Three and Out with Mike Lucas: Oregon State
September 07, 2012 | Mike Lucas
BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com
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| Beau Allen |
MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin defensive tackle Beau Allen will always remember his first -- his first college sack. While it came long after the outcome of last season’s game against Oregon State had been determined, it was still a special moment for Allen, who sacked quarterback Sean Mannion for a 10-yard loss.
I knew their slide protection call from the previous play,’’ Allen said of a Mannion completion to Jovan Stevenson. “So I knew they were going to slide to my right. I hit the guard with an outside move and I got my first sack and celebrated really hard after the play with Tyler Dippel.’’
Allen wasn’t grandstanding with his UW teammate, Dippel, a junior defensive end.
Knowing how hard it is to get pressure on a quarterback from Allen’s gridlocked position on the defense, he was merely savoring the TFL. “I remember being really tired the next play because I was so excited and I celebrated so hard,’’ Allen said. “I think that’s a good thing.’’
It’s a very good thing, especially since Allen made a habit of getting a push in the pocket. Maximizing his playing opportunities in the rotation as a backup to either Patrick Butrym or Ethan Hemer, he finished with four sacks, the second most on the team behind Louis Nzegwu (4.5).
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Allen will be making his second career start Saturday at Oregon State and he should have a feel for the personnel on the O-line for the Beavers, whose starting guards, Josh Andrews (6-foot-3, 297 pounds) and Grant Enger (6-6, 293) played in Madison last season. Enger stepped in for the injured Andrews.
The biggest change up front for Oregon State is at center where a true freshman, Isaac Seumalo (6-3, 302), is expected to replace Grant Johnson, a veteran of 35 career starts. Semualo’s older brother, Andrew, is a senior captain and starting defensive tackle. Their dad, Joe, is the D-line coach.
There’s some familiarity at quarterback, too, with the 6-5 Mannion; the first sophomore to be named captain in Oregon State history. Mannion took over for starter Ryan Katz against the Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium last season and completed 25-of-38 passes for 244 yards. Overall, he started 10 games in 2011.
“Their offense evolved over the course of last year when they went to No. 4 (Mannion) at quarterback and they started to pass a lot more,’’ said Allen, a junior from Minnetonka, Minn. “We’re excited to see what they come out in … it’s kind of hard to say because we don’t have film.’ ’That’s because the Beavers had last Saturday’s scheduled opener with Nicholls State -- which is located in Thibodaux, La., 47 miles outside of New Orleans -- postponed due to Hurricane Isaac. “It’s kind of like another first game for us,’’ Allen said.
Wisconsin will be the first Big Ten school to play in Corvallis since 1971 when Oregon State beat Iowa, 33-19, at Reser Stadium (capacity 45,674). The No. 13 Badgers are also the highest-ranked non-conference opponent to play the Beavers on their home turf since Oregon State upset No. 13 BYU, 24-19, in 1977.
“We shut them out out on defense, and an offense never likes that,’’ Allen said of last year’s 35-0 result. “They’ll be real excited to play us. But we’re real excited to play them, too.’’
As a true freshman, Allen’s first collegiate game was on the road at UNLV in the 2010 opener. “Road games are definitely a different animal,’’ he said. “You’re going into a hostile environment and you don’t have the 80,000-plus at your back. If anything, that makes your team bond stronger because it’s us against them.
“We’re going into enemy territory, and we’ve got to come together.’’
Allen can vividly remember the details of his first college sack, but he had trouble remembering the last time that he got a haircut. “Oh, man, I think it’s over two years ago,’’ he said.
Along with a handful of his teammates, the 6-3, 335-pound Allen is growing his hair out for charity. “We’re going to coordinate a time and cut it all together (at the end of the season),’’ he said.
For now, he’s thinking about donating his hair to “Locks of Love’’ -- a non-profit charity that makes wig for needy children who have lost their hair due to a medical condition.
“It’s a different kind of thing for me because I’ve always had short hair,’’ Allen said. “I kind of like it. But let’s just say if I don’t shower for a couple of days, everybody knows about it.’’
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| Rob Havenstein |
UW offensive tackle Rob Havenstein is constantly reminding himself of one thing.
“Pad level,’’ he said.
