Madison — Wisconsin teammates Joel Stave and Alex Erickson performed so effortlessly it appeared as if they were alone in a field, with no roaring fans, no officials and no trophies at stake.
Just a quarterback and a wide receiver playing pitch and catch and making it look easy, much easier than anyone could have expected.
"I think Alex did a really good job last year of being able to win his one-on-ones," Stave said, "and then finding the (open) zones."
Erickson was UW's offensive MVP in a 10-point victory over rival Minnesota last season and should play a pivotal role when UW (8-3, 5-2 Big Ten) tries to extend its winning streak over the Gophers (5-6, 2-5) to 12 games at 2:30 p.