Cephus’ year may be over
BLOOMINGTON, IND. – On the same day unbeaten Wisconsin welcomed back several key players who had been held out because of injuries, the fourth-ranked Badgers lost two starters.
One of the injuries appears to be severe.
Wide receiver Quintez Cephus, who entered the day leading UW in catches (28), receiving yards (477) and touchdown catches (five), suffered a right-leg injury early in the third quarter of UW’s 45-17 victory Saturday at Indiana.
Cephus was blocking on a running play when right guard Beau Benzschawel accidentally rolled into the back of his legs with 11 minutes 1 second left in the quarter.
Cephus was on crutches afterward and although UW coach Paul
Chryst had no update, the fear is the injury will keep the sophomore out for perhaps the rest of the regular season.
“It’s tough but we just have to keep working like we’ve been working and have the next man step up,” said sophomore wide receiver A.J. Taylor, who said he had no idea of Cephus’ condition. “Guys have to know what they’re doing for times like this. Everybody’s got to keep grinding.”
Linebacker Chris Orr who has started eight of UW’s nine games this season suffered a left-leg injury with 4:12 left in the first quarter Saturday.
He was on crutches on the sideline but his injury did not appear to be severe.
The loss of Orr, who entered the day with the third-highest tackle total on the team (35), left UW with a three-player rotation of T.J.
Edwards, Ryan Connelly and Arrington Farrar.
Safety D’Cota Dixon, who sat out the Illiniois game because of a right-leg injury, played less than a half before being replaced by Joe Ferguson. Ferguson recovered a fumble and intercepted two passes to set up three UW touchdowns.
“There’s just certain people who have a knack for being around the ball,” cornerback Derrick Tindal said of Ferguson, “and he’s one of them.
“He does it in practice all the time so that’s what I expect him to do in a game.” Johnson becoming a playmaker: Reserve outside linebacker Tyler Johnson, a walk-on from Menasha, made two more huge plays Saturday.
Johnson forced a fumble that UW recovered at the Indiana 21, which led to UW’s second touchdown.
He came free on a stunt in the fourth quarter and drilled Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow, which resulted in an interception by Ferguson to set up another touchdown.
“He has championed his role,” Ferguson said of Johnson. “I said this last week. He went from just kind of giving the guys a breather to someone that’s contributing and showing up on the stat sheet in a big way.” Obasih healthy, happy: Senior defensive end Chikwe Obasih, who missed six games because of a left-knee injury suffered in practice after the opener, was beaming after UW’s victory.
Obasih didn’t record a tackle but he saw extensive action after getting in for only three plays the previous week in his return to the field.
“It felt good being around the guys and being ready to contribute,” said Obasih, a graduate of Brookfield Central High School.
Extra points: UW finished the day with a plus-two turnover margin. UW has a plus-seven turnover margin (10 takeaways, three turnovers) in four road games this season…
UW outscored Indiana, 21-0, in the final quarter. UW has outscored its opponents by a combined 94-21 in the final quarter this season.
UW held Indiana to a seasonlow 55 offensive plays.