UW notes: D'Cota Dixon eager to see kids at Iowa's Stead Family Children's Hospital
MADISON – D’Cota Dixon has seen Iowa’s version of “the wave” on TV.
Wisconsin’s senior safety is eager to experience it Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium.
“I love kids,” Dixon said. “I have a passion for kids.”
The kids who participate in Iowa’s wave are patients at Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which overlooks Kinnick Stadium.
Sparked by a suggestion on Facebook in 2016, Iowa fans rise and turn at the end of the first quarter and wave to the children and their parents on the top floor of the hospital.
That floor offers the perfect vantage point for the young patients to watch the game.
“Kids are some of the most innocent creatures on the planet in terms of – they don’t worry about life,” Dixon said. “They don’t worry about the stresses.
“Football – winning a game or losing a game – is not stress to them. All they see is their teammates and their buddies and their families and they’re happy with that.
“I am looking forward to seeing those kids smile. Win or lose they deserve to see it. They want to feel joy and have that smile.”
Deal on the rise
Fifth-year senior tailback Taiwan Deal, who because of ankle injuries missed all of last season after being limited to six games in 2016, might be playing his best football at UW.
Although sophomore Jonathan Taylor has gotten 77 of the 118 carries by the tailbacks, Deal has been productive in his 23 carries.
Deal is averaging 5.4 yards per carry and was one of the few bright spots on offense in the loss to BYU with touchdown runs of 2 and 5 yards. The staff appears to be more comfortable using Deal in short-yardage or goal-line situations.
'Whenever your number is called you've got to be ready," said Deal, who before Saturday hadn’t scored a touchdown since the 2015 regular-season finale at Minnesota. "Coach (John) Settle always preaches that. Even if it is third down and your number is called for pass protection, you've got to be ready to perform."
Fourth-down options
UW coach Paul Chryst faced four legitimate fourth-down choices in the loss to BYU.
He opted to roll the dice three times, with UW converting twice, and punted once.
Chryst first chose to punt in a tie game in the opening quarter on fourth and 1 from the UW 45.
Then with UW trailing, 14-7, in the second quarter, Chryst went for it on fourth and 1 from the BYU 38. Taylor gained 1 yard and the Badgers got the tying score four plays later.
Taylor gained 2 yards on fourth and 1 from the BYU 43 with UW trailing, 21-14, in the third quarter. The drive eventually stalled when UW failed to convert on fourth and 6 from the 37.
Chryst explained how he weighs fourth-down calls.
“There is certainly a feel component to it,” he said. “How is the game going? What point in the game is it? Is it a more limited possession game and therefore how many more kicks of the can are you going to get?
“It certainly plays off of how your defense is doing. And if you were not to get it, you’ve got to weigh quickly what that means.
“There is a lot that goes into it. In the end, you better have confidence that you have something you can go to. If you’re searching for that, then I think you play a little bit more (safe).”
From the infirmary
Neither tight end Zander Neuville (right leg) nor outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (right leg) participated in practice Tuesday.
Tyler Johnson, who suffered a left leg injury in Week 2 and played sparingly in the loss to BYU, appears set to start if Van Ginkel is out this week.
Kyle Penniston and Jake Ferguson got extra work after Neuville was knocked out against BYU and will again be UW's top two tight ends if Neuville can't play this week.