1983 Wisconsin Badgers football team

The 1983 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 1983 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Dave McClain, the Badgers compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 5–4 in conference play, placing fifth in the Big Ten. Wisconsin played home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

1983 Wisconsin Badgers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	7–4 (5–4 Big Ten)
Head coach	Dave McClain (6th season)
Offensive coordinator	Bill Dudley (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Jim Hilles (6th season)
Base defense	3–4
MVP	Al Toon
Captains	Mike Herrington Brian Marrow Randy Wright
Home stadium	Camp Randall Stadium

1983 Big Ten Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 10 Illinois $	9	–	0	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
No. 8 Michigan	8	–	1	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
No. 14 Iowa	7	–	2	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
No. 9 Ohio State	6	–	3	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Wisconsin	5	–	4	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Purdue	3	–	5	–	1			3	–	7	–	1
Michigan State	2	–	6	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
Indiana	2	–	7	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Northwestern	2	–	7	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
Minnesota	0	–	9	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
September 10	Northern Illinois*	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	W 37–9	56,941
September 17	Missouri*	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	W 21–20	65,044
September 24	No. 17 Michigan	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	L 21–38	77,708
October 1	at Northwestern	Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL	W 49–0	32,180
October 8	No. 19 Illinois	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	L 15–27	78,307
October 15	at Minnesota	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)	W 56–17	62,689
October 22	Indiana	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	W 45–14	78,199
October 29	at No. 16 Ohio State	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	L 27–45	89,203
November 5	No. 15 Iowa	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI (rivalry)	L 14–34	78,105
November 12	at Purdue	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	W 42–38	58,342
November 19	Michigan State	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	W 32–0	54,204
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Michigan

Week 3: Michigan at Wisconsin

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan 7 15 10 6 38 Wisconsin 7 0 0 14 21 Date: September 24 Location: Madison, WI Game attendance: 77,708

Scoring summary 1 11:41 WIS Gary Ellerson 9-yard run (Rohde kick) WIS 7–0 1 1:50 MICH Rick Rogers 2-yard run (Todd Schlopy kick) TIE 7–7 2 MICH Rogers 9-yard run (kick failed) MICH 13–7 2 MICH Bob Bergeron 41-yard field goal MICH 16–7 2 1:13 MICH Sim Nelson 7-yard pass from Steve Smith (Smith run failed) MICH 22–7 3 6:53 MICH Bergeron 37-yard field goal MICH 25–7 3 MICH Dan Rice 5-yard run (Bergeron kick) MICH 32–7 4 12:17 WIS Marck Harrison 2-yard pass from Randy Wright (Rohde kick) MICH 32–14 4 7:35 WIS Mike Jones 32-yard pass from Wright (Rohde kick) MICH 32–21 4 MICH Brian Mercer 11-yard run (kick by Bergeron blocked) MICH 38–21

On September 24, 1983, Wisconsin lost to Michigan, 38–21, before a crowd of 77,708 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

At Northwestern

1 2 3 4 Total • Wisconsin 7 14 14 14 49 Northwestern 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 1 Location: Dyche Stadium, Evanston, IL Source: [1]

Scoring summary 1 WIS Harrison 1-yard run (Rohde kick) WIS 7-0 2 WIS Ellerson 8-yard run (Rohde kick) WIS 14-0 2 WIS McFadden 22-yard pass from Wright (Rohde kick) WIS 21-0 3 WIS Armentrout 58-yard run (Rohde kick) WIS 28-0 3 WIS Toon 7-yard pass from Wright (Rohde kick) WIS 35-0 4 WIS Armentrout 7-yard run (Rohde kick) WIS 42-0 4 WIS Emery 15-yard run (Rohde kick) WIS 49-0

At Ohio State

Wisconsin Badgers (5–2) at #16 Ohio State Buckeyes (5–2)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Wisconsin	14	7	6	0	27
Ohio St	7	21	10	7	45

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

• Date: October 29, 1983
• Game time: 1:30 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: Clear, 55 °F (13 °C)
• Game attendance: 89,203
• Referee: Jim Kemerling
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter WIS – Gary Ellerson 2-yard run (Kevin Rohde kick), 11:34. Wisconsin 7–0. OSU – Thad Jemison 19-yard pass from Mike Tomczak (Rich Spangler kick), 5:25. Tie 7–7. WIS – Thad McFadden 20-yard pass from Randy Wright (Kevin Rohde kick), 2:50. Wisconsin 14–7. Second quarter OSU – Mike Tomczak 28-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 13:19. Tie 14–14. OSU – Keith Byars 13-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 7:16. Ohio St 21–14. OSU – Vaughn Broadnax 1-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 2:07. Ohio St 28–14. WIS – Nick Toon 22-yard pass from Randy Wright (Kevin Rohde kick), 0:57. Ohio St 28–21. Third quarter WIS – Brett Pearson 7-yard pass from Randy Wright (kick failed), 11:36. Ohio St 28–27. OSU – Rich Spangler 36-yard field goal, 4:41. Ohio St 31–27. OSU – Keith Byars 3-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 1:36. Ohio St 38–27. Fourth quarter OSU – Roman Bates 14-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 12:48. Ohio St 45–27. Top passers WIS – Randy Wright – 23/39, 319 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT OSU – Mike Tomczak – 12/14, 162 yards, TD Top rushers WIS – Joe Armentrout – 10 rushes, 40 yards OSU – Keith Byars – 29 rushes, 174 yards, 2 TD Top receivers WIS – Thad McFadden – 3 receptions, 108 yards, TD OSU – Cedric Anderson – 4 receptions, 70 yards

