MADISON, Wis. — Just the second time this spring the Badgers are outdoors, inside Camp Randall for practice. The first thing we noticed? Tempo, tempo, tempo. It's up.
Lance Allan: "Is that what you noticed from moment one in a Luke Fickell practice?"
Chimere Dike: "No doubt, today was up-tempo, it was hot too for the first time. We're definitely getting into shape and we're prepared for the speed we're going to play at as anybody in the country so it's definitely something we can use to our advantage."
Joe Brunner: "Very fast pace, faster than anything I've ever done, but the offense allows you to go fast-paced. It allows you to go fast, you know what you're doing at all times. That means you play fast, and if you make a mistake, you do it at a hundred miles per hour. It makes us all better, it makes the defense better as well. They won't see an offense like this in the Big Ten. It's extremely fast. I love it."
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Lance: "Tempo, tempo, tempo, it just seems like it's up a notch. What do you notice out there."
Hunter Wohler: "You said right there. It's fast. It's non-stop go, go, go, and that's what we need. When you get to the game you need to be conditioned, you need to be able to think on the fly, when stuff's moving fast and you're kind of in a panic. That's what the coaches are forcing us to do. This is exactly what we need."
The first time that you, the general public can see this team up close and personal? April 22, the launch.
Whitefish Bay's Brunner keeping up to speed at Badgers practices
Whitefish Bay’s Joe Brunner is growing into his position at left guard with the second unit at Wisconsin. And you also notice another thing growing. His hair.
"Oh man," Brunner smiles. "Trust the process, right? I’m a big guy, I don’t think short hair fits me and the beard was getting patchy. Beards run in the family. They say you have to trust the process, so I trusted it. I got the mullet too. That’s the flaw."
To most observers of practice, the most noticeable change has been the faster tempo of the workouts. Badgers fans will get their first look at the team on April 22 during an event called, "The Launch."
"Very fast-paced," Brunner says. "Faster than anything I’ve ever done. But the offense allows you to go fast, you know what you’re doing all the time, so that means you play fast. If you make a mistake, do it going a hundred miles per hour. It makes us all better. It makes the defense better. They won’t see an offense like this in the Big Ten. I love it, it’s awesome."
Brunner tries to keep tabs on Whitefish Bay as much as he can. He says to watch out for those Blue Dukes in baseball this spring. He played until eighth grade.
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