Wisconsin’s roller-coaster 2001 ended with four losses in its final five games, but at least the Badger offense seemed to be capable of carrying the team back into bowl contention this season.

That is, until one subtle twist in the spring game derailed the best-laid plans of head coach Barry Alvarez.

That twist wasn’t fate, but rather the left knee of senior wide receiver Lee Evans , the UW career yardage leader and Big Ten single-season record-setter of a year ago. Evans took a 36-yard pass from quarterback Brooks Bollinger over the middle, landed awkwardly and hit the turf.

Lying next to Evans on the ground, perhaps, were the Badgers’ hopes of recovering from last year’s disappointing 5-7 record.

"When you have one of the best players in college football get hurt, it’s something that is very disheartening and hard to swallow," Alvarez told The Badger Herald.

Evans had surgery on May 22 to repair ligament damage in the knee, and says he will be back by the Big Ten opener. If not, he could apply for a medical red-shirt season, or he could head straight to the NFL -- a decision he could have made last year, when he instead opted to return to Madison for his senior season.

Fortunately for Evans, he was insured against injury, so there will be a payday down the road either way. But for the Badgers, there’s no insurance that could make up for the loss of their No. 1 playmaker on offense.

Last year, the Badger offense had to carry far too much of the load. Wisconsin slipped to 10th in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 32.5 points per conference game, a total nearly matched by non-conference opponents Oregon (31 points) and Fresno State (32) in victories over the Badgers.

To be fair, the special teams also allowed four blocked punts and a kickoff return for a touchdown, putting even more pressure on the undermanned defense. Alvarez brought in a new special teams coach to shore up that area, but only three starters return to the defense. Then again, could the newcomers do any worse than last year’s group?

With sophomore Anthony Davis , the reigning Big Ten rushing champ, returning behind a veteran line, the offense should roll again, especially if Evans can contribute or his backups can at least approach his level of productivity.

The Badger quarterbacks have operated as something of a two-headed monster the last two seasons, and this year with both heads back, there’s no reason to believe it will be any different.

Bollinger (6-2, 207) returns for his senior season as the most experienced quarterback in the conference, having made 29 starts in the last three years and going 22-7 in those games, including 6-3 against ranked teams.

Last year, he fought through injuries to once again lead the Badgers in passing with 1,257 yards, and he finished second in rushing for the third straight year, carrying for 388 yards and six touchdowns. Bollinger’s mobility is a double-edge sword, however, as his instincts and toughness often lead him out of the pocket and expose him to hits.

His backup will once again be junior Jim Sorgi (6-5, 188), who brings a change of pace to the offense as a pocket passer with a rifle arm. Sorgi made three starts last year, passing for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns against eight picks. As a freshman, Sorgi also spelled Bollinger, leading Wisconsin to comeback wins at Michigan State and Indiana. The Badgers know they’re in good hands when Sorgi enters the game.

Bollinger and Sorgi both had strong showings in the spring game. Bollinger was 8-for-11 for 133 yards and a touchdown, and Sorgi was 8-for-13 for 134 yards and a score. They each played only one half, yielding the field to give their backups some experience.

Sophomore Matt Schabert (6-2, 204) led the starters in the second half, going 6-for-16 for 90 yards, while freshman Owen Daniels (6-3, 220) led the backups with a 6-for-10 performance, good for 66 yards.

Alvarez’s teams have always featured outstanding running backs, from Brent Moss and Terrell Fletcher on his first Rose Bowl team to NCAA career rushing leader Ron Dayne to the flashy Michael Bennett. Enter sophomore Davis (5-8, 183), who promptly turned the college football world on its ear last year.

The Big Ten Freshman of the Year led the league in rushing with 133.3 yards per game and his total of 1,466 yards ranked fifth in the country and was the sixth-best total for a freshman in NCAA history. Davis broke Tony Dorsett’s record for 100-yard games by a freshman with 10, and was a Doak Walker Award semifinalist and a consensus all-Big Ten first team pick. He was also selected National Freshman of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio.

If Davis needs a break, the Badgers can turn to his roommate and classmate, sophomore Jerone Pettus (5-9, 173), who had 60 carries for 255 yards and two touchdowns last year. Pettus is talented enough to start for most programs in the country, but he doesn’t mind caddying for his best friend.

Junior Broderick Williams (6-0, 224) had 15 carries for 38 yards last year and is listed third on the depth chart at halfback.

One possible kink in the backfield is the departure of three-year starter Chad Kuhns at fullback. He had only one carry and five receptions last year, but he was a big part of clearing the way and helping Dayne, Bennett and Davis pile up record-setting numbers during his career.

Senior Russ Kuhns (6-0, 232), younger brother of Chad, and senior Erik Bickerstaff (6-0, 229) are the leading candidates to fill the hole, while red-shirt freshman Matt Bernstein (6-2, 261) is also in the mix. Bickerstaff could also see some action at halfback this year if the Badgers want to go with a big backfield.

It would be nearly impossible to overstate the significance of the injury to Evans (5-11, 192). Last season he set the Big Ten record for receiving yards in a year with 1,545. He was a first-team All-America choice by Football News, ABC Sports Online and collegefootballnews.com, and a second-team choice by The Associated Press and The Sporting News.

