2013.01.03

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2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

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Volume XLIV, Issue 59

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The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

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Badgers fall short 3rd time Alvarez’s return, explosive running game not enough to get past Stanford defense Ian McCue Sports Editor PASADENA, Calif. — All it took for the Wisconsin football team’s third straight Rose Bowl to slip away was one misguided pass from the hands of quarterback Curt Phillips, a pass that sealed a 20-14 victory for No. 6 Stanford Tuesday evening.

The fateful throw came as the Badgers (8-6, 4-4 Big Ten) drove down the field behind bruising runs as the clock trickled closer to the two-minute mark in the fourth quarter. All that momentum evaporated when Stanford (12-2, 8-1 Pac-12) defensive end Josh Mauro tipped a pass from Phillips intended for tight end Jacob Pedersen that instead landed in the hands of nickelback Usua Amanam.

“You’re at midfield or close to midfield with a chance to win the Rose Bowl,” interim head coach Barry Alvarez said. “I just felt like maybe we were a team of destiny.

“So I just felt like somehow we were going to find a way to score.”

The fifth-year senior signal caller said Stanford defenders shut off his first two targets on the play, making Pedersen — who had the option to curl inside or head toward the sideline — his man. But according to Phillips a miscommunication and a poor throw on his part ended the potential gamewinning drive a yard into Stanford territory.

“It’s extremely frustrating, there’s no doubt in my mind we were going to win that game,” Phillips said postgame as he fought back tears. “So it’s tough, but it’s been a hell of a ride the whole time, I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Phillips’ final drive marked one of the only signs of offensive success for the Badgers in the second half, as their 14 points all came in the opening 30 minutes.

With the Cardinal defense keeping a muzzle on any offensive production from the Badgers early, speedy

tailback Melvin Gordon took a jet sweep 15 yards around the right edge to establish the foundation for the remainder of the drive. A tipped ball somehow found its way into the arms of Jared Abbrederis, and Ball finally found a path to the end zone to cut Stanford’s lead to 14-7.

After Stanford’s Jordan Williamson slid a 47-yard field goal through the uprights, Wisconsin looked set to take a 14-point deficit into halftime.

But Phillips sprinted 38 yards down the left to give his team renewed hope of a score before the break. With less than 30 seconds left in the first half, the fifth-year senior found a diving Jordan Fredrick in the front of the end zone to lower the deficit to three points.

Yet Phillips impressive drive proved for naught, the game marred by the electrifying comebacks that ended in heartbreaking defeat that defined Wisconsin’s 2012 campaign.

“It’s heartbreaking. You’d like to send out guys like Montee the right way, and we couldn’t get it done today,” linebacker Chris Borland said. “Like Coach (Alvarez) said earlier, it’s kind of been a microcosm of our whole season. We’ve faced some adversity, fought back and came up short.”

The surprising offensive fireworks of the first half transformed into a grind-itout defensive battle where neither team scored in the third quarter.

The lone score of the second half for either team came on a chip shot field goal that capped a clockdraining 12-play, 66-yard drive that chugged along behind running back Stepfan Taylor’s 25 yards.

But the offense sputtered for much of the game with Phillips throwing for only 83 yards and the combined 155 yards of Montee Ball, James White and Melvin Gordon not enough to make up for it.

“We weren’t able to do the things we wanted to, their

Jen Small The Badger Herald

Wisconsin quarterback Curt Phillips through an interception late in Tuesday’s game that sealed the Badgers’ fate. coaches made some great adjustments at halftime, their players continued to play the entire time,” redshirt junior center Travis Frederick said. “We weren’t able to wear them down the entire time the way that we wanted to — they were ready to play a four-quarter game.”

A steady rushing attack from the Badgers (151 yards) and an efficient two quarters from Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan (6-of-9, 90 yards) had the first half score sitting closer to what many expected for a full four quarters of play rather than a half.

Wisconsin’s offensive line kept Stanford’s vaunted defensive line and linebackers under control, as they never sacked Phillips and left enough space for him to run for 64 yards.

“They’re very difficult to block. I thought we had some success, Melvin had a great day on the edge,” Alvarez said. “We made some plays, but they were

jamming the middle up pretty good.”

The Pac-12 champs wasted no time grabbing the early advantage, as running back Kelsey Young scampered around the left edge and into the end zone on a 16-yard run.

The Cardinal’s redshirt freshman signal caller then aired it out to tight end Zach Ertz for 43 yards before running back Stepfan Taylor rammed it past the goal line to hand Stanford the 14-0 lead early.

Twice the Badgers appeared to answer their first score, but the Stanford defense refused to make it that easy. Ball made it into the touchdown nearly untouched but a holding call on left tackle Ricky Wagner negated that score.

Phillips then hit Pedersen — who appeared to crawl into the end zone — but a review overturned that call before the Cardinal denied White on fourth and goal.

The players realized the loss came as a result of more than a single

errant throw. After chasing Stanford for four quarters, Wisconsin’s effort was too little, too late.

“It stings. It stings just as much because we fell short, extremely short when we had the opportunity to win,” Ball said. “They did a great job of stopping a really good offense. But speaking for our offense, we had many opportunities to capitalize on big plays and we fell short.”

Of Note: Wisconsin seniors closed their career with a 40-14 record, tying the Class of 2007 for the most wins in program history ... After emerging victorious in his first three trips to Pasadena, Alvarez fell to 3-1 in the Rose Bowl ... Ball became the first player in college football history to score a touchdown in three different Rose Bowls ...

Phillips’ interception was UW’s 12th turnover in 14 games this year ...

Fredrick’s touchdown second quarter catch was the first of his career.

