UW cornerback Dontye Carriere-Williams working his way back from injury

MADISON – Cornerback Dontye Carriere-Williams was an impatient spectator for Wisconsin’s first seven spring practices.

Carriere-Williams, UW’s No. 3 cornerback last season as a redshirt freshman, hoped to use spring ball as a springboard to securing a starting spot in 2018.

Unfortunately for Carriere-Williams, he still wasn’t fully recovered from off-season hernia surgery and spent the first two-plus weeks rehabbing and watching his teammates work on the field.

He was cleared to participate in individual drills last week and continues to gradually work his way back as UW nears the end of spring camp.

“I’m a competitor, man,” Carriere-Williams said when asked about missing so much time. “I want to be out on the field. Not being able to go really hurt me. 

“I’m still not 100% but I’m trying to work my way there.”

Getting work this spring is important because defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard must replace two starting cornerbacks (Derrick Tindal and Nick Nelson), one starting safety (Natrell Jamerson) and one key reserve safety (Joe Ferguson).

Leonhard has used the spring to evaluate a plethora of players at both cornerback and safety. 

"I love their approach," Leonhard said. "Pretty much that whole group of DBs is hungry to get better. They ask questions. They want to learn. And anytime you have that mentality, you have a chance."

Carriere-Williams was targeted early last season as teams avoided testing Tindal and Nelson. He struggled a bit early, but his play improved and he played in all 14 games with five starts. He finished the season with six passes broken up, the fourth-highest total on the team, 30 tackles and an interception. 

“I definitely showed what I am capable of,” he said “But that was only the beginning. I wasn’t healthy last year.”

According to Carriere-Williams, he began experiencing discomfort in his lower-abdominal area in Week 2 of the season. 

He opted to play through the injury, in part because he had redshirted in 2016.

“It was tough but my mindset was just to go out there and lay it all on the line for my guys,” he said. “My mom is real big on whatever I start I have to finish. I couldn’t stop. I had to finish the season.”

What was the most debilitating part of the injury?

“I couldn’t run,” Carriere-Williams said. “I just was able to fight through for a very long time.”

Carriere-Williams hopes to be fully recovered for summer workouts, which begin in early June.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time,” he said. “I wish I could wake up tomorrow and be 100%. I’m just taking it slow. 

“I played through the injury. I feel if I can play healthy I can be a whole new animal. I just want to get healthy and contribute to the team.”

Cephus returns to field: Wide receiver Quintez Cephus, who missed UW’s final five games last season after suffering a broken right leg at Indiana, took his first practice reps of the spring Friday.

Cephus participated in a handful of individual drills and was not in full pads, but his presence marked another step in his return from the injury.

“He has been champing at the bit,” UW coach Paul Chryst said after practice.

Cephus, who will be a junior, led UW in touchdown catches (six) and finished third in catches (30) in 2017 despite missing nearly one-third of the season. 

“It has been a long time,” Chryst said. “When you know Q, you know a big part of it is just being around the guys. 

“Certainly he is with them in the weight room but it is different. I think he was excited to get out today and wanted to do more.

“Next week he can get more work.”

Alumni weekend: Although the rain and cold forced UW officials to cancel the annual spring game set for Friday night, the weather didn’t affect the mood of the former players who returned for some food, drinks and to watch a two-hour practice inside the McClain Center.

Dozens of former players – spanning several decades -- were in attendance.

“It’s their program,” Chryst said. “They’re the ones that built this and any time we can bring them back it is a good thing.

“(To) connect them with this year’s team, this year’s group, is really good. And you appreciate the guys that make the effort to come back.”