The 2010 season was an excellent one for the Wisconsin Badgers, although it ended on a sour note. UW was a
co-Big Ten champion – it hadn’t been a Big Ten champ of any kind since 1999 —
and went to the Rose Bowl, where the Badgers lost to TCU 21-19 in one of the
better bowl games of last season. The Wisconsin offense was arguably the best in school history behind a stellar offensive line, QB Scott Tolzien and the three-headed monster at running back of John Clay, James White and Montee Ball. The Badgers scored 70 or more points three times last season — dating back to 1946, Wisconsin's three highest scoring games ever came during this 2010 season. Prior to last year the Badgers hadn’t scored 70 since that ’46 season, which
is considered the start of the modern era. So with Wisconsin’s spring practices having wrapped up with the spring game
last weekend, what to expect this year? Overall, the Badgers are expecting 12
starters back (four offense, six defense, both kickers). That’s tied for the
second-lowest total in the Big Ten. The top losses were Tolzien, Clay and
mammoth offensive tackle Gabe Carimi, a first-round pick on
Thursday night by the Chicago Bears. With White and Ball back, Wisconsin will be a running-dominated team as
always. Those two combined 2,048 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2010. The guy to
replace Tolzien likely will be junior Jon Budmayr. But the
quarterbacks – also including redshirt freshman Joe Brennan and
true freshman Joel Stave – combined to complete just 22 of 61
pass attempts (36.1 percent) for 241 yards with no touchdowns, three
interceptions and a fumble in the spring game as the offense failed to reach the
end zone. Budmayr, who seems a lock to be the starter, completed 10 of 23 passes
for 113 yards with an interception and a lost fumble. Budmayr was expected to be
challenged by Curt Phillips, but he already has been lost for
the 2011 season due to knee surgery. Budmayr got into three games last year,
going 8-for-10 for 134 yards and a TD. The defense will miss end J.J. Watt but has a potential
superstar in linebacker Chris Borland, the 2009 Big Ten
Freshman of the Year, if he can make it through a season healthy. The coaching
staff believes a healthy Borland will be able to make plays from sideline to
sideline and add to the pass rush to help make up for Watt’s departure. Wisconsin opens the 2011 season on Sept. 1 against UNLV and is 30/1 to win
the national title on Bodog’s NCAA football odds. Bet on NCAA football futures now at Bodog!
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