Defenses define B1G, Pac-12 showdown Despite offensive action in first half, 2013 Rose Bowl’s endgame displayed predicted low-scoring confrontation

Jen Small The Badger Herald

This year’s Rose Bowl game brought the predicted outcome of a low-scoring battle between two physical defenses.

Kelly Erickson Senior Sports Writer PASADENA, Calif. — Before either Stanford or Wisconsin even arrived in Pasadena, much less Los Angeles for the 2013 Rose Bowl, it was already predicted to be a defensive battle.

Both the Cardinal and the Badgers’ run-heavy offenses were balanced by tough defenses known for shutting down even some of the most efficient opposing

offenses. And the 20-14 win for Stanford in the 99th Rose Bowl didn’t disappoint.

Overall, the Badgers only allowed the Cardinal 344 total offensive yards, split between 187 rushing yards and 157 passing yards — holding right around their season average of 322.6 per game.

But before UW could settle into its own offense, Stanford posted two touchdowns on its first two drives of the game — its only two of the first

quarter.

“Their first two scores they came out and they did some trick stuff, some reverses …

I think they caught us by surprise with those plays,” junior defensive tackle Beau Allen said. “But from there we adjusted on the sidelines and we just all came together as a defense. We just said, ‘We’re not going to let them score again.’ I thought we did a good job from there.”

From that point, Stanford wouldn’t touch the end zone

again — but it did find a way to score.

On the next drive the Badgers forced a three-andout, which then led to a UW touchdown on the following drive. Prior to halftime Wisconsin forced another Stanford three-and-out, but not before it scored a field goal to take a 17-14 lead into the half. But the defense was just getting started.

Through four drives in the third quarter the Badger defense forced four punts — two of which were the result of a three-and-out.

“Quite frankly I thought our defense played very, very well in the second half,” interim head coach Barry Alvarez said. “Give them a couple of field goals. Both defenses picked it up, made adjustments and picked it up.”

Wisconsin’s defense became increasingly suffocating through out the second half, until the fourth quarter when it bent too far.

Starting on its own 29, the Cardinal used eight rushes — seven from senior running back Stepfan Taylor and one from freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan — and only three passes to work their way down to the Wisconsin 5-yard line. While the Badgers held them out of the end zone, Stanford notched its second field of the game for the 20-14 lead.

Taylor managed 88 yards and a touchdown on 20 touches (4.4 yards per) but was a force to be reckoned with as the Badgers struggled to stop him as the game wore on.

But Taylor wasn’t the only play-making rusher the Badgers had to worry about.

Hogan amassed the secondmost rushing yards for the

Cardinal on the night with 54 yards on seven carries.

“You’ve got to be aware as a pass rusher, where the quarterback is in the pocket,” Allen said. “You just have to get him down at all costs.”

One of Hogan’s most important rushes of the day came on Stanford’s first drive of the game.

Facing third-and-3 from his own 27, Hogan ran for four yards to keep the drive alive. Four plays later, the Cardinal took a 7-0 lead.

“It was one of those things where we weren’t playing the things that we were taught to play,” junior safety Dezmen Southward said of the first quarter play. “We practice those same things a million times and we didn’t play them the right way. I think after that we really focused in and really started to do everything we were taught and it showed.”

While Wisconsin’s defensive breakdowns in the first quarter should not stand as the reason the Badgers lost fell in their third consecutive trip to Pasadena, it likely served as the the differencemaker on New Year’s Day. Either way, Wisconsin ended just one touchdown short of victory.

“Obviously those two scores we gave up in the beginning, they didn’t help — they only won by six points,” Allen said. “I think if we could have come out a little stronger on defense and stopped some of those trick plays we would have been in better shape in the fourth quarter, that’s for sure.”

The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

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The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

Inconsistencies plague UW

GAME STATISTICS

Turmoil for O-line, quarterbacks culminates with disappointment in Pasadena Ian McCue Sports Editor

WISCONSIN

TEAM STATS Total rushing yards:

218

Total passing yards:

83

Total offensive yards:

301

First downs:

17

Third down efficiency:

7-15

PLAYER STATS Leading passer:

Curt Phillips 10/16 for 83 yards

Leading receiver:

Jared Abbrederis 3 REC., 44 yards

Leading rushers:

Montee Ball 24 carries, 100 yards Curt Phillips 5 carries, 64 yards

Leading tackles:

Chris Borland 5-4-9 Shelton Johnson 5-3-8

LOS ANGELES — On the first snap of Wisconsin’s 2012 campaign, Montee Ball stayed on his feet for just two yards before a Northern Iowa defensive back swarmed him, the start of a 14-play drive that stuttered inside the red zone and ended with a field goal.

Three months later, a similar run brought more fruitful results. Ball again took a carry to open up the game, but this one was good for seven yards and just three plays later Melvin Gordon bolted for a 56-yard touchdown run.

The first game ended in a worrisome near-upset by an FCS opponent at Camp Randall, the second a shocking 70-31 blowout victory over a favored Nebraska team in the Big Ten championship game.

The Badgers’ offensive potential was never more apparent than in the game that earned them a spot in the Rose Bowl, where the season’s offensive frustrations were seemingly unleashed in 60 minutes of play.

“Definitely a sign of what we can do when we’re firing on all cylinders,” left guard Ryan Groy said. “I think we knew we had the potential the whole time, that’s why we didn’t back down. When we lost a couple close games we knew we had it in us, we just had to prove it.”

But Ball’s first rush of the year served as an appropriate microcosm of the lack of consistent offensive production so evident in a 20-14 loss to No. 6 Stanford in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. The 301 total yards of offense in that game will be lost in the fact

that a potential game- scrimmage.

