to your team doesn't change, but there could be things that change about how other teams see you. How do you change‑‑ what kinds of things do you expect to see from other teams? And talk a little bit more about the difference between being a team that has a chip on its shoulder to being the favorite. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> Well, first of all, I termed ourselves one of the hunted. So I think that's important to recognize. Not the hunted.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And secondly, we've always been about just taking care of ourselves. We're not looking for any entitlement, anybody to put us up there. We'll get what we earned. Every game will be a challenge, beginning with our first game. Everything that we do will start fresh and have to be earned.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And I really don't know how to really just to respond any differently. That's who we are. That's what we've done. We've had a knack for winning football games these last couple of years, but we've also taken a step back at times. And it's important that we understand that we've done that and we've stuck our foot in the ground and driven forward when those things have happened.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We found the inches last year, as I said. We have to continue to find those inches and gain even more ground, because, you know, respectability can fly right out the window on us. I understand that. So it's what we've done lately that you're basically judged on, and we continue to build our future as we move forward.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q. </b> With the new college football playoff format, there's obviously a lot of talk about where the different conferences stack up. What do you think the perception is of your division and strength of schedule, and how important do you think that's going to be going forward?</span></p>
<p><span></span><b style="font-size: 12px;">COACH DANTONIO:</b><span> I think both divisions are very well represented, great football teams in those divisions. The east where we're at, you know, great conference. Great games and a lot of games, a lot of teams that have built‑in rivalries. Obviously our rivalry with Michigan is intense for us, but we've also got a rivalry with Ohio State from the past and Penn State. So those things exist for us. Indiana is a game as well.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We've got two new members in the Big Ten Conference entering that side of the Big Ten. So I think it's going to be a tough division. There's no question about that.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>How we enter into the playoff picture, I guess it will be dependent obviously on our success or failures. But we play Oregon obviously the second game. So we're coming with at least a bona fide big game under our belts as we move forward. And we need to gain experience from that game.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>One way or the other, win or lose, we need to gain experience from that game and be able to push through and into the conference. We have a great home schedule, so we need to continue to win at home, and that's going to be extremely important.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> What do you expect from R.J. Shelton this year, and how big, I guess, of a recruiting get for your program to kind of steal him out of Wisconsin?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> R.J. is a tremendous, outstanding football player. I think he can play a lot of positions for us. He came as a tailback, we moved him to wide receiver. He got on the field as a freshman last year, and I think he made a noticeable difference at times.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So extremely competitive. Great person, hard worker. All the things, the intangibles that you look to bring forward and take a guy with great ability to the next step, to the next level. And I think he'll be a factor for the next three years, so it's exciting to have him there.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And I don't look at it as a steal out of Wisconsin. I just see it as a great individual, great football player, great individual coming to Michigan State.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> In the last couple of years, your program has beaten Stanford, Georgia, Boise State, TCU. Do you get the sense when you're playing those games that you're, among other things, carrying the banner a little bit for the Big Ten, and will that be the case also out at Oregon? Is that added pressure or do you sense that that's part of the job?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO: </b> Well, first of all, there's pressure in every football game that you play. I think that goes along with the position, whether you're a player, head coach, assistant coach, that's just part of the game.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So you need to make sure that you get ready for every single football game. So Oregon will be no different than the game before it, the Jacksonville game. So that's one thing.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>As far as representing the Big Ten, I think we all do our very best as we move out of conference and getting involved with the people we play, whether it's Bowl games or out‑of‑conference games, to represent this conference.