LAST HURRAH
As George Rushing was readying for a post-practice interview, UW wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore playfully interrupted and reminded Rushing to speak up, and enunciate his words, loudly and clearly, drawing a laugh from the reticent Rushing. "He (Gilmore) wants to make sure I'm vocal and you understand what I'm saying," said Rushing, a native of Miramar, Florida. "I wouldn't say that I'm quiet. But I'm not a rah-rah guy. I talk when I need to. I don't necessarily talk if I don't need to."
NOTE TO QUOTE
Jazz Peavy didn't have a rushing attempt his first two seasons (15 games). Last fall, he became a jet sweep specialist and was UW's fourth-leading rusher with 21 carries for 318 yards (15.1) and one TD. He also had the longest run from scrimmage, 71 yards against Minnesota.
PRYOR IN THE MIX
Seeking to bolster depth, the Badgers took three wide receivers in their 2016 recruiting class, including A.J. Taylor and Quintez Cephus, both of whom contributed immediately as true freshmen. By design, Kendrick Pryor redshirted, which was not an easy decision. "At first I was kind of upset," said Pryor, who hails from Hazel Crest, Illinois (Homewood-Flossmoor High School). "But then I realized that the redshirt was only going to benefit me and I still have four years of eligibility left. Even though I wanted to come in and play right away, I used the year to get better — with my routes and the playbook — and get stronger. This spring, I've been trying to show what I can do to help the team out."
YOUNG PUPS
Redshirt freshman Jack Dunn has piqued everyone's curiosity, including Gilmore's, with his competitive fire. The 5-foot-7, 175-pound Dunn, a walk-on, was a prolific running quarterback at Madison Edgewood, where he rushed 37 times for 363 yards and seven touchdowns against Fort Atkinson and 33 times for 337 yards and six touchdowns against Stoughton. "I give him a hard time about being vertically challenged, but you take that away and he's a football player," Gilmore said. "He's a tough kid and he competes. He really shows up when he has the ball in his hands after the catch. I love his toughness. If he keeps doing what he's doing, we'll find something for him to do because he deserves it."
Gilmore also praised another redshirt freshman, Adam Krumholz, a walk-on from Stoughton. "The other young man that has shown up and had flashes this spring is Adam," he said. "I'm challenging him on his toughness as far as on the perimeter. He's a big guy (6-1, 191) who runs well. Now we have to be more physical. We have to embrace that and we have to play to our size. We have to play big."
Photo: Wisconsin Badgers
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