UW kicker Gaglianone continues hot streak
MADISON – Wisconsin’s Rafael Gaglianone didn’t perform like a kicker who missed about two weeks in preseason camp because of back/leg problems.
The senior drilled both of his fieldgoal attempts – from 39 and 42 yards – in UW’s 34-3 victory over Western Kentucky on Friday night.
“I felt pretty good out there,” Gaglianone said. “I was able to do everything that I wanted.”
Dating to the 2017 Cotton Bowl, Gaglianone had made 28 of his last 31 attempts.
He is 9 of 9 in attempts of 40 yards or longer over the last two-plus seasons.
“Having a good snap, good hold and good protection, I’m not worried about anything else,” he said, saluting the work of long-snapper Adam Bay and holder Connor Allen. “I’m just out there trying to do my job.”
Safety net
UW was down two reserve safeties Friday.
Patrick Johnson, the third safety in camp, was declared out during the week because of a head injury.
Reggie Pearson was listed with the No. 2 unit during the week but he was held out because of an unspecified injury.
Senior D’Cota Dixon and redshirt freshman Scott Nelson started. Eric Burrell was the third safety.
Dixon recorded five tackles; Nelson had seven, tying inside linebacker T.J. Edwards for the team-high mark; Burrell forced a fumble.
Nelson, who during camp displayed a feel for making plays on the ball, broke up two passes.
His mental error allowed a receiver to get behind him and cornerback Faion Hicks for a 48-yard gain in the second half.
Yet Nelson showed his maturity by volunteering the mistake was his alone.
“That was on me,” he said. “It wasn’t Faion. It was me.”
That type of accountability tends to impress people in the locker room. Dixon noticed.
“He takes ownership,” Dixon said. “He knows what to do.”
From the infirmary
Wide receiver Kendric Pryor (cramps), tight end Luke Benzschawel (leg) and linebacker Mike Maskalunas (leg) all left the game.
Pryor’s departure was the most striking because he left the field on a cart after struggling on the sideline just before the second-half kickoff.
Pryor, who had four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown in the first half, came out of the locker room after halftime and began loosening up on a stationary bike.
Upon getting off the bike, however, Pryor began experiencing severe cramping in his legs.
“They told me if I was going to get an IV then I’d probably miss the whole third quarter,” who initially tried to stay on the sideline. “As soon as I hopped off the bike, that’s when I really cramped up. Then I just went in to get an IV.”