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>It's a great conference. I think there's great football here. I think this is an extremely well‑coached conference. It's on the cutting edge in a of a lot of different things. Great fan bases. Great media coverage. And it's really one of the unique places to play college football in America.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> Did you at all feel a need to address what was going on at Northwestern with the push to unionize with your players</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> No, I did not address that, because, really, it's about us at this point in time. When it becomes about these other things, then we'll talk about those things. But at this point, I think it was too far into the future to discuss it. When it became a reality for us, we would certainly discuss. And everybody has their different views, but this is about Michigan State.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q. </b> You mentioned the intensity of the Michigan rivalry. How do you keep it intense when you've won five out of the last six, and what keeps the fire burning for that rivalry?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> I continue to live in Michigan. That ought to do it.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> The question I have is: You played Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship last year. Now you're in the same division. In about a week or two they came out and announced that it was going to be a night game. It's very rare that you guys play November night games. Just your thoughts about playing a November night game and the thought process that went into making that game, a rematch of the championship game, a prime time game in that spot. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> Like so many things, you know, things just come to you. So I was probably on the same‑‑ I found out probably the same time everybody else did, we were going to play at night and it was a quick decision. And we embraced the decisions that were made.</span></p>
<p>We've had great football games at night at Spartan Stadium. It's an outstanding environment. It will be a national game, so I think it's good for the conference, good for the two teams that are playing in the football game, and we play very well at night, so we're looking forward to a great game.</p>
<p><span><b>Q. </b> Kind of going off of that, a lot of people were labeling that has the de facto east championship game. Obviously you play a lot of big games this year against Oregon and other teams. How do you kind of keep your team focused game to game instead of looking ahead to a game with such magnitude?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO:</b> I think the longer you coach, the more you gain a little bit more wisdom as you move through the process. George Perles is a guy I look up to, and he's a former head coach at Michigan State, and he always talks to me about they all count one. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So that game is just one game. It's what you do the rest of your schedule that's going to make the difference. If we don't take care of the rest of the schedule and we win that game, it really means nothing.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So we'll get ready for that game that week, and we'll be motivated just like we are in all the other games. And as you play through it, and as we found last year, as you play on and when you're successful, the chips get a little bit bigger as you move forward. Obviously if we take care of business beforehand, that's a big chip game. But it's still going to count as one.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> Compared to this time a year ago, you've now got a seasoned quarterback who has won championships and won the Rose Bowl. Just how settling is that for you compared to maybe this time a year ago with Connor Cook back? </span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH DANTONIO: </b> It's very settling. When you have a quarterback coming back with experience, with a lot of game experience, when he's been successful, that's going to pay dividends. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>When you look back at our time here, Brian Hoyer's second year in 2008 was successful. Cousins, his second and his third year as a starting quarterback, very successful. <span>Connor Cook's</span> first year of starting quarterback, successful. So it gives him a lot of experience, a lot of confidence moving forward. And I think it's a major factor in where we're at as a football team. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We returned back basically 99 percent of our rushing offense and i think 76 percent of our passing offense. So that should pay dividends.</span></p>
<p><b>THE MODERATOR:</b> Thank you, Coach.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/28/5946535/big-ten-media-days-michigan-state-mark-dantonioJake Kocorowski2014-07-28T19:36:49-05:002014-07-28T19:36:49-05:00Wisconsin native R.J. Shelton impressing at MSU
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<p>At Monday's Big Ten media day, Beaver Dam native R.J. Shelton earned some praise from Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio.</p> <p>CHICAGO -- Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio didn't not shy away from speaking glowingly about sophomore wide receiver <span>R.J. Shelton</span> during Big Ten media day Monday. The Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, native saw action in all 13 games last season, including four starts, and while the speedster didn't put up any gaudy stats on the offensive side of the ball while moving from running back to his current position, he made a solid impact on special teams.</p>