His 75 catches and nine touchdowns were single-season school records and made him a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wide receiver. Evans’ biggest game came when he shredded Michigan State for nine catches, 228 yards and three touchdowns, the second-best single-game yardage mark for a receiver in Wisconsin history.

Evans easily could have left for the NFL and been a No. 1 draft pick, but he wanted to spend another season as a Badger.

"Our biggest recruit of the year was having Lee come back for his senior season," Alvarez said before Evans was injured. "He had as spectacular a year [in 2001] as any receiver I have been around."

In his absence, sophomore Darrin Charles (6-6, 204) is expected to emerge as the next star receiver for the Badgers. Charles’ size makes him an inviting target, and he showed signs in the spring game that he’s ready to explode with eight grabs for 148 yards and a touchdown.

"He did a great job," Bollinger told The Badger Herald. "He went across the middle, took some hits. It’s good when you start to get confidence in a guy like that. I’ve always had confidence in him, but when he gets to that next level when you know he’s going to go up and compete for the football and make a play on the ball."

Last season Charles caught 14 balls for 186 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman. Other receivers with game experience are senior David Braun (5-11, 196), who had three catches for 19 yards last year, and junior Byron Brown (6-0, 181).

Sophomore Travann Hayes (5-11, 181) and freshman Jonathan Orr (6-3, 184) will also be expected to carry some of the load without Evans.

At tight end, the Badgers must replace all-conference Mark Anelli and his 35 catches, 357 yards and three scores. The top candidates are all inexperienced -- sophomores Bob Docherty (6-6, 265) and Tony Paciotti (6-4, 256) will battle for the starting job but have yet to catch a pass in college. Sophomore Mark Bell (6-4, 249) and freshman Jason Pociask (6-3, 247) round out the depth chart.

On the offensive line, there’s no substitute for experience, as the big guys in the trenches need to play together to know each other’s tendencies and play off their strengths. This is one area where the Badgers are in great shape as they return all five starters from a line that helped Davis and Evans post those amazing numbers.

"When you have to switch somebody in there who hasn’t been with you, it’s a world of difference," senior right tackle Jason Jowers (6-6, 306) told The Badger Herald. "Being able to have the same five guys every day, it gives you that extra comfort level. You know the guy next to you is going to be there if you need him."

Jowers started all 12 games last year, missing just nine snaps along the way, while at left tackle, senior Ben Johnson (6-7, 321) missed just one snap, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in the process.

Senior Al Johnson (6-4, 295), Ben’s cousin and roommate, returns after an honorable-mention all-conference season in which he missed only the second half of the Indiana game. Alvarez considers him one of the nation’s best centers.

At left guard, sophomore Dan Buenning (6-4, 301) returns after starting all 12 games and not missing a play in the last 11 of them. Meanwhile, at right guard sophomore Jonathan Clinkscale (6-3, 317) and sophomore Kalvin Barrett (6-2, 312) each started six games last year. Clinkscale filled in at center when Johnson was injured and has the early edge on the starting spot over Barrett this year.

The kicking game gave Wisconsin all kinds of fits last year as the Badgers struggled to find a replacement for the reliable Vitaly Pisetsky. Sophomores Mike Allen (6-2, 184) and Adam Espinoza (5-10, 169) will battle junior college recruit Scott Campbell (6-0, 225) for the job in August.

Neither kicker particularly distinguished himself in the spring game. Allen had an especially rough day, missing field goals of 34, 30 and 32 yards, after going 6-for-9 in part-time duty last season. Mark Neuser was 8-for-12 on field goals last year but opted out of the program to concentrate on his studies this year.

The biggest hole to fill on the defensive line will be the absence of first-team All-America defensive tackle Wendell Bryant, who was a first-round draft pick of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals in April. Bryant fought off consistent double teams to make 69 tackles last year, including 17 behind the line and eight sacks, both team-high numbers. Also gone are Ben Herbert and his 50 tackles, and Chuck Smith.

Battling for the job at right end will be sophomores Darius Jones (6-3, 284), who red-shirted last year with a hand injury, and Jonathan Welsh (6-4, 224), while at left end look for senior Jake Sprague (6-4, 285) and junior Erasmus James (6-4, 256) to push each other for playing time. James had six sacks, second on the team, last season, while Sprague returns from a medical red-shirt season after suffering shoulder and knee injuries.

Sophomore Anttaj Hawthorne (6-3, 305) came on strong at the end of last season and has the inside track on the starting job at left defensive tackle. He will be pushed by junior Jesse Mayfield (6-6, 284). At right tackle, look for sophomore Jason Jefferson (6-3, 306) and junior Nick Cochart (6-2, 275) to slug it out in August to earn the starting spot.

Junior Matt Gajda (6-4, 273), sophomore Traison Lewis (6-2, 236) and freshmen Tim Ovadal (an offensive line candidate as well), Mike Kleber (6-2, 284), Lyle Maiava (6-2, 302), Jeff Lang (6-6, 282), and Andres Lezama (6-4, 258) provide depth on the line.

