BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MADISON, Wis. — The first fully-padded practice of 2021 produced stretches of "real football" during controlled periods Saturday on the grass field north of Camp Randall Stadium.

It also featured three post-whistle scrums between players on offense and defense intent on defending their turf or a teammate or both. Such outbreaks are intrinsic to preseason training camps.

"There were a few dustups — personally, having played the position and been through it — I don't mind it," said UW defensive line coach Ross Kolodziej, who played in the trenches on a pair of Rose Bowl teams.

"Our guys are competitive right now and they're hungry. That's what we've been preaching: playing fast and playing physical. It's kind of a street fight mentality up front."

On the benefits of the scrimmaging, itself, Kolodziej said, "It eliminates the should-have, would-have, could-have … You either were in position or you weren't.

"A practice like this is similar to a game where you get a series or two and a break in-between. Can you regroup and refocus and come back and play at that same intensity in back-to-back series?

"I thought it was great physically and mentally for the group to overcome those challenges."

At Big Ten Media Days, Penn State's James Franklin talked about a countdown clock in the football facility that features a Wisconsin logo and serves as a constant reminder of the Sept. 4 opener.

Franklin admitted that it has "really, kind of raised the standard for our guys. They understand we better be ready to go from the first kick."

He later told Big Ten Network, "Our entire organization and our players understand the type of opponent and the type of venue we're going into in Week 1."

Kolodziej didn't have to be reminded Saturday that the Badgers were exactly three weeks away from their opener against Penn State in Camp Randall. His body clock has been ticking for days, months.

"You don't want to live in the past," he said, "but going through what you went through last year and never feeling like you had a real season or an outcome that you're accustomed to …

"I just think part of that aggressiveness you saw today was guys hungry for a season. They're excited for a kickoff. They're excited for the stability of the schedule.

"We can actually look forward to Sept. 4 and say we have a game whereas last year at this time we didn't know. The season was canceled (on Aug. 11 and later reinstated on Sept. 16). So definitely my clock has been ready for this opener for about a year."

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After making a seamless transition from strength and conditioning coordinator to the defensive line, Kolodziej is viewed as a players' coach because of his "hands-on" approach to teaching.

"As a strength coach, he was that dude — and I feel as a D-line coach, he's still that dude," said junior Keeanu Benton, one of the anchors of Wisconsin's interior front.

"A lot of coaches can be out here telling you to do this or do that. But he's going to show you how to do it. And if you don't have a partner (in drills), he will be your partner.

"I like it because he's so hands-on. He'll do some of the drills better than some of us. His spin move is still out of this world. He just brings that competitive edge to us."

The 43-year-old Kolodziej had stints with four NFL teams (Giants, 49ers, Cardinals, Vikings) and last played professionally in 2011 with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League.

"When he became the defensive line coach, he shows up with cleats and gloves on," said senior D-end Matt Henningsen. "It's like he wants to get back out there on the field and just play with us.

"It's a lot of fun to see that side of him. He had a connection to football through the strength program, but he wanted to get back in the meeting room and on the field and work with us.

Kolodziej has stopped short of taping his fingers for practices and has in his own words "dialed it back" some since spring ball. And yet, he's no less enthusiastic about his coaching assignment.

"I can't say I was uncomfortable in the spring," he offered. "I feel real comfortable teaching the techniques themselves. Like I've said, the 3-technique, the 5- and 0-technique haven't changed.

"It has been a great transition. I'm energized by this group."

Henningsen is the coach on the field for Kolodziej. A brilliant student who's working towards his master's in electrical engineering, he has total command of the defensive playbook.

"(Henningsen) knows everything and if you ask him something, he's going to coach you up and tell you how he learned it," said Benton, who will be utilized as a nose tackle or end in different packages. "It's just the way he thinks about things and puts certain plays in categories. That's how he's able to help everybody. He's an end but he knows the nose guards' and the outside linebackers' (roles)."

In the first quarter of the Michigan game last November, Henningsen tore a biceps muscle and was lost for the remainder of the 2020 season. His experience and know-how were missed.

