WISCONSIN: Four Days and Counting

After starting the season 3-0 and ranked in the top 10, Wisconsin has lost five of six and is suddenly struggling to gain bowl eligibility. HoosierNation.com continues its day-by-day preview of this weekend's match-up with “Four Names to Know” off of the Badger roster…

John Clay, RB – the Badger tailback who has the name that everyone knows is P.J. Hill, but as of late Clay has been the more productive runner. The sophomore has rushed 55 times for 288 yards in the last three games compared to the 32 carries for 149 yards amassed by Hill. Since Big Ten play opened, Clay has averaged 75.3 yards/game and 5.8 yards/carry compared to Hill’s 56.7 yards/game and 4.0 yards per carry. The 6-2, 237-pound Clay missed his entire freshman season due to academic ineligibility, which also prevented him from practicing with the team or from accepting financial aid in 2007. But he’s returned to the field this fall and steadily wrestled carries away from Hill. Clay has earned only one start this season, but he should get just as many carries as Hill does on Saturday.

David Gilreath, WR - The Badgers lost their best receiver a week and a half ago when All-America tight end Travis Beckum was lost for the season with a broken leg. In his absence the Badger passing game has had to turn to others, including the 5’11”, 165-pound Gilreath. Gilreath has caught only 21 passes on the season, but his 14.8 yards/reception is tops among UW players with 10 or more catches, and he is a constant home run threat due to his tremendous speed. Indiana will also have to be concerned about Gilreath in the running game (he carries four times for 49 yards last week against Michigan State) as well on special teams. Gilreath is the team’s primary kick returner and punt returner, and he’s averaged 21.3 and 7.9 yards/return, respectively.

Matt Shaughnessy, DE - Wisconsin hasn’t had a great deal of success pressuring opposing quarterbacks this season, totaling a Big Ten-worst 14 sacks thus far. Shaughnessy is among those who hasn’t had the sort of season he had hoped for with only three sacks and six tackles for loss in their first nine games. That’s a far cry from a year ago, when Shaughnessy ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 18 tackles for loss, three of which came in Wisconsin’s 33-3 win over Indiana. Shaughnessy was a big reason why UW held IU’s offense in check a year ago in Madison, as he totaled five tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass broken up and had three additional quarterback hurries. He’ll be hoping to rekindle some of last year’s magic against an IU offensive line that has been banged up. Whether he lines up opposite true freshman Justin Pagan at left tackle or first-year starter Mike Stark at right tackle, Shaugnessy is someone for the IU to be very concerned about this weekend. He had three of his six tackles for loss last weekend against Michigan State, so he could be poised for a big game.

Garrett Graham, TE - Graham used to be considered the “other” tight end for the Badgers, but the loss of Travis Beckum and the arrival of quarterback Dustin Sherer has made Graham a primary offensive weapon. Graham leads Wisconsin in receptions (30), receiving yards (398) and receiving touchdowns (four), and he’s been the favorite target of Sherer since he moved into the starting lineup three weeks ago. Graham has caught six passes in each of the last three games, and he’s led the team in receiving yards in each of those contests. His 18 receptions during that span is nearly triple the next best total for a Badger receiver (Gilreath, 7). It will likely fall to Geno Johnson to keep Graham from having a fourth consecutive big game this weekend.

What’s coming up:
On Monday - Five Numbers to Note
On Tuesday Four Names to Know
On Wednesday – Three Key Match-Ups
On Thursday – Two Big Concerns
On Friday – One Bold Prediction