The gears then winning drive in the final minutes that ended with gradually slid into their disappointment typical place in UW’s offensive of this season when machine, Ball making up quarterback Curt Phillips for lost time by logging three consecutive games threw an interception.

An anemic offense with at least 100 yards in plaguing Wisconsin the middle of the season. through the early part of Yet sustained success the season and made a 2-1 would not grace this record through the first team with such ease.

After three convincing three games a victory in itself, the two wins wins against lower-tier coming by a combined Big Ten opponents, the offense again looked seven-point margin.

After a troubling befuddled by the more performance from the athletic and talented offensive line in a 10-7 defenses of Michigan loss to Oregon State, State and Ohio State.

The Badgers lost Stave departed head coach Bret Bielema dumped to a season-ending injury offensive line coach Mike in an overtime loss to the Spartans Markuson. and O’Brien By the stumbled fourth This season was through the game of the season, kind of take one second half Phillips Bielema step forward, before earned the benched two steps back first starting quarterback Danny and it was all nod of his O’Brien — over the place. career against Indiana. a transfer Phillips from turned into Maryland Montee Ball the reliable expected to Wisconsin running back game clear up any manager, battle for leading two the starting game-tying spot under drives against center — in favor of redshirt Ohio State and Penn freshman Joel Stave. State, though Wisconsin In the Big Ten opener lost both games. Despite against Nebraska, UW the undying trials, UW showed renewed energy found at least a slice of with Stave at quarterback the offensive identity it but the Huskers lacked for most of the outscored the Badgers season.

“I think we’ve kind 20-7 in the second half to of found our identity as escape with the win.

“This season was kind the season’s progressed,” of take one step forward, Phillips said just days two steps back and it was before the Rose Bowl. players, new all over the place,” Ball “New positions, new coaching said.

Two games later, staff, we were all kind of Wisconsin erupted for feeling each other out 467 rushing yards in at the beginning of the a rout of Purdue, the season. But it seems like offense churning along it’s really come together behind the usual suspects pretty well here at the — a physical tailback and end of the year. It really a massive offensive line seems like guys are controlling the line of playing for each other.”

Then came the unexpected offensive explosion against the Cornhuskers. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada strayed far from the vanilla play-calling that defined the year, using trick plays and creative formations to leave the Nebraska defense in a cloud of dust behind Wisconsin’s offense.

But perhaps Stanford head coach David Shaw said it best at the Rose Bowl Media Day: Wisconsin football flourished by returning to the run-first approach installed by Barry Alvarez, the very man who returned to the sideline to coach his fourth Rose Bowl.

“Early in the season they had some struggles and they got back to playing Wisconsin football,” Shaw said.

“They started being Montee Ball and a lot of Montee Ball between the tackles. Our favorite play — the power play.”

It was a fitting end to a season defined by turmoil and change, with six new assistants — four of them on the offensive end — joining the team before the season. The Badgers posted at least 37 points five times, providing flashes of the record-setting 2011 team but often following it up with defeats marred by poor play from the the offensive line.

Three days before their third straight Rose Bowl, players insisted the potential always existed. The problem, for Wisconsin’s offense, came in execution.

“I think the chemistry and everything was always there, and us understanding our roles, I think we knew that from the beginning,” Gordon said. “We just had to click as a team.”

Stanford defense stymies effort Wisconsin was no match for one of nation’s top-rated, relentless defense Nick Korger Sports Content Editor

STANFORD

TEAM STATS Total rushing yards:

187

Total passing yards:

157

Total offensive yards:

244

First downs:

17

Third down efficiency:

3-11

PLAYER STATS Leading passer:

Kevin Hogan 12/19 for 123 yards

Leading receiver:

Zach Ertz 3 REC., 61 yards

Leading rushers:

Stepfan Taylor 20 carries, 88 yards Kevin Hogan 7 carries, 54 yards

Leading tackles:

A.J. Tarpley 6-3-9 Shayne Skov 3-5-8

PASADENA, Calif.

—There weren’t any surprises New Year’s Day at the Granddaddy of Them All. Two teams, two old-school styles of football and two relentless defenses graced the field in a lowscoring, smashmouth affair that many already saw coming.

But, on one particular afternoon, No. 6 Stanford’s defense (122, 8-1 Pac-12) shined brighter than anything Wisconsin (8-6, 4-4 Big Ten) could put on the field, dictating the tempo of the game and batting down critical passes in a 20-14 Cardinal win.

“We were defeated by a very good Stanford football team,” interim head coach Barry Alvarez said. “They didn’t surprise me how they played, as you saw that on films, they’ve been a very consistent all year.”

Stanford’s talented front seven in the 3-4 defense constantly bruised Wisconsin’s run game and never allowed much of an offensive tempo, as the Badgers allowed the Cardinal to record four tackles for a loss and five running plays for no gain.

One of those plays was a fourth and goal for Wisconsin at Stanford’s 1-yard line, a play where Mequon native and Cardinal senior defensive end Ben Gardner slipped off of a block from Badger left tackle Ricky Wagner and stuffed running back James White in the backfield. One of the few key moments of the game, the play resulted in a turnover on downs in the opening drive of

the second quarter and a jet-sweep in the first robbed the Badgers of quarter.

But while Stanford a critical touchdown at a juncture of the game recorded just three total where they were down pass breakups, those numbers don’t reflect 14-0.

Perhaps the biggest the total times the difference in the game Stanford defensive line was the height of was able to get its hands the Cardinal’s down on Wisconsin passes. defensive linemen in Numerous passes were the game, as defensive deflected, including a ends Gardner and lucky bounce for UW Henry Anderson each that saw a deflected recorded a pass breakup ball fall into the hands and got their hands in of wide receiver Jared the passing lanes when Abbrederis for 22 yards they weren’t harassing and a first down, as the Badgers quarterback next play ended in a Montee Ball touchdown Curt Phillips.

