BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin safeties Leo Musso and D'Cota Dixon have been steadily developing their "relationship with the ball" since training camp in August.
And the marriage between their competitive symbolism and execution has been so contagious that everybody has been getting into the act fostering a season-long defensive theme.
"As long as you're doing your assignment, you're doing your 1/11th and you're going your hardest with effort," Dixon said, "the ball will usually find you, you don't have to find it."
With a big grin exploding across his expressive face, Dixon cooed happily, "Yes, we have a relationship with the ball. I'm telling you, that's real."
There were plenty of believers Saturday in Camp Randall Stadium after the Badgers picked off four passes in the first half and held Illinois without a third down conversion (0-for-9) in a 48-3 rout.
In the end, inquiring minds wanted to know more about their "relationship with the ball" which resulted in Musso having as many catches as the Illini's leading receivers, Justin Hardee and Sam Mays.
They each had two, with Musso's going down in the box score as interceptions.
"Any defensive back would tell you that you're always trying to get the ball back," said Musso, a fifth-year senior from Waunakee. "You're trying to tackle that guy with the ball.
"So, you've got to have that relationship with the ball. You've got to love the ball. When it tries to get away from you, then you have to try and get it back. That's where the relationship stems from.
"The first time in (training) camp, we just said, 'Hey, let's get this relationship going with the ball.' And it has worked out for us."
It all revolved around the competitiveness of Musso and Dixon, a redshirt junior from Florida. It hasn't hurt, either, that they have become best of friends; they're almost inseparable.
"This is the thing," Dixon explained, "Leo and I used to have a competition in camp. Whoever had the most interceptions that day, we'd make the other's plate and take it to him during lunch."
Interjected Musso: "It was just little stuff like that to make it a competition. He'd have to take my tray away or carry my pads in (after practice)."
The UW defense has been carrying the offense throughout the season, but the latter offered a welcome spin on the success equation Saturday by converting on 8-of-8 red-zone opportunities.
It was contagious. As were the four takeaways.
"Absolutely," Musso said. "Anytime you can get a turnover, it brings a lot of momentum for the team, not just for the defense but for the offense as well as the special teams."
"It turns into a competition," said cornerback Natrell Jamerson. "As soon as the first pick was caught, we were like, 'OK, we're all going to get a chance now.'" Jamerson had a hand in establishing the early tempo of the game by tackling Darius Mosely for a 1-yard loss after Mosely fielded Anthony Lotti's 46-yard punt on the Illinois 10.
Last Saturday, Lotti had six of his seven punts downed inside the Northwestern 20.
"Lotti has been huge all year," Dixon said of the true freshman punter from Georgia. "He has been doing a really good job getting us in position to play to our strength. It was great field position."
Twenty-eight seconds, three incomplete passes and a false start penalty later, the Illini punted. Operating on a short field, the Badgers drove 51 yards on four plays and took a 7-0 lead.
Illinois' second possession ended on a Dixon interception. Yes, another tone-setter.
"I was keying off the quarterback's eyes," Dixon said of Illinois redshirt freshman Jeff George Jr., "and staying true to my technique. We knew that they liked to try and isolate the safety.
"They try to get a mismatch with either the safety or a linebacker on Number 11 (Malik Turner). He was running an over route; I was watching the quarterback and he threw it right to me."
Cornerback Derrick Tindal had blanket coverage on Turner (Illinois' leading receiver) as George's throw sailed over their heads into the waiting hands of Dixon, who returned it 40 yards to the Illini 8.
"I was just looking for green grass," Dixon said. "That's what I remember from being a running back (in high school). I was never a juker or shifty guy. I was just a one-cut guy and go.
"That's how I've always ran. I was expecting a touchdown (on his return)."
At the end of the first quarter, Musso got his first pick on another George overthrow. "D'Cota got that first one," he said, speaking to the momentum, "and it was good for us from there really."
On his second interception, Musso got an assist from cornerback Sojourn Shelton, who used a scissor kick, a hacky-sack move, with his right foot to keep the ball in the air and the play alive.
"I've watched a lot of Ronaldo highlights playing FIFA (the popular video game)," Shelton said.
Musso returned the interception 16 yards.
"Just kicked it to my homie," Shelton added. "Everybody was catching Christmas gifts."
George surely gift-wrapped his next interception. With T.J. Watt bearing down on him, he threw one up for grabs in the middle of the field and linebacker Ryan Connelly was the beneficiary.
"We were in a 3-deep coverage," Connelly said, "and we talked about when certain sets come out to drop to a sweet spot. I dropped to the sweet spot and that's where the ball ended up.
"I didn't have to do much. He kind of threw it right at me. It was good positioning there."
That was George's final throw and play of the game. Illinois coach Lovie Smith summarily benched him. In the first half, George completed five passes to his "guys" and four to Wisconsin.
Consider: the Illinois offense had only three interceptions for the season on a combined 239 passing attempts from George, Chayce Crouch and Wes Lunt, who finished the game.
During the postgame celebration in the Wisconsin locker room, Dixon came up behind Connelly and mouthed, "Playmaker, he's a playmaker."
An unassuming, introverted Connelly wasn't sure how to respond.
"That's just D'Cota, who has probably made more plays than anyone else," said Connelly, a prep quarterback. "It's humbling, but pretty cool at the same time."
Dixon meant everything that he said about Connelly, who has taken over as a starting inside linebacker for the injured Jack Cichy. Connelly and Leon Jacobs have made a lot of plays in his absence.
"He (Connelly) has always been a playmaker," Dixon contended. "We've had some injuries and he got his opportunity and it's just starting to show that he's a playmaker. It's not surprising to us at all."
Connelly refused to take much credit.
"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable, I'd say," Connelly shyly conceded of his expanded role. "And that goes to the guys in front of me. The defensive line makes it very easy to do it every game."
The secondary's "relationship with the ball" obviously wouldn't be possible without the pressure on the quarterback — compliments of Watt and Vince Biegel, the outside linebackers.
"They were disrupting him (George) all day," Connelly said. "You can't ask for anything else."
The four interceptions were the most for UW since a 70-23 win over Northwestern in 2010. Antonio Fenelus, Aaron Henry, Mike Taylor and Jay Valai had the picks off Evans Watkins and Kain Colter.
Fenelus is now a graduate assistant coach working in tandem with secondary coach Jim Leonhard, who merely had 21 career interceptions, tying him for the school record with Jamar Fletcher.
Connelly talked about the coaches "putting us in a great position to make plays on the ball."
That's all part of the ongoing relationship. The Wisconsin defense has 14 interceptions overall; 11 against Big Ten opponents, which is the most in the league through seven games.
Last season, Michael Caputo and Tanner McEvoy were the starting safeties. McEvoy had six picks, Caputo had two. Compare and contrast: Dixon has four picks, Musso has three.
Whatever questions people might have had about the secondary after the graduation losses of Caputo, who was at Saturday's game, and McEvoy have been answered by Dixon and Musso.
"As a team, we always talk about trying to play that perfect game," Musso said. "We really haven't had a game this year where we just completely dominated and won by a lot.
"Taking nothing away from them (the Illini), we knew we had to come out here today and play."
Keeping Wisconsin in play for a trip to Indianapolis and the Big Ten championship game.
