Bielema defends quick firing of line coach

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MADISON - University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema confirmed this afternoon that offensive line coach Mike Markuson was fired, after being on the staff for just two games. Bielema told reporters in Madison that the firing was not a knee-jerk reaction after the Badgers lost at Oregon State last Saturday.

He said there were no personality issues between Markuson and his players. Bielema said the worst-case scenario was that the Badgers would not get better had he kept Markuson on his staff. The head coach says he believes the offensive line will improve – but it will take time to regain its ability to help fuel a big running game for the Badgers.

Bart Miller, the Badgers’ second-year offensive quality control coordinator, was moved into the coaching spot for the offensive line. Bielema said he hoped Miller could serve as a bridge between Bob Bostad’s previous success, and what new offensive coordinator Matt Canada wants to do. Bielema said he learned early that if a big move needed to be made, it should be done as soon as possible – and it should not wait until the season’s over.

Markuson coached for 14 years in the Southeastern Conference before he replaced Bostad at Wisconsin. He was one of six new Badger assistants brought in after former offensive coordinator Paul Chryst took several assistants with him to Pittsburgh, where he became the head coach this past spring.

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The chief prosecutor in Madison says he’s delaying charges against three men arrested in the August first attack on Wisconsin football running back Montee Ball. Ismael Ozanne tells WKOW-TV that his office has not received all the police reports that were drafted in the case. He says the three UW-Madison students could make their first court appearances a week from today. According to police affidavits, a surveillance video and a witness indicated that the suspects were in the area where Ball was attacked on University Avenue at the UW campus. The Heisman Trophy finalist from a year ago suffered a concussion and facial injuries in the attack.

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