Varsity Magazine Vol 2 No 26
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FINISHED BUSINESS For the first time in exactly a year, the Badgers could say they were riding a three-game win streak after a 66-60 win over Michigan on Monday — thanks in large part to 21 points from Taylor Wurtz (2). PHOTO BY ROSS LADUE IN FOCUS IN FOCUS BANNER ACHIEVEMENT Badgers fans were asked to “Fill the Bowl” for Saturday’s matchup with Bemidji State. Fill it they did, as an NCAA-record crowd of 12,402 came to the Kohl Center to take in No. 1 Wisconsin’s 1-0 win. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA FEBRUARY 2, 2012 CONTENTS VOLUME 2, ISSUE 26 » AHEAD OF THE GAME The start of their first fall camp is still six months away, but freshmen Dan Voltz, Hugs Etienne 26 and Vonte Jackson are already on campus and getting a head start on becoming Badgers. 48 DEPARTMENTS » LOOK WHO’S BACK 10 LUCAS AT LARGE Reflecting on last year’s big by Mike Lucas win over No. 1 Ohio State as the Buckeyes return to 14 BADGER BRIEFING Madison to battle Wisconsin News and notes for the Big Ten lead. 18 BY THE NUMBERS Facts and figures on UW 20 ASK THE BADGERS Signing day memories 22 5 THINGS TO WATCH 24 BADGERING... 38 Matt Paape » THE CLASS OF 2012 64 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY A look at each member of Harris makes his point(s) the Wisconsin football team’s 66 THE VOICE latest class of incoming by Matt Lepay freshmen. EDITOR’S NOTE Here we go again Varsity is published weekly by: Wisconsin Athletic Communications as it really been a year? The memories of Wiscon- Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., sin’s 71-67 win over then-No. 1 Ohio State seem too Madison, WI 53711 Hfresh to actually be a year old. The calendar, however, doesn’t lie. Subscribe to Varsity Now 50 weeks after they toppled the top-ranked Buckeyes with a comeback for the ages, the Badgers will once again View All Issues defend their home floor against OSU on Saturday. The challenge hasn’t changed over the past three weeks — the Buckeyes are just as talented as they were when Big Ten Brian Lucas play began — but what is on the line for UW certainly has. Director of Athletic Communications Remember how the sky was falling after Wisconsin dropped its third-consecutive Big Ten game to fall to 1-3 in league play Brian Mason — including a pair of ultra-rare losses at home? Editor All UW has done since is rattle of six consecutive wins — including three in a row on the road. Mike Lucas A team that hadn’t won at Purdue and Lead Writer Illinois in the same season since before the Great Depression checked off wins in Matt Lepay West Lafayette and Champaign. Columnist Win a ninth-straight game over Indi- Drew Scharenbroch ana? They did that, too. Video Production Now the Badgers find themselves sit- BRIAN ting second in the Big Ten standings with Drew Pittner-Smith MASON a chance to knock the Buckeyes from Advertising their perch atop the league. It’s not that they’ve looked unbeatable — far from it — but Contributors maybe that’s part of what’s been encouraging about the team’s Karl Anderson, Paul Capobianco, recent run. The Badgers have had to gut out some close ones Charlie Healy, Patrick Herb, and grind their way through some rough patches. Ross LaDue, Diane Nordstrom, Knowing that they could dig deep and find a way to win was Anna Poulter-Hendrickson a quality that served last year’s Badgers well when they found themselves down 15 points in the second half against OSU. Photography True, Jordan Taylor put on a performance for the ages with David Stluka, Greg Anderson, 21 second-half points to lift Wisconsin to an exhilarating win. Neil Ament, Ross LaDue, Taylor was the answer when the Badgers desperately needed Patrick Herb one that day last February. Icon SMI, Associated Press Maybe it will be someone else Saturday. If there’s an answer to be found against OSU, this team is capable of finding it. Problems or Accessibility Issues? Being doubted is nothing new for the Badgers, but neither [email protected] is surpassing expectations. Wisconsin is 5-1 against top-five ranked teams at the Kohl Center under Bo Ryan. The road has been kind to the Badgers this year, but with a © 2012 Board of Regents of the highly-ranked Buckeyes squad back in Madison with the Big University of Wisconsin System. Ten lead on the line, here’s another chance to prove there’s no All rights reserved worldwide. place like home. LUCAS AT LARGE MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM Behind the scenes, Betlach does it all here was an outpouring of semester — brought some valuable brothers,’’ she said, “and hav- emotion and support for the perspective to the role that Betlach ing two sons and teaching middle Trecipient of the 2011 Cap- plays for the Badgers. school math for 28 years, you just tains Cup, which underscores an “There’s really no other school learn to juggle a lot of things. unselfish commitment to the UW that has a person like her,’’ said “You learn if you want to feel football program by a non-player Voltz, one of the most highly good about your job, you do what or coach. recruited lineman in the nation. needs to be done.’’ The reaction was predictable “She’s another reason why I felt Betlach is very good at making because of the award winner, like this was the place for me.’’ time for those who need it. Sharon Betlach, who brings her At one point last Friday, it was own personal touch to the recruit- the new assistant who needed to ing process by building enduring “She has touched every get an ID card; the member of relationships with prospects and recruit who has ever football operations who needed to parents. check a schedule; the committed “When her name was an- come through here recruit who needed reassurance. nounced, everyone in the room since I’ve been here,” That’s taking care of a lot of stood up because she has touched Bielema said. needs all at once. “I hate to say it so many lives,’’ said UW coach Bret because it’s a cliché,’’ she said hesi- Bielema. ’’It was a true reflection of “Every time I make a tantly. “But it’s just doing whatever what she means to the program. home visit, Sharon’s needs to be done to help them with “I know that she has touched name is brought up.’’ the process.’’ every recruit who has ever come That would be the recruiting through here since I’ve been here process. The weeks leading up to (in 2004). Every time I make Betlach is the recruiting secre- the national signing day (Feb. 1) a home visit, Sharon’s name is tary/conduit/expeditor; one of the can be taxing; particularly so this brought up.’’ worker bees in the UW football of- season with so much turnover on Bring it up to Betlach — that fices. Last Friday afternoon, there the staff. special December moment when was a line of people at her desk. Even though the Badgers have Aaron Henry, Patrick Butrym, Take a number. a small signing class, Betlach said, Bradie Ewing and Russell Wilson “I have to budget my time,’’ she “It has probably been the most honored her at the awards banquet said, “because I’m multi-tasking all stressful recruiting time that I’ve — and her reaction is predictable. the time.’’ ever been through for a signing “Oh, my gosh, you’re going to In short, she spends “whatever day.’’ put me in tears again,’’ Betlach time needs to be spent to get the That covers a lot of ground since said. “It was the highlight of my job done.’’ she’s been on the job for well over professional career. That’s all I can Betlach, a Madison native, a decade. During that span, she be- say. The kids here are my second acquired her work ethic the old came quite close to many of those family.’’ fashioned way — from her parents. assistants who have moved on to One of those new kids — fresh- Her time management skills other schools. man offensive lineman Dan Voltz, have been honed out of necessity. “First of all, I miss them,’’ Bet- who’s enrolled for the second “Maybe being raised with three lach said. “They were staff but they 10 » VARSITY FEBRUARY 2, 2012 LUCAS AT LARGE LUCAS AT LARGE were good friends and every time ible in their eyes as a person who you see staff move on, it’s always can help through the steps. hard because you’ve built those “Recruiting can be stressful for relationships over years. families. So I try to put myself in “However, having met the new their shoes and be there to answer assistants, I’m very excited. They’re any question. The ultimate goal is very positive and upbeat and I feel you want that young person to go nothing but compassion for them where he’s comfortable. because they’ve been running all “We hope it’s here for most of over the place.’’ them. But if it’s not, you still want During the coaching transition, to help them move on to a place Betlach received an email from a where they’re going to play their recruit’s mother who expressed best and achieve their best aca- her anxiety.” she wrote, ‘Well, you demically.” know we’re a little nervous,’’’ she Betlach can credit her middle recounted.