‘Same old’ Hornibrook lifts Badgers in new role
September 24, 2016 | Football, Andy Baggot
Ever steady, freshman makes first start memorable with rout of Michigan State
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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
EAST LANSING, Mich. — To fully appreciate the unique rhythms of Alex Hornibrook, you should know he zonked out like an exhausted toddler Friday night.
On the eve of his first career start for the Wisconsin football team, the redshirt freshman quarterback did no tossing or turning, no fidgeting or fretting.
Hornibrook and his roommate, sophomore fullback Alex Ingold, watched the latest Jason Bourne movie and drifted off.
"Slept really well," Hornibrook said.
You couldn't tell that the 11th-ranked Badgers were about to stare down the business end of a high-stakes Big Ten Conference rivalry with eighth-rated Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.
You couldn't tell that Wisconsin was an underdog and about to play in a place where it last won in 2002.
You couldn't tell that Hornibrook was about to start the opener of a scheduling gauntlet that features three consecutive top-10 opponents.
You couldn't tell that UW was depleted by injury on defense and special teams and that its offensive line was significantly reconfigured due in part to health issues.
"Same old Alex," Ingold said. "I couldn't tell the difference."
This is just how Hornibrook rolls.
"I think I do a pretty good job of not thinking about stuff too much when I'm going through it," he said.
Nothing changed once Hornibrook stepped into the huddle this day and began authoring a debut for the ages.
Led by the unflappable kid from West Chester, Pennsylvania, the Badgers exorcized a lot of demons and sent a message booming across the college football landscape with their 30-6 rout of Michigan State.
Hornibrook, a left-hander, completed 16 of 26 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown, sufficiently justifying the decision UW coach Paul Chryst made earlier this week to slide Hornibrook ahead of fifth-year senior Bart Houston on the depth chart.
One of the reasons Chryst made the change — Houston started the first three games — had to do with his desire for more consistent accuracy, success and assertiveness in the passing game.
Sift through Hornibrook's debut as a starter and you'll see he was 9-for-13 for 136 yards on third down. Six times he moved the chains.
Scratch a little deeper and you'll see that Hornibrook was 6-for-6 for 100 yards on third-down plays covering 10 yards or more. There were four conversions.
"It was kind of a big thing this week," Hornibrook said of converting on third down, something UW did to the game-changing tune of 7-for-16. "I felt really good about the plays that we had. I felt really good with what we were expecting from a defensive perspective."
Hornibrook did all this operating behind a revamped line. Sophomore Brett Connors, a versatile backup, made his first career start as a center. Sophomore Michael Deiter, who started the first three games at center, slid over to left guard in part because sophomore Micah Kapoi and redshirt freshman Jon Dietzen are hobbled.
Hornibrook loved how his line performed against the defending Big Ten champion Spartans.
"They were beating them up all game," he said.
Connors was the talk of the day.
"It's the next-man-up mentality and it's really cool to see," Ingold said, noting that Connors is "always the last one out of meetings" and "knows every single position" and is "always prepared."
Outside of a false start penalty assessed to Deiter that Connors said was his fault, the day went pretty well against a front seven advertised as one of the most athletic and physical in the nation.
"I definitely had some pregame jitters, but I just told myself to be confident," Connors said.
The outing for Connors, from New Berlin, came 18 days after he quietly went on scholarship. He went into a team meeting as a walk-on and headed out to practice on a full ride.
"It was real laid back," Connors said of the notification. "Coach Chryst just likes to let you know and go about your business."
The last time the Badgers won here — a 42-24 decision Oct. 26, 2002 — Chryst was coaching tight ends under then-coach Barry Alvarez and secondary coach Jim Leonhard was in the process of leading the nation in interceptions as a UW sophomore safety.
Hornibrook was 5, Ingold 6 and Connors 7 that day.
"I was playing on the playground somewhere," said Ingold, who grew up Green Bay.
Wisconsin (4-0 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten) had lost four straight here until the streak ended on a cool, mostly sunny day.
Hornibrook doubled the membership of an exclusive club at UW. He joined Brooks Bollinger as the only quarterbacks to make their first starts on the road against a ranked opponent and win.
Bollinger did it in 1999, knocking off 12th-rated Ohio State 42-17 in Columbus. That version of the Badgers went on to win a second-consecutive Big Ten title and Rose Bowl.
Coincidentally, Hornibrook and Bollinger crossed paths when the latter was the quarterbacks coach under Chryst at Pittsburgh in 2012. Hornibrook committed to Pitt, but changed course when Chryst returned to his alma mater in 2014.
"I haven't talked to him since," Hornibrook said of Bollinger.
They'd have a lot to chat about right now because they seem to have a lot in common. Bollinger was known for his poise, leadership skills and maturity even as a redshirt freshman starter.
"He hasn't surprised anyone with the way he's been playing," Ingold said of Hornibrook. "Everyone expects that out of him.
"He was ready to go. He definitely put his work in in the week so he could come out here and play like he did.
"He's been around the block. It's cool to see him be the same guy in practice as he is on the field."
For all his highlights, Hornibrook had some plays he'd like back. He fumbled once and threw an interception — both in the first half, with the fumble leading to a field goal for the Spartans — and was sacked twice.
"I feel like I definitely could have done a lot of things better. I was happy with the score for sure — a win's a win; it's awesome — but personally I feel like I could do a lot better."
Asked if he was referring to the turnovers, he demurred.
"Obviously the (fumble) was holding onto the ball too long. The other was just kind of throwing it up there," Hornibrook said.
"Other than those, I was thinking more of just executing on some more plays, some incompletions that could have been completions. That the ball could have gone to somebody else."
Coupled with their 16-14 victory over then-fifth-ranked LSU to open the season, the Badgers have knocked off two top-10 teams for the first time since 1962. That club won a Big Ten title.
The scheduling buzz saw gets cranked up again Saturday when UW plays at Michigan (4-0, 1-0). The Wolverines were ranked fourth prior to their 49-10 whipping of Penn State on Saturday.
Following a bye week, the Badgers host second-ranked Ohio State, which was idle on Saturday.
"You hear a lot of talk about how our schedule's really tough and everything, but we just prepared and we had confidence in our team and our leaders stepped up when they needed to," Ingold said. "It was pretty special."
One of those leaders was Hornibrook, who withstood the heat of an aggressive Michigan State pass rush.
"I feel like he handles that so well," Ingold said. "He stands in the pocket with ice in his veins and he's going to hold that ball until he can get it out to an open receiver."
The win brought an end to an eventful week for Hornibrook. During a media session on Tuesday, he inadvertently confirmed that he'd been named the starter.
"I honestly thought it was a public deal," he said.
"I probably could have communicated a little better before the interview, but Coach laughed at it. It wasn't that big of a deal."
His debut as a starter was a much bigger thing.
