Jason Chapman cut to the chase: There are many things in life that he would rather be doing than hand-fighting with quick, athletic offensive linemen who are scrambling around his knees and trying to cut-block him, a fundamental technique of triple option teams like Cal Poly. Nonetheless, that will be one of the challenges for the defensive front of the Wisconsin Badgers football team Saturday in the home finale at Camp Randall Stadium.

"We're taught to get off the ball -- and I'm known for that -- but we have to be able to react to what they're doing this week," Chapman said. "To defeat the cut block, you have to get your hands on their helmet and push them away from your legs. I don't know that Cal Poly cuts on every play like some of those old Minnesota teams used to do. But they will do it to minimize athletic ability. It's hard to simulate in practice because you're trying to protect your own players from injuries."

Cal Poly's small (by Big Ten standards) but active offensive line is anchored by Stephen Field, a 6-foot-1, 290-pound senior guard/center, who has earned first-team All-Great West recognition three straight years. By contrast, the Mustangs' starting offensive tackles, Art Munoz and Pat Koligian, are both 270 pounds. That's more in line with option systems like the one at Air Force, where the starters weigh 275, 285, 265, 270 and 270 on the O-line. Cal Poly's linemen will take wide splits, another new dimension for the Badgers.

UW defensive coordinator Dave Doeren has some familiarity with the double-wing option offense from his early days at the Division I-AA level (now the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS). When Doeren was on the staff at the University of Montana, the Grizzlies drew Georgia Southern in the NCAA playoffs. Paul Johnson won two national championship at Georgia Southern with his own version of the triple option or flexbone. He's now running the offense at Georgia Tech.

Thursday night, in fact, the Yellow Jackets completely befuddled the Miami (Fla.) defense in a 41-23 rout of the Hurricanes. Georgia Tech rushed 56 times for 472 yards. Miami didn't have any answers. "That's option football," 'Canes coach Randy Shannon lamented afterward. "It's assignment football and when you don't play assignment football, bad things can happen. Big plays come on the option when guys don't do their jobs."

Cal Poly has been putting up those kinds of rushing numbers all season. The Mustangs have run for over 400 yards in two of their last three games, include 459 rushing yards against Idaho State. "After seeing so many different spread looks from different teams," said UW linebacker DeAndre Levy, "after seeing so many different kinds of misdirection and trick 'em plays, hopefully, it has prepared us for this (what Cal Poly will be running offensively)."

Keep in an eye on the Mustangs' wingbacks: No. 27, James Noble (5-6, 180) and No. 13, Ryan Mole (5-10, 192). They may be among the most versatile athletes on the turf at Camp Randall Stadium because of their motion responsibilities and what they're asked to do within the offense. Both are obviously running threats. But they also can be used as receivers, when the down-and-distance situation warrants. In addition, the two wingbacks are expected to block; cut block, if necessary.

Not all coaches are enamored with the cut-blocking technique, even though it's legal. "I don't think it's good for the game," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall told the Salt Lake Tribune before the Cougars played Air Force. "I think it puts our players at risk and I'm not saying Air Force is cheating or doing anything unethical but if I were to have a say in the rules committee, I don't think the block is necessary. It's effective and certainly it's difficult to defend, I'm just not a proponent of it."