Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Varsity - April 26, 2012

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Newcomer Voltz 'snaps' into center spot LUCAS AT LARGE MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM pun; the notion that learning a new position has been anything but a "snap'' for the former high school guard and tackle. Make that anything but a "good snap'' — which he makes more often than not. It's the bad snaps that have Voltz, a fresh- man center, working overtime on his mechanics with the quar- terbacks. "I've taken more snaps outside of practice than I've taken dur- ing practice,'' Voltz said. "It's a work in progress and it's still coming along. But it's definitely a repetition skill, for sure.'' Prior to enrolling for the sec- ond semester — he was a mid- term graduate from Barrington (Ill.) High School — Voltz had never snapped a football in a competitive situation. Y "It's completely different from playing guard or tackle, obvi- ously, because you have to snap and move at the same time,'' said Voltz, who was recruited by almost every top 25 program. "I'm more comfortable now with it than I was at the start of spring ball. But I have to keep getting reps in practice and after practice.'' Nothing draws the ire of a coach more than when the ball is on the turf after a bad exchange. Voltz understands. "It's disap- pointing because the play can't 10 » VARSITY APRIL 26, 2012 ou couldn't blame Dan Voltz for cringing at the play on the words, the go on if you can't get the snap,'' he said. With the loss of Peter Konz to the NFL draft, Travis Frederick has taken over as UW's starting center. Voltz has been working with the No. 2 offense. Displaying good instincts, Voltz has gone to school on Frederick, a team leader. "He has helped me in a vo- cal and direct way,'' Voltz said. "But the most priceless thing for me is just watching him every day; watching his techniques and everything he does has been invaluable.'' He has learned getting on the same page with the quarterback is vital. "We have to be one unit because we're both making calls and we have to be in sync,'' Voltz said. "Communication is a key.'' For whatever reason, Voltz and quarterback Joe Brennan have struggled the most with their exchanges. As a result, they've been working together on the snap after every practice. "Each quarterback is a little different,'' said Voltz. "The snap itself has to be second nature, and it's getting that way for me as I get more reps.'' A month ago, Voltz got a chance to visit with Konz, a potential first-round draft pick. "Knowing he's the best center in the country,'' he said, "just hear- ing a few words from him was inspirational.'' Konz was an All-American; so was right guard Kevin Zeitler. Voltz inherited Zeitler's No. 70 jersey, but it came with a condi- tion. He had to ask permission. "He told me that he wanted to see me practice with it on to make sure I was worthy,'' Voltz said with a smile. "He came to our first day of pads and after- ward he said, 'It's OK.' That was my initiation.'' The good-natured Voltz knew where the playful Zeitler was coming from — he knew he was just goofing around. Voltz and Zeitler got to know each other during the recruiting process. Since then, Voltz has changed his body considerably. At the start of the semester, he weighed 270. Going into Saturday's spring game at Camp Randall, he will be carrying 296 pounds. "I don't feel like I'm any slow- er," he said, "but I'm way stron- ger and it has helped me on the field. Playing inside, you have to be big and strong. If you're not, you're going to get tossed around, so having that extra weight is a confidence thing. "It hasn't set me back. It's been a positive.'' His early college enrollment has been another positive, Voltz said, knowing "I'm going to be comfortable with the guys and the new position and I'm going to be able to jump into training camp.'' He was making a snap judg- ment, of course.

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