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/123925
LUCAS AT LARGE M I K E LUCA S • UWB A DGERS.C OM Costigan's toughness infectious on O-line S tanding on the sideline after a recent spring practice, Wisconsin guard Kyle Costigan began slowly swinging his arms in an exaggerated rhythm with lifting each leg. The high knee action was so deliberate it almost seemed like he was striking a Heisman pose. He was not. Instead, he was simulating a running motion. That's his goal -to be running again soon. "I should be full-go for summer workouts,'' said Costigan, who had microfracture surgery in early January. "Obviously, it's frustrating; the healing process. Everything takes so long.'' The latest results, though, have been stunning. "Two weeks after the surgery,'' he said, "the trainer tested me out and my knee felt better than it did during the season. It's like night and day.'' In his second career start -- the Sept. 29 Big Ten opener at Nebraska -- Costigan dislocated his kneecap, tore his meniscus, sprained his medial collateral ligament and strained his medial patellofemoral. Welcome to General Hospital. Thing is, he missed just one snap and finished the Nebraska game. The following Monday, he had arthroscopic surgery. "I really wanted to try and come back and play (against Illinois),'' he said. Despite his toughness, there was no way he could make it all the way back in five days. Nonetheless, he returned to the lineup one game later and started the final six of the regular season. 16 » VARSITY APR I L 25, 2013 "After I hurt my knee, I never felt close to 100 percent,'' said Costigan, a redshirt junior from Wind Lake, Wis. "In games, there's such an adrenaline rush that it's easier to overcome the pain. "In practice, it was horrible. I wasn't up to what I was capable of and I never felt like I played up to what I could have. I had nicks and pains in high school, but it's nothing like dislocating your knee.'' Lamenting not being able to participate in spring drills -- "I wish I could have done it, but it really wasn't an option'' -- Costigan knows that it's far more important to be ready for training camp. It's a sentiment shared by firstyear O-line coach T.J. Woods. "Costigan is a huge piece of the puzzle,'' Woods said. "He and I are going to have to be in fast-forward when we get to fall camp. He's a tremendous player and I'm excited to get to coach him and see how he fits in this puzzle. I know he fits. I just have to find out where. "I haven't been coaching forever, but I've been coaching for quite some time now, and I don't know how many kids that I've ever coached that would play through that injury. I think he's going to bring toughness and a mentality that will parlay into five guys doing it all the time.'' Woods knows what he's going to get out of Ryan Groy, whether it's at left tackle or guard. In a pinch, he could also play center, though Dan Voltz staked claim to that position. Another fixture has been tackle Rob Havenstein, a 14-game starter last year. To ensure some continuity, Woods kept him on the right side but he feels like he could also play left tackle, if needed. Woods cited the flexibility of Dallas Lewallen to play multiple positions. He took most of the snaps this spring at left guard opposite right guard Zac Matthias, a fourgame starter in 2012. Two more pieces to the puzzle, according to Woods, are tackle Tyler Marz and guard Ray Ball. "We're going to have to depend on both of those guys next year,'' he said. It's no secret that the Badgers are down in numbers on the offensive line. They have nine players on scholarship. The ultimate goal is 16. "It's been challenging in that sense,'' Woods said. "But it has shown us what everybody can do. There's been a lot of diversity in the lineups. That's been a good thing to see where everybody fits.'' In assembling the puzzle, minus one of the biggest pieces, he said, "The first thing I've learned is that there are no excuses in that (meeting) room. That's a huge positive. "They've had some adversity this spring -- a new offense, a new defense, not a lot of numbers, a new coach and new positions. But they've come to work every day and they've worked hard.'' That even goes for those who haven't been able to work or do as much as they wanted. "I'll have the whole summer to get myself in shape,'' said Costigan, still running in place.