Mike Lucas called the Badgers game on Saturday against Illinois, and here is what he had to say about a big effort by guys who started the year buried on the depth chart to aid in getting a win.
"Jim Leonhard's challenge has been to mix, match & patch secondary. Mission accomplished without starting safeties (D'Cota Dixon, Scott Nelson). Evan Bondoc, a senior who has waited til his fifth year to get his first start, delivered in Leo Musso fashion teaming with Eric Burrell"
"It has gotten to the point with Jonathan Taylor that his 100-yard-plus rushing games are generally underappreciated because they've come with such regularity despite every defense keying on him. If there was a Comeback Player of the Year award in the B10, Taiwan Deal would win it"
"Amid all the graduation losses, and injuries, inside linebackers Ryan Connelly and TJ Edwards have been the unflinching constants, the catalysts. The temptation is to almost take them for granted b/c they've been so reliable and productive regardless of the personnel combinations"