Just to show I'm a fair-and-balanced reporter, today I will present my top-5 reasons Badgers fans should be encouraged going into the season.

  This counters the earlier post about my five biggest questions. (I will also refrain from making any more references to the closed-practice policy, lest I ruffle any more sensitive readers). Here goes, in descending order again:

  5, Garrett Graham: While I acknowledge Travis Beckum's hamstring injury is a problem, the Badgers can be comforted in having another really good player at the position. (I know, technically, Beckum is now considered an H-back and Graham is a tight end.) The guess here is Graham will be the team's leading receiver after the first few games.

  4, Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge and offensive line coach Bob Bostad: Nothing against the two guys who held the jobs last year. By all accounts Randall McCray, the former D-line coach, has been a nice fit as recruiting coordinator. It remains to be seen how he does coaching outside linebackers. Bob Palcic, the former O-line coach, is a savvy coaching veteran and well-respected. But based on conversations with Partridge and Bostad, as well as the way players have responded to their coaching, I think head coach Bret Bielema improved his staff overall. The more I'm around this business, I believe, more strongly than ever, it's all about a head coach being able to hire the right assistants, then letting them do their jobs.

  3, P.J. Hill. We saw in the bowl game what a motivated Hill can do. We'll see this season, what a motivated AND in-shape Hill can do. I don't know why there's not more love for this guy among Badgers fans. He's had his share of injuries, but he has also been really productive. I'll be shocked if he doesn't have his best season.

  2, Offensive line: Everybody knows the equation. Great offensive lines at UW = great teams. This line still has a lot to prove. It could start by cutting those 33 sacks from last season about in half. But this line, I believe, has the potential to be the best I've seen, since McIntosh and Co. were blasting open holes for Dayne.

  1, 12 senior starters: While there are plenty of holes to fill (see previous post), this group of seniors has been through a lot. Bielema said it this week when he said the best word to describe them is "hungry." The leadership on this team should be vastly improved, just because there are so many guys to fill those roles. If the Badgers make it to a BCS bowl, it will be on the backs of those senior starters.