es,'' Hammock said. "I learned about having answers
to the problems. If you suggested a play, you'd better
make sure you had all the answers.
"Coach Ludwig is very similar and I've been learning a lot from him. Working for six coordinators in
six years, I've learned a lot of football and a lot of
different ways to do it right.''
Asked Monday if it feels any different to be coaching against Minnesota, he said, "I've been removed
three years and I try not to make football personal. I
try to keep it professional.''
Revisiting the reason why he left the Gophers
for the Badgers, he said, "I fully believe in chasing
opportunity to learn and grow, not chasing money.
That's how I've gone about my coaching career.''
There is urgency to a trophy game, Hammock
agreed, that distinguishes it from others. Paul Bunyan's Axe is a symbol of success and it has been in
UW's possession for nine years.
"You have a little bit more edge about you,'' Hammock said of what's at stake in the Border Battle,
"because you want to retain something or get something that you feel is yours.''
Looking at the big picture, and some of UW's team
goals, Hammock said, "This is an important game
and my guys will understand just how important of
a game it is.''
His guys have not stopped producing; nor has
Hammock, now 32, stopped learning.
"I feel like there's always something you can learn,
just like my players,'' he said. "If they told me, 'They
felt like they were right where they needed to be'
then I'm not doing my job.
"As a coach, you kind of hold on to that same philosophy that you want to continue to grow and continue to learn and find new and better ways to do
things.''
Otherwise known as running the rock.
The Badgers' goal is returning from
Minneapolis with Paul Bunyan's Axe
for the 10th-straight season.
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