Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Play of the year? One Hail of a decision LUCAS AT LARGE MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM P lay of the Year? Can it be any other than Russell Wilson's clutch fourth-down pass to Jeff Duckworth, who fought through two Michigan State defen- sive backs to make the reception? It was not just ANY play because it was not just ANY game. It was the fourth quarter of the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. And it was definitely a game-changer. The 36-yard pitch-and-catch set up Wisconsin's game-winning touchdown. Maybe the least surprised observer was offensive tackle Josh Oglesby who said, "Duckworth has been making plays all year. He makes them every week in practice.'' Duckworth will be preserved in the Big Ten record book as the first player to score in the first league title game. He caught a 3-yard slant pass from Wilson at 10:04 of the first quarter, his first career score. At least he remembered running that route, unlike a slant against South Dakota.Wilson's throw and a defender arrived at the same time on the goal line — he didn't catch the pass but caught a blow to the head resulting in a concussion. "The ball came and everything went black,'' Duckworth said. As it did for the Spartans in Indianapolis. Duckworth was also involved in the longest pass play of the year for the Badgers — covering 66 yards against Purdue. Duckworth got open on wheel route and was dragged down on the 5-yard line. 10 » VARSITY DECEMBER 22, 2011 On his game-changer against MSU, Wilson said of Duckworth, "I had a feeling that he was going to come down with it. That's why I went to him.'' On that game-changing toss against the Spartans, Wilson said, "I had a feeling that he was going to come down with it. That's why I went to him.'' Wilson's instincts were pretty reliable. So was he. Wilson had a bunch of game- changing plays; none more defin- ing than runs of 20 and 19 yards in the second quarter against Penn State that led to a touchdown and a commanding 21-7 lead. "The guy put on a show,'' said UW safety Aaron Henry. "His moves were out of a video game.'' Montee Ball had some pretty nifty moves, too; especially on a twisting 4-yard touchdown run against Nebraska. Just ask All-Big Ten linebacker Lavonte David, who whiffed on the play. Minnesota safety Kim Royston knows what that feels like. Royston made the perfect read and was waiting in the alley for Ball, who planted a foot and had Royston tackling air on a 14-yard TD run. Before facing UNLV, Ball snick- ered when asked if he was "hun- gry'' to open the 2011 season. That qualified as a loaded question for someone who had lost 20 pounds. "Very hungry,'' said Ball, who weighed 210. "I really want to see how I feel at this weight in a game. I feel a lot more elusive.'' The rest is history — Big Ten his- tory for TDs scored — leaving him two shy of NCAA history. "Montee looks like one of those LA Weight Loss commercials,'' said backup tailback Jeff Lewis in late August. "People are going to be surprised and they will love it — the new Montee.'' Which has been more productive than the Full (sized) Montee. Defensive play of the year? How about Mike Taylor's interception of Nebraska's Taylor Martinez that reversed the momentum of the Big Ten opener late in the first half. The Huskers were clinging to a 14-13 lead. Taylor's pick was part of a 20-point second-period haymak- er that flattened the conference newbie. But it wasn't the biggest "blow'' struck this year. Taylor's tag-team partner, Chris Borland, "blew up'' 314-pound Penn State guard Johnnie Trout- man — knocking Troutman into tailback Silas Redd, who fumbled the ball on contact. In the Big Ten title game, Bor- land also "blew up'' Michigan State's Keshawn Martin who lost his helmet and skull cap. That re- leased a lot of pent-up frustrations for Badger fans everywhere. Hail yes.

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