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By EVAN FLOOD Dec 31, 2:42 PM
On the eve of the 106th Rose Bowl
Game between No. 6 Oregon (11-2) and No. 8 Wisconsin (10-3), it's time to look
back on a memorable decade for the Badgers.
Since
2010, UW has played in six New Year's Six bowl games, including four trips to
the Rose Bowl. Only Alabama (8), Clemson (8), Ohio State (8) and Oklahoma (8)
played in more during the decade. During that span, Wisconsin has amassed 102
total wins, seven double-digit win seasons, and three Big Ten Conference
titles.
Wisconsin's
102 victories are the fifth-most among power-five teams this decade, trailing
only Alabama (123), Ohio State (117), Clemson (116), and Oklahoma (109).
Over the last 10 years, UW has
also sent nearly 40 players to the NFL Draft, with more coming following the
2019 season. The Badgers have also produced 11 consensus first-team
All-Americans, nine individual major award winners, and six top-10 finishes for
the Heisman Trophy.
It's
time to take a trip down memory lane as Badger247 names our All-Decade Team for
2010-2019.
BIGGEST SNUBS
Dan Voltz -
Career was cut short due to injury. Was a two-time All-Big Ten selection.
Bradie Ewing -
Fifth round pick of the Falcons in 2012
Montee
Ball - Doak Walker Award
winner in 2012. Heisman Trophy finalist and Big Ten Offensive Player of the
Year in 2011. Second round pick by the Broncos.
Jacob Pedersen -
Finished seventh at UW with 17 touchdown receptions, most by a tight end in
program history. Had just shy of 1,400 career receiving yards.
Kyle Costigan -
Consensus first-team All-Big Ten as a senior.
Jack Cichy -
Career cut short by injuries. Sixth round pick by the Buccaneers.
David Edwards -
Fifth round pick by the Rams. Two-time second team All-Big Ten.
Ryan Connelly -
Butkus Award semifinalist. Had 251 tackles and 29 for loss.
Darius Hillary -
Started 40 consecutive games at cornerback, played in a school record 54
contests. Owns 19 career pass breakups.
Tanner McEvoy -
Former quarterback and wide receiver that moved to safety. In just two seasons
at the position, McEvoy posted seven interceptions.
Andrew Van Ginkel -
Had 12.0 sacks in his two seasons at UW. Fifth round pick of the Dolphins.
QUARTERBACK - RUSSELL WILSON
Russell Wilson only
played one season at Wisconsin, but the North Carolina State transfer shredded
numerous single-season passing marks in 2011. A finalist for the Manning and
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards, Wilson led the Badgers to the 2011 Big Ten
Championship by throwing for 3,175 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 73
percent of his pass attempts. A third round pick of Seattle, Wilson won a Super
Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013 and has been named to the Pro Bowl seven times.
RUNNING BACK - MELVIN GORDON
Tough call here, but as a hypothetical coach, I've gotta go with
the guy who doesn't put the ball on the ground and is more of an all-around
back. The 2014 Doak Walker Award winner, Melvin Gordon had
a junior season that was worthy of winning the Heisman Trophy, rushing for
2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns. In just three seasons, which were spent sharing
carries with James White, Montee
Ball, and Corey Clement, Gordon
racked up nearly 5,000 yards rushing and 45 touchdowns, averaging 7.6 yards per
carry. Gordon was a first round draft pick of the Chargers in 2015.
FULLBACK - DEREK WATT
Another difficult call here, but I like my fullbacks mean and
nasty. That's where I think Derek Watt has
the edge. He's not the versatile, utility fullback, but when I need a yard on 4th
and 1, I can count on Watt to make a hole. Watt played in 47 games over his UW
career and was a sixth round draft of the Chargers.
WIDE RECEIVERS - JARED ABBREDERIS,
QUINTEZ CEPHUS
Jared Abbrederis was
a fifth round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2014. A two-time
first-team All-Big Ten selection, Abbrederis owns 3,140 career receiving yards
and 23 touchdowns. Abbrederis also won the Burlsworth Trophy as the best player
in college football who began their career as a walk-on.
Currently
in his third year with UW, Quintez Cephus has
1,437 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. As a junior, Cephus has posted 842
yards and six scores. From a talent standpoint, he could be the best wide
receiver for the Badgers since Lee Evans.
