COTTON BOWL
Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin
Noon Monday (ESPN)
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
MADISON - There are connections to Monroe on the University of Wisconsin football team.
They are redshirt sophomore Beau Benzschawel and his brother, Luke, a redshirt freshman.
Their father, Scott Benzschawel, and uncle, Eric Benzschawel, are Monroe High School graduates and both played football for the Cheesemakers. Scott is a 1983 MHS graduate, and Eric is a 1988 graduate. Both Benzschawel brothers went on to play football for the Badgers.
Now, Beau is a starting offensive guard for the Badgers, and Luke plays tight end.
"It was always my dream growing up to play for Wisconsin," Beau said. "You don't always know how it will pan out. Having my dad and Uncle Eric play at Wisconsin makes it even better."
Beau was a standout three-sport athlete at Grafton. He played tight end, defensive end and offensive line in high school.
"I was a little thinner back then," he said.
There was no secret what position he would play in college for the Badgers. Beau, now 6-foot-6 and 321 pounds, knew he was destined to be an offensive lineman.
"I knew when I was coming to Wisconsin I would play offensive line," he said. "As soon as I knew that I put on weight."
Beau is a force on the offensive line. Both his father and uncle have given him advice when he first started playing football for the Badgers.
"They gave me advice that I had to make the most of my opportunity," Beau said. "It was up to me if I was going to get better or give up."
Few know how fast an opportunity can be lost more than his uncle. Eric was a member of the team starting in 1988. He was listed as a tight end his freshman year but redshirted and then switched to defensive end for his sophomore season and was second string on the depth chart in the spring. When Eric suffered a shoulder injury his sophomore year, he underwent a Mumford surgical procedure with Dr. James Andrews in Alabama that ended his football career before he played a game with the Badgers. The Mumford surgical procedure was required to treat the dislocation of the AC joint under his clavicle. Eric had bone removed from his clavicle from both sides, and he has since undergone five shoulder surgeries.
"A lot of it is good fortune," Eric said about playing football at the next level in college. "The big thing about college is the mental toughness. It's so demanding of your time. They (Beau and Luke) had an understanding of that from their father of what to expect."
Now when Eric, who lives in Monroe, and his daughters Emily and Megan and son Aaron watch a Badgers game, they are doing it in a different way than most fans.
"We watch the game frame by frame and rewind it to watch Beau and the offensive line play," Eric said. "A lot of times we don't even know where the ball went or if there was a pass completed."
Beau credits his father for helping develop him into the football player he has become. He knows his father and uncle have both played roles in his development as a person and a football player.
"They have both had a big impact on me as a person as far as loving the outdoors," Beau said. "Everyone knows at Wisconsin you have to earn everything. You will not be given anything."
Scott played for the Badgers from 1983 to 1988. He began as a left offensive tackle but made the switch to nose guard on defense after his first year. Scott served as a youth football coach for Beau and Luke's teams. He served as an offensive line coach for Grafton High school for five years.
"Beau and Luke were both big kids that always played football," Scott said. "It wasn't until Beau's junior year that he became a standout."
Luke played AAU basketball before deciding to forgo it to make a push for a football scholarship after attending a football camp in Mequon.
"I think the work ethic is there with both of them," Scott said. "They are both hard working, team-and family-oriented guys."
While Scott and his brother Eric earned their way to Wisconsin by playing football at Monroe, he believes Beau and Luke traveled a similar road to the Badgers.
"You have to do your job starting out and stand out no matter where you are," Scott said of his sons playing at Grafton. "It doesn't matter where you are from. The things that matter are your attitude and if you are willing to work hard."
Both Beau and Luke had a sibling rivalry growing up.
"There were always fights about who won at what and who was better," Beau said.
Their brotherly bond has grown even more since both became Badgers.
"I think it's better for Luke to be here so I can show him the ropes," Beau said. "I can't be more happy that he is here. We've got a lot better with all the practices we have gone through. We will be best of friends for life."
The last time Beau and his teammates were on the field, the Badgers blew a 21-point lead and lost to Penn State 38-31 in the Big Ten championship game. While the loss stung and the Badgers are moving on, Beau won't forget the game.
"I think in football you have to have a short memory," he said. "You still have to keep it in the back of your mind. We don't want to repeat that. We want to remember how it felt and use it as motivation for the bowl game."
Scott can't wait to make the trek to Texas to see Beau play with the Badgers in the Cotton Bowl against Western Michigan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Beau and the Badgers left Monday for Texas.
"It's the Christmas present for everyone," Scott said of going to the Cotton Bowl to watch Beau and the Badgers play. "I'm just blessed to have two sons go to a big Division I program and have success. It's really nice to see that they have the same pride in a state school that I had. For both of them, Wisconsin was their dream school to go to."
Beau admits that his biggest improvement has come as a student of the game.
"My knowledge for the game and the playbook has gone way up," he said. "I have just got a lot stronger in the offseason."
He's not looking too far ahead, but he has long-term goals.
"If the opportunity is there (to play in the NFL) I would love to play at the next level," Beau said.
He has kept tabs on former UW teammate Alex Erickson, a Darlington native, who is the kickoff and punt returner and backup wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.
"It's great," Beau said of Erickson's success. "Alex is a great dude on and off the field. Alex's success is not a surprise. He has a great work ethic and is one of the hardest workers."
Beau and Luke's younger brother, 14-year-old J.P., is in eighth grade and is already 6-3 and 200 pounds. He is a standout basketball player.
"He's on the same growth path to be about 6-6, 6-7 or 6-8," Scott said of J.P.
After the Badgers' game against Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl, Beau, a communications major, and some of his teammates will make a trip to St. Germain to stay in a cabin to ice fish and snowmobile.
