Wisconsin Football: Three superlatives from week three performance
By Taylor Laabs
Olive’s Senior Presence
No one on the defense had a standout game, but there were flashes of brilliance that should help build some optimism from Badger fans. Senior nose tackle Olive Sagapolu was one of the brightest playmakers on the field yesterday. Along with a dominating sack in the first quarter, he piled up four tackles, two solo, and helped anchor a defensive unit that desperately needed some senior leadership.
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In three games so far, Olive has quietly put up some great numbers and has justified the NFL Draft hype he received. His calming presence as the team enters Big Ten play will be immense as the younger Badgers look to the leadership of Sagapolu as they hope to churn out a stretch of W’s against stiff competition.
If the Badger D is to bounce back and operate at an elite level, Sagapolu will have to make some splash plays at the line of scrimmage while also consistently disrupting the opponent’s backfield. It’s a tall task but is definitely one he should be up for.
Iowa is going to try to run the ball against the Badger defensive line next week. If Sagapolu steps up and plays well again, Iowa will have to find another way to move the ball.