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Camp News 2012

ForkEmBucky

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Azzani(WR coach) is being pretty cloak and dagger about who is going to step up as the #2 WR. Sounds...not so promising. Not to mention, Freddie Willis has decided to quit and focus on school. Nothing against his decision but he was a speedster and I was looking forward to seeing him, but if he doesn't love the game, he shouldn't be there. But hey, at least they still have Abby and Pederson, and I still feel like we could see a bunch of 2TE sets with Decicco.

Bielema is saying maybe 3 OL positions up for grabs now? Maybe that was just a shot across Groy's bow or something? Or maybe the issue is that they may want him at center. Don't know.

Haven't heard much about defense. Sounds like they don't know who the other OLB will be.
 

Smart

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Montee Ball will be cleared to fully particpate by early next week. I'd give the link, but I am running very low on free page views of the MJS.

Willis was fast, but was never able to develop beyond that. His best use would have been as a return guy, but Abby, Kenzel Doe, and White are all better than him. In other words, his loss is a non-issue.

At the #2 WR spot, Chase Hammond, Jeff Duckworth, and Manasseh Garner are the three favorites. Duckworth is the most polished but has the least upside. Garner has always been a scout team standout but injuries and nerves have stopped him from ever making an impact. Hammond has the most upside, as 6-5 guys with speed do not grow on trees. He always thrived on pure athleticism and needed help with technique, but it sounds like he is coming along.

The three OL comment was just to fire up Groy. Frederick will be at center. He is rooming with O'Brien and apparently they have a great relationship. The only chance that someone else plays at center is if Phillips or Stave play at quarterback. I think Wagner, Groy, Frederick, and Havenstein are pretty much guaranteed to start. The battle is for that #2 guard spot.
 

ForkEmBucky

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That's what I thought about the OL. I was kind of surprised.

Personally I don't know if I see the competitive edge in Garner. I think he has a little more drive than Willis did, but that's not saying much.

Willis was a freshman last year. The fact that he "never developed" probably has to do with lack of love for the game and the fact that he hadn't been playing it long(started late in high-school). Yet he still saw more playing time than Garner, Hammond, Frederick and even Doe I think, so those four better be kicking it in the ass this camp. Willis had raw talent and raw speed that could have really done some magic for the play action game. I was holding out some thin hope that he would be out there stretching the field with Abby. So yes. I am still disappointed. But I'm with Bielema on that too, you have to admire the kid for knowing what he wants and owning the situation.
 

Smart

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So camp has been going on for awhile, and I thought I would update this using as much as possible using news from a variety of sources. By position,

QB: Canada has been splitting the reps about perfectly between O'Brien, Stave, and Phillips. The competition has apparently been intense, but more and more reporters and analysts are saying that O"Brien is slowly running away with it. He is making very few mistakes and is a much more natural and experienced leader than Stave, who has also performed very well. Meanwhile, Joey Brennan has come to the realization that he is the #4 QB and will probably never pass Stave, so he is leaving the team.

RB: A lot going on here. With Ball out, Melvin Gordon has been arguably the single biggest star of camp, to the point where Bielema is calling him the most talented RB he has ever coached. This has left the coaches in a bind about what to do with James White, who is a great back but will never fit the Badger power/durability mode. As a result, he has spent a lot of the time lining up as a slot receiver, with the goal being that he can be used as a Percy Harvin-like weapon, getting 10 or so carries per game from a mix of the running back and WR spots. This, of course, will also help to alleviate the WR problem. Derek Watt has been moved to fullback, where a tight competition has developed with Sherard Cadogan for the starting spot. Expect to see both on the field a lot at that position.

Receiver: I haven't been hearing much about tight end, which is surprising because the battle for the #2 TE between DeCiccio and Arneson was expected to be one of the best at camp. I don't know if the media has just ignored it or if they have both struggled, but I have no idea where that stands. At WR, most of the recent reports are making it sound like Duckworth is fairly established as the #2. The #3 spot has seen a ton of names gaining some attention. Jordan Frederick was playing really well throughout camp, but has been banged up. Hammond was at one point considered the front-runner, but he got a concussion and hasn't really been healthy. Kenzel Doe has been singled out by several offensive players as a star in the making. Even AJ Jordan, Mannasseh Garner, and Marquis Mason have all had days where people have said that they looked like they should be the #3. Nobody really knows who is going to get that, though if I were to put my money on anybody, it would be Hammond. Out of everybody, though, perhaps the most impressive receiver has been one who won't see the field this year. Reggie Love only played one year of football (he had always played basketball going up), and we took a huge risk by offering him. Apparently, it is working out, as Azzani and others have said that his football IQ is going up fast and he will likely be an impact guy in 2013 and beyond. A lot of solid players here, but nobody who has stepped up to join Abbredaris as an elite WR.

OL: Though there has been a lot of talk about other guys having solid falls, the lineup at O-Line has been very consistent throughout the spring. Wagner, Groy, Frederick, Burge, and Havenstein are the clear starters at the five slots. The top three backups seem to be Costigan, Lewallen, and Voltz, who has been a major standout this spring according to many. He is in position to start at center next year if Frederick goes pro, a big feat for a second year guy in our program.

DL: A lot of young guys have gotten singled out, such as Montee's buddy Warren Herring, Jesse Hayes, and Bryce Gilbert. Still, there is a clear starting four who will likely dominate playing time here of Brendan Kelly, Ethan Hemer, Beau Allen, and David Gilbert. All of these guys are having their moments, but they need to get more consistent. Still, with the extra year's experience, these guys will be an improvement over the disappointing 2011 line.

