BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — One hundred push-ups. Bradrick Shaw's routine began during his junior year of high school in Birmingham, Alabama.
One hundred push-ups.
That was his goal before he went to bed every night.
"I still do them," Shaw said after Tuesday's practice.
But since coming to Wisconsin, he has had a different motivation.
"I promised my little brother that every night we'd do 100 push-ups," he said. "He does them at home and I do my mine up here in Madison. It's a way to stay connected with him."
His brother is 10.
There has been one notable break in Shaw's routine. In the Sept. 17 Georgia State game, he injured his shoulder.
That curtailed his push-ups and playing time.
"It was a bummer," said Shaw, a redshirt freshman.
Especially since he was becoming a factor in the tailback rotation.
Against Akron, he had nine carries for 74 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown run.
Against Georgia State, he had 15 rushes for 62 yards with a long gain of 19.
While mending, Shaw missed the first two Big Ten games at Michigan State and Michigan.
"I knew I had to stay focused," he said of his injury rehab.
But it was a long, taxing process for Shaw, who went 28 days between games.
On Oct. 15, he finally got back on the field and it wasn't mop-up duty. On the contrary. Shaw heard his number called in the fourth quarter against Ohio State.
On second-and-8 from the OSU 10, Shaw picked up 6 yards. That set up fullback Austin Ramesh's 4-yard touchdown as the Badgers rallied to take a 23-20 lead over the Buckeyes.
Talk about coming through in the clutch? Shaw's only carry in the game — only carry in a month — was on a pressure-packed 11 play, 81-yard scoring drive in a raucous Camp Randall Stadium.
"I was ready; I knew I was the next man up," said Shaw, the back-up to Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale. "It was a play we had been practicing all week. I just had to be strong in the trenches."
Clement and Ogunbowale have been serving as tutors for Shaw.
"They've helped me a lot just by seeing how they go about everything," he said. "In the film room, I see how they do it (break down opponents), what they look for and how to remain focused."
Following a heartbreaking overtime loss to Ohio State, the Badgers traveled to Iowa. There was no guarantee that Shaw would see any action. But he prepared like he would during the week.
"I take each day, each practice like I'm going to be playing," he said. "It's game week. You can't have any mistakes. If you do, you have to correct them. You're practicing to play on Saturday."
Once again, Shaw had to wait his turn behind Clement and Ogunbowale. Once again, he was ready when called upon. Once again, his first and only carry came in the fourth quarter of a tight game.
On second-and-6 from the Iowa 33, Shaw had an 8-yard burst behind left tackle Ryan Ramczyk for a first down, forcing the Hawkeyes, trailing by eight, to use a timeout with 2:20 left.
"That felt great," Shaw said. "But I was a little upset with myself. I was patient, but I ran into one of my guys (tight end Eric Steffes). If I hadn't, I would have scored."
Nonetheless, Shaw had a role in sustaining a nine-play, 62-yard drive that burned 4:06 off the clock. Shortly after his run, Andrew Endicott's 36-yard field goal made it a two-possession game.
The Badgers held on for a 17-9 win.
"My vision has improved this year," said Shaw, who redshirted as a freshman in 2015. "I got a lot faster during the offseason and I'm able to hit the hole faster and read my blocks better."
Last Saturday, Shaw went through his customary routine on the sideline while waiting to get into the game against Nebraska at Camp Randall. Again, there were no guarantees that he would play.
"I do a lot of stretching when our defense is on the field," he said. "When we're up (the offense), I'll be behind Coach Settle — waiting on him to call my name."
John Settle is the running backs coach for the Badgers.
"I'll do standing stretches while I'm behind him," said the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Shaw, who benches 395. "I'm trying to stay focused. Mainly my focus is the big thing."
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst broke an offensive tendency by using his fourth-quarter back — Shaw — in the first quarter against the Cornhuskers. On first down, the Badgers faked a jet sweep to influence the linebackers and safeties. Alex Hornibrook then handed the ball to Shaw, who exploded up the middle for a 21-yard touchdown.
"I knew I had to do some work in the hole early," Shaw said. "But I saw the opening and I knew once I got to the second level, I'd be able to use my speed and get to the end zone."
Shaw admitted to having a flashback to a non-conference game in mid-September. After a botched punt by Georgia State, the Badgers took over on the GSU 23 early in the second quarter.
Since Clement wasn't available because of an injury, Chryst turned to Shaw to be his workhorse on the series. He rushed for 15, 2, and 5 yards on successive plays.
On third-and-goal from the 1, Shaw fumbled after being hit and it was recovered by Georgia State, adding to the frustrations of the Badgers who were clinging to a 6-0 lead at the time.
Weeks later, Shaw scored his touchdown against Nebraska going in the same direction — the south end zone — that he lost the fumble against Georgia State. Redemption?
"That was still on my mind, that fumble has been on my mind for awhile," he admitted. "When I fumbled on the 1, I didn't finish. But I finished strong on Saturday. It felt great to get in the end zone."
It felt so good that Shaw had another flashback — a much more positive one — to when he was a frequent visitor to the end zone for Hoover High School, one of the powerhouse programs in Alabama.
"It was a night game and we always used to play at night," said Shaw, who was on three straight Class 7A state championship teams at Hoover and rushed for 17 touchdowns as a senior.
"High school is a little bit easier than here (college football). But it felt great showing what I can do against the Huskers. I've been waiting for my turn, waiting for my opportunity.
"The biggest thing for me is to try and stay focused. I know my name could be called at any time. I trust myself when I go in. I have the confidence. I know I'm going to do good."
And if he doesn't?
"I know if I mess up," he said, "I'm going to mess up at full speed."
Although the sample size is small (28 career rushes), Shaw has a distinctive style.
"He's a guy who hits it downhill so fast," said UW linebacker T.J. Edwards. "He has a great one-cut ability. We saw that his first summer here. He's an explosive guy.
"We always tell him that he runs like a horse. He's got a little giddy-up in his running style. He's going to be a really good back for us. I'm excited to see what he can do."
As he waits for his next carry — it may or may not come Saturday at Northwestern — Shaw realizes that he has time on his side. Clement and Ogunbowale are seniors. And he's only 19.
"I'm still young," he acknowledged. "But it's a man's game out there. You have to grow up fast."
