Spread dread spurs Badgers
When Bret Bielema senses a problem, he doesn't waste time wondering whether to act on it.
He doesn't waste any expense, either.
As Bielema reviewed Wisconsin's relatively disappointing 9-4 performance last fall, the same issue kept popping up on his DVD cutups.
"I felt we really needed to get better against the spread," Bielema said to Blue Ribbon this summer.
Illinois gashed Wisconsin for 31 points to trigger the team's descent from No. 5 in the polls.
Penn State and Ohio State clipped the Badgers for 38 points apiece. Even lowly Minnesota, which won once all year, hit its border rival for 34 points.
"I think we underachieved," said senior outside linebacker DeAndre Levy. "(We have to work on) just being assignment-sound. You have to key on so many different things simultaneously (against the spread), that's why it's so easy to get caught out of position."
Did Bielema, a former defensive coordinator, tell his defensive coaches to ask one or two other schools for help defending the spread?
No. Not even close. Try one consultation for every win 13th-ranked Wisconsin wants this fall.
"Our defensive staff probably visited with over 12 defensive staffs," Bielema said. "College coaches are a lot more willing to share with each other."
Time will tell whether the Badgers learned enough to lift themselves out of their Florida rut. They've spent each of the last four New Years playing in either the Capital One or Outback bowls.
Those aren't BCS opportunities.
"It's a great honor to just make it to a bowl," said senior guard Andy Kemp, who owns 23 of the 104 career starts for Wisconsin's loaded offensive line. "But we definitely want to take that step and get above settling for Florida."
Offense shouldn't be the problem. While senior quarterback Allan Evridge, just named as the Badgers' starter, hasn't taken the first snap in a game since 2005 at Kansas State, Wisconsin should be able to rely on its runners.
P.J. Hill already owns 2,805 yards and 29 touchdowns and his career is only half through.
Bielema loves sophomore Zach Brown, who stepped forward when Hill was hurt down the stretch last fall and piled up 450 yards and 4 TDs in his four starts.
The defense features all-Big Ten defensive end Matt Shaughnessy, outside linebackers Levy and Jonathan Casillas and safety Shane Carter (Big Ten-best 7 interceptions in '07).
They've been told repeatedly that last year's shoddy tackling and missed assignments - problems that are magnified against the spread because there are so many one-on-one situations in the open field - can't happen nearly as often this season.
"You can't solve everything," Bielema said.
But has Wisconsin solved enough about the spread to deserve a BCS berth?