MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin starting quarterback Alex Hornibrook may have had a less than stellar game against Michigan two weeks ago, but after resting during the bye week, the redshirt freshman is, as always, poised to take on a relentless Ohio State defense this Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium.
In Ann Arbor, Hornibrook performed what many would define as a relatively rookie game, his youth showing in some missed throws and costly interceptions. In the 14-7 loss against Michigan, Hornibrook made 9 of 25 throws for 88 yards and one touchdown yet also had three interceptions.
“We have to evaluate ourselves and see what we can do better,” Hornibrook said. “But at the same time, wash that out a little bit. We learned from it. We know what we have got to improve on. All our focus this week is on Ohio State.”
Hornibrook called himself his biggest critic, saying in all the games he’s played in, he has seen some plays and throws that he could have completed or done better. That being said, he remains confident in himself and his teammates and said that the bye week was a great way to further improve their playing ability.
“You’re not really game planning like you would be for a game on Saturday since we didn’t have one. It’s more just working on getting better and focusing on practice,” Hornibrook said. “I think it came at a good time. It was good to just get back and focus on ourselves to make improvements, to get our bodies back, to get healthy, rested up for this week.”
This weekend the Badgers will be back at Camp Randall after several weeks on the road. Hornibrook as well as teammates emphasized that the atmosphere of a night game in Madison will contribute to an electric atmosphere, though the game shouldn’t change too much.
“Regardless of where you’re playing, you’re playing the game. It shouldn’t affect you too much, but when you get to play in front of your fans here at home, it’s an awesome atmosphere. It’s a little different than the past couple weeks, so we can’t wait for it.”
A #2 ranked Ohio State team with a tough, playmaking defense will be an obvious threat for the young quarterback. OSU’s defense, Hornibrook believes, will be very similar to other Big Ten teams that the Badgers have already played this season.
“I think a big thing with all the bigger programs or teams is they’re not going to do a ton of different looks, but they’re going to be really good at what they’re running. Obviously they’ve got some defensive players that they trust in one on one coverage just like Michigan, just like Michigan State.”
The Badgers are 4-1 and 1-1 in the Big Ten heading into this week’s game against Ohio State. The one loss does not hinder the team’s confidence or their possibilities for the rest of the season. Hornibrook stated his confidence in his receiving corps remains the same and the loss against Michigan does not illustrate how the team will play against Ohio State.
“That one loss doesn’t derail our season or put us back anywhere. We still have opportunities ahead of us.”
Wisconsin and Ohio State kick off at 7:00pm CT on Saturday night at Camp Randall.