Gardner (six tackles on run and brought the the game) and Anderson score to 14-7 in the second (three quarter. tackles) had We were defeated The most perhaps by a very good important tipped ball the best football team. of the day height came when of any defensive Barry Alvarez Stanford Interim Wisconsin coach defensive end end duo Josh Mauro UW had lined up at faced the nose tackle. entire With the season, score 20-14 with in Stanford’s Gardner favor with standing just a little at 6-footover two 4 and minutes remaining in the Anderson at 6-foot-6.

“They are very tall,” game, Phillips stepped Phillips said. “I don’t back to pass. Even think I have a low release, though he was doublebut I think it’s almost a teamed and stalemated credit to our offensive by Badgers center Travis line because they didn’t Frederick and left guard Groy, Mauro allow those guys to get Ryan in. The only thing you extended both his hands can do whenever you get and was able to jump up, stoned at the line is to catching his left hand jump up and try to tip on the ball as Phillips balls and that’s really the targeted an open Jacob Pedersen. only chance they had.”

As the ball changed Phillips point was it found valid, as Wisconsin’s trajectory offensive line never the awaiting arms of allowed Stanford to sack Stanford’s Usua Amanam. their quarterback. The And when the Cardinal Cardinal’s lone sack came nickelback stood up to thanks to an intentional show the crowd his prize grounding penalty on to screaming roars of Melvin Gordon on an approval from the team’s attempted trick play on fans, it was all but over

for Wisconsin.

“I really thought we were going to be able to go down (on that last drive) and move the ball,” Frederick said. “The pass protection was pretty decent, especially since it was against a great Stanford defense that had so many sacks.

“They got a hand on the ball and tipped it up and that’s the story.”

But Stanford’s style of play on the defensive line also allowed room for Phillips to break the contain defense and escape the pocket, plays that kept several key Wisconsin’s drives alive.

He finished with 64 yards on five carries in his first career Rose Bowl start.

Maybe that’s what kept a healthy Joel Stave on the sideline for the Badgers was Phillips’ ability to extend the play, as the veteran used a crafty move — faking a step out of bounds on the left sideline — to create a 38-yard gain on a first and 10 during the waning two minutes before halftime, setting up the Badgers’ tying touchdown pass to Jordan Fredrick six plays later.

Though the Badgers’ offensive line kept the Cardinal at bay early, Stanford adjusted to Wisconsin’s 14-point second quarter to hold their opponent scoreless for the entire second half. Like many cases this season, it ended up being a tale of two halves for UW, as the team gained 219 total yards on offense in the first half, but recorded just 82 yards in the second half.

“We just weren’t able to produce what we needed to produce as an offensive line,” Frederick said. “We didn’t play the way we needed to in the second half.”

The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

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Kelsey Fenton The Badger Herald

THE GAME IN

PHOTOS Kelsey Fenton The Badger Herald

Herald photographers Jen Small and Kelsey Fenton captured the excitement both inside and outside Rose Bowl Stadium. Visit badgerherald. com to see a slideshow of more images.

Kelsey Fenton The Badger Herald

Jen Small The Badger Herald

Jen Small The Badger Herald

Jen Small The Badger Herald

Jen Small The Badger Herald

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The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

Students journey to Calif. for 3rd Rose Bowl Badger faithful take long trek to LA area with some unique, conventional means Noah Goetzel and Sarah Eucalano Associate News Editors Thousands of University of Wisconsin students, alumni and fans made the trek to the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, to cheer on the Badgers in their third straight Rose Bowl performance.

Justin Doherty, UW associate athletic director, said the UW Athletic Department used around 16,500 Rose Bowl tickets for the January 1 game

which ended with a 20-14 loss for the Badgers. He said the number of Rose Bowl tickets the Athletic Department uses has been steadily declining over the past three years.

The Athletic Department used around 25,000 tickets in last year’s 2012 Rose Bowl, which was a drop from the 35,000 tickets the Athletic Department used in the 2011 Rose Bowl game, Doherty said.

Doherty said he did not know the exact amount of students who purchased Rose Bowl tickets through the Athletic Department this year but he knew the turnout was solid.

“I know we had good student response,” Doherty said.

Many UW students

expressed their excitement and willingness to make the trip to the Rose Bowl, with some students attending the game for the third year in a row.

Mark Funke, a senior at UW and a native of New Berlin, Wisconsin said he was excited to make Tuesday’s game his third straight Rose Bowl.

Funke, along with six of his friends, dressed up as penguins for the game, carrying on a tradition they started at this year’s Big 10 Championship game.

“I was planning to go all year, assuming that Penn State and Ohio State weren’t going to be able to go,” Funke said. “It was pretty much a guarantee.

We just had to beat Nebraska, and we rocked

them.”

Funke and his friends took five different flights out, but were able to meet up in the Los Angeles International Airport within an hour. He said they plan to stop at Las Vegas on the way home.

Tuesday’s game was a once in a lifetime opportunity for many other Badgers.

UW student Corinne Lake, a freshman from Bethesda, Maryland, made the decision to buy a ticket and fly across the country shorty before the tickets went on sale. She said despite the long journey, she did not want to miss such a unique opportunity.

“This doesn’t happen every year,” Lake said. “The chances of us going next

year are very slim.”

Other Badgers faced a much shorter trek to support their team in Pasadena. Many from Southern California are only a comparatively quick drive away from Rose Bowl stadium.

Freshman Brad Miller from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, was part of a group students from Witte Hall who stayed with fellow Badger Josh Levin at Levin’s home in California.

Levin, also a freshman, lives in Calabasa, a town outside of Los Angeles.

