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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 10 • 11 BY TRAVIS BAUGH AND ALAN KARPICK W isconsin has had to heavily rely on its running game due to its struggles at quarterback. The Badgers rank No. 13 in the Big Ten in completions (97), attempts (179) and passing yards (1,149). Tanner McEvoy started all four of the Badgers' non-conference games with mixed results before Coach Gary Andersen switched to last year's starter Joel Stave during their Big Ten opener against North- western on Oct. 4. Stave hasn't been much better, completing just 48 percent of his passes for 423 yards, three touch- downs and three interceptions in four games. But McEvoy still has been used in conference play, has throwing at least four passes in ev- ery league game, going 13-of-25 for 98 yards with two interceptions. Andersen called the inconsis- tency in the passing game "a con- cern" following the Rutgers game when Stave and McEvoy combined 8-of-20 passing for 87 yards and an interception. "They want to hit those balls down the field," Andersen said. "There's no question about it and we'll continue to work on it. We hit a couple of them a week ago. No one is going to work harder at it than Joel and Tanner McEvoy and our receivers and all the kids involved." WINNING WITH DEFENSE Wisconsin's defense has been simply dominant in 2014. The Bad- gers boast the best defense in the country in yards allowed (253.8 per game) and rank No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (14.1 points per game) and passing defense (150.9 yards per game). "It doesn't have to necessar- ily be 11 NFL players at this level to be a very good defense, but it does have to be 11 good foot- ball players or however many kids are running through it," An- dersen said during his weekly press conference. "And the other thing I think that is important is the packages that we run, it al- lows young men, even if they're a young player, and they're getting seven reps a game or they're get- ting 10 reps a game, and they're in a package, it allows them to have tremendous pride in their defense and know their number can be called at any moment." A week after holding Maryland to seven points, the Badgers limited Rutgers to eight first downs and 139 yards Saturday in the Scarlet Knights' first shutout since 2002. "It was great for the defense," Andersen said of the shutout. "The first-team guys, the guys that had been in there playing the whole game, turned around and wanted to get that shutout. They were able to get it and the young guys answered the bell. It's big in the growth for them to walk out in that moment, in that situation and be able to deliver and get off the field." Linebacker Derek Landisch has 43 tackles and leads the team in tackles for loss (11.0) and sacks (5.0). RISING STAR Wisconsin may have found its next elite running back. Sophomore Corey Clement is the reigning Big Ten Offensive Play- er-of-the-Week after he rushed for 131 yards and two scores Saturday against Rutgers. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder has played a key role in Wisconsin's rush offense, which ranks No. 2 na- tionally (333.4 yards per game). As a complement to Melvin Gordon, Clement has 106 carries for 697 yards and seven touchdowns. "I think (Clement) is a young man who is growing up," Andersen said. "He's having his opportuni- ties, and Corey is explosive. The more you play the better you get at anything, and his angles were very good this last game. "Watching a young man like Melvin Gordon play I'm sure doesn't hurt him at all, when he sees the angles that Melvin takes when he gets to the second level." HISTORICALLY SPEAKING Wisconsin has definitely had Purdue's number of late, having won eight straight dating back a Boilermaker win in Madison in 2003. In that contest, Ben Jones kicked an 18-yard field goal with three seconds left to deliver the 13th-ranked Boilermakers to a vic- tory over the No. 14 Badgers. Kyle Orton, who spent much of the 2003 season handing the ball off, took to the air in this one and completed 38-of-55 passes for 411 yards. He led the Boilermakers on its game-winning drive from their own 17-yard line in the final 2:48. As the graphic on page 2 states, the Boilermakers' 17-year home winning drought against the Bad- gers is the longest against any league foe. In the 1997 game, the Boiler- makers made it look easy, scoring on their first three possessions. Ed- win Watson's 75-yard touchdown run came on the second posses- sion and was the longest scoring run by any Boilermaker back in 15 years. Quarterback Billy Dicken was highly efficient, completing 16-of-21 passes for 311 yards and three scores and running for an- other 56 yards. That performance helped him earn first team All-Big Ten in his only complete season as a starter. j What You Need To Know About Wisconsin Senior defensive tackle Greg Smith earned a spot on the cover of Gold and Black Illustrated after the Boilermakers' 45-20 win over No. 24 Wisconsin. The victory put Purdue in the rankings for the first time in 13 years, but also was the last time Purdue has beaten Wisconsin in Ross-Ade Stadium, the longest drought of its kind for the Boilermakers against any foe in league history. Passing Problems THE LAST TIME...