Wisconsin Football Countdown: No. 84, Donald Hayes and Lance Kendricks
By Jim Oxley
As the countdown to the first Wisconsin football game of the season continues, Badger of Honor is taking a look at Badgers by the numbers, checking in on a different Badger or Badgers players who wore the number corresponding with the remaining days until the Badgers head to Texas to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday, Sept. 5.
Next up in our countdown, signifying 84 days until college football is back, is a pair of Badgers to wear No. 84, Donald Hayes and Lance Kendricks.
Donald Hayes
At Wisconsin from 1994 to 1997, Hayes was a big-time receiver for the Badgers.
He’s still 12th all time in school history with 1,575 receiving yards. He had three career 100-yard receiving games, and led the Badgers in reception yards in both 1996 and 1997.
Wisconsin Badgers
Following college he was drafted in the fourth round (No. 106 overall) by the Carolina Panthers in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played in Carolina from 1998 to 2001, and spent time in the next two seasons with the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hayes, who lived in Madison beginning at age 13, was inducted into the Madison Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
Lance Kendricks
Kendricks, at UW from 2007-2010, was the Badgers leading receiver in 2010.
He finished his career in Madison with 78 catches for 1,160 yards and 8 touchdowns. The 1,160 yards currently stands 20th best all-time at UW.
His best game as a Badger might have come in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl against Miami.
He has three 100 yard games in his Wisconsin career, and was a John Mackey Award finalist in 2010 on his way to being named a consensus All-American, or, as he is described in the UW record book:
“First-team All-American according to Sports Illustrated, American Football Coaches Association and The Sporting News … consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2010 … finalist for the 2010 John Mackey Award … team captain as a senior … finished career 18th all-time at UW in receiving yards … led team in 2010 in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns … selected to play in 2011 Senior Bowl … drafted in second round by St. Louis in 2011.”
Kendricks was chosen by the Rams with the 47th overall pick in 2011, and is heading into his fifth season as a Ram.
He has 129 career receptions for 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Who wore No. 84 first?
• Tackle Mario Pacetti first wore No. 84 in 1934
Who wears No. 84 now?
• Tight end Austin Maly wears No. 84 for the Badgers.
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor as we continue our daily countdown in preparation of the season opener against Alabama.