UW offensive coordinator Paul Chryst loves the talk he always gives to his offense prior to the opening game. His theme is always the same.

 "This is our chance, to start building the identity of this group," Chryst will tell his players. "This group has never done it, so it's a clean slate. You get to build on it."

 The Badgers list 12 starters on offense, with a tight end and H-back. Counting co-starters listed at one receiver position, 11 of the 13 players listed have at least six starts under their belts. The exceptions are sophomore receivers David Gilreath and Maurice Moore, who have never started a game.

 That's a lot of experience to build on, although Chryst is a notorious glass-is-half-empty guy when talking to the media.

 "It's a box of chocolates," Chryst said when asked if he knew what to expect out of the offense this season.

 "There's nervousness and fear, we'll never get a first down and we'll never score a point the whole season. We do have some guys coming back that have played. It's how you jell as a group. It's always an interesting thing."
 

 This year is a little more interesting than others, since the Badgers have a largely unknown commodity at quarterback in fifth-year senior Allan Evridge, a transfer who made six starts at Kansas State.

 In addition to the young wide receivers, there is uncertainty over the hamstring injury that caused senior tight end Travis Beckum to miss most of fall camp. Beckum will be a game-time decision.

 But it's a thrilling time, too, for Chryst. "It's exciting to see who you are going to be," he said.

 As much as he would like to rush that process, he said it usually takes several games -- up to half the season -- for an offense to find its identity. Chryst compared it to looking back on pictures of his children when they were younger.

 "You look at pictures, when they were babies, of your kids," he said. "You recognize them and they look like that's who they are the whole time. And yet, they look so different as they get older.

 "I think when you look back on the year, you see, really quickly (with the offense's identity), glimpses of who it is and pretty strong resemblances. And yet, when you're in the middle of it (it's hard to see).

 "I think it's halfway through the year, you kind of say, `This is who we are.' "