Madison — Wisconsin is preparing for its first rivalry game of the season, and the first ever for many new Badgers. For older players, this week is an opportunity to face a familiar teammate, as ex-Badgers quarterback Deacon Hill will start just the second game of his career against his old team.
“I’m excited for him to play, but also it’s time for us to show that we can play defense and shut them out,” said James Thompson Jr.
On Saturday, Wisconsin will play against another storied Big Ten program in Iowa, which the Badgers have faced 96 times prior. But there’ll be more than just program familiarity.
After the original Hawkeye starting quarterback, Cade McNamara, tore his ACL two weeks ago, they turned to a former Badger in Hill. He came to Wisconsin as a three-star recruit, according to Rivals, but never played any meaningful snaps in Madison. This led to Hill entering the transfer portal and ultimately choosing Iowa this past offseason.
After waiting patiently for over two years, Hill finally saw real game action after McNamara went down against Michigan State. He was thrust into the role by surprise, and his inexperience was somewhat obvious.
Hill entered in just the second drive and finished the game completing 11 of 27 passes for 115 yards, a touchdown and an interception. More impressively, he led the Hawkeyes to a win despite his team finishing with just 61 rushing yards.
He didn’t fare quite as well last week against Purdue, in his first full game starting. He completed just six of 21 passes, none going to receivers, for 110 yards, a touchdown and an interception. They beat the Boilermakers 20-14, a team that the Badgers beat 38-17 just three weeks ago.
He’ll now turn his attention toward his former team, full of his ex-teammates. The reunion has forced certain UW defenders to treat the game slightly differently than just any other matchup. They’ve even used Hill’s departure as motivation.
“We’re trying to get him back because he left and went to our rival,” said Jordan Turner. “We don’t like that over here in Wisconsin.”
Thompson, an end who has become one of Wisconsin’s best defenders, will be on the front lines against his old teammate. He expressed his joy to see Hill finally start, but will also take advantage of the familiarity, and plans on using “mind games” to motivate himself.
“You get mentally prepared, like ‘that’s our brother, you left for that team’,” Thompson said. “You try to get personal.”
Yet, they also understand how much this game will mean for Hill.
“We know he’ll have a little chip on his shoulder because he’s going against his old team,” said Thompson. “He might do something new, he might play his best game.”
Many Badgers have seen him play more than almost anybody. They know his strengths, weaknesses and tendencies.
“He has a great deep ball, can throw the ball a million miles per hour,” Jake Chaney said. “He’s not really gonna run the ball, but he’s a willing quarterback, a capable quarterback, so you can’t go to sleep on him.”
It’ll be tougher for the new-look coaching staff to face a player with such little game tape, without the familiarity of seeing and being around him for two years.
“There's not a whole lot here, other than the players who know who he is and know a lot more about him, and are probably still connected to him and friends,” said Luke Fickell. “But it's hard to get into all that. I think you just gotta make sure you do your job, evaluate how they're using him in different ways. And that's where I think they've evolved a little bit.”
Regardless of Hill’s skillset, the players understand that they’re still playing Iowa. They’re a storied program with a recognizable offensive tradition and style, similar to Wisconsin.
“It’s Iowa, so it’s their offense,” Turner said. “They changed the little stuff since they let Deacon come in, but it’s still about the same.”
The players may have their minds on the intricacies of the matchup, but this upcoming game will be just another battle against one of Wisconsin’s biggest rivals. The two programs have played 96 times, with Wisconsin leading the series 49-45-2. This is also an opportunity to add hardware to their trophy case with the Heartland Trophy, a symbol of this storied rivalry.
“That’s what we come here for. Games like this and Minnesota, Nebraska,” said Chaney. “This feels like Wisconsin football, going against a team like Iowa.”
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