Nebraska leads the nation in turnovers lost. Can Wisconsin take advantage Saturday?

MADISON – The Wisconsin football team’s hot-cold relationship with turnovers has been mostly chilly this season.

Six times in 10 games the Badgers didn’t create one takeaway. They have forced 13 turnovers this season. Six came in the victory over Georgia Southern in Week 3.

And when you look at UW’s struggles over the past five weeks, you’ll find the defense was shut out in the turnover battle four times. That includes the last two games.

That trend could shift when the Badgers (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) play Nebraska (5-5, 3-4) on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium, looking to end a four-game skid. The Cornhuskers are not only the worst team in the Big Ten when it comes to protecting the ball, they’re the worst team in the nation.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell has preached regularly about the need to be opportunistic in this regard despite the lack of consistent results.

“Balls that go in the air, balls that are tipped, balls that are overthrown or under thrown, you’ve got to be able to make those plays,” he said.

Ricardo Hallman’s interception return for TD a highlight of Wisconsin’s season

When Wisconsin has created turnovers they’ve often come at key moments. Cornerback Ricardo Hallman intercepted a pass at the goal line just before halftime at Purdue, and a week later he returned a pick 95 yards for a touchdown just before halftime against Rutgers. Defensive end Darian Varner’s strip and recovery in the fourth quarter helped UW seal the win at Purdue. Safety Preston Zachman’s first quarter interception in the end zone denied Ohio State a first-quarter touchdown.

UW’s defense could have a resurgence of big plays Saturday.

“Each and every day we do our turnover (drills) to emphasize what we’re going to do in a game,” junior defensive end James Thompson said. “Who is willing to do that in practice and translate it into the game? I feel like we’ve been put in position to learn techniques of how to get the turnovers. We’ve got to be able to do it on the field.”

While there are techniques to creating turnovers, UW’s inability to generate many this season – the team ranks 71st nationally – isn’t a reflection of their effort in this department.

Some of it has been the luck of the bounce, however Fickell also believes his team hasn’t put opponents in enough tough situations to get those plays.

Forcing aggressive play key for Badgers in turnover battle

“Now there’s always an opportunity if a guy carries the ball, but punching a ball out doesn’t happen all that often,” Fickell said. “It’s more the pressure on quarterbacks. It’s more forcing them into doing things they don’t want to do, making them be aggressive because of the nature of the way the game is going.

“That’s the complimentary football that we’re just not finding a way to do, So when you’re not putting some of those pressures on people it’s hard to create those turnovers.”

In addition to the 13 fumbles they’ve lost, the Cornhuskers have fumbled 14 other times.

Additionally quarterbacks Heinrich Haarberg and Jeff Sims have been interepted this season seven and six times, respectively. Last week against Maryland each threw an interception as did No. 3 QB Chubba Purdy.

The dagger was a pick in the red zone that Maryland turned into a 75-yard drive that was capped by a field goal to win the game.

That is the kind of complimentary football Fickell wants to see from his team.

“You’ve got to take advantage off all the opportunities, especially balls up in the air, balls loose,” senior outside linebacker C.J. Goetz said. “You have to go get it. It’s not just going to happen.”

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