The trip was worth it even with a Badger loss, Miller said. He said the whole experience, including a fun New Years Eve, led him to have a good time.

Levin said he was able to attend the Rose Bowl because of its proximity to his home, and added he was unsure if he would make the trip to a game that would require him to travel far.

“It’s exciting to be playing a team close to home for me,” Levin said.

“They’re somewhat local, and that makes them a rival in my heart.”

Levin said hosting five of his friends from Witte, including Miller, had been a little rough, but they both enjoyed the Badger camaraderie.

“There were lots of Badgers on the plane,” Miller said. “Everyone just came up to me and just started talking. We’re like one big family.”

Loss will not tarnish Alvarez’s golden legacy Nick Korger Korger’s Korner PASADENA, Calif. — It was the ending of an era for Badger football in the 99th installation of the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. Or rather, it was the bridging of one chapter to the next in a storybook that largely began in 1990.

Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez had left his lasting imprint on the UW football program long after his departure as the head coach after the conclusion of the 2005 Capital One Bowl. And nowhere was that more apparent than the 2013 Rose Bowl.

The principles have remained the same in the game plan at Wisconsin for more than two decades.

Grind opponents down with the “big palookas” up front, a term Alvarez so affectionately used to refer to the offensive linemen at a press conference in December, utilize the playaction and dominate with the ground game over a four-quarter slugfest.

It was an idea that stuck around well after Alvarez retired from coaching to become the AD at Wisconsin, one that he mentored onto his handpicked replacement Bret Bielema. As the years passed under Bielema’s — and Alvarez’s — watchful eye, the formula for success remained the same. With Bielema as the head coach, the Badgers produced two Outland Trophy winners (best interior lineman) in Joe Thomas and Gabe Carimi and six all-conference offensive

linemen during the 2010 season. Yes, only five linemen play at a time on the offensive line, and the Badgers managed to get six honored.

Few doubted that Alvarez still had sizable influence over the program. He would pop in occasionally at practice, take weekly walks with Bielema and, well, he was the Athletic Director. In fact, Bielema cited in his departure to leave for Arkansas that he wanted the chance to “spread my wings and fly a little bit further.” Maybe the comment was a thinly veiled reference that Alvarez was still micromanaging the football program further than anyone knew. Alvarez even said after Bielema’s departure that his pupil had won following his blueprint for success — which was true, to a degree.

Whatever the case, the Rose Bowl made it clear that the program’s identity still belongs to Alvarez. After all, why else would the players have personally reached out to him over an assistant coach to lead them in their bowl game?

It’s no surprise that Wisconsin football players have the nickname “The Godfather” for Alvarez. He made Wisconsin football what it is. He had an 8-3 record in bowl games prior to the 2013 Rose Bowl, he loved to coach the big games and he won them.

That’s why it was so fitting that he was the one to take on the role of figurehead in this in-between period in Wisconsin football history.

That respect Alvarez commands, that aura of legend that surrounds his legacy as a coach and as a winner made the transition to the hiring of Gary Anderson as the new head coach while the players focused on the Rose Bowl easier than could ever be

Jen Small The Badger Herald

After three Rose Bowl victories during his memorable tenure as the Badgers’ full-time coach, Barry Alvarez lost his first this year in a 20-14 fall to Stanford. thought possible.

And there’s never been a coach who has made the Rose Bowl and not coached in it. But Alvarez found a way to turn the attention to his return rather than the uncertainty surrounding his team.

Wisconsin’s brand of football, its brand of character and toughness that was first established under Alvarez in the ‘90s and continued under Bielema after his retirement was on full display in Pasadena in what can best be characterized as old-school: great defense and hard-nosed running offenses going at each other’s throats in a low scoring affair.

Alvarez mentioned during

the week leading up to the game that football is cyclical by nature. He has a point.

Look at the teams that made the Rose Bowl and the BCS National Championship game: Wisconsin, Stanford, Alabama and Notre Dame.

See the similarity? All of these teams follow Alvarez’s belief and conviction towards the style of football Wisconsin has played since he took the reigns.

Wisconsin can’t consistently recruit the athletes needed to run a spread right now, but they can consistently recruit the giant offensive lineman to run the style of football that almost beat one of the three most physical teams in the entire country. And that’s why Alvarez’s theory works

in practice. If Wisconsin can’t be a fast team, it sure can be the strongest. And look at the success that halins brought the Badgers since the forgettable Don Morton years in the late ‘80s.

The bad news for Wisconsin this season was that it lost a BCS bowl for the third straight year in another close loss. The good news? Fans found out that this program isn’t going to fall in stature any time soon.

Wisconsin football is not one man, but simply “the next man in.” It is an idea, an identity, a program that was established by a single man. And that man is still the face of Badgers football.

Was his legacy tarnished because a team he led into

battle lost The Granddaddy of Them All? Absolutely not.

He restored confidence and order to the Badgers at a time where there was chaos.

Whatever may be said about Bielema at the end of the day, he did lead UW to three straight Rose Bowls.

And with Andersen already a proven winner as a head coach, there’s no reason to doubt that the future of Wisconsin isn’t bright.

As the motto in the Badger State goes…“In Barry We Trust.”

Nick is a fifth-year senior majoring in history and English. What were your impressions from the Badgers’ third consecutive Rose Bowl loss? Let him know at nkorger@badgerherald.com.

Hollywood celebrities hit links in pre-Rose Bowl event Golfers tee it up at Industry Hills for special , rain-soaked round before game Sean Zak Associate Sports Editor INDUSTRY, Calif— On New Year’s Day, scientist Jane Goodall grand marshaled the 124th Tournament of Roses Parade — the 11th female to claim the highest honor of the Rose Bowl. Her performance was followed by the main course, the 99th edition of the Rose Bowl football game, the Granddaddy of Them All, as Stanford sent Wisconsin back with yet another unsettling loss.

