Nov. 2, 2009

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema met with media members on Monday at his weekly news conference. Among the highlights, Bielema talked about the team's impressive performance running the ball as well defending against the run, the discipline the team has showed in not accruing penalties and how Indiana has come close in games this year.

*Read the full transcript and watch the archived video*

Strong on both sides of the run

Through its first three games of the season, Wisconsin's defense was allowing 164.3 rushing yards per game. Northern Illinois put up exactly 100 yards, Fresno State gained 179 and Wofford tallied 214 yards on the ground. The Wofford game marked the end of Wisconsin's early non-conference schedule (Hawaii still awaits on Dec. 5) and it also was the last time a team cracked the century mark with the running game.

Michigan State and Ohio State have both come close, gaining 90 and 97 yards, respectively. Minnesota mustered just 57 yards, Iowa just 65 and, most recently, Purdue accumulated only 60 yards rushing. Add it all up and Wisconsin has the top rushing defense in the Big Ten in conference games, yielding just 73.8 yards per game.

Bielema said that better technique and limiting big plays has played a role in the team's improvement.

"I think the edges of our defense have been there primarily," Bielema said. "[In] some of those early games, that escaped them a little bit. You haven't seen the big runs."

On the other side of the ball, the Badgers have been consistent with their own running game. UW has topped the 100-yard mark in four of five league games, including a season-high 295 rushing yards against Minnesota. By gaining 959 yards in five league games, the Badgers lead the conference with 191.8 yards per game.

Only once in school history (1951) has Wisconsin led the conference in both categories. No team has done it since Ohio State accomplished the feat in 1996.

Wisconsin's lead in both categories may not last, but Bielema knows that it is a good recipe for success.

"If you can run the ball and you can stop the run, you've got a chance," he said.  "Especially in the month of November when things get a little colder and a little windier and people are going to get beat up a little bit."

Staying Disciplined

One of the things that was stressed to the team during fall camp was to be more accountable and more responsible. Whether it be getting to workouts on time or showing it on the practice field, discipline was a trait that was sought after by the coaching staff. If a lack of penalties is any indication, the Badgers have taken the message to heart.

Following the game against Purdue, Wisconsin is tied with Michigan for fewest penalty yards per game in Big Ten play. The Badgers and Wolverines have each committed 22 penalties for 170 yards in five games, an average of 34 yards per game.

Against Ohio State, Wisconsin committed seven penalties for 60 yards. In their four other Big Ten games, the Badgers have not committed more than five penalties or had more than 36 penalty yards in a game. Against Iowa, the Badgers were flagged for just two penalties for 20 yards, and in the shutout win over Purdue, the Badgers had three penalties for 20 yards.

Bielema said he has noticed a difference this season in his players.

"We gave up so many third-down conversions last year off of critical points in the game where we would make a stop, but we would be penalized and we'd give them a first down and [it would] drive you nuts," he said. "Well, the only way to [fix] that is to eliminate the penalty. It's not to eliminate the player. It's not to eliminate the scheme. It's to eliminate the process to get to where you need to be, and that's where I've seen [the team] make strides."

Trouble closing it out

Indiana is 4-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten, but if a few plays go the other way, its record could be much different.

"They've got a covey of skill players that I think are talented players, so, bottom line, they've just had trouble closing it out," Bielema said. "Coach [Bill] Lynch is a tremendous football coach. He's had a lot of success in his coaching career, and I know what we're going to see on Saturday because we've had a little bit of success on him the last couple years. I know they're going to come in, or when we go over there, they're going to be very hungry to play us."

The Hoosiers started the season with a 3-0 mark and had then-No. 23 Michigan on the ropes. The two teams jostled back and forth and Indiana held a 33-29 lead with 8:57 to play. Michigan was able to regain the lead with just under 2:30 left in the game. Indiana still had a chance but threw an interception on their very next play to ice the win for the Wolverines.

Against Northwestern, Indiana jumped out to a 21-0 lead, and midway through the second quarter, was up 28-3 over the Wildcats. Even entering the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers still held a 28-19 lead. A touchdown pass early in the quarter cut the deficit to two for Northwestern, and a field goal with just 21 seconds left gave the Wildcats a thrilling come-from-behind win.

Most recently, Indiana gave Iowa all it could ask for. Playing at the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes, the Hoosiers owned a 21-7 lead going into the half and a 24-14 advantage entering the final quarter. Iowa showed its strength, though, and put up 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to run away and keep its undefeated season intact.

The evidence shows that the Hoosiers can play with anybody. Teams need to be on top of their game to not give any unwarranted help to Indiana.

Bielema knows that Indiana can be successful.

"They run every offense. They run the pistol, and that's probably their meat and potatoes, but they have a couple formations in every game that they come out and try to run at you and vary gadgets and formations," Bielema noted. "We saw [quarterback Ben Chappell] a year ago, the quarterback, and he's, I think he's over a 60 percent passer right now in the league, so, you know, that's going to present its own challenges."