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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Any definition of "unselfish" in the dictionary should include a photo of a Wisconsin defensive lineman. It could be any of the starters: Chikwe Obasih, Conor Sheehy or Alec James. It could be either of the back-ups: Garrett Rand or Billy Hirschfeld. Or it could be the injured Olive Sagapolu.
"With the group we've got, it comes natural," said Wisconsin D-line coach Inoke Breckterfield. "They understand their job, they get it. They just really buy into the whole team philosophy, 'This is my job, I'm 1/11th (of the defense). Play great technique and the plays will come.'"
In last Saturday's win at Northwestern, Conor Sheehy was easily the most productive down lineman with five tackles, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry. Sheehy, a junior from Milwaukee, had his own thoughts on whether you can coach "unselfishness."
"I think the type of player that Wisconsin recruits typically is an unselfish player," said Sheehy, a first-team all-state selection out of Marquette High School. "And we all try to play unselfishly. A lot of guys are definitely happy to see other guys be successful and do well."
Take it from smallest player on the defense, safety Leo Musso, the success of the unit revolves around the sacrifices of its biggest players on the line of scrimmage. "Our linebackers and DBs get a lot of the credit," Musso said. "But really it's their names (the D-line) that should be written in the papers."
With all due respect, they say thanks, but no thanks. "We take pride in what we do and we're not worried about anyone else noticing it," said Sheehy, who doesn't mind taking on blockers so the linebackers and safeties can run to the ball and make plays. "They'd do the same thing for us."
Where does that attitude come from? "My whole family has always been team first and family first, all that kind of stuff," said Sheehy, whose dad, Tim, was a baseball player at Wisconsin. "You worry about yourself last. That's definitely something that has been part of my life."
Sheehy's sister, Anna, competed in crew at Duke, though her career was cut short by some back problems. She's now working for Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. His older brother, Ryan, 24, is in the army and stationed in upper New York state. He just got back from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
"I'm very proud of everything he has done," Conor Sheehy said. "I definitely look up to him a lot. He has been a huge influence on my life and a really big reason why I've been successful. He has always taught me to work. He's definitely an unselfish guy. Obviously, it comes with what he does."
Breckterfield appreciates Sheehy's versatility. He can play an outside technique or over the center, a nose tackle assignment that he has taken on since Sagapolu went to the sideline with an injury. Sheehy's toughness is also a big part of who he is, and how he plays in the trenches.
"He's playing with a broken thumb. He opted out of surgery to finish out the season with a cast on and he hasn't missed a beat," said Breckterfield. "He's a throwback kind of guy. Tough as nails. Hard worker. Smart. He's all about business. That's kind of his approach to things." Breckterfield was quick to note, "We have fun. Don't get me wrong."
Obasih makes sure of that, in concert with his co-conspirators, James and Sheehy. "Those guys are constantly getting after each other," Breckterfield said. "It could be a play in practice and the jokes start coming. Or it could be any little thing. It's non-stop between those three."
Their experience can't be overlooked. They've all played in 36 career games. Obasih has 26 starts, Sheehy has 16 and James has 10. "We're getting to that point where guys know when and when they can't take a chance," Breckterfield said. "I'm trusting them a lot more. If it's there, take a shot."
In each of his last two postgame press conferences, wins over Nebraska and Northwestern, UW head coach Paul Chryst has made special mention of the play of the defensive line. In each instance, he said, "They're a foundational piece of our defense and a really big part of our team." Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez also took notice last Saturday against Northwestern.
"They were moving the line of scrimmage," Alvarez said. "I was a little concerned when our big guy (the 340-pound Sagapolu) got hurt because he didn't give any push in there and that allowed the linebackers to run. But Sheehy loves to play and he's tough at the nose tackle."
Alvarez noticed something else about the group.
"They can all run," he said. "That's what I like — D-linemen that can run."
Breckterfield likes the same thing. "They all have a good feel, schematically, where people are, so they can cut it loose," he said. "But it's not just the D-line. Our whole defense has that feel. It's like, 'Hey, if we just run, we don't have to be right all the time. The pursuit and angles will erase mistakes."
Mobility can cover up a lack of size. Obasih is 267 pounds, Sheehy is 288, James is 266. "We're undersized," said Breckterfield, a third-team All-America defensive end at Oregon State. "But they each play with such great technique and pad level. That wins out.
"As a coach," he went on, "you're proud of the way they're playing, especially when you turn the film on and everything you've worked on during the week is being executed on game day. Watching these guys make plays is awesome to see because you know how much work they've put in."
The work ethic meshes nicely with their execution of the fundamentals and unselfishness. "We want to help everybody out," Sheehy said of the mindset. "So everybody is always hustling to the football. That's the main thing — how you play good defense. You have to run to the ball."
It helps explain the run that the Badgers are on. They've allowed 11 touchdowns in nine games.
"They're eating up two or three blockers at a time and they're still making plays," Musso said of the defensive linemen. "They're very special from that aspect; very tough, very smart. It's kind of a thankless position. But we wouldn't have the success our defense has had without them."