And when he isn’t’ saying it to himself, offensive line coach Mike Markuson is reminding him.
“Rob, that’s a good job,’’ Markuson will tell Havenstein in practice. “Just one thing.’’
“What’s that?’’
“Pad level.’’
“He always keeps me on track,’’ Havenstein said.
Markuson’s concern is justified since Havenstein is listed at 6-foot-8 and 342 pounds.
“For me, it’s definitely about playing lower,’’ said Havenstein, a redshirt sophomore from Mount Airy, Md. “Being such a big guy, I have to play lower with better pad level.
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“If I ever get tired hearing about my pad level, I’m doing myself an injustice. That means I’ve stopped listening and stopped taking coaching, and I just won’t do that.’’
After being sidelined the entire spring with an injury, Havenstein was understandably excited about making his second collegiate start against Northern Iowa last Saturday.“I thought he played pretty well,’’ said UW coach Bret Bielema. “There was a play on a screen where he got outside and you really saw his athleticism. He can run, he can do a lot of good things.
“But he was another guy who kind of wore down as the game went on. I think you’ll see a really big jump in him this week.’’
The Badgers will need Havenstein to be at his best when he’s matched against Oregon State defensive end Scott Crichton, who had 74 tackles, 14.5 TFLs and 6 sacks as a redshirt freshman.
Among defensive linemen, Crichton led the nation with six forced fumbles in 2011.
Takeaways are a key component to the Beavers’ success. Over the last 99 games, they are 36-8 when committing fewer turnovers than their opponent; 9-29 when committing more; 10-7 when even.
The Badgers have their own measuring stick: they are 47-7 under Bielema when they have a 100-yard rusher. Montee Ball rushed for 120 yards in the opener. And they were hard-earned.
Ball averaged 3.8 per rush, and his longest run was 14 yards.
“We have to do a better job of keeping guys off Montee,’’ Havenstein said.
A year ago, Ball rushed for 118 yards (a 6.6-yard average) and two touchdowns against Oregon State.
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| Vince Biegel |
During Thursday’s practice, Bielema got a chance to work individually with Vince Biegel, a freshman linebacker from Wisconsin Rapids. Biegel was injured very early in training camp. But he will make the trip to Oregon State, along with freshman Reggie Mitchell, Reggie Love and Dan Voltz.
“I took him (Biegel) and put him through my own workout for about 20 minutes,’’ said Bielema, a former linebackers coach. “We simulated some things that he could do on kickoff coverage. The only thing that we might do is put him in some special teams plays (at Oregon State).
“We kind of had a situation with Chase (Hammond, a redshirt sophomore wide receiver) where we brought him back off an injury and he reaggravated it. I didn’t want to burn Vince’s year and then, a week from now say, ‘Hey, he didn’t come back as fast or as quick as we wanted.’
“The plan is to hold him (Biegel) this weekend and get him into next week’s game plan.’’
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During his prep career, Biegel had 425 tackles, 27 sacks, 10 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns. Before getting hurt, though, Biegel had been adjusting to a much different level of competition.
“Obviously when you go from high school to college, it’s a big transition; more of a mental thing than the physical side,’’ said Biegel, the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Wisconsin. “Probably the biggest adjustment is going out and executing the defenses in the playbook at the college level.
“But I’ve got a great linebackers coach (Andy Buh) and I’ve been learning from the guys ahead of me. There are a lot of good strong leaders on this team. I’m just out here trying to get better every single day and I’m hoping to see action on special teams. I’m here to help the team anyway I can.’’
Biegel has some good teachers in the family. His dad, Rocky Biegel, was a linebacker at BYU, while his uncle, T.D. Biegel, played fullback for the Cougars, who will be on the UW schedule next year.
“Every single day me and my dad are talking about what’s going on and what I’m learning,’’ Vince said.
Rocky Biegel wore No. 45; the number that his son wore in high school. When Vince Biegel gets on the field for the Badgers -- this Saturday or next -- he will be No. 47. “My pops and my uncle have been through the college experience,’’ he said, “and to have their perspective is a big advantage.’’
And the only number that matters, he stressed, is hearing his number called to go into a game. He may have to wait for that.
“But I’m here to play in No. 47,’’ Biegel said, “and I’m excited.’’
