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UW football: Langford has things covered

By TOM MULHERN — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

University of Wisconsin senior cornerback Allen Langford had answered almost every question in his mind about his surgically repaired left knee during fall camp. During Wednesday's practice, Langford got one last bit of confirmation. "I slipped and fell and I caught myself on my left knee," Langford said. "That reassured me." There was no sense of panic when it happened, just further proof Langford was back where he expected to be going into the season -- better ...

UW football notes: Welch to handle kicking duties

By TOM MULHERN — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

A late kick by redshirt freshman Philip Welch has secured for him most of the kicking duties heading into the opener against Akron Saturday. UW coach Bret Bielema said after Thursday's practice, Welch will handle the opening kickoff, extra-point attempts and field-goal attempts. Junior Matt Fischer could be worked in on kickoffs and also on field goals, depending how the game goes. Bielema said earlier, he was leaning toward using Fischer on kickoffs. Defensive line coach ...

Saturday's UW-Akron game on Charter Ch. 73

By TOM ZIEMER608-252-6174 — 2008-08-28T05:00:00Z

Madison cable television subscribers will be able to watch Saturday's Big Ten Network telecast of the University of Wisconsin football season opener against Akron on Charter expanded basic cable Channel 73. The game also will be available on Charter HD Channel 795. The channels went live on Thursday afternoon. The news comes on the heels of Wednesday's announcement that Charter -- the main cable provider in Madison -- and the BTN had struck an agreement to carry the second-year network on ...

UW sports: Big Ten Network, Charter reach agreement

By TOM ZIEMER608-252-6174 — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

For University of Wisconsin football and men's basketball fans like Molly Lowndes, Wednesday morning brought with it a welcome relief: No more hunting for a bar to watch Badgers games at. That's the result of a long-awaited agreement between Charter Communications, the main cable provider in the Madison area, and the Big Ten Network, which was announced Wednesday. The agreement puts an end to prolonged frustration for Badgers fans and Charter subscribers, who ...

UW football: Moffitt a perfect fit at center

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

All of the previews about the University of Wisconsin football team list four returning starters in the offensive line, which is true. And then there's sophomore center John Moffitt, who started the final six games last season at guard due to injuries. If a team has to break in a new starter at the line's most critical position, it helps to have someone like Moffitt, who doesn't act like a newbie. "I feel like I'm in a new ...

UW football: Hodge not sulking

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-27T05:00:00Z

Last season was not an easy one for University of Wisconsin middle linebacker Elijah Hodge, who started 11 games despite a chronic knee injury. It might turn out to be a walk in the park compared to this one. The Badgers have elected to go with more speed at the position to help against eight spread offenses on their schedule. As a result, Hodge, a junior, has dropped to third on the ...

UW football: Badgers seek balance with Hill

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-26T05:00:00Z

University of Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst had an arrangement with former running back Brian Calhoun. "I'd ask how many carries he wanted," Chryst said. "He'd come up with a number and I'd guarantee him half." Chryst's reasoning: If Calhoun wanted the ball that much, he had to do something to earn it. As it turned out, Calhoun led the nation in "touches" in 2005. He set a UW record with 348 rushing attempts and caught 53 passes. Even ...

UW football: Second life

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-25T05:00:00Z

In some ways, Allan Evridge's most recent start at quarterback seems like a lifetime ago. It was Nov. 19, 2005, in Bill Snyder's final game as coach at Kansas State. Making his sixth straight start as a redshirt freshman, a beat-up Evridge was replaced in the second half by backup Allen Webb as the Wildcats rallied from two touchdowns down in the third quarter to beat Missouri 36-28. Evridge was playing with an injured left (throwing) hand ...

UW football notes: Pressley, Casillas might play

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-25T05:00:00Z

Don't rule out fullback Chris Pressley and linebacker Jonathan Casillas from the University of Wisconsin football team's opener on Saturday just yet.UW coach Bret Bielema said at his first Monday news conference of the season that there's a chance both could play. Pressley was ruled out last week after undergoing surgery for a broken right thumb, but has since made an appeal to Bielema and running backs coach John Settle. As Bielema said last ...

