Run defense may find itself in hole vs. Badgers

Throughout the preseason, North Carolina players and coaches stressed that the run defense, ranked 109th in the nation last season, had turned the corner toward respectability.

This week against Wisconsin, that assertion will be strongly contested. The Badgers rushed for 651 yards in their first two games and boast one of the country's most physical ground attacks, led by Brian Calhoun.

"I call it bludgeon ball," said UNC coach John Bunting. "They will bludgeon you. If you are to stop them eight out of 10 times, those two other times Calhoun can take it the distance. He has incredible acceleration."

Two years ago, the Tar Heels ventured up to Madison, Wisc., and lost to the Badgers 38-27. Wisconsin running back Booker Stanley filled in effectively for injured star Anthony Davis, amassing 119 of the team's 209 rushing yards.

Davis exhausted his eligibility at the end of last season, but Stanley was passed on the depth chart by Calhoun, a junior transfer from Colorado, before the season started.

And he immediately proved his worth in the season opener, tallying 258 rushing yards in a 56-42 win against Bowling Green on Sept. 3.

"He really likes to run outside," said defensive tackle Chase Page. "We have to fit it up. We have to create an edge to the defense so that he can't break to the outside, so he can come back to the pursuit."

Page has some familiarity with the Wisconsin attack, as he started against the Badgers in 2003. The senior is one of four current defensive starters - along with safety Mahlon Carey, cornerback Cedrick Holt and linebacker Doug Justice - who started in that game in Madison.

"It's hard-nosed football," Justice said. "It's downhill. They're coming to get you, and they're saying, 'I'm more of a man than you are.'"

Much of the historic success of the Wisconsin ground game, from Ron Dayne to Michael Bennett to Davis, has stemmed from the physicality of the offensive line.

This year's Badger front features three seniors, including Donovan Raiola, who is considered one of the nation's best centers.

What's more, the five offensive line starters for Wisconsin boast an average weight of 302 pounds. The Tar Heel defensive front four, meanwhile, weighs in at a mere 271.

"We're just going to get ready for a dang dogfight," Page said. "You just have to make sure you get your hands on them and keep a wide base - they're strong guys.

"The thing about good offensive linemen is not only are they good at executing their assignments, they're tenacious. They stay after you, they hit you, they hit you after the play - get you frustrated."

 

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.