UW football All-Decade Team: Offense
With 2010 right around the corner and Wisconsin headed to its eighth straight bowl appearance Tuesday against Miami, BadgerBlitz.com takes a look back at the last decade of Badger football.
Attempting to come up with a two-deep of the greatest players to play for UW from 2000 to 2009, criteria for this list was based on a player's body of work during their time in Madison, not on their prep or pro career.
Advertisement
Players that played on the 2000 Badger team were eligible for this list, even if it was their last season in cardinal and white. Players that played against Stanford in the 2000 Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 were not eligible.
This list was constructed by BadgerBlitz.com staff members Jon McNamara, Tom Lea, Kyle Heikkinen and Elliott Connor. Room for debate clearly exists and we encourage readers to head to the Badgers' Den to voice their opinion.
The following is a list of the greatest offensive players over the last 10 years, the first of a two-part series.
All-Decade First Team (Offense)
QB: Brooks Bollinger (1999-2002)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A four-year starter at quarterback, Bollinger finished with a 30-12 record (3-0 in bowl games, including a Rose Bowl win in 2000) and the school's rushing mark for quarterbacks with 1,767 yards and 26 touchdowns. Drafted by the Jets in the sixth round in 2003.
FB: Matt Bernstein (2002-2005)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Originally from Scarsdale, N.Y., Bernstein quickly became a fan favorite in Madison. The "Hebrew Hammer" may best be remembered for his 27-attempt, 123-yard performance in a 16-3 win over Penn State, a game that happened to fall during Yom Kippur. After starting every game as a junior, a neck injury plagued him for much of his senior season.
RB: Anthony Davis (2001-2004)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
In his first two seasons, Davis rushed for 3,022 yards with 17 100-yard games. Ankle injuries, however, cost him five games as a junior in 2003, a year he was expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy. Selected in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round.
WR: Lee Evans (1999-2003)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2001 and 2003, Evans bounced back from a torn ACL suffered in the spring game (2002) to lead the Badgers to a huge home win over Ohio State in his final season in Madison. Now playing in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, the team that selected him with the 13th pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.
WR: Chris Chambers (1997-2000)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Played in just nine games as a senior (stress fracture in his right foot), but Chambers still had 52 receptions for 813 yards and five touchdowns, good for a second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection. Finished his collegiate career with 127 receptions for 2,004 yards and 16 touchdowns. Three-year starter for the Badgers.
TE: Travis Beckum (2005-2008)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A converted linebacker, Beckum exploded as an H-back in the Badger offense. As a junior, the former Oak Creek star was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award and was named a second-team All-American by Walter Camp and SI.com.
LT: Joe Thomas (2003-2006)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Arguably the top Badger offensive lineman of all time, Thomas won the Outland Trophy as a senior at UW. The Brookfield Central product was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the third pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
LG: Dan Buenning (2001-2004)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A four-year starter, Buenning's list of accolades include a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2003 and second-team AP All-American recognition in 2004.
C: Al Johnson (1999-2002)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A 2002 Rimington Trophy finalist for the nation's top center, Johnson was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior. Started three years on the Badger offensive line with his cousin, Ben Johnson, along side him at left tackle.
RG: Kraig Urbik (2005-2008)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
One of the more versatile lineman ever to play at Camp Randall, Urbik was a first team All-Big Ten selection by Rivals.com and ESPN.com first-team All-American in 2008. Started 45 consecutive games before he injured his knee against Penn State in his final season.
RT: Eric VandenHeuvel (2005-2008)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Played as a true freshman and started 35 career games for the Badgers. All-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2008.
All-Decade Second Team (Offense)
QB: John Stocco (2003-2006)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
An underrated player, Stocco was 29-7 as a starter at Wisconsin and completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 7,227 yards and 47 career touchdowns. The Minnesota native threw for 206 yards and two scores in a 17-14 win over Arkansas in his final collegiate game. The Badgers ended the season 12-1 and with a No. 7 ranking.
FB: Chris Pressley (2005-2008)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A monster in the weight room, Pressley's max squat was over 670 pounds during his time in Madison. Was the starting fullback in 2005, 2007 and 2008 before moving onto the NFL.
RB: P.J. Hill (2005-2008)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
During a career hampered with injuries, Hill is still one of just two players in Wisconsin history to have rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. Hill ranks third on the school's career rushing yardage list with 3,942 yards and is tied for third on Wisconsin's career rushing touchdowns list with 42.
WR: Brandon Williams (2002-2005)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Williams was named a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior in 2005, hauling in 59 passes for 1,095 yards.
As a freshman, Williams played in all 14 games, including six starts and was second-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News.
WR: Jonathan Orr (2002-2005)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A threat both deep and over the middle, Orr was a two-year starter for the Badgers.
TE: Owen Daniels (2002-2005)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A converted quarterback, Daniels set the tone for the H-back position that is now dominant in the Badger offense. During his career at Wisconsin, Daniels played in 43 games and recorded 62 receptions for 852 yards.
LT: Gabe Carimi (2006-present)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
A 2009 first-team All-Big Ten selection by media and second-team All-Big Ten by coaches, Carimi will likely be a four-year starter when he leaves UW after the 2010 season.
LG: Bill Ferrario (1997-2000)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Another four-year starter, Ferrario started all 50 games in his career (only the 3rd player in Big Ten history to accomplish this) and helped Wisconsin win back-to-back Rose Bowl Championships in 1999 and 2000.
C: Donovan Raiola (2002-2005)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Known for his nasty play on the field, Raiola started three years at center for the Badgers before beginning his NFL career.
RG: Jonathan Clinkscale (2001-2004)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Quietly, Clinkscale was a four-year starter at right guard from 2001 to 2004.
RT: Jason Jowers (1999-2002)
" width="70" height="84" align="right">
Two-year starter at right tackle for the Badgers during Anthony Davis' most productive years.
Note: Photos used in this piece were collected from the Associated Press