History was filling to the brim in Pasadena, Calif., as the calendar turned to 2013.

Before it all began, however, even more history was added when, for the first time, golf was featured as a new festivity at the Rose Bowl.

Hosted by the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission

(LASEC) at Industry Hills Golf Club Dec. 29, the Rose Bowl Golf Game Classic matched participating fans and golfers with celebrity athletes, actors and coaches in a made-forentertainment scramble format.

LASEC president Kathy Schloessman assembled a group of 18 golf-willing celebrities ranging from Hollywood actors to superstar athletes and even a Heisman Trophy winner.

More than one hundred fans paid their dues to tee it up with their more famous playing partners.

Schloessman also booked one of the better public golf courses in the nation in selecting Industry Hills, named the top public course in the United States by the National Golf Course Owners Association in 2010.

The only remaining prerequisite for a great event was a sunny day in southern California — not an extravagant request by any means. But Mother Nature dropped the ball.

Rain soaked the course throughout the morning, keeping the golfers indoors, but fortunately

for Schloessman — who did not have the option of rescheduling — the showers failed to drown the spirits of the participants.

“When we were talking about it this morning … we were going to poll the group to ask if they wanted to play or not,” Schloessman said following the event.

“We talked to a few people before we did that, and everyone seemed to be excited about playing.”

After an hour-long delay and welcoming sendoff from Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, the group hit the course for what was described as a “rivalry event” between the two competing conferences — the Big Ten and Pac-12.

Any ideas of a rivalry changed abruptly from the outset, as the event became much less about a rivalry between schools and conferences and much more about a reunion of friends and football and golf fans.

Two of the participants could not be more different in stature or notoriety, linked in a way known only by school loyalty. One was Archie Griffin, the only two-time Heisman Trophy

winner in the history of college football. The other, a Wisconsin Badgers fan promoting a made-forstudents website allowing them to play House of Pain’s “Jump Around” in unison on their smart phones.

Both men had donned their schools particular versions of the color red, quietly thinking that their variety looked best.

Just six weeks prior, they rooted against each other as their respective schools battled in overtime at Camp Randall. Nonetheless, Wisconsin faced Ohio State again Saturday, only this time is was across a dinner table, swapping stories and laughter through sips of orange juice and bites of poppy seed muffins.

“That’s what is great about the Rose Bowl,” Griffin said, the man who claimed to have learned to golf through celebrity golf tournaments. “It has been a great pact for years and years [between the different teams] and it’s always nice to come out here.”

Both were there to celebrate the history shared at the Rose Bowl between the conferences and the 24

teams that constitute them.

The extended morning rain allowed fans to interact with their celebrity playing partners before lining up their first tee shot. Rich Sinaiko and Bob Schibel took their chance with the hour delay and became well acquainted with former Los Angeles Dodgers great Steve Garvey and his son Ryan.

Anthony Anderson joked about his reeling desire to take on fellow actor Bradley Cooper between the fairways. Actor Chris McDonald flashed the trademark handgun signal that made him famous with the character of Shooter McGavin in “Happy Gilmore.”

Others cast predictions for the Rose Bowl and other upcoming bowl games.

The camaraderie and allegiance with the Pac-12, the Big Ten or the game of golf was on full display, and in Schibel’s case, it was extravagantly visible.

Sitting among fellow Wisconsin fans, he sported a Badgers hat, but stuck out with his maroon and gold Minnesota windbreaker.

His allegiance to both schools is rooted not only

in his Midwest hometown of Virginia, Minn., but also the fact that he spent time as a student at each school. Underneath the windbreaker was a USC Trojans golf shirt because he also spent time as a student at Southern California.

He toyed around with the idea that he might be wearing Purdue briefs, because, well, he spent some time as a student in West Lafayette as well.

Don’t forget the fact that he was at Industry Hills to actually play some golf. His collegiate-happy self from the waist up was accented by his knickers and cardinal red argyle socks.

Schibel was easily the most decorated of participants, but fit in among the crowd of golfloving football fans happy to have ties to the Pac-12 or Big Ten. Sinaiko, his friend of 63 years, knew exactly why the pair came to play, regardless of rain or shots that climbed over par.

“We’re here for a good time with Big Ten and Pac-12 people,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what how your golf game ends up.”

The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition

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Badger defense anchors season Nine players earn all-Big Ten honors in improvement from 2011 season Nick Korger Sports Content Editor

Jen Small The Badger Herald

Bart Miller, who replaced Mike Markuson as the offensive line coach this season, proved to be crucial to Wisconsin’s improvement late in the season.

Bart Miller earns 2012 MVP Nick Korger Sports Content Editor LOS ANGELES — New Year’s Eve comes as a time of reflection for many individuals on the stories, accomplishments and struggles that have defined their previous 365 days.

For this Wisconsin football program and everyone associated with it, perhaps the greatest focus of any day on the calender should be on Sep. 9, 2012 as the most important date of the athletic year.

Yes, Bart Miller’s hiring was that important.

Just a day earlier the team suffered a 10-7 loss at the hands of Oregon State, amassing an strikingly mediocre 35 total yards on the ground on 23 carries. It was clear that production and execution typical in recent seasons on the offensive line had taken a severe downward turn, as the loss to the Beavers served as the emphatic wake-up call that the Badgers were in more trouble than it first seemed.

The problem?

The offensive line never truly adapted to former head coach Bret Bielema’s replacement hire in the wake of longtime O-line coach Bob Bostad leaving Wisconsin after the 2012 Rose Bowl. Mike Markuson had an impressive resume, but Bielema made a mistake by assuming the offensive line would adapt within a few months to the new coach’s zone-step scheme and abandon the entrenched teaching of Bostad’s downhill blocking.

