No sideshows in prep for Badgers

You had him at Wisconsin.

Tim Brewster was sitting in his office Sunday afternoon, looking ahead to Saturday's game against Wisconsin.

Much like the Vikings-Packers game that will come two days later, there are a lot of ties in the game. The Gophers coaching staff has a number of folks -- co-defensive coordinators Kevin Cosgrove and Ronnie Lee as well as offensive line coach Tim Davis -- who spent a lot of time with the Badgers. There is the recruiting battle that wages each year for players living between the two schools. There is Paul Bunyan's Axe, which hasn't resided in Minnesota for a long time.

To Brewster, there is no reason to bring all that other stuff up. C'mon guys, this is Wisconsin.

"We don't need to stoke this game," Brewster said. "If you have to get motivated to play this game, there's an issue, you know?"

This is supposed to be an emotional game, Brewster said. There is no need to pour any extra gasoline on this fire. No need to bring up recruiting, or that Kim Royston will be playing against his former team for the first time. Or that it's the first Big Ten game at TCF Bank Stadium. Or to recall the intensity of last year's game in Madison.

It's Wisconsin. It's already big.

"I think the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry is as good as any rivalry in the country, and I've been at the best ones," Brewster said. "This is big."

Big enough that the coaches will spend more time preparing, practicing and honing their game plans than playing on emotional strings.

And, just from an X's and O's standpoint there is enough there to fill a week. The Gophers are coming off a game in which the running game returned, giving Minnesota a true two-fisted attack for the first time this season. That's big with Brewster, the ability to move the ball, win a game, either running or passing. And it's not easy. Many teams focus on one or the other, given the time allowed for game prep. From a defensive perspective, the idea is to always make the other team win lefthanded. That is Brewster's way of saying make the other team beat you by doing what it doesn't do best.

In that way the Gophers and Badgers are similar.

So far this season, the Gophers have faced Air Force's triple option attack, and a dominant speed back in California's Jahvid Best. Against Northwestern, the Gophers faced a pure spread passing attack.

This Saturday? Balance.

The emergence of Scott Tolzien as the Badgers quarterback has given Wisconsin a balanced offense. To be honest, not many saw this coming as the Badgers opened training camp looking for a quarterback. Tolzien isn't the strongest QB on the Badgers roster. He's not the most athletic. But he's smart, he makes quick decisions and he has been uncannily accurate so far. As a result he has the highest rating of any Big Ten quarterback.

And he was doing this even before the Badgers running game kicked into gear. Now that it has? Tolzien passed for 243 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday's 38-30 victory over Michigan State. Three of those TD passes went to tight end Garrett Graham.

The Badgers offense, coordinated by Paul Chryst, is based on a timing passing attack. It requires the quarterback to get the ball out quickly. Tolzien has added accuracy to that mix. Now add the Badgers' traditional strength, the running game. That's back now, too. Against Michigan State, with John Clay leading the way, the Badgers rushed for 193 yards.

This will be the first time Cosgrove will prepare to face his old team. Cosgrove spent 14 seasons as an assistant with the Badgers under head coach Barry Alvarez. The Badgers won three Rose Bowls while Cosgrove was there, two with him as defensive coordinator.

Against Northwestern, the Gophers defense did a good job against the run, gave up a bunch of passing yards but did what was necessary at the end.

The Badgers offense will put a lot of pressure on linebackers, arguably the Gophers' deepest defensive position.

On many plays, especially on early downs, a Gophers linebacker could be matched up with Graham. The linebackers also will be asked to match up physically against a power Wisconsin running game coming together behind an offensive line that has found both health and a rhythm.

Kent Youngblood • kyoungblood@statribune.com