BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — After Aleem Ford aggressively dove to the practice floor in pursuit of a loose ball during a defensive intensity drill, Brad Davison blurted out, "Way to Ductus Exemplo."
Ford is not a Latin major, but he knew exactly what Davison meant.
Ductus Exemplo. Lead by example.
"That was how I used it," Davison said. "Whenever someone is doing something the way they're supposed to be doing it — or leading by example — we'll give them a little affirmation. Ductus Exemplo."
A sign bearing those two words hangs over the entrance to the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School. They're also part of strength and conditioning coach Erik Helland's training lexicon.
Coming into fall workouts, Helland was looking for something fresh and motivational to spice up things for the players. So, he came up with a Word of the Week. Or words as the case may be.
"I love it," said Davison. "He always has a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge for us at the end of every workout or practice. It kind of gives us a word to rally around and be mindful of."
One of Helland's first words was Intent. "As we went through the week," he said, "I used that frequently and applied it to different things we do in the (weight) room and in the environment.
"We talked about doing things with intent. Purposefully."
After exposing everyone to Ductus Exemplo, he said, "We talked about what leadership is and how leadership is earned. It's not something that is just given out to somebody."
Some other words of the week have been self-explanatory. Like focus. Like finish. "Finish the job, finish the task, finish the day, finish," said Helland, adding an example, "It's about finishing the hill."
Originating with Bo Ryan, the Badgers used to run the Elver Park Hill as part of their preseason conditioning. Now, they're staying on campus and running Bascom Hill.
"Not only does he (Helland) give us a word of knowledge," Davison said, "but a history lesson."
Helland regaled the group with an historical perspective on the origins of "On, Wisconsin." He took them back to the Civil War and the 1863 Battle of Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
He talked about how an 18-year-old union officer Arthur MacArthur (the father of General Douglas MacArthur) was a member of a Wisconsin infantry regiment that was under attack.
MacArthur, as the story goes, picked up a Wisconsin flag and charged up the hill crying out "On, Wisconsin" before planting the flag at the top — breaking Confederate ranks and taking the position.
Helland commanded the UW players to yell "On, Wisconsin" as they took Bascom Hill. All things considered (i.e., the Civil War backstory), the Abraham Lincoln statue was an appropriate finish line.
"It was pretty cool,' said guard D'Mitrik Trice. "We learn something new every day."
Last week, the Badgers learned that 6-foot-10 Ohio State transfer Micah Potter would not be eligible until the start of the second semester, thus missing the first 10 games, including Indiana and Rutgers.
"We were hoping and praying that he got theNCAA waiver," Trice said. "But obviously it didn't go that way, so now other guys are going to have to step up … roles will have to change a little bit more."
Barring any late reconsideration, Potter will not be able to play until the Dec. 21 game against Milwaukee at the Kohl Center. Until then, he will continue to practice with the team, a silver lining.
"Micah holds himself to a very high standard which easily projects on to others," Helland said. "To me, he presents a stability in the environment; a professionalism and a passion for what he does."
Potter has handled the NCAA's decision with that type of aplomb.
"All we can focus on is getting the team ready for Saint Mary's," Potter said of the Nov. 5 season opener against the Gaels in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. "That's what my focus is right now."
Micah Potter passes the ball to a teammate during the Red/White Scrimmage at the Kohl Center. Nate Reuvers plays defense.
Nate Reuvers and Ford will have to do most of the heavy lifting on the frontline without Potter, who will concentrate on getting them both ready for game competition.
"The biggest thing I can do is push Nate as hard as I can," Potter said, "and get him into a situation where he's ready to go up against bigger, stronger, faster guys."
Potter is confident that Ford can handle whatever is thrown at him. "Absolutely," he said. "If you look at our lineup right now, Aleem is going to have a lot of things on his plate.
"And, honestly, with the way he has progressed, physically and mentally, I don't think he'll have any problems going into a game and playing whatever role that we need him to play."
What does Potter's absence mean to Reuvers?
"I just think it means, I can't get into foul trouble," said the 6-11, 235-pound Reuvers, who has gotten stronger and leaner since last year. "We'll obviously have one guy fewer in the rotation."
Does Ford feel more pressure filling a void in the paint until Potter is eligible?
"Not individually," he said. "Whatever role Micah is going to have this season, it's not just one person's responsibility, it's more on the team to fill that role.
"I don't feel now that Nate is going to have to play 40 minutes or someone else is going to have to play a lot more minutes. I feel like it's more of a collective effort of the group."
Greg Gard got a meaningful heads-up from Helland during offseason workouts.
In a word: Ford.
"The name that would constantly come up was Aleem's on how he was working and how he was taking on the challenge to take another step forward," said Gard, entering season No. 5 as head coach.
"Sometimes that happens organically. They see older guys move ahead of them or move on and they know it's their time. It's just a maturity process that took place. And maybe this would be a question for Aleem — with Khalil (Iverson) and Ethan (Happ) moving on — did he realize, 'Hey, it's my time.'"
Asked about the timing and if that was true, Ford said, "I have been trying to be more vocal from the standpoint of trying to be a leader and showing it every day on the floor.
"It was huge for me this summer in just trying to hold myself to a different standard than I've held myself before. It's definitely my changed focus."
Gard has witnessed the results. "With strength comes confidence and with confidence comes a swagger," he said. "At both ends of the floor, there's definitely a change in him for the better."
Ford was intent — one of Helland's words — on expanding his game from the 3-point line.
"I've just been trying to get out of my comfort zone," said Ford, who has averaged less than five points in 64 career games. "Slash. Cut to the rim. Post up. It's becoming more natural for me.
"I find myself doing things inside that I wouldn't have done a few years ago. Or even last year. It's definitely been a process and I feel really good."
Ductus exemplo.