External videos
Game highlights

At Purdue

Wisconsin Badgers (5–4) at Purdue Boilermakers (2–6–1)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Wisconsin	7	14	7	14	42
Purdue	3	20	0	15	38

at Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

• Date: November 12, 1983
• Game attendance: 58,342

Game information

First quarter WIS – Gary Ellerson 2-yard run (Kevin Rodhe kick). Wisconsin 7–0. PUR – Tim Clark 20-yard field goal. Wisconsin 7–3. Second quarter WIS – Randy Wright 1-yard run (Kevin Rohde kick). Wisconsin 14–3. PUR – Cliff Benson 18-yard pass from Scott Campbell (Tim Clark kick). Wisconsin 14–10. PUR – Cliff Benson 1-yard pass from Scott Campbell (Tim Clark kick). Purdue 17–14. WIS – Al Toon 73-yard pass from Randy Wright (Kevin Rohde kick). Wisconsin 21–17. PUR – Lloyd Hawthorne 1-yard run (kick failed). Purdue 23–21. Third quarter WIS – Randy Wright 2-yard run (Kevin Rohde kick). Wisconsin 28–23. Fourth quarter PUR – Bruce King 17-yard run (pass good). Purdue 31–28. WIS – Randy Wright 8-yard run (Kevin Rohde kick). Wisconsin 35–31. PUR – Lloyd Hawthorne 3-yard run (Tim Clark kick), 2:35. Purdue 38–35. WIS – Brett Pearson 13-yard pass from Randy Wright (Kevin Rohde kick), 0:32. Wisconsin 42–35. Top passers WIS – Randy Wright – 16/33, 317 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT PUR – Scott Campbell – 17/30, 181 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers WIS – Gary Ellerson – 21 rushes, 93 yards, TD PUR – Mel Gray – 24 rushes, 106 yards Top receivers WIS – Al Toon – 8 receptions, 252 yards, TD PUR – Jeff Price – 3 receptions, 66 yards

External videos
Game film (no sound)

Personnel

1983 Wisconsin Badgers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class FB 23 Joe Armentrout  Fr TE 85 Dave Arneson  Jr OT 75 Kevin Belcher  Jr FB 31 Brian Bonner Fr FB 32 Kemal Carr Jr OT 72 Jeff Dellenbach Jr RB 41 Gary Ellerson Jr RB 24 Larry Emery  Fr WR 47 Steve Fritz Sr C 54 David Gaatz Jr FB 34 Marck Harrison  Jr QB 7 Mike Howard  Fr WR 4 Michael Jones Jr QB 10 Bob Kobza Sr G 66 Bob Landsee So C 69 Jim Lick Sr WR 20 Thad McFadden  Jr OT 67 David Mielke Jr TE 88 Jeff Nault  Jr WR 22 Marvin Neal Sr G 78 Chris Osswald  Jr TE 86 Bret Pearson Jr G 57 Bill Schick  So RB 44 Bobby Taylor Fr WR 87 Al Toon Jr C 51 Dan Turk Jr QB 12 Randy Wright (C) Sr	Defense Pos. # Name Class S 17 Richard Baxter  So S 37 Russ Bellford Sr DT 92 Scott Bergold  Jr DT 63 Michael Boykins Fr NT 68 Lance Branaman  Fr LB 55 Russ Fields Jr LB 96 Brad Grabow Jr LB 99 Rick Graf  Fr LB 64 Mike Herrington (C) Sr CB 29 Richard Johnson Jr LB 95 Tim Jordan  So LB 39 Joe Kelich Sr DT 54 Jim Kmet  Fr CB 15 Brian Marrow (C) Sr LB 33 James Melka  Jr NT 89 Brad Pierce  Jr LB 28 Art Price  Jr LB 53 Craig Raddatz  Fr LB 52 Michael Reid  Fr DT 62 Kurt Schlicht  Fr DT 60 Darryl Sims (I) Jr S 3 Ken Stills Jr S 2 Averick Walker Jr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 6 Wendell Gladem Sr K 11 Kevin Rohde Sr P 5 George Winslow So	Head coach Dave McClain Coordinators/assistant coaches Bill Dudley – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks and Running Backs Jim Hilles – Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Dave Anderson – Outside Linebackers Chuck Heater – Defensive Backs Fred Jackson – Wide Receivers Arnold Jeter – Defensive Line Ron McBride – Offensive Line Tight Side/Tight Ends Mario Russo – Offensive Line Split Side/Special Teams Jerry Fishbain – Recruiting Coordinator Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

1984 NFL draft

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
Randy Wright	Quarterback	6	153	Green Bay Packers