The Wisconsin Badgers play their final home football game of the season Saturday night against Illinois on Barry Alvarez Field at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.
Manitowoc Lincoln grad and starting center Davis Heinzen says it’ll be a “bittersweet evening.”
”It’ll be my last chance to put on the Badger uniform in front of the home crowd,” he explained. “I’ll be motivated to play my best, have no regrets, and live with the results.”
There is one more game to play and that will be for “Paul Bunyan’s Axe” next Saturday at Minnesota against the Golden Gophers.
Heinzen has started at center the last three weeks after starting the year at left tackle.
It’s turned out to be a great fit for both him and Wisconsin.
He’s filled in admirably for Jake Renfro, who had season-ending surgery a few weeks ago.
Heinzen comments on Renfro and the over a dozen Badger players that have been injured and/or have undergone surgery, putting a premature end to their season or collegiate career.
”We have five guys on the offensive line that are out for the season, with at least two at each position also hurt,” he revealed. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
As for the cause of all of these injuries, he noted, “the game has gotten much faster. Injuries are just a part of the game, but the non-contact injuries are just so frustrating. You can’t really explain it. They just happen, and you do your best to move forward.”
Davis has also battled through an ankle injury suffered about a month ago that has kept him far from 100 percent.
He tells seehafernews.com that he’s been limited in practice and undergone rehab during the week to get it ready for gametime.
Regardless, Illinois is coming to town. The Fighting Illini, under former Badger Head Coach Brett Bielema, are bowl eligible at 7-3, and Heinzen says they present problems defensively.
”They have a talented front seven,” he admitted. “Their interior linemen are especially tough, including two who transferred from Wisconsin. It makes it personal, so I expect a great battle on Saturday.”
The Central Michigan grad transfer says he has no regrets coming to play for he rooted for as a boy and will have plenty of cheerleaders in the stands for his Wisconsin “coup de gras”.
”Most of my family will be there and it’ll be a honor to walk onto the field with my mom and dad,” he said. “I’m also a bit sad knowing this is the final home game of my career.”
Coverage of Wisconsin and Illinois begins Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on WOMT.
