Sagapolu won’t return this season
MADISON – Senior nose tackle Olive Sagapolu has played his last game at Wisconsin.
UW officials announced Thursday that Sagapolu, who suffered a right-arm injury in the loss to Northwestern on Oct. 27, had surgery Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season.
“He has been great in how he is handling it,” UW coach Paul Chryst said after practice Thursday. “But you feel bad for him – any time guys miss games – but particularly seniors.”
Freshman Bryson Williams replaced Sagapolu in the starting lineup last week against Rutgers and will be expected to fill the void again Saturday at Penn State.
He has a total of five tackles in nine games.
Sagapolu played in eight games this season. He leads a young and revamped defensive line in tackles (23), tackles for loss (41⁄2) and sacks (two).
His greatest challenge was grooming young linemen such as redshirt freshman KaydenLyles, who switched to end from the offensive line in the off-season; redshirt freshman end Matt Henningsen, a former walk-on; and Williams.
“He was playing really good,” Chryst said. “And he has done that for a long time.”
Sagapolu finishes with 26 starts and 44 games played at UW.
He recorded more tackles in eight games this season than he did in 14 games last year (17), when UW featured three senior ends in Conor Sheehy, Alec James and Chikwe Obasih.
“Understandably so, he got overshadowed,” Chryst said of the 2017 season. “But he was playing really well this year.”
From the infirmary
Although quarterback Alex Hornibrook is listed as questionable on the team’s injury report, he remains in the concussion protocol.
As a result, Jack Coan is preparing to make his second start and third appearance of the season. His backup is redshirt freshman Danny Vanden Boom.
Coan has completed 25 of 38 passes (65.8%) for 222 yards and two touchdowns. He is averaging 5.9 yards per attempt and 8.9 per completion.
Vanden Boom has played sparingly in three games. He completed his only pass for a 3-yard touchdown in a 45-14 victory over New Mexico in Week 2.
“Even just the little time he has played,” Chryst said, “and it’s a full season of practice up to this point, that there’s been a lot of opportunities for growth and I think he has taken advantage of them.
“It could be just understanding of what we’re doing (and) you’re in the film room of what opponents do.
“He is a smart kid. He is a bit of a (film) junkie. So I think he has grown a lot.”
Cornerback Deron Harrell (right ankle) and safety Scott Nelson (right hamstring) remain questionable.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said Wednesday both players had participated in practice and could play against the Nittany Lions.