Hawkeyes, Badgers battle in living rooms, too

On Saturday, it's about the fight on the field. Sunday, it's about the living rooms.

Wisconsin running back John Clay visited Iowa City during recruiting. Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer visited Wisconsin. And so on.

Several players on today's rosters visited the other school. At least 10 Badgers gave a look toward Iowa, including safety Jay Valai, who committed to Iowa before switching. Seven Hawkeyes took a look at Madison, including offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga and wide receiver Keenan Davis.

It's the nature of being neighbors.

The UW was in on Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki, who was named the Mackey Award's national tight end of the week last week.

“Whenever we're recruiting a tight end, I'll guarantee you it's us and Iowa in there quite a bit, especially dealing with the Midwest,” UW Coach Bret Bielema said.

It hasn't always been collegial.

Former Iowa running back Albert Young committed to Wisconsin and then switched to Iowa. He said former UW coach Barry Alvarez let him have it when he called to say he changed his mind. After committing to Iowa, UW linebacker Kevin Rouse wanted to take a visit to Madison. The Hawkeyes staff asked him not to. He did and that ended his relationship with the Hawkeyes.

Angerer visited Wisconsin and attended summer camp.

“Pat Angerer is a young man out of Bettendorf that we had on campus here,” Bielema said. “We really liked him. I know I was very impressed with him as a high school football player.”

Not impressed enough to offer, apparently.

“I think I only visited there once. They didn't offer me or anything,” said the 6-foot-1 Angerer, who had a career-high 16 tackles and two interceptions against UW last season. “They probably saw how short I was. I got a couple of letters from them and I went and visited and really didn't get anything from them after that.”

That was the 2005 recruiting class. This season has seen quite a few battles, with many of them going Iowa's way.

The Hawkeyes have won over Iowa City High quarterback A.J. Derby, defensive tackle Carl Davis, defensive end Louis Trinca-Pasat, linebacker Austin Gray, O-lineman Andrew Donnal and defensive lineman Mike Hardy, a native of Appleton, Wis.

Wisconsin has safety Frank Tamakloe and quarterback Joseph Brennan.

Running back rotation

Don't look for any changes in Iowa's freshmen running back rotation of Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher. The two combine for 119.8 yards a game and have scored seven TDs. Robinson averages 4.9 yards a carry and is fifth in the Big Ten at 71.5 yards a game. Wegher averages 4.1 yards and is ninth in the Big Ten at 48.3 yards.

Maybe the biggest number is no lost fumbles.

“I don't say it often, but I have been impressed,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz.