Byline: JIM POLZIN The Capital Times
The members of the University of Wisconsin football team better get a good look at the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip as they fly into the city Friday evening.
That'll be the extent of the Badgers' sightseeing during what UW coach Bret Bielema is making sure remains a business trip.
Viva Las Vegas? Not the Badgers.
'Coach (Barry) Alvarez always believed in, if you went to a site like that, kind of letting the kids feel the city and the town,' Bielema said. 'The last time they went to Vegas, they actually drove through the Strip and let them experience it. But maybe I'm a little bit of a dictator. We're just going to our hotel, eating dinner, having a meeting and going to bed.
'They can watch a movie, and that will be their entertainment for the night.'
Bielema said it's a 45- to 60-minute drive from the airport to the team's hotel. Sam Boyd Stadium, where the Badgers will take on UNLV Saturday night, is about 10 miles from the Strip.
'We'll be staying far from trouble,' senior quarterback Tyler Donovan said. 'We're going down there to play a football game. Fans ... they'll have their fun, but we're trying to bring the fun by winning.'
Bielema was more concerned with the fact that this will be the first road game for a lot of his players, including the five true freshmen who made their collegiate debuts during UW's 42-21 victory over Washington State last Saturday.
One player Bielema shouldn't have to worry about is wide receiver David Gilreath, who's content with seeing the Las Vegas lights from afar.
'I'm a homebody,' said Gilreath, who never has been farther west than Dallas. 'Las Vegas doesn't really do much for me.'
Clean opening act: Bielema was pleased with how crisp the Badgers' offense was last Saturday. Season openers sometimes can be sloppy, but that wasn't the case with UW under the direction of Donovan.
P.J. Hill fumbled once, but he recovered it to keep alive a scoring drive. And he and Donovan botched a handoff, but Donovan recovered the loose ball to keep possession.
About the only gripe Bielema had was a costly penalty in the third quarter. The Badgers led 28-14 and were on the move on their opening drive off the half when Hill broke loose for a 23-yard gain to the Washington State 19-yard line.
But Hill's run was wiped out when UW was whistled for illegal procedure after having just six guys on the line of scrimmage. After failing to convert on third down, the Badgers were forced to punt. Ken DeBauche's punt went just 1 yard, and he was flagged for illegal batting of the ball, a 15-yard penalty.
Washington State took over in UW territory and drove 42 yards in nine plays to pull within 28-21.
'Those are the type of situations that I really educated our team on can win and lose (games) as the year goes on,' Bielema said.
'For the most part, we were pretty clean and I thought that was a great indication of where our offense was.'
Not red in the face: Even though UW's red pants didn't go over very well with some fans, it should be noted that a lot of thought apparently went into the decision.
'A couple (players) threw it out to me,' Bielema said. 'I bounced it off a few people. For three weeks, that was my last thought; every night, I'd kind of go back and forth with it. I threw it out to my staff, they unanimously pretty much said, 'No, don't do it.' I was really in turmoil.
'It was a mixed reaction. The recruits that were there all loved it. Our players liked it, and we played fairly well, so we'll see where it takes us.'
Donovan OK: As Donovan was warming up on the sidelines prior to the start of the second half last Saturday, ABC cameras showed him wincing in pain with an apparent right hand injury.
Donovan said he had cramping in his wrist and hand, but it didn't seem to affect him much. He completed 7-of-9 passes for 60 yards in the second half to finish 19-of-29 for the game.
'It was kind of weird, I've never had that happen before,' Donovan said.
Donovan was named the co-Big Ten Conference offensive player of the week after throwing for 284 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
Extra points: Bielema said tight end Andy Crooks, who missed the Washington State game, should be back in the lineup against UNLV. ... UW's players of the week, as selected by the coaching staff, were: Donovan and wide receiver Luke Swan on offense; linemen Mike Newkirk and Nick Hayden on defense; kicker Taylor Mehlhaff on special teams; and Tyler Holland (offense) and Dan Cascone (defense) for their work with the scout team.
UW at UNLV
What: University of Wisconsin (1-0) vs. Nevada-Las Vegas (1-0) in a nonconference football game When: Saturday, 9 p.m.
Where: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas TV: Versus Latest line: Badgers by 25
jpolzin@madison.com