<p>Shelton led the Spartans in kick-return yards (199) and average per return (22.1). Most importantly, he saw invaluable experience in the team's two biggest victories of the season, the Big Ten championship against Ohio State and Rose Bowl against Stanford.</p>
<p>"R.J. is a tremendous, outstanding football player. I think he can play a lot of different positions for us," Dantonio said. "He got on the field as a freshman last year, and I think he made a noticeable difference at times. Extremely competitive. Great person. Hard worker. All of the things, the intangibles that you look to bring forward and take a guy with great ability to the next step, to the next level. And I think he'll be a factor for the next three years, so it's exciting to have him there."</p>
<p>Coming out of high school, Shelton was a three-star recruit and the fourth-ranked player in the state of Wisconsin, according to Rivals.com. His four scholarship offers were only from Big Ten schools -- Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin -- and, you would think, an athlete of Shelton's ability could've fit well into the Wisconsin system under former head coach Bret Bielema.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Dantonio didn't look at the commitment of Shelton as "stealing" from Wisconsin; rather, he simply focused on Shelton's body of work. "I just see it as [getting] a great individual, great football player coming to Michigan State."</p>
<p>Shelton won't face his hometown team until his senior season in 2016, when the Badgers visit East Lansing, Michigan, on Oct. 8. The Badgers haven't won a regular-season game against the Spartans since 2009, winning 38-30 at Camp Randall Stadium.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/28/5945093/rj-shelton-michigan-state-wisconsinRexford Sheild2014-07-28T19:06:38-05:002014-07-28T19:06:38-05:00Tim Beckman talks post-Scheelhaase offense
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<p><span>The cure for many Midwest football fans' fevers started this weekend with NFL training camps begin and Big Ten media days Monday morning. Illinois head coach Tim Beckman took to the podium at the Hilton Chicago to discuss the tragic loss of former linemen Shawn Afryl, the Illini offense post-Nathan Scheelhaase and recruiting in Chicago.</span></p>
<p>For more on the Illini, check out our cousins at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thechampaignroom.com/">The Champaign Room</a>.</p>
<p><b>THE MODERATOR: </b> We're joined by Tim Beckman. Coach, opening comments.</p>
<p><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> Before I get started talking about the Fighting Illini, I want to talk about a loss that we had this last week from our Fighting Illini family. Shawn Afryl, who graduated from the University of Illinois with one year left to play, would have been a senior for us this year, passed away.</p>
<p>And we would like to, as a football family, tell the Afryls how much we feel for them and know that Shawn was always a Fighting Illini. So I'd like to start off with that, and I wanted to make sure that the Afryls understand the importance of Shawn to the Fighting Illini program. So thank you.</p>
<p>Well, we're very, very excited. The first stat we talk about with our football team is if you look at our depth chart from the end of last year, you take the two deep and you look at your offense, defense, and special teams, and that rounds up to 50 football players. We have 40 of those guys back.</p>
<p>So as we have talked about in years past, we've been a very, very young football team. So that kind of speaks in volumes of what we have and what we have coming back. You watch the tapes, because we were allowed to meet this year with our football team during the summer, and we look at some of the special teams tapes, and you look out and there's 11 starters returning on your special teams. A unique situation, but a situation that we've lived with and had to live with for the last two years. So we're really excited about having those faces back.</p>
<p>If you look at the depth chart again and see the same thing, we'll have 34 of those guys back the following year. So we're still a very young football team, but we're an experienced football team.</p>
<p>Guys that have had to play as freshmen, now as a linebacker, I always use Mason Monheim as one of those guys. He started ten football games for us as a true freshman. He was weighing 215 and bench pressing 300 pounds. Now Mason Monheim's 235 pounds and he benches around 400 pounds.</p>
<p>So you can see the maturity this football team has progressed through. To me it's exciting. It's very exciting. Our players have been working extremely hard. We've made strides in everything that we've done, from GPAs to community service hours, to actually wins and losses.</p>
<p>So this program is heading in the direction that we are looking for. We want to win more football games. There's no question about that. That's why we play the game.</p>
<p>But our football family understands the importance of being involved with the Fighting Illini and being a part of it. So we're excited as we get the players in on Sunday.</p>
<p>We'll have our first practice, a lot like Gary just talked about. We have always split it up so that we can utilize smaller numbers and more coaching, a little less time on the field, but we'll use that plan for four days and then get together on the fifth day as a whole football team.</p>