TIGHT END - TROY FUMAGALLI
Troy Fumagalli was
a fifth round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018. He was a two-time All-Big Ten
pick, including a first-team selection as a senior. Also named the Big Ten's
top tight end in 2017, Fumagalli was a finalist for the Mackey Award and a
second-team AP All-American. Over his career, Fumagalli caught 135 passes for
1,627 yards and seven touchdowns and was one of the better blocking tight ends
for UW in recent memory as well.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT: Gabe Carimi - Outland
Trophy winner and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2010. Unanimous
first-team All-American. First round pick of the Bears in 2011.
LG: Travis Frederick -
First true freshman to ever start a season opener on the offensive line. First-team
All-American in 2012, first round pick by the Cowboys, five-time Pro Bowl
selection.
RT: Ryan Ramczyk -
First-team All-American and consensus first-team All-Big Ten as a junior. First
round pick by the Saints.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Wisconsin's had its most
successful defenses in the 3-4, so we're going to stick with that scheme.
J.J. Watt is
an easy pick. In two seasons, Watt recorded 11.5 sacks and was named first-team
All-Big Ten as well as a second-team All-American as a junior. A first round
pick by the Texans, Watt has led the NFL in sacks twice and been named to the
Pro Bowl five times.
Olive Sagapolu was
one of the biggest unsung heroes for the Badgers. For four years, Sagapolu did
the dirty work in the middle of the 3-4 defense, registering 61 tackles, 10 for
loss, and 6.0 sacks. He was also freakishly athletic for a 6-foot-2, 330-pound
lineman.
Since
UW turned to the 3-4 defense, no defensive end had more sacks in a single season
than Alec James. A
second-team All-Big Ten pick as a senior, James had 11.0 career sacks,
including 6.5 as a senior.
LINEBACKER
OLB: Joe Schobert -
First-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, and Big Ten linebacker of the
year as a senior. Was a fourth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in
2016.
ILB: Chris Borland - Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in
2013 as well as a first-team All-American. Was named first-team All-Big Ten for
three-straight years (2011-13). Third round pick by the 49ers.
ILB: T.J. Edwards -
Two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection. First-team All-American as a senior.
Had a very impressive 10 career interceptions to go along with 367 total
tackles and 36 f0r loss.
OLB: T.J. Watt - First
round pick of the Steelers in 2017. First-team All-Big Ten and second-team
All-American in his final season as a junior.
CORNERBACK - SOJOURN SHELTON, ANTONIO
FENELUS
Sojourn Shelton was
a four-year starter for the Badgers. He was an All-Big Ten pick three different
seasons, including first-team as a senior. He started a school record 51 games.
His nine career interceptions rank eighth on UW's all-time list, while his 41
pass breakups stand fourth.
Antonio Fenelus finished
his career with nine interceptions as well. He also logged 155 total tackles
from the cornerback spot. As a senior, he was named first-team All-Big Ten.
SAFETY - AARON HENRY, MICHAEL CAPUTO
Michael Caputo was
one of the toughest players to ever put on a Badger uniform. He finished his career
with 244 tackles, including 10 for loss at the safety spot. Caputo was also a
three-time All-Big Ten pick and a second-team All-American (FWAA) as a junior.
Aaron Henry owns
181 tackles and seven interceptions. He was also a consensus first-team All Big
Ten selection as a senior and took home All-Big Ten honors in three different
seasons.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker - Rafael Gaglianone was
arguably the most clutch kicker in program history. Gaglianone made four
game-winning kicks, the most ever by a Wisconsin kicker. His 70 field goals are
also a program record. Gaglianone made 76.1 percent of his field goal attempts,
a mark that stands fifth in UW history.
Punter - Brad Nortman has
a punting average of 42.1, which ranks third in program history. Nortman also
ranks fourth with 8,338 career punting yards.
Kick
Returner - David Gilreath returned
a school record 135 kickoffs and his 3,025 kickoff yards sit atop UW's all-time
list.
Punter
Returner - Jared Abbrederis ranks
sixth in UW history with 582 punt return yards. His 10.7 average yards on
returns stands fifth.
