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'Road Graders' Play To Strength

Jim Reed/Tribune photo

The Badgers' offensive line, practicing at Jefferson High last week, is a product of its home state.

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 29, 2007

Updated: 12/29/2007 09:33 pm

TAMPA - Genius takes many forms. In the case of Wisconsin Badgers football, it comes in the oversized shape of strong young men, cheese-fed and element-hardened.

Over the years different schools have earned various distinctions as sites of success. Penn State is said to be Linebacker U. Southern Cal is where tailbacks go to become famous. And Miami once had a pretty nice run with quarterbacks.

It is, however, the Badgers - New Year's Day Outback Bowl opponent for the Tennessee Volunteers - who reflect their state's indigenous natural resources like no other by producing an assembly line of offensive linemen.

"One thing we do have an abundance of in Wisconsin is big people," Badgers coach Bret Bielema said. "And big people usually make good O-linemen."

The best in the country last season may have been Badgers tackle Joe Thomas, a two-time All-American who was taken No. 3 in the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. In 2005 Wisconsin guard Dan Buenning was a fourth-round pick by the Buccaneers. Paul Gruber came to the Bucs from Wisconsin, too. He played in Tampa Bay from 1988 to 1999 and went to three Pro Bowls. In 1999 tackle Chris McIntosh was a finalist for the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman, and was a first-round pick by Seattle.

From this year's team, tackle Gabe Carimi earned second-team freshman All-American notice; center Marcus Coleman is first-team All-Big Ten; and guard Kraig Urbik second-team all-conference.

It only makes sense. If you have firewood stacked high on the back porch, are you going to burn coal to heat the house? If you are harvesting apples from an orchard, do you really want to send out for peach cobbler?

In what has become the fingerprint of Badgers football is simply a case of playing to their strength.

When Barry Alvarez, now the Badgers' athletic director, was hired as head coach in 1990, the answer to turning the sagging program around was obvious.

"For me, it all went back to, 'We can get big guys,'" Alvarez said. "Our state is just loaded with big guys. You got to keep the best players at home. If there is a Division I player in Wisconsin, we want to keep him there. And we haven't lost many over the years. It just turns out most of those guys are linemen.

"Our heart and soul would come from Wisconsin, but the hands and feet can come from elsewhere."

Fifteen times since 1990 a Badgers offensive lineman has been a first-team All-Big Ten selection. Eight seasons during that same period, a Wisconsin offensive lineman has received some level of All-American honors. Seven times the school has had a finalist or semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy, Outland Trophy or Remington Award - honors that go respectively to the nation's top lineman, interior lineman and center.

Big men have meant big accomplishments for the Badgers. On Tuesday at Raymond James Stadium, they will be making their 12th bowl appearance in 15 years. They are 9-3 in the postseason and are playing on New Year's Day for the fourth consecutive year.

"Obviously, at Wisconsin we want to run the ball," Coleman said. "So I'd say the tradition is guys who just like to play physical and get after it - kind of maulers who like to block."

After a 42-21 loss to the Badgers to open the season, Washington State coach Bill Doba called the Badgers' offensive front "road graders."

Heavy machinery would be wise to check under the bed for these Badgers before going to sleep at night.

Carimi, the freshman, is 6-foot-8 and weighs 292 pounds. Coleman is a 6-6, 295-pound center. Urbik is 6-6, 332. Right guard Andy Kemp stands 6-6, 324; and left guard John Moffitt is 6-4 and 307.

The Badgers' offensive line should be one of UW's biggest advantages against Tennessee. The Volunteers have managed 21 sacks all season, with just four coming from their two starting defensive ends. Also, Vols coach Phil Fulmer is being forced to shake up his linebacker corps.

"It's going to be a big challenge," Fulmer said.

Literally.

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534 or melliott@tampatrib.com.

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