No Dayne, no problem for Badgers

National championship and Wisconsin are two words rarely used in the same sentence.\nWisconsin has never won a national title, and from 1963 until Barry Alvarez took over as head coach in 1990, the Badgers were one of the Big Ten's pushovers.\nBut two consecutive Big Ten and Rose Bowl titles in '98 and '99 have decreased the gap between the Badgers and college football's elite.\nAdd loads of talent, including 16 returning starters, and it's not surprising expectations are high entering the 2000 season.\n"We are thinking national championship," junior cornerback Jamar Fletcher said. "We have the team to do it."\nMany football experts also think 2000 could be the Badgers' year. After posting a 10-2 record last season, Wisconsin is ranked in the top five of almost every preseason poll.\n"I'd be lying if I said winning a national championship hasn't crossed my mind," senior center Casey Rabach said. "Winning a title is in any college football player's mind if they are ranked as high as we are."\nFor Wisconsin to make a run at the title, it must replace running back Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner. Dayne, the first-round draft pick of the New York Giants, was the catalyst of the Badgers' offense for four seasons, leaving Madison as college football's all-time leading rusher with 6,397 yards.\nAlvarez said junior Michael Bennett will get first crack at replacing Dayne. Bennett won the 100-and-200 meter dashes at the Big Ten Outdoor Track Championship in the spring.\n"It's going to be hard to replace a Heisman Trophy winner, but it's business as usual," Rabach said. "Michael Bennett should work out nicely for us. He's a speed guy."\nWisconsin led the conference with 3,283 yards rushing, but attempted a conference low 219 passes last season. Without Dayne, Wisconsin's passing attack, led by sophomore quarterback Brooks Bollinger, will play an increased role.\n"Our biggest job is to take the abilities of our players, especially those who make big plays, and take advantage of them," Alvarez said. "We need to use our quarterback a little bit more and maybe not put as much stock in our tailback as we have in the past."\nBollinger registered a perfect 8-0 record after taking over as the Badgers' starting quarterback midway through 1999. Bollinger's consistent play as a starter earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors from the coaches and media.\nRabach, a 1999 first-team all-Big Ten selection, anchors an offensive line that must replace both tackles. Three-year starter Bill Ferrario and two-year starter Dave Costa give the Badgers experience at guard.\nA pair of juniors from St Louis, Fletcher and defensive tackle Wendell Bryant, will lead the defense. \nFletcher, a candidate to win the Jim Thorpe Award, given to college football's best defensive back, led the Big Ten with seven interceptions in both 1998 and 1999. In his short career, Fletcher has already returned five interceptions for touchdowns.\n"Jamar is the most effective corner I've been around as far as breaking up and making plays," said Alvarez, who also coached 1991 Thorpe Award winner Troy Vincent.\nThe 6-foot-4, 293-pound Bryant is one of the Big Ten's top pass-rushers and led the Badgers with seven sacks in 1999.\nWisconsin's biggest defensive concern is replacing inside linebackers Chris Ghidorzi and Donnel Thompson. Junior Bryson Thompson, Donnel's younger brother, and Nick Greisen will likely start the season at inside linebacker.\nWisconsin's special teams should once again be solid. Senior kicker Vitaly Pisetsky connected on 16 of 20 field goal attempts in 1999 and is a candidate for the Lou Groza Award, given to college football's top place-kicker. Senior Kevin Stemke has handled the punting duties for three years, and his 43.1-yard career average is eighth best in conference history.