UW’s offensive line overcomes absences
LAS VEGAS – The Badgers started a makeshift offensive line in their final game of 2021.
With right tackle Logan Bruss and center Joe Tippmann out because of injuries, line coach Joe Rudolph turned to Tanor Bortolini and Cormac Sampson in UW's 20-13 victory over Arizona State on Thursday night in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Bortolini filled in for Bruss for the third time this season. His first two starts came against Illinois and Army.
Sampson, who can play guard, center or jumbo tight end, filled in for Tippmann and made his first start of the season.
Tyler Beach (13 starts) remained at left tackle, Josh Seltzner (11 starts) remained at left guard and Jack Nelson (13 starts) remained at right guard.
“Guys stepped in and stepped up and I thought they did a lot of really good things,” UW coach Paul Chryst said.
Freshman tailback Braelon Allen rushed 29 times for 159 yards, an average of 5.5 yards per carry. Quarterback Graham Mertz was sacked twice but for the most part was afforded adequate protection and completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards.
“Obviously, Braelon is talented,” Chryst said. “But he said it. It takes everyone. Guys embraced it. They knew what was coming and they rose up.”
Bortolini appeared comfortable from the start.
“Coming in at Illinois it is your first game at right tackle and you're a little nervous,” he said. “Having those games under my belt boosted my confidence.”
Sampson joked the preparation for the bowl game was easier than his normal preparation during the season. The reason? He had to focus on only one position – center.
“Some weeks I've got to learn the center spot, the tight end spot and emergency guard,” he said, laughing. “At least this week it was: You're playing center and that's what we're going to have you do.”
Hicks enters NFL draft
Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will have to replace his entire secondary next season.
Senior cornerback Faion Hicks, who had the option of returning to UW for a sixth season, announced Sunday he plans to enter the 2022 NFL draft instead.
Hicks was held out of the Las Vegas Bowl because of an unspecified injury but started 39 games and played in 44 at UW.
He finished ninth on the team in tackles with 28 and led the team in passes broken up with 10.
Sixth-year senior cornerback Caesar Williams, sixth-year senior safety Collin Wilder and fifth-year senior safety Scott Nelson must also be replaced.
Williams started 31 games at UW and played in 48; Nelson started 28 games and played in 29; and Wilder, who did not play in the bowl game because of injury, started 14 games and played in 32 at UW after transferring from Houston.
Hicks said before the Las Vegas Bowl he planned to talk over his options with his parents.
“I've been trying so hard the whole season to not look too far ahead,” he said. “It has been tough but I've just tried to continue to stay in the moment with my teammates and not really think too much about it. “Because it can really distract you. My parents have done a good job helping me through it.”
John Chenal joins team
Fullback John Chenal did not travel with the team Dec. 24 for unspecified reasons.
However, he arrived in Las Vegas on Wednesday and scored on an 8-yard run and caught two passes for 16 yards Thursday night.
The No. 2 and No. 3 fullbacks were walk-on Riley Nowakowski and freshman T.J. Bollers, who was moved from outside linebacker.
Bollers was moved only recently because the staff wasn't certain Chenal would be available.
Linebacker Leo Chenal struggled to contain his excitement when he learned his older brother would be joining the team.
“Once I heard that news I was literally jumping for joy,” he said. “I was yelling to the team: ‘Let's go.'
“That is how close of a relationship we have.”
Burks gets emotional after his final game
Outside linebacker Noah Burks decided early in 2020 that he would return for a sixth season. He wanted to play in packed stadiums one last time and he was having too much fun at UW to leave.
Burks recorded four tackles in his final game and got choked up afterward when asked about his final season.
“I'm incredibly happy I came back,” he said, pausing to compose himself and fight off tears. “I mean, it was so much better having fans at Camp Randall. I feel like I was able to have my best year and really grow another year with all the guys. I couldn't ask for anything more.”
Winning Thursday was the perfect ending.
“Oh, it was everything,” he said. “Nobody wants to have that bad taste in their mouth.”
Groshek handles his new job with aplomb
Former UW tailback Garrett Groshek filled in for running backs coach Gary Brown, who was back in the Madison area dealing with a minor health issue.
“Grosh's role wasn't to come in and coach them,” Chryst said. “How can you just help them a little bit? Give them some tips. Maybe it is just reinforcing something.
“That is one thing I've always appreciated (about) this place is guys when they come back they want to give.
“And I think a reason they want to give back is that somebody did it for them. I think that is pretty special.”
UW defenders rave about ASU’s quarterback
The Badgers sacked quarterback Jayden Daniels six times for a total of 47 yards but the junior hurt UW by scrambling when his protection broke down and on designed runs.
Without the sacks, Daniels rushed 13 times for 87 yards.
“That was definitely the toughest part, keeping him contained,” said Burks, who tackled Daniels in the open field on a key third-down play in the third quarter. “Hell of an athlete.”
Leo Chenal added: “That guy is so talented. I was talking to the guys: This guy is like Lamar Jackson. Ton of respect for that guy. He played so well.”