“Once you’ve had something pounded into your head so long to where

you only believe one thing, it’s tough to tell somebody any different,” redshirt junior guard Ryan Groy said.

“If you believe in something and somebody comes up and tells you ‘You’re going to do this because that’s wrong’ it’s like ‘No, I’ve had success doing this, why would I change it to something else?’”

After the intense struggles of the line just two games into the season, Markuson was out and Miller was in, elevated from his role as offensive quality control coordinator to the head of one of the most important positional groups at Wisconsin.

The results weren’t always pretty this year for the offensive line under Miller, but then again, neither was UW’s season. Just like Wisconsin’s 2012 campaign, there were highlights and lowlights of Miller’s first — and potentially only — year at the helm of the offensive line.

There were the games like Nebraska (56 total rushing yards) and Michigan State (19) where Wisconsin seemingly took a step back as a unit up front. But there were also the moments where the group looked like what had been expected all season, especially in the team’s resounding 70-31 thrashing of Nebraska in the Big Ten championship game, mostly thanks to 539 yards on the ground.

But what exactly made Miller the ideal candidate to turn around a group midseason?

Offensive linemen like Groy and redshirt junior center Travis Frederick point to the fact that their positional coach is just 27

years old and played their position, giving him a freshness with the game — Miller played offensive line for New Mexico, his final year on the field coming in 2007 — and a familiarity with the position in their eyes.

“He’s younger than any of the other coaches I’ve had which makes for better relations,” Frederick said.

“He has a better idea of what we’re doing and isn’t necessarily an old school kind of guy. He has a lot of the old-school principles but he knows what it’s like playing in today’s game, so he scales some things back or moves some things better.”

“I think it’s a tremendous asset to coach the position I’ve played,” Miller said. “You understand elements of the game that maybe a guy that didn’t play doesn’t know. You can say what you want about what’s in the playbook, but there’s a realistic aspect of it on the field, what can you do, what can’t you do and angles and all that stuff.

“Another thing too is I’m not that far removed, I’m a young position coach and 10 years ago I was in their seat. You get a little bit more of that relation to them as opposed to some guy who hasn’t played in 25 years when the game has changed.”

The respect factor also made Miller the easy selection to take over after Bielema fired Markuson.

“I think he just understands us, he’s not the kind of guy who tells you what to do,” Groy said.

“He bounces ideas off of you and we work off each other and try to figure out what’s best for us. He’s not

always telling us what to do and demanding respect, he’s earned our respect and I think that makes the difference.”

While Miller’s future with the team is up for grabs right now with new head coach Gary Andersen reportedly bringing in his own offensive line coach for next season, the young assistant can take pride in the results he produced, one that will surely make him an attractive candidate around college football if he doesn’t remain at Wisconsin.

Here are the numbers that define Miller’s short 11-game coaching tenure with the Badgers’ offensive line.

1) 262.55 — the amount of rushing yards UW has averaged per game under Miller, which would currently rank as the eighth highest total in the nation rather than 11th (the Badgers ranking for the entire year).

2) 3 — the number of allconference selections on the offensive line in 2012, with three first-team members between the media and coaches’ selections 3) 4 — the number of times Wisconsin rushed for over 300 yards with Miller as the O-line coach There aren’t many coaches who have taken over their job midseason and had the success Miller experienced, a fact that speaks to the work ethic, intelligence and drive of the assistant coach. He was able to turn around a group who had abandoned their old ways and found a way to bridge them back gradually to the techniques that had brought them success. And for that, Miller is Wisconsin’s MVP — most valuable personnel.

Wisconsin’s young defense from 2011 finally came into its own in 2012, helping to propel the team to the Rose Bowl with its consistent, physical play.

Even though both codefensive coordinators, Chris Ash and Charlie Partridge, will be leaving next season for Arkansas, both left their mark in their final year at UW. At the conclusion of the regular season, Wisconsin ranked 19th nationally in scoring defense (19.1 points allowed per game) and 13th in scoring defense (320.9 yards per game), serving as the one constant for the program during a 2012 season that saw the offense take several games to find a rhthym.

A total of nine Badgers on defense earned All-Big Ten honors in 2012, led by redshirt senior linebacker Mike Taylor’s first team nod from the media and redshirt junior middle linebacker Chris Borland’s first team honor from the coaches.

“We felt like we had a chip on our shoulder (this season) and something to prove,” second team AllBig Ten senior cornerback Devin Smtih, who recorded four interceptions in 2012.

“I think that helped us play with an edge.”

The linebacker trio of Borland, Taylor and Ethan Armstrong served as perhaps the most consistent group at the position in the country, as the three combined for 320 tackles. And perhaps nobody out of the linebackers was more consistent than Mike Taylor, who recorded 123 tackles in 2012 to lead the team in his final season with the Badgers. No player in the entire FBS recorded more tackles in the past two years than Taylor, who racked up 273.

But, as always, the impact player of the year belonged to the uber-talented middle linebacker Borland.

Besides having outstanding athleticism, instincts and strength, Borland provided the Badgers a pass rush off the edge when the team needed it most, recording 4.5 sacks while showing his knack for the ball, recovering three fumbles.

“I think we had a lot of

guys with playing experience come back and had young guys step up into roles this season that didn’t play a lot last year,” Borland said. “It just has to do with experience, it was our second year in (defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s) system too, so we were a little more comfortable.”

The Badgers’ unsung heroes on defense belonged to their two starting defensive tackles, junior Beau Allen and redshirt junior Ethan Hemer. The two helped spearhead UW’s stout run defense in 2012, as the team entered the Rose Bowl ranked 21st nationally in defending the run, giving up just 124.5 yards per game.

