Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/100150
LUCAS AT LARGE M I K E LUCA S ��� UWB A DGERS.C OM Andersen won���t run from UW���s strengths A nticipating where the line of questioning was headed, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez cut to the chase and said, ���We���re going to run the football. We���re going to do what we do now.������ It was an understandable reaction to the Aggie, if not the elephant, in the room. Make that ex-Aggie. Gary Andersen was known for his spread offense at Utah State. During the interviewing process, Alvarez made it clear what his intentions were. ���I asked each of them (the candidates) about their system,������ he said. ���I���m not going to let somebody come in here and run a no backs, spread them out and throw every down offense.������ This is not to say that the Badgers haven���t incorporated the spread into their attack, because they most certainly have. You will see them in empty backfield sets more now than ever before. Alvarez made his point, though. So did Andersen when he stressed that running the football will be first and foremost in his Wisconsin game plan, regardless of who���s named offensive coordinator. Utah State made his argument. In 2011, the Aggies averaged 282.7 rushing yards per game while feeding the rock to three different tailbacks: Robert Turbin (1,517 yards), Michael Smith (870) and Kerwynn Williams (542). Turbin and Smith are both on NFL rosters. Turbin was a fourth10 �� VARSITY D EC E M B E R 20, 2012 round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks and Smith was a seventhround selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Williams returned to Utah State and rushed for 1,512 yards this season. As a team, the Aggies averaged 204.8 yards on the ground; 33 yards less than the Badgers. ���The last two years, we���ve had very talented running backs,������ said Andersen, who also expects Williams to be in the NFL. ���A year ago, we were a power run team. This year, we had to run it differently.������ The 5-foot-8, 189-pound Williams had a different skill set than the 5-10, 222-pound Turbin, and that dictated what the Aggies could do. Williams finished as the team���s second-leading receiver. Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton also factored into the running game. Keeton led the Aggies in rushing against the Badgers (15 carries for 75) and was the team���s second-leading rusher overall. Andersen would love to run some option with the Badgers. But if that piece to the puzzle isn���t there, he���s not going to force it, either. Such calls are always based on the available personnel. Alvarez anticipated that question, too ��� the one about recruiting. Yes, he���s very confident in Andersen���s recruiting abilities even though he has no Big Ten connection. His staff will be connected. ���I told Gary that you have to close up our state,������ Alvarez said, ���and you���ve got to recruit within a 500-mile radius. You have to recruit Minnesota. You have to go to Illinois, no farther south than Chicago. ���We need to get back into St. Louis and we need somebody on the East Coast. He���s had assistants recruit down in Florida and I want to stay in Florida. We have commitments there.������ During his tenure as a Utah assistant, Andersen was frequently singled out for his recruiting prowess. In 2005, he was cited as the No. 1 non-BCS recruiter in the nation by Rivals.com. What makes a good recruiter? ���Tenacity, care, communication skills,������ Andersen said. ���It���s being able to handle every different family environment that is possibly out there. ���It���s the ability to consistently stay a step ahead of the game and involve the people who are really involved in the recruiting process, whether it���s a grandmother, father or coach. ���If you���re at a place like the University of Wisconsin, you���re going to get into every door in the country. But what makes you different is those relationships that you build.������ Alvarez won���t waste any time acclimating Andersen to his new surroundings. ���I���ll give him full access the next week,������ he said. ���I want him to get around the kids and get to know them. I want him to come out to practice and see our personnel and get a jump on things.������ Call it a running start.