<p>So we're very, very excited. Guys are eager to get back together, and they've had an outstanding spring and an outstanding summer.</p>
<p><b>Q.</b> We didn't see a whole lot of Aaron Bailey last year. Why do you think that is? And could he possibly do a position switch this year? How might he be used? Might we see more of him?</p>
<p><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> Well, Aaron Bailey is a quarterback. That's what Aaron Bailey was recruited for. That's what Aaron Bailey wants to do. He wants to line up at quarterback and lead the Fighting Illini.</p>
<p>So he'll be involved in that competition. There's definitely a fight at that position. You've got three state champions. <br>You sit in your quarterback room there, Coach Cubit does, and they've got eight state championships just in that quarterback room. That's outstanding.</p>
<p>So Aaron Bailey will be competing for us at quarterback, and we'll see how that ends up and how that competition ends up for Aaron's sake.</p>
<p><b>Q.</b> With Scheelhaase gone, how has the offensive line adjusted to kind of making those adjustments with the new‑‑ possibly a new quarterback?</p>
<p><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> Well, Nathan was an outstanding football player for us, and will always be missed. He's a record‑setter and a great human being. But I think that our maturity of our offensive line, having four guys back that have played a lot of football together has been‑‑ the spring, we really didn't have issues with that.</p>
<p>Coach Cubit does put a lot in the hands of our quarterbacks, making adjustments on the line of scrimmage. So the communication is very, very important from a quarterback to the offensive line.</p>
<p>But again, I think through the maturity level of the four starters that we have back on the offensive line, we had very few mistakes throughout spring and those guys continue to work by themselves this summer. So we don't have those type of mistakes.</p>
<p><b>Q.</b> What does it mean for your administration to step up and give Coach Cubit a multi‑year deal to help you in that rebuilding by giving multi‑year deals out to important staff members?</p>
<p><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> I think that's huge. I mean, that just shows commitment. It just doesn't‑‑ it's just not the feeling of‑‑ that it comes from to the person itself. It shows a commitment. It helps in recruiting. It helps in all those types of things, because it does show that they believe and they really feel that we are making strides to make this program better again. And the wins aren't to where we want them at by any means, but we are doing things right in the program.<br>So the commitment is definitely an advantage.</p>
<p><b>Q.</b> Just talk about the quarterback battle. You touched on it a little bit with Aaron Bailey. Talk about it with Wes and how you think either of those guys or any of the quarterbacks in the room can replace Nathan and moving forward?</p>
<p><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> As a coach and as a football team, you see great competition every day. I mean, it comes from the weight room. It comes from studying film. It comes from on the field. So you as a football coach, I mean, you love that, because that's what the game of football's all about.</p>
<p>All three of them are very, very close friends. So there's not the rivalry, that type of thing going on. They all want each other to be successful, because they realize if‑‑ whoever it might be that will be, that person will make our team better, and how important that is in the game of football. This is, you're talking about 105 of your family members being a part of that.</p>
<p>So it's going to be a great competition. We look forward to it, and I know they look forward to it.</p>
<p>In your question about Nathan, how do you replace a four‑year starter and a leader? I mean, he's an outstanding person. I've been around‑‑ I always say this, I've been around football now for 49 years, and there's only one Nathan Scheelhaase that I've ever met. The type of human being he is.</p>
<p><span>So it was a privilege to coach him for two years, but you know somebody has learned from Nathan to be able to step in those shoes and be a leader for this football team.</span></p>
<p><b>Q.</b> Got a couple dozen Chicago area guys on your roster. How important is recruiting the Chicago area to Illinois's success?</p>
<p><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> Huge. I'm an in‑state guy. I've worked at programs that have competed at national championship level. If you look at those programs, we've done studies on those programs of teams that compete at that level. The majority of their players are from instate.</p>
<p>And that's always been our motto in recruiting. It's been our philosophy, is we have to continue to recruit as we've said before the state of Chicago and the state of Illinois to the best of our ability, and I think that comes through relationships and players and families feeling comfortable about that family atmosphere.</p>
<p>So to me, it's very, very important. And we will continue to strive to make that the most important thing that we do recruiting.</p>
<p><span><b>Q.</b> How do you handle the pressure that you've been dealing with since day one when you took the job, and what has Mike Thomas told you about his expectations for this year?</span></p>
