DAVID STLUKA
"If you're a competitor, no
matter what you're doing ...
you want to win," Andersen
said. "I want competitors and
I want them to learn how to
compete every single day.''
If we get a linebacker in space with these guys, we'd
feel pretty good about that.''
On defense, the Badgers have playmakers and
good numbers in the front seven, all of which will
be anchored by the nose guard tandem of Beau Allen and Warren Herring. Outside of Southward,
who will be utilized often as a nickel back, there's a
lack of experience in the secondary.
Andersen was encouraged by how Reggie Mitchell has made the conversion from corner to safety.
"He has progressed every day,'' he said. "His range
has gotten better and his knowledge has gotten better. We're youthful back there, except for Dez, but
we're coming around.''
On the week leading up to the spring game, Andersen neatly summarized the progress that he has
seen. "Our goal every day in practice is to find a way
to have winners and losers,'' he said. "The kids have
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kind of wrapped their arms around that.
"There's obviously an adjustment period to a
new style and new schemes and relationships that
need to be built,'' he assessed of his four-month
transition. "We have a real identity of what we
want to be on offense and what we want to be on
defense.''
There was no confusing the message to the players.
"At the end of the day,'' Andersen said, "they
have to look in the mirror and say, 'We played well
enough to win today or we didn't play well enough
to win today.'
"If you're a competitor, no matter what you're
doing ― checkers or dominoes in the living room
― you want to win. I want competitors and I want
them to learn how to compete every single day.''
There was comfort in knowing the message has
been received.
Others have taken note, too. Last week, it was
Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports.
"It's a great story and a great spot we're at,'' said
Andersen, ready to write the next chapter.