The depth that Wisconsin had at defensive line was the strongest in recent memory, as the Badgers were able to go seven to eight deep in their rotation in the trenches.

Defensive ends Brendan Kelly, David Gilbert, Pat Muldoon and Tyler Dippel combined for 16.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss. The best part for Wisconsin is the fact that it will lose no members of its rotation of defensive linemen in 2013.

But oddly, Wisconsin’s defense was terrific everywhere but the red zone this season. The team ranked in the bottom half of college football for making stops within their own 20 yard line, a statistical trend that reflected the defense’s struggle to close out games at the end, something that cost UW dearly down the stretch.

The team lost three games in overtime, as the defense gave up a touchdown in two of those extra period contests. There were second half collapses as well, as Wisconsin allowed teams like Nebraska and Michigan State comebacks in game’s that the Badgers led for almost the entirety. That failure to finish, or play consistent the entire four quarters, led to many close losses, as all of Wisconsin’s losses in the 2012 regular season came by an average of 3.8 points.

The 2013 Rose Bowl was no different. Wisconsin’s defense allowed Stanford to score on its first two opening possessions until it buckled down in the second half.

However, when the Badgers needed a stop in the fourth quarter, the defense allowed the Cardinal a six-minute plus drive and a field goal, extending the opponent’s lead to six and only giving the Badgers offense a little over four minutes to operate.

“It was just another year,” Taylor said.

Senior class experiences final bittersweet bump in 2013 Kelly Erickson Senior Sports Writer LOS ANGELES — They have been through just about every emotional hoop they could possibly jump through.

They have been to three Rose Bowls in three consecutive years but left California with just a handful of close losses.

They have seen a host of coaches leave their team and welcomed two transfer quarterbacks into their fold.

They have experienced the highest of expectations only to fall in five close games — and that was just in 2012. They have also faced multiple last-second losses whether by Hail Mary or a mismanaged clock but also showed they’re capable of upsets on the some of the biggest stages.

The senior class has seen it all.

They took a five-loss season and shocked everyone with a 70-31 victory in the Big Ten Championship game over Nebraska to play in a Rose Bowl game in which no one thought they deserved to be.

Junior linebacker Chris Borland summed it up best after the 20-14 loss on Jan.1.

“You’d like to send out guys … the right way and we couldn’t get it done today.

Like Coach said earlier, it’s kind of been a microcosm of our whole season. We’ve

faced some adversity, fought back, and came up short.”

Those “guys,” that senior class are few — so few you don’t even need a full set of fingers to count them — but they can’t possibly say their time at UW was uneventful.

“We’ve been in every game this year, losses and wins,” senior linebacker Mike Taylor said. “They’ve all been good games. It’s definitely been a fun year. Playing with all these guys, it’s just been fun.”

At the forefront of that class sits none other than Montee Ball.

The star running back announced his decision to return for his senior season on Jan. 5, 2012, just three days after losing a second Rose Bowl to Oregon 45-38.

It was a move that was largely unexpected after he posted a Heisman worthy season.

But Ball almost wasn’t in that position in the first place.

During his sophomore campaign, Ball almost faded into Badger oblivion behind John Clay and James White.

Clay was a typical Wisconsin power running back while White used surprising speed to gain the edge and find the end zone — and he was just a freshman at the time.

Ball was a non-factor.

He didn’t even see the field during Wisconsin’s iconic win over then-No.1 Ohio State 31-18. But a week later he carried the ground attack against Iowa in a come-

from-behind win that helped propel the Badgers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 10 years.

Ball’s resume is certainly impressive — on the ground alone he has 5,140 yards and 77 touchdowns on 924 carries in 49 games. Add in his six receiving touchdowns and his 83 career touchdowns are the most of anyone in FBS history.

But he’s just one of a handful of seniors who weathered the storm.

Taylor stood as one of the most consistent defensive players at his position in Wisconsin history and he developed into one of its most influential leaders in his successful attempt to get Barry Alvarez back on the sideline after Bret Bielema left for Arkansas days after winning the 2012 Big Ten Championship.

Over his career Taylor made 378 tackles, 38.5 of which were for a loss of a combined 120 yards and seven sacks for 53 yards.

He also reeled in five interceptions and four fumbles. The Ashwaubenon, Wis., native will end his UW career as the No. 7 all-time tackler in the UW record books.

With so few seniors, Taylor noted the importance of the leadership and camaraderie on the team and between classes. “[It was] very important being seniors and showing

everyone, leading the way,” Taylor said. “But then again, we’ve got a lot of juniors that are leaders and can lead by example. Had a lot of playing time, can play big roles on this team. I think that’s just the way it is here. There’s not necessarily one guy that everyone follows or one leader. It’s a group of guys.”

That group also included the likes of offensive linemen Rick Wagener and Robby

Burge, as well as defensive backs Marcus Cromartie, Devin Smith and Shelton Johnson who comprised one of the toughest secondaries Wisconsin has fielded in recent history.

With a tougher defense rooted in a stronger secondary, the Badgers had generous amounts of positive expectations at the beginning of the season. While the arrival at a third Rose

Bowl eventually met those expectations, it wasn’t exactly an expected storybook season that got them there.

“It’s kind of just crazy the way everything has just happened this year,” Johnson said. “We always had our goals toward the end of the season to make it [to the Rose Bowl], but the winding road that it kind of took to get here was unforeseen. It was a great team effort.”

Jen Small The Badger Herald

This year’s senior class, which includes linebacker Mike Taylor, has seen three consecutive Rose Bowl losses.

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The Badger Herald | 2013 Rose Bowl Special Edition