<p><span></span><b style="font-size: 12px;">COACH BECKMAN:</b><span> Well, you know, again, I've been this around profession my whole life. I've seen a dad go through it. I've seen family members go through it. I've seen Sam Rutigliano and Marty Schottenheimer and been involved in programs. You know, that's the life of a football coach. If you're not going to have that life, then you shouldn't be in this profession. So it's just a part of it. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>I'm a competitive winner, I believe. And I want to win because I want our players to win, not because of me, but I want our players to feel what it's like to be successful on the field and off the field. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So Mike Thomas has asked for our program to continue to get better. And we did. I mean, we won more games. We won more away games. We won more home games. We have made strides to get better. Now, it's not the numbers that we all want, but we did get better. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We've gotten better academically. Our GPA is a 2.96 right now. When I took it over, it was a 2.67. So we're proud of the way that our players have responded and we have gotten better. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>But it comes down to the student‑athlete. It really does. And those three that are standing back there in the back are like sons to me. And I respect them as individuals and as players.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> Can you just talk about your desire to get to a Bowl game and how explicitly are you discussing a Bowl game, a Bowl goal with your players?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> Well, I always joke around and say my wife locks the door in December because she would like to be somewhere a little bit warmer at a Bowl game. But it's been a blessing for our family to be involved with a lot of winning, with a lot of Bowl opportunities.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>And in the long run, it's not about what I want; it's about what those players want. And I want them to be able to experience the opportunities to play in a Bowl game. So it's very, very important that these young men have that opportunity and get to just experience an opportunity like they did a couple of years ago going to San Francisco. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>A lot of young men on our football team had never been to the West Coast. Well, they had an opportunity because they play the greatest game in the world, in my opinion, and they had that opportunity because they won.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q. </b> We expect Tim Banks's defense to make significant improvements from last year. I know the corners were especially young, but how much do you think they've grown up? And how many‑‑ what kind of strides will we see in the secondary, do you think?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> Again, if you looked at our offense a year ago and the strides they made offensively, really just losing a couple of guys, we want that to go the same this year with our defense. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>We need to make tremendous strides. We didn't play well on defense last year. But again, you've got 18 faces out of the 22 on two deep that are back.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>Our corners, you spoke about the corners specifically. Four true freshmen last year that played a lot of football. This was their first spring ball, other than Mosely and Cazley, excuse me, but two of them, it was first spring ball this year.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span>So you see their game getting better. You see that their bodies are getting bigger and they're getting stronger and more physical. So we want those strides to continue to happen. And we know it's as a defense as a whole, but we are excited about the progress that this group has the capability to be this year.</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>Q.</b> Tim, do you feel like a old hand in the Big Ten yet, or like you're still kind of finding your way?</span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>COACH BECKMAN:</b> I've been in an assistant in the Big Ten. Not for a long time, but been an assistant, been around the Big Ten a lot when your father was involved in it. So I'll never say I'm a hand in it. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span>But I enjoy being in this conference, because I have always believed and grown up around this conference, and I just love the football that's being played in this conference. It's hard‑nosed, physical, very competitive. But being a hand in it yet, no, I don't know if I'm that yet. </span></p>
<p><span></span><span><b>THE MODERATOR:</b> Thank you.</span></p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2014/7/28/5946467/big-ten-media-days-illinois-tim-beckman-aaron-baileyJake Kocorowski2014-07-28T18:00:59-05:002014-07-28T18:00:59-05:00Melvin Gordon's Heisman Trophy run begins
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<figcaption>Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Melvin Gordon won't be one to say so, but the star running back is in prime contention to bring Wisconsin its first Heisman Trophy since 1999.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bywwlDb6Yis?list=UU0ZuMwywKt1ohKLG_tqicdg" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>CHICAGO -- Ever since former athletic director Pat Richter hired Barry Alvarez as Wisconsin's head coach in 1990, the running back position has been a good one for the Badgers. Whether it was Brent Moss and Terrell Fletcher in the early 1990s, Ron Dayne in the late '90s, Michael Bennett and Anthony Davis in the early 2000s or the number of quality backs from then on, the position produced and can be held responsible for a large portion of the program's six Rose Bowl appearances and Big Ten titles to go along with three Rose Bowl victories.</p>
