Notes: Biegel gets first start
MADISON, Wis. - Sophomore outside linebacker Vince Biegel was credited with just one tackle in the first start of his career, but it wasn't for a lack of effort. Biegel was in the backfield early and often against the Boilermakers, but was often just an inch or two too early or too late to make many more big plays.
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Andersen said Biegel handled the moment well for a young player, and without looking at the game tape yet he thought Biegel performed well.
"This will be a great learning tool for Vince, because he hasn't had a lot of opportunities," Andersen said. "I'm sure there's some good and bad in there, but he played extremely hard. I didn't see any blown assignments at all. He didn't seem overwhelmed by the moment. He didn't look starry-eyed."
Biegel said he couldn't really evaluate his own performance without watching it, but admitted that he was a little extra amped-up for the first start of his career.
"Overall I thought I performed well," Biegel said. "I thought I gave all my effort, and that's all you can ask for. I was excited to get out there- it was my mom's birthday so everything kind of fell in place."
Badgers banged up for OSU?
The Wisconsin Badgers trounced Purdue 41-10 on Saturday afternoon, but the win came with a price. At least four starters from the beginning of the season either didn't play against the Boilermakers or left the game with new injuries, which could leave the Badgers short-handed next weekend when they travel to Columbus for a game with No. 4 Ohio State.
Brendan Kelly, Peniel Jean, Jacob Pedersen and Dallas Lewallen all either left the game early or didn't play at all, but head coach Gary Andersen said he wasn't sure just how severe any of their injuries were.
"I didn't even talk to the trainers before coming in here, so we'll see," Andersen said. "I don't think anything seems to be a huge problem, but we'll know a lot more tomorrow. Obviously we need everybody we can get for this next game."
Konrad Zagzebski also left the game in the second half, and the Badgers went in to the game without wide receivers Kenzel Doe and Jeff Duckworth. Young players like Rob Wheelwright and Alex Erickson saw the field in their place, but the Badgers can't afford to go without key contributors like Pedersen and Jean for long, especially when Wisconsin's game with Ohio State next could very well determine if either team heads to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game.
Andersen shakes up kicking game
Kyle French had a good day as Wisconsin's place kicker- he made all five of his extra point attempts in the game and hit two field goals, one from 32 yards and another from 27 yards. But Andersen shook up the kicking game a little bit when he had Andrew Endicott handle the kickoffs midway through the second quarter. Andersen said he likes to have one person handle the placekicking and another kicker handle the kickoffs, although he didn't know he'd activate Endicott when the game first started.
"I promise you, when [Andrew] went to bed last night he had no thought that he would be kicking the ball off, and neither did I," Andersen said.
Endicott kicked off five times for 303 yards, which averages out to 60.6 yards per kick. He did force one touchback, and said overall it was a good day for Wisconsin's specialists.
"The first couple kicks in to the wind were a little shorter than I wanted, but I can't complain," Endicott said. "After halftime I started feeling in a groove. I felt good, it was fun … we all did out jobs well. It was a good day."
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