"IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY LOCKED-IN AND
REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT A VACATION," ALLEN
SAID. "YOU'RE THERE TO WIN A GAME. IN
THE PAST, WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH
THAT. WE JUST HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED."
on Vincent Smith.
During Sunday's presser announcing the South
Carolina-Wisconsin pairing, there were a number
of references to Clowney, who looms potentially as
the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. When Wozniak was
asked if he had seen the Clowney/Smith collision,
he said, "Yes, every day on SportsCenter."
So it seems. For the longest time, it did run just
about every day.
Nose guard Beau Allen inserted his tongue in
cheek and said, "I've definitely seen him (Clowney)
play; I think everyone has. He's always kind of in
the spotlight. But I think our O-line goes against the
most talented and athletic defensive line every day
44
//
VARSITY December 12, 2013
(in practice)."
Allen then delivered the second half of the punch
line. "I don't know if No. 7 is that much more athletic than No. 96 in red," he said. Clowney is No. 7;
Allen is No. 96 in red. "I was just joking," he said.
Seriously, though, can the more experienced
players on this Wisconsin team apply anything that
they've learned from the Rose Bowls to their Cap
One Bowl assignment against South Carolina?
"It might seem trivial but it's really important to
stay focused when you're at the bowl site," Allen
said. "It's important to stay locked-in and realize
that it's not a vacation. You're there to win a game.
In the past, we've done a good job with that. We just
have to stay focused."
That shouldn't be a problem for the Badgers ―
not when the players can draw on the lasting memory of consecutive Rose Bowl losses or the fresh
memory of that disappointing Senior Day loss to
Penn State in the regular season finale. "We definitely want to make a statement," Allen said.
Just like they did the last time they played in Orlando.
