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T LUCAS AT LARGE Headline BY MIKE LUCAS // UWBADGERS.COM he so-called "big catch" in the 2009 signing class never panned out. But so many others did ― exceeding most expectations ― that it was another example of the inexact science of recruiting. Those who stayed, the fifth-year seniors, have experienced three consecutive Rose Bowls, wins in back-to-back Big Ten championship games and a victory over the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. Saturday, they will be making their final home appearance along with two sixth-year seniors (Curt Phillips and Brendan Kelly) and two notable members (Beau Allen and James White) from the 2010 class. As a group, they have left an indelible mark on Wisconsin football. "We had a bunch of guys who bought in and weren't afraid to work," said linebacker Conor O'Neill. "No matter what adversity hit us, we were going to still be there busting our butts. "I feel like that speaks volumes for our senior class in general and all the things that we've gone through. We brought our lunch pails each and every day, and we're all proud of that." Putting regional differences aside, they were able to mesh all of their unique personalities. O'Neill, White and Dez Southward are from the St. Thomas Aquinas program in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Phillips is from Tennessee and Kelly and Allen are from Minnesota. Such is the diversity. "Everybody brings something 12 // VARSITY November 28, 2013 different; everybody is from a different part of the country," said left guard Ryan Groy, who's from Middleton. "Everyone has their own quirks. That makes it fun. "I'd just say we've been a huge family. We're super close; nobody dislikes anybody. We're always there for each other and we have been since Day One. We really got close when we came in. "We haven't lost a lot of guys from our (recruiting) class which is rare. Normally, you have guys who will leave or transfer or get kicked off (the team). We haven't had a lot of those types of things." Wide receiver Kraig Appleton was the headliner in the 2009 class. But he didn't make it to the finish line, whereas two walk-ons, Ethan Armstrong and Ethan Hemer, became fixtures on defense. Oh, yes, there was another fairly impactful walk-on, Jared Abbrederis ― who was recruited to be the scout team quarterback and wound up being one of the top receivers in the Big Ten. "It's a great thing about Wisconsin in general," said defensive linemen Pat Muldoon. "When you walk in here, you don't even know who's a walk-on and who's not. You don't notice the difference. "There are guys who are fouryear starters who hang out with guys who never play. We have a really close knit group for how big it is … a great group of guys and a great group of football players." Tailback Montee Ball and center Travis Frederick never made it to their fifth year. Ball used up his four years of eligibility before leaving for the NFL; Frederick left one year on the table. Junior nose guard Warren Herring, who redshirted in 2010, has nothing but appreciation for how the seniors have managed the locker room and "kept everybody's heads up during the downs." Herring said that he will miss the camaraderie of "my D-line brothers" in the meeting room. "We have a mixed group of personalities," he said. "But we've learned how to put them all together." Added Herring, "I'm going to miss all the seniors. Every single one of them brings a different style; whether it's quiet or loud, they have kept people focused." Some of these seniors carry a higher profile than others. But for every Chris Borland that has earned the right to bask in the spotlight, there is a Jerry Ponio or a Kyle Zuleger in the shadows. "They haven't gotten a lot of hype," Groy said, "but they've been here from the beginning and they've worked really hard in practice and really fought their butts off on special teams." In the end, they will leave with no regrets. "I know I've made lifetime friends coming here," O'Neill said. "It was honestly the best decision in my life choosing Wisconsin. To know you're a Badger is something you can say with pride."