<p>However, the game's most recognized individual accolade, the Heisman Trophy, was reached just once during this stretch, captured by Dayne during the 1999-00 season, in which the running back accumulated 586 first-place votes and 2,042 total points. Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton was a mile behind Dayne, with only 994 total points. Wisconsin has just one other Heisman winner, as running back Alan Ameche took home the award in 1954.</p>
<p>Could a third be added this year? Absolutely, as running back <span>Melvin Gordon</span> is widely considered among the preseason favorites. Speaking at Big Ten media in Chicago on Monday, however, the Kenosha, Wisconsin, native deflected any kind of that talk.</p>
<p>"People ask me a lot, so it ponders every once and awhile," Gordon said. "Right now, man, I'm worried about the season. I can't be thinking about that."</p>
<p>Moreover, I got the sense that Gordon's answer wasn't scripted in any way; he truly isn't concerned about the accolades and awards that will come his way. And while most schools opted to send seniors to the media days, Gordon, who's heading into his redshirt junior season, received the nod from head coach Gary Andersen. This was, of course, warranted, and Gordon displayed more of his maturity by recommending one senior in particular who should have been in his shoes on Monday.</p>
<p><span>"It's a good feeling; I can't lie because you put in so much work," Gordon said of being among Wisconsin's representatives. "To be honest, there's some guys I feel that should be in the spotlight, too. I feel that <span>Kenzel Doe</span> should definitely be in my position right now, being a senior and knowing the hard work he put in. I definitely feel he should be where I'm at right now, and I should be at home." </span></p>
<p>Gordon enters the season as the nation's active career leader in rushing average per carry at 8.1, and needs just 12 attempts to break the Big Ten rushing average record, held by Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter. <span>Plus, from the moment he stepped onto the UW campus, Gordon made an immediate impact, becoming the fastest player in Badgers history to reach 1,000 yards, achieving the feat with his 104th carry.</span></p>
<p><span>Gordon's talent is undeniable and he can clearly make plays from just about anywhere on the field. Wisconsin's trademark offensive line certainly helps, of course, and this year's unit figures to be one of the deciding factors if Gordon is to host the 25-pound trophy come December. </span></p>
<p>"As an offensive lineman, I want to see a run being called every play," senior right tackle <span>Rob Havenstein</span> said. "We want Melvin to have the best year he can have.</p>
<p>"If we can help him out in any way possible, we'll do that, just because we have high expectations of ourselves as an offensive line. We want to be one of the best offensive lines in the Big Ten and the country."</p>
<p>Havenstein also revealed the kind of work ethic Gordon displayed throughout summer condition that could result in bringing the Heisman Trophy back to Madison. On one specific occasion, Gordon corralled a couple of guys to run stadium steps while others were hovered over trash cans after a tough run.</p>
<div class="pullquote">"He wants to win, and he's going to fight for every single breath he has to win a game." <span>-Rob Havenstein, on Melvin Gordon</span>
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<p>"He just felt like he wasn't quite satisfied, which speaks testaments to the character and person that Melvin is," Havenstein said. "He wants to win, and he's going to fight for every single breath he has to win a game."</p>
<p>When the 2013-14 season concluded, Gordon put his name into the NFL Draft Advisory Board to see how he stacked up against the rest of the competition that would declare for the draft. Ultimately, Gordon decided on coming back to Madison, with more than a fair share of improvements he wants to add to his game in the hope to get his team to the inaugural College Football Playoff.</p>
<p>"Melvin had a little bit longer list of what he wanted to get better at, and I completely agreed," Andersen said. "A couple of things that is important for him, that he worked hard on during spring ball, is the whole grasping of pre-snap awareness.</p>
<p>"Melvin wants to be a very good pass protector. He's worked very hard at that and has become very better at it, and Melvin wants to be more involved in the throw game, so we want him to be a part of the throw game."</p>
<p>The more Gordon is involved within Andy Ludwig's offense, the more successful the unit and team as a whole will be in 2014. And the more successful the Badgers are -- whether that's getting back to the Big Ten championship game, getting back to the Rose Bowl or being one of the four teams in the playoff -- the better the chances Gordon hoists the stiffed-arm trophy, and there won't be any hesitation from the running back in thanking his teammates along the way.</p>
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wisconsin-badgers-football/2014/7/28/5946277/melvin-gordon-heisman-trophy-2014-wisconsin-badgersRexford Sheild