"But he was always on the sidelines and still helping people out when they came over to him," Benton recalled. "He'd be watching, and he could tell you what you did right or wrong."

The injury framed everything in a different light for Henningsen, who has been proving his mettle since originally accepting a walk-on invitation from the Badgers out of Menomonee Falls High School.

"It was very tough sitting on the sidelines, not being able to play because you've got a busted arm," said Henningsen, who went on scholarship in 2018. "You want to get out there. "Injuries are tough. But it's something that a lot of people face, and you've got to deal with them. And you've got to bounce back from them and do whatever you can to play."

Kolodziej appreciates Henningsen's intelligence and doggedness, among many other positive traits. With 16 career starts, he's, by far, the most experienced player on the D-line.

"Consistency is what you get with Hen Dog, a really high level of consistency; he brings it every day," Kolodziej said. "Mentally, he's always locked in. He knows the playbook inside and out.

"He's doing an unbelievable job in terms of leadership and helping out the younger guys. I've seen them come up in the afternoon and have a meeting before the (D-line) meeting."

Henningsen learned from some accomplished mentors. He listed Conor Sheehy, Chikwe Obasih, Alec James, Olive Sagapolu and, most recently, Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand.

"I've had great examples set before me," said Henningsen, who in 2018 became the first UW walk-on since at least 1990 to start a season opener as a freshman. "Every single one of those guys taught me a lot.

"And now I'm trying to step into that role along with Keeanu, who's a great vocal leader. He gets along with everyone and he brings a lot of energy to the room."

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst has been lavish in his praise of Benton. And he explained that the high expectations that everybody has for Benton is a sign of the respect that he has already earned.

"From my vantage point, he will do anything for this team, he's a great teammate," said Chryst, who has been impressed with his steady growth as a leader since bursting on the scene as a freshman. "Obviously, we think he's talented. We really believe that he's a relentless worker; a guy that is open to coaching and open to anything for this team.

"So, you've got a talented guy who cares a ton about it. He's willing to – and everybody wants him to be – one of those leaders. We're expecting a lot from him. But it's all in his wheelhouse."

So far, Benton has lived up to the billing, according to Kolodziej, knowing full well his value in helping fill the void created by the graduation losses of defensive staples like Loudermilk and Rand.

"He has been very impressive at times physically," Kolodziej said of the 285-pound Benton. "He has that kind of ability to just shut down a drill and dominate up front.

"His knowledge of the playbook is continuing to grow and improve. This last practice what stood out was him running to the ball. He was bursting out of the stack. We really hadn't seen a lot of that out of him before. And I just thought, 'Man, he's elevating his game in a lot of different areas.'"

Kolodziej knows what he's going to get out of Henningsen and Benton. After Saturday's practice, he spoke about the steady progress made by 6-foot-4, 297-pound Isaiah Mullens, a redshirt junior.

"He's trending in a positive way," he said. "He's really a big, strong, powerful man. If we can put him in a position to play to his strengths, he can be a very dominant, physical player."

Kolodziej named some other potential defensive line contributors to the rotation in Rodas Johnson ("He can run") and Gio Paez ("Very explosive, powerful"). Both are redshirt sophomores.

He also mentioned senior nose Bryson Williams, who has dealt with injuries throughout his career. Said Kolodziej, "He has shown up more so than ever in terms of suddenness and production."

At the same time, Kolodziej is waiting on redshirt freshman James Thompson and Oregon transfer Isaac Townsend to round back into shape after going through injury rehabs.

On Thompson, who damaged his Achilles against Michigan, he said, "It's just a situation where we have to keep giving him reps where he can gain confidence and trust what he sees."

Saturday's open practice at Camp Randall will serve in some ways as a dress rehearsal for the Penn State opener. The players are ready to welcome back the fans with open arms, too.

"You've got to create your own energy and bring your own juice when you're out there with no fans," said Henningsen, reflecting on last season. "It was different to me and just not the same.

"With the fans there, you can feed off their energy knowing they're supporting you."

It doesn't take a straight-A student to figure that out. Even though he is.

Tick, tick, tick. His body clock is also fixed on Sept. 4.