Why the Suspension of William Gholston Matters to Wisconsin Football...A Lot

If you are a Wisconsin fan, think back all the way to 2010. There was a one-man wrecking crew at defensive end named J.J. Watt. His sheer size and unbelievable talent caught offensive lines off guard as he attacked off tackle.

Watt embodied the program. He was Wisconsin. 

Now, pretend for a moment he was suspended for punching another player, but most fans will point to a rather malicious facemask penalty on another team's quarterback.

A penalty so flagrant that it did not simply cross the line, it threw the line off a cliff. Coach Bret Bielema would have a hard time suspending him, if not publicly. It would be a private conflict between administrators, coaches and players.

The world would watch.The pundits would judge and the analysts would agonize. 

Finally, the heart of the defense would be banned from the biggest game of the season. It would be heartbreaking. Not for the simple position the man played but for the emotional leadership displayed. The engine would be missing a piston, and it would not be able to fire as it used to. 

Open your eyes and welcome to Michigan State the week before its strongest challenge of the year. Say hello, and goodbye, to William Gholston. 

Gholston by all off-the-field reports is a generous, warm guy. He is a charismatic leader, and an incredibly intense football player.

Is he the best weapon on a lethal Michigan State defense? No. Defensive tackle Jerel Worthy is, as he should be. Is he the most vocal? No, safety Isaiah Lewis wins the "Most Likely to Give Bulletin Board Material" award.  

But, is Gholston the tempo setter? Yes.

The Badgers are also salivating because the loss of Gholston means the largest NCAA offensive line can do what it loves: double team. The big uglies can concentrate on the other playmakers and use their girth to seal the lanes without worry of the speedy defensive end who led the team in tackles for loss. 

Michigan State fans will point to Gholston's backup. And they would be very justified. Denzel Drone had a huge play against Wisconsin last year, sacking then-QB Scott Tolzien and then forcing a fumble. 

But this Wisconsin team is not the same that came to East Lansing last year. It is faster, angrier and somehow, more offensively prolific. Gholston's talents would have been tested to the limit.

Now, we will never know if those talents would have made a difference.