Evridge ready to lead Badgers
Alan Evridge appeared relaxed and at ease as he fielded questions from inquiring minds Sunday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium.
Badgers fans hope that he will be as successful dodging blitzing linebackers and leading the University of Wisconsin football team to a successful season as he was at handling center stage on the team's annual media day.
"I have another year in the offense. It's just tremendous being able to sit back and watch somebody play and see their mistakes that they make and see what they do well,"
said Evridge, who served as the backup in 2007 to Tyler Donovan.
"You just try and learn as much as you can and use that year to build as much camaraderie with the guys as you can. There are a lot of things you can take from that."
If Evridge was concerned about his role this season, he didn't show it. The fifth-year senior whose career is winding down appeared cool and confident under the steady stream of questions, insisting he is throwing the ball better than he did in the spring and that he has a firm grasp of a deep and talented offense.
Proof, though, is in production and not in the potential. Evridge offered a glimpse that he is ready when he led the first-team offense on an 80-yard touchdown drive against the first-team defense to open Saturday's scrimmage. He turned in a solid performance that enhanced his bid to open the season as the starter.
"I love those types of situations and game situations are definitely the most fun,"
Evridge said. "It's always good when at first you can take the offense down the field 80 yards, especially against a solid defense like we have. We have a lot of great players on the other side of the ball."
Defensive lineman Mike Newkirk grudgingly admitted that he liked what he saw, although it came at the expense of his teammates on defense.
"He brings a lot of things to the table. He is very mobile. He is very mature. He provides good leadership on the field and in the locker room,"
Newkirk said. "Hopefully, whoever the starter turns out to be, we have confidence in either one."
No matter who is behind the center, he will have a potentially explosive offensive with a potent running game, including returning starter P.J. Hill, who is just the third back in UW history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, and an All-America tight end in leading receiver Travis Beckum.
The Badgers also return four starters in the offensive line, while new center John Moffitt started the last six games a year ago.