The Badgers graduated all three linebackers who were starting in the second half of the season, including Nick Greisen, who led the country with 167 tackles, including 101 unassisted stops, and tied with Bryant for a team-high 17 tackles for loss. Also gone are Bryson Thompson, whose 110 tackles were good for second on the squad, and Mark Downing.

Junior Jeff Mack (6-0, 247) will lead this young, but not entirely inexperienced, unit. Mack started eight games at outside linebacker last year, making 34 tackles, before missing the remainder of the season with a back injury. He’ll move inside this year, and will be backed up by sophomore Howard Boye-Doe (6-2, 230), who saw action on the special teams last season.

Sophomore Kareem Timbers (6-3, 211) moves outside to take advantage of his speed, especially in pass-rushing situations. He had one sack in limited action last season. His chief backups will be sophomores Chris Catalano (6-1, 212) and Jerron Smith (6-1, 233), who each saw limited action last year as well.

Red-shirt freshman John Gillen (6-4, 233) steps into the starting lineup this year at the other inside spot, although he will be pushed by junior transfer Kyle McCorison (6-0, 242). Meanwhile, sophomore Tom Jonjak (6-1, 216) and freshman Greg Root (6-2, 242) will provide depth.

All-Big Ten cornerback Mike Echols, who had three interceptions, broke up 12 passes and finished fifth on the team with 67 stops, is gone, as is free safety Joey Boese, whose 93 tackles were third-best on the squad.

The player most likely to inherit the star-player role from Echols is sophomore Scott Starks (5-10, 165), who started 10 games last year as a freshman. His 64 tackles, 10 passes defensed and three picks indicated that he’s a corner who will give Big Ten quarterbacks fits the next three seasons.

Senior B.J. Tucker (5-11, 179), a three-year letterman who joined Evans as the only freshmen to play for the 1999 Big Ten champs, moves into the other starting spot. His main competition will be sophomore Brett Bell (6-0, 187), who played in all 11 games as a t freshman last year.

Sophomore Robert Brooks (5-10, 174) moves into the vacated free safety spot after making 21 tackles on special teams and in the nickel back slot last year, also as a freshman. His partner will be junior Michael Broussard (5-10, 192), who started all 12 games at strong safety last year and had 51 tackles and three interceptions.

Sophomore R.J. Morse (6-1, 249) and junior Kirk Munden (5-9, 180) will battle for the starting job after splitting the punting duties last year. Morse averaged 41.6 yards per kick as a true freshman in 2001, including six punts of 50 yards or more and a season-high 68-yarder. He missed five games with an injury, and Munden filled in to the tune of 39.7 yards per kick, downing nine of his 35 punts inside the 20.

Much like the kickers, neither punter had a spring game to remember, with Munden averaging 33.5 yards on a pair of kicks and Morse booting seven times for 31.1 yards per kick.

New special teams coach Brian Murphy has his work cut out for him. Breakdowns on crucial plays cost the Badgers dearly in losses to Fresno State and Michigan, and all phases of the game could stand some improvement.

"We start the season out four deep at each position, and now we just want to see who we have and who will rise to the occasion," Murphy told The Capital Times during spring practice "We’re just seeing who we have right now, and 15 practices in spring is a long time and it will take us that long to come up with the guys who are going to give us the great effort and enthusiasm."

Sophomore Matt Katula (6-6, 266) and junior Matt Mialik (6-0, 237) will vie for the long-snapping duties, while Sorgi and Munden are the top candidates at holder.

Meanwhile, standout kick returner Nick Davis has moved on to the NFL, and nobody on the current roster returned more than three kicks last year. The leading candidates for punt and kickoff return duties include Pettus, Orr, Leonhard and Starks.

Alvarez wanted to get instant help with a couple of junior transfers, so he brought in Campbell to push for the kickoff and place-kicking duties and Alex Lewis (6-1, 235) to add experience at linebacker.

Other linebackers brought in to shore up the defense’s weakest link are Wausau, Wisc., native Mark Zalewski (6-2, 230), Joe Monty (6-2, 235) from Colorado, Steve VandeVoort (6-2, 200) from Waunakee, Wisc., and Chicago’s Reginald Cribbs (6-1, 215).

"People always ask how many of these players will contribute next year?" Alvarez said. "I really feel as though at least a handful will have the opportunity to be on the field, particularly at linebacker. That was an emphasis. I really like the group of linebackers that we signed. They are all big, physical, you will see in the film they can run, they are intelligent, and they come from pretty good football programs. I am certain that at least a couple of them will get on the field and be able to contribute next year."

The Evans injury cast a pall over this program, but resilience is one hallmark of a good team, and with Alvarez in charge, the Badgers have always been a good team.

The offense should continue to dominate with veteran quarterbacks, a dynamite running game, a rock-solid line and depth at receiver. On defense and special teams, the Badgers can’t help but improve on last year’s poor showing, despite losing the few star players they had on that side of the ball.

With eight home games this year, seven wins and a trip back to the postseason seem like a good bet for Wisconsin.