"We loved it so much last winter that we are going back this year," he said.
They are redshirt sophomore Beau Benzschawel and his brother, Luke, a redshirt freshman.
Their father, Scott Benzschawel, and uncle, Eric Benzschawel, are Monroe High School graduates and both played football for the Cheesemakers. Scott is a 1983 MHS graduate, and Eric is a 1988 graduate. Both Benzschawel brothers went on to play football for the Badgers.
Now, Beau is a starting offensive guard for the Badgers, and Luke plays tight end.
"It was always my dream growing up to play for Wisconsin," Beau said. "You don't always know how it will pan out. Having my dad and Uncle Eric play at Wisconsin makes it even better."
Beau was a standout three-sport athlete at Grafton. He played tight end, defensive end and offensive line in high school.
"I was a little thinner back then," he said.
There was no secret what position he would play in college for the Badgers. Beau, now 6-foot-6 and 321 pounds, knew he was destined to be an offensive lineman.
"I knew when I was coming to Wisconsin I would play offensive line," he said. "As soon as I knew that I put on weight."
Beau is a force on the offensive line. Both his father and uncle have given him advice when he first started playing football for the Badgers.
"They gave me advice that I had to make the most of my opportunity," Beau said. "It was up to me if I was going to get better or give up."
Few know how fast an opportunity can be lost more than his uncle. Eric was a member of the team starting in 1988. He was listed as a tight end his freshman year but redshirted and then switched to defensive end for his sophomore season and was second string on the depth chart in the spring. When Eric suffered a shoulder injury his sophomore year, he underwent a Mumford surgical procedure with Dr. James Andrews in Alabama that ended his football career before he played a game with the Badgers. The Mumford surgical procedure was required to treat the dislocation of the AC joint under his clavicle. Eric had bone removed from his clavicle from both sides, and he has since undergone five shoulder surgeries.
"A lot of it is good fortune," Eric said about playing football at the next level in college. "The big thing about college is the mental toughness. It's so demanding of your time. They (Beau and Luke) had an understanding of that from their father of what to expect."
Now when Eric, who lives in Monroe, and his daughters Emily and Megan and son Aaron watch a Badgers game, they are doing it in a different way than most fans.
"We watch the game frame by frame and rewind it to watch Beau and the offensive line play," Eric said. "A lot of times we don't even know where the ball went or if there was a pass completed."
Beau credits his father for helping develop him into the football player he has become. He knows his father and uncle have both played roles in his development as a person and a football player.
"They have both had a big impact on me as a person as far as loving the outdoors," Beau said. "Everyone knows at Wisconsin you have to earn everything. You will not be given anything."
Scott played for the Badgers from 1983 to 1988. He began as a left offensive tackle but made the switch to nose guard on defense after his first year. Scott served as a youth football coach for Beau and Luke's teams. He served as an offensive line coach for Grafton High school for five years.
"Beau and Luke were both big kids that always played football," Scott said. "It wasn't until Beau's junior year that he became a standout."
Luke played AAU basketball before deciding to forgo it to make a push for a football scholarship after attending a football camp in Mequon.
"I think the work ethic is there with both of them," Scott said. "They are both hard working, team-and family-oriented guys."
While Scott and his brother Eric earned their way to Wisconsin by playing football at Monroe, he believes Beau and Luke traveled a similar road to the Badgers.
"You have to do your job starting out and stand out no matter where you are," Scott said of his sons playing at Grafton. "It doesn't matter where you are from. The things that matter are your attitude and if you are willing to work hard."
Both Beau and Luke had a sibling rivalry growing up.
"There were always fights about who won at what and who was better," Beau said.
Their brotherly bond has grown even more since both became Badgers.
"I think it's better for Luke to be here so I can show him the ropes," Beau said. "I can't be more happy that he is here. We've got a lot better with all the practices we have gone through. We will be best of friends for life."
The last time Beau and his teammates were on the field, the Badgers blew a 21-point lead and lost to Penn State 38-31 in the Big Ten championship game. While the loss stung and the Badgers are moving on, Beau won't forget the game.
"I think in football you have to have a short memory," he said. "You still have to keep it in the back of your mind. We don't want to repeat that. We want to remember how it felt and use it as motivation for the bowl game."
Scott can't wait to make the trek to Texas to see Beau play with the Badgers in the Cotton Bowl against Western Michigan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Beau and the Badgers left Monday for Texas.
"It's the Christmas present for everyone," Scott said of going to the Cotton Bowl to watch Beau and the Badgers play. "I'm just blessed to have two sons go to a big Division I program and have success. It's really nice to see that they have the same pride in a state school that I had. For both of them, Wisconsin was their dream school to go to."
Beau admits that his biggest improvement has come as a student of the game.
"My knowledge for the game and the playbook has gone way up," he said. "I have just got a lot stronger in the offseason."
He's not looking too far ahead, but he has long-term goals.
"If the opportunity is there (to play in the NFL) I would love to play at the next level," Beau said.
He has kept tabs on former UW teammate Alex Erickson, a Darlington native, who is the kickoff and punt returner and backup wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.
"It's great," Beau said of Erickson's success. "Alex is a great dude on and off the field. Alex's success is not a surprise. He has a great work ethic and is one of the hardest workers."
Beau and Luke's younger brother, 14-year-old J.P., is in eighth grade and is already 6-3 and 200 pounds. He is a standout basketball player.
"He's on the same growth path to be about 6-6, 6-7 or 6-8," Scott said of J.P.
After the Badgers' game against Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl, Beau, a communications major, and some of his teammates will make a trip to St. Germain to stay in a cabin to ice fish and snowmobile.
"We loved it so much last winter that we are going back this year," he said.