UW football: Young cornerbacks key to defense's improvement

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema has put a lot of effort into upgrading his team's defense from a year ago. He hired a new defensive coordinator in January, promoting co-defensive coordinator Dave Doeren. He brought in a new defensive line coach in Charlie Partridge. New starters were found at two troublesome positions, even though last year's starters returned. Sophomore Jay Valai took hold of the strong safety job during the Outback Bowl game against Tennessee ...

UW football notes: Beckum ready to go

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-24T05:00:00Z

It's been a long time since University of Wisconsin senior tight end Travis Beckum looked forward to a week of practice as much as this one. "I haven't practiced in a long time," Beckum said Sunday night. "I think that's a good thing for me personally. "I'm excited about practicing and I'm excited to go out there and run routes. I actually can't wait until I can get out and go for a whole practice." It has been ...

Oates: Stopping the spread essential for UW defense

By TOM OATES608-252-6172 — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

The spread offense has become so prevalent in college football that old-fashioned power running teams like the University of Wisconsin have become the exception rather than the rule. This season, eight of UW's 12 opponents will run some variation of the spread or at least incorporate some spread plays in their offense. And the Badgers don't even play Purdue or Northwestern, the teams that pioneered the modern spread in the Big Ten Conference.

UW football: Pressley, Rentmeester prove fullbacks aren't a dying breed

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

They might as well be in the federal witness protection program. Anyone needing to go into hiding might want to consider becoming a college fullback. Is there another position in football these days with less panache? In the age of spread offenses, fullbacks are so yesterday. They are the phone booths of the cell-phone era: big, durable but nearly obsolete. Chris Pressley and Bill Rentmeester, fifth-year senior fullbacks at the ...

UW football: Jefferson the man with the 'mosts'

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

Sophomore Kyle Jefferson could lead the University of Wisconsin receivers in "mosts." Jefferson has the most experience of the team's young receiving corps. He caught the most passes (26) last season among the receivers. At 6-foot-5, he's definitely got the most height. And he just might have the most ability. Yet, he might not even start the opener against Akron on Saturday. Should "most perplexing" be added to the list, too? Sophomore ...

UW football: Kicking game still uncertain

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-23T05:00:00Z

Redshirt freshman Philip Welch can't wait for the first chance he gets to kick for the University of Wisconsin football team in front of 80,000 fans at Camp Randall Stadium. "I'm going to expect it's like taking a kick in the spring scrimmage or something like that," he said. "I'm not too worried." Welch, from Fort Collins, Colo., said there could be butterflies, but he doesn't expect them to last beyond his first ...

UW football: Levy captains his crew

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

Nobody would have pegged linebacker DeAndre Levy for a future captain when he showed up at the University of Wisconsin as freshman three years ago. UW coach Bret Bielema, who was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the time, was just trying to get a few words out of Levy. "I had DeAndre in camp," Bielema said. "It took me a week to try and get him to say five words." But nobody spoke ...

UW football notes: Pressley to miss opener

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-22T05:00:00Z

Senior fullback Chris Pressley will miss the opener against Arkon next Saturday due to a broken right thumb. He suffered the injury Tuesday, when a defender tried to knock the football out of his hands. Pressley underwent surgery Wednesday. UW coach Bret Bielema is confident Pressley will be ready for the second game against Akron. He will have to play with a cast on his hand for the next six weeks. Pressley has to have ...

UW football notes: Moore starts to catch on

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-21T05:00:00Z

When the University of Wisconsin football team signed high school quarterback Maurice Moore out of Forth Worth, Texas, two years ago, it was with another position clearly in mind. Moore was an option quarterback whose strengths at that position didn't fit the UW offense. But UW coach Bret Bielema thought Moore might be headed to defense. "When we recruited him, (he) was a quarterback, a guy that ran all over the place," Bielema said. "I signed ...

UW football: Waste time? Not on Bostad's watch

By TOM MULHERN608-252-6169 — 2008-08-21T05:00:00Z

Bob Bostad coaches like the clock is always ticking. In some ways, it is. University of Wisconsin football players might feel like they can never get away from their position coaches during fall camp. But to coaches, every minute with players is vital. "You don't have a lot of time to work with these guys," Bostad said of his approach. "You have academic people that have more time with these (players), you have strength ...