BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Season openers are unique from any other game for one reason: the unknown.
"You don't have any video from this year and you have to go on what they've shown in the past," said Wisconsin's first-year defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.
"You have a lot of time obviously for preparation. But you have to stay focused on yourself — first and foremost — and not fall into the trap of spending too much time (on your opponent)."
There's something else unique about Saturday's opener against LSU at Lambeau Field.
Wilcox took over for Dave Aranda who left to be the defensive coordinator for the Tigers. For the last three seasons, Aranda has been calling defensive signals for the Badgers.
How are Wilcox and Aranda the same? How are they different?
"To an extent, they're different people with different philosophies," said inside linebacker Jack Cichy. "But they share some of the same characteristics."
Expanding on Wilcox's demeanor, he said, "He's very knowledgeable and very personable. He knows how to communicate with us and he's able to get his message across really effectively."
Does he raise his voice? "At times," Cichy said. "But he's not a screamer by any means."
The 40-year-old Wilcox, a former University of Oregon safety/corner, has been a defensive coordinator at four high profile programs: Boise State, Tennessee, Washington and USC.
"I'd say he's someone who cares about his players a lot," said outside linebacker T.J. Watt, "and he tries to find spots to make each and every guy succeed individually and as a unit.
"Early on (last spring), it was kind of an acclimation process where we were getting to know him and he was getting to know us. But football is football at the end of the day."
By the end of the summer, Watt said everyone felt more comfortable with Wilcox and his defensive schemes. "And now in the fall," he noted, "we're flying around and making hits."
There are a lot of different ways to play defense, a lot of different schemes. Throughout college football, everybody has a wrinkle – uniquely their own – to whatever degree and success level.
Whether you're in a 3-4 or a 4-3 alignment, whether you're operating out of 3-deep, press-man or quarters coverage, Wilcox has always preached, "You've got to be good at what you're doing."
It's a fundamentally driven approach with a commitment to being sound taking on blocks, tackling and covering people. The Wilcox process? Develop an identity schematically and execute.
"Takeaways, third down stops, typical stuff," Watt said of the bullet points for playing defense under Wilcox. "There's no special formula. You have to take the ball away and you have to play hard."
It's the formula, Watt suggested, for playing good, old-fashioned Wisconsin football.
"He (Wilcox) emphasizes punctuality and technique," Cichy said. "That's a big thing knowing what you're supposed to do. Physicality comes with the technique."
When Wilcox was hired last January, he talked about his relationship with Aranda. Although they had never met, they had multiple phone conversations, a networking staple of the profession.
"We communicated a fair amount," Wilcox said. "We'd talk, it seemed, every year about something football-wise. He was at Hawaii (2008-11) when we first started to get to know each other,"
Aranda will be on the sideline Saturday in Green Bay. So will LSU's offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. All nine of Les Miles assistants, in fact, will coach from the field rather than the press box.
Wilcox will be up in the booth.
"I've done both," he said. "There's not one way to do it."
But he knows theirs is a way to force turnovers.
"You have to force the issue on that by tackling and hitting and making the quarterback uncomfortable," he said. "Then you have to take advantage of the opportunities when you get them."
Ball-security is a priority for the Tigers who had just 10 turnovers (6 interceptions) last season.
"They're a very talented group, well-coached," Wilcox said of their offensive personnel and system. "Everything is complementary in terms of their run game and play-action game.
"They have a lot of skilled athletes and they're big upfront."
The Tigers have 21 players on their roster who played in the 2014 game against Wisconsin.
On tailback Leonard Fournette, Wilcox said: "He's as good as I've seen. He's a real physical runner and the cuts that he can make for a guy that size is pretty unique. Very unique."
On quarterback Brandon Harris, he said, "He throws the ball really well and he can hurt you with his feet whether it's in the quarterback run game or when things break down … he can make a play."
Wilcox has a few playmakers of his own within his position group: inside linebackers. With last year's leading tackler T.J. Edwards still recovering from a foot injury, Cichy and Orr are the starters.
"Those guys are real consistent," he said. "That's one of the best things about them. You know they're going to show up to work every day.
"They're different kinds of players. They have their own strengths. But they're great guys to be around. They're both self-starters, they're internally motivated, they want to be good."
It has been a gradual process since the spring, but Wilcox has a better feel for his personnel.
"The more you're around each other," he said, "the more you see them over the course of time, there are certain things that they do and positions that they're in.
"Whether it's a D-lineman playing a certain technique or an outside 'backer rushing or covering. The amount of repetitions shows you (who they are)."
Opinions are formed accordingly.
"We know the guys that we want to lean on and what we're best at," Wilcox said. "That's part of coaching – building around your strengths and putting guys in the best position to be successful."
Season openers are unique for something else beyond the unknown. The known. The build-up.
Especially this SEC-Big Ten matchup at this hallowed venue.
"The build-up is always there because there's so much time in-between games," Wilcox said. "You have to balance that. We talk about it all the time.
"Our energy has to be on the practice field in the details. You want to go into the first game with a calm mind. There's going to be energy there. We're playing at Lambeau Field against LSU.
"I mean; everyone gets excited on game day. You just have to be able to manage it (the energy) and still play under control with a clear mind so you can go out, play fast and do your job."
The calm before the storm.
