Bret Bielema said it best in regard to John Clay.

"Everybody wanted to see him," the University of Wisconsin football coach said following Saturday's Spring Game.

And everybody who showed up at Camp Randall Stadium had the opportunity to get a long look at the Badgers' heralded redshirt freshman running back.

The 6-foot-2, 231-pound Clay carried a game-high 21 times for 94 yards in a game won by the Cardinal team 28-3.

"(The coaching staff) told me the other day (to) make sure I get a good night's sleep. I kind of figured that I was going to be running the ball a lot," said Clay, whose longest gain was 13 yards. "I think I did pretty good. I kept moving the ball, so I kept gaining positive yards. I did what they wanted me to do."

Clay, who gained 90 of his yards while playing for a White team which primarily consisted of reserves, received most of his work during the second half.

All but three of Clay's rushes, and 88 of his yards, came during the third and fourth quarters. And he carried on eight straight plays on the White's opening drive of the second half.

"What we wanted John to do was be consistent in some of his paths. If you look at those plays, they were very similar plays called over and over. We wanted to teach the principle of what we wanted to get done," Bielema said. "I thought he got better as the game went on, and that's what we're trying to get out of him."

Clay, though, is far from a finished product.

"If you notice, he wasn't in there on a lot of passes. He's got to be able to understand the whole scheme of things," Bielema said of Clay. "We just need to have confidence on every play that he can execute the task at hand, because you never know what a defense is going to do. ... He's got to handle that whole big picture, which he will. He just needs continual reps and continual coaching. One thing John can do, is he can run. And he's strong and he's got a lot of heart, and those things will get him on the field."

As far as those prospects go, Bielema said Clay is behind P.J. Hill, sophomore Zach Brown and junior Lance Smith on the running back depth chart as the spring comes to a close.

"There's no pressure on me, so I can come in and just play," Clay said. "We've got three talented backs, and all I have to do is follow in their footsteps."

Getting their kicks

Redshirt freshman Philip Welch and junior Matt Fischer, who are vying to fill the kicking job vacated by Taylor Mehlhaff, both had an up-and-down day.

Welch converted field goals of 22 and 40 yards in regulation. Fischer, meanwhile, split his pair of attempts, missing from 35 yards in the first quarter following a high snap, and converting a 26-yarder in the fourth quarter.

But that wasn't the only kicking done by the pair on the day. Welch and Fischer attempted four field goals apiece during a pair of "rapid fire" sessions — one between the first and second quarters, and one between the third and fourth quarters.

"I wanted those kickers to kick in live situations, trying to create as much game simulation as possible," Bielema said. "It was the first time all eyes were on them. I think the first segment went better than the second."

During the first round of rapid fire, Welch was good from 25, 31 and 48 yards, but missed from 37 yards. Fischer connected from 22 and 25 yards before missing from 31 and 37 yards. During the second rapid fire session, Welch made his first attempt from 22 yards, but missed wide left from 25, 31 and 37 yards on successive attempts.

"The misses I had were consistent in the same place," Welch said. "After missing a few kicks, now I know I just need to work harder and focus."

Fischer converted from 25 and 37 yards, but missed a 31-yarder wide left and a 45-yarder wide right in his second set of kicks.

"Obviously, I didn't do a very good job today," Fischer said. "I'm just not quite where I want to be yet. I think a lot of the things I'm working on are simple things that can be fixed. I didn't kick that well today, but I'm optimistic about where I'm going."

Maragos makes mark

Junior safety Chris Maragos showed he's catching on quickly on that side of the ball, intercepting an Allan Evridge pass in the first quarter and nearly picking off another pass late in the game.

Not bad, considering the 6-foot, 196-pound Maragos was a wide receiver at Western Michigan before transferring to UW before last season.

"Chris Maragos, never played a snap of safety in his life, and looked like a guy that belongs out there today," Bielema said.

Brown injured

Considering the Badgers' recent rash of injuries, they emerged from the Spring Game relatively unscathed.

The only injury of note was suffered by Brown, who injured his lower right leg during the second quarter and did not return.

Brown, who totaled 20 yards on two rushes, was taken from the field on a cart at halftime. Bielema said X-rays were negative and that Brown "just got a bruise on his outside shin."