LB: Not much to see here. Ethan Armstrong has the starting job at the only remotely questionable spot (Taylor and Borland being the other two starters). He has gone from walk-on to camp superstar, and Buh, Ash, and the other linebackers have been gushing about him. Behind them, Biegel has exceeded the (very high) expectations coming into the season. He is probably the top backup, and I don't think the coaches can afford to redshirt him. Landisch and O'Neill may or not see the field, but they are the most experienced backups.

DB: We've known since the end of last year who the starters here will be: Southward and Shelton Johnson at safety, Devin Smith and Marcus Cromartie at CB. All of them have been their normal selves this spring, with Smith and Johnson being solid players who rarely take big risks or make big mistakes and Cromartie and Southward being voolatile guys who make a few spectacular plays per practice. The backups that have stood out are Darius Hillary at Safety and Devin Gaulden at CB. Those guys, along with Peniel Jean, are likely to be the other secondary guys who see some action.
 

ForkEmBucky

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Going to add a few things to that, Smart.

1. The guys in the know made it sound like Jordan Frederick was pretty much locking up the #2 WR spot before he got dinged up.

2. Bielema himself has mentioned Mike Caputo as making a lot of progress at safety and that he feels comfortable with him as a backup, so that position looks deeper than than just Darius Hilary, which is good.

3. All of the coaches, especially Buh, are talking about having 6 guys ready to play at linebacker, so I'm not sure I agree that they can't afford to redshirt Biegel. On the other hand I don't think they've ever planned on it. I kind of read it as them wanting to get him game experience, because he could be a legit starter next season or earlier depending on how quickly he develops.
 

Smart

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Yeah, I forgot to mention Mike Caputo at safety and AJ Fenton at linebacker. Both of those guys are having solid falls, and are capable of starting. I also forgot to mention Isaiah Williams as a possible #3 WR. I should have done a once over the roster before I posted that, but didn't.
 

Doctor Krieger

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Sounds like Kyle Costigan has been getting all of the first team reps at RG the last two days....
 

Smart

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It's official: Bielema tweeted that Danny O'Brien will be our starter for the opener. No surprise there.
 

ForkEmBucky

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Sounds like Kyle Costigan has been getting all of the first team reps at RG the last two days....

Ya that is pretty interesting. I read that he and Burge have been going back and forth, but I guess it was mostly Burge until Friday. The later it gets in camp....whoever is getting the snaps is probably the guy.

It's official: Bielema tweeted that Danny O'Brien will be our starter for the opener. No surprise there.

I wonder how Phillips will factor in. I have to believe he'll see the field once in a while.
 

Smart

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Wisconsin released a preseason depth chart today.

It was most of what we expected. The biggest surprises were Frederick and Doe being first team over Duckworth at WR, Wozniak over Arneson and DeCiccio at TE, Costigan over Burge at RG, Muldoon named a co-starter at DE, and Jack Russell winning the starting kicker job.
 

Doctor Krieger

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Did you notice how many JRs and Sos we have in the two deeps? Looks like we only have 7 SRs on there too...Looking ahead already, we could be purty good again in 2013.
 

ForkEmBucky

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I'm not sure what to make of the Muldoon thing. It's probably just that there are certain packages and schemes where he's the guy? Could be a week to week roster thing. But that's almost true for anyone if you consider nagging injuries or too many fumbles...etc.

And ya, it's interesting to see some of those names considering at the start of last season they were just freshman who were never going to see a down. Konrad Zagzebski is one guy the press always asks about and it seems like the coaches down play his progress. Something tells me they like the way he works when they do that.

LOL @ the pronounciation guide. Andy Buh = BOO
 

ForkEmBucky

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Also. According to Bielema's interview, he actually considered Phillips and Stave at various times through camp. Says a lot about all three of those guys, IMO. I think they'll play well.
 

ForkEmBucky

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Apparently we have a couple of transfers. Mannasseh Garner is one of them. I remember when he was one of the young guys they thought was due to break out almost any time now. I hope wherever he goes it gives him an extra boost. Hate to see a guy give up.
 

ForkEmBucky

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I know a lot of people don't follow the official site, so I thought I would post the two camp videos.

[YOUTUBE]jPPCGCqGDuE&feature=plcp[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]AYSiko8Nmuw&feature=plcp[/YOUTUBE]

Week 2's video is far more interesting. Burge, Armstrong, and Stave all get their scholarships. Lots of scrimmage footage. O'Brien fires a bullet right through 2 defenders to hit Doe(I think) for a TD. Melvin Gordon but the bad kind of juke on either Johnson or Southward, it was hard to tell(that fast). Andy Buh does some pretty awesome linebacker trash talk for his guys. Basically the low down on that is, "Scrimmage isn't hard. We're linebackers. This is our playground." You have to at least watch Burge, Armstrong and later Stave get their schollies. The Stave part is pretty funny if you listen for it.
 

Smart

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Apparently we have a couple of transfers. Mannasseh Garner is one of them. I remember when he was one of the young guys they thought was due to break out almost any time now. I hope wherever he goes it gives him an extra boost. Hate to see a guy give up.

It's for the best. We need to even out our class sizes, so the more people that transfer this year, the better. Harsh but true.
 

ForkEmBucky

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Sounds like Derek Watt will be seeing more and more time at FB as the season goes on. Making JJ proud I bet.
 
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