UW aims to stand at attention
Off-field incidents could test Badgers
By JEFF POTRYKUS
Last Updated: Nov. 4, 2002
Madison - The ability of the University of Wisconsin coaches and players to keep their attention focused solely on the football field will be tested severely this week, perhaps more than ever before.
Although the Badgers (6-4 overall, 1-4 Big Ten) must focus on beating Illinois (3-6, 2-3) at 11:10 a.m. Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium in their quest to become bowl-eligible, it is conceivable that some of the players will be thinking about teammates Anthony Davis and Lee Evans.
Davis suffered a deep stab wound to his left thigh early Sunday morning in his Madison apartment and was taken to UW Hospital & Clinics for treatment. He was released Monday morning but his status for the Illinois game remains in doubt.
"I haven't had a chance to see him yet; Denny Helwig has visited with him," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said, referring to UW's veteran trainer. "Physically he feels much better. We'll know more a little bit more about where he is (later) today and tomorrow."
Tiffany Spears, 22, was arrested and booked into the Dane County jail. She faces charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety. According to police, Spears has been dating Davis and became angry that the relationship appeared to be ending. Davis was home in bed when Spears came to his apartment early Sunday morning and a fight ensued.
Davis did not require surgery, only stitches to close a half-inch hole in his thigh, according to Alvarez.
"He had to have a wound cleaned out," Alvarez said. "And he had an IV with antibiotics to make sure there was no infection. I was told that the puncture was very close to an artery, which would have been very, very serious."
An emergency-room physician said Monday that an athlete could return to the field in a matter of days if the wound was superficial and there was no damage to nerves or any major arteries. However, the physician added that if there was significant muscle damage, a player could be out several weeks.
Evans on Friday night was arrested while driving through Iowa County with several companions. The car Evans was driving was pulled over for a routine traffic stop by Village of Ridgeway police. Evans was arrested for possession of marijuana, though police have declined to say whether the drug was found on Evans.
Evans, who was also cited for speeding, posted $100 on the misdemeanor possession charge and was released.
No court date has been set for Evans, according to a spokesman in the Iowa County district attorney's office.
"It was a bad weekend and something I hope doesn't happen again real soon," said Wisconsin senior center Al Johnson, still trying to forget the 20-3 loss to Iowa on Saturday. "But now we have to move on."
However, another question likely to be on the minds of the players this week is whether senior Brooks Bollinger will be able to start at quarterback. Bollinger suffered a head injury late in the first half of the loss to Iowa on Saturday and did not return.
UW officials have declined to specify the nature of the injury but one player said after the game that Bollinger had suffered his second concussion in three weeks.
"He was tested yesterday and he will be tested again tomorrow to see where he is," Alvarez said. "He told me (Sunday) he felt better than he did two weeks ago when he had the similar test.
"We'll know where he is around practice time (Tuesday) and then we'll move forward."
That wouldn't be easy under normal circumstances.
After a promising 5-0 start, the Badgers have lost four of five Big Ten games. They were physically manhandled Saturday at Iowa. Although Wisconsin needs to win only one game to become bowl-eligible, Illinois will come to Madison in a desperate state. The Illini must win their remaining three games to secure a bowl berth.
"Right now our whole focus is becoming bowl-eligible," Johnson said. "And with three games left we have to worry about winning the first one. That is the message coach gave to us and the seniors are giving to the younger guys."
This is not the first time the Wisconsin players and coaches have faced such adversity late in the season.
With three games left in the 1994 season, star tailback Brent Moss was arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. Terrell Fletcher took over as the starter and rushed for 165 yards in a 38-7 victory over Cincinnati and added 192 in a 19-13, bowl-clinching victory over Illinois in the regular-season finale. Fletcher then capped his season with a 241-yard performance in the Badgers' 34-20 victory over Duke in the Hall of Fame Bowl.
Throughout that run, the staff reminded the players that whatever their feelings for their teammate, they had to maintain their focus on the field. The current staff faces the same task brought on by a different set of circumstances.
"That is our job as coaches," Alvarez said. "We try to address things immediately and get them out of the way so that our players can concentrate and be focused for the football game.
"Unfortunately, when you have 120 people, occasionally you're going to have some incidents. You deal with them and you move on. That is the only thing I know."
If Bollinger is unable to play against Illinois, backup Jim Sorgi probably would start, though he has been slowed by a bruised right forearm. If Davis is unable to play, freshman Dwayne Smith should get his first start.
"We've talked to our players to make sure they know what has happened and how we'll address it," Alvarez said. "Now let's concentrate it on football.
"We're jumping in with both feet. This is an important game for us. That will be our focus."
