College Career
Graf was recruited to Wisconsin by the late head coach, Dave McClain (who died unexpectedly in April 1986). After being red-shirted his first college football season with an ankle injury, Graf was a four-year starter (1983-1986 seasons) at the University of Wisconsin.
During his collegiate career, Graf was paired as an outside linebacker with another Madison public school product, Tim Jordan (graduate Madison La Follette High School). The two players competed against one another in football and in track and field before they both accepted athletic scholarships to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
As outside linebackers, Graf and Jordan were coached by former Badger defensive lineman Dave Anderson. Anderson now serves as the Deputy Director for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletics Association.
Under Anderson’s watchful eye, Graf and Jordan had combined for more than 80 tackles at a loss to the opposition of more than three hundred yards. Graf and Jordan were nicknamed “Thunder and Lighting” by Mike Lucas, sports writer for the Capital Times (Madison) and as a color commentator for Badger football and other sports.
During the 1985 season, Graf tore his ACL in a game against Northwestern University. This injury ended his season and he had surgery the following day by Dr. William Clancy who at the time was the UW team doctor. Clancy went on to work with Dr. James Andrews at Alabama Sports Medicine & Orthopedic and now heads the Orthopedic Associates of Aspen and Glenwood in Colorado.
Graf returned and played in his senior year. Despite Wisconsin’s 3-9 team record, Graf was named All-Big Ten linebacker by the coaches and media. Prior to the 1986 Wisconsin v. Michigan, former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler commented that over the course of their four years at Wisconsin, Graf and Jordan were the best tandem of outside linebackers his team played against.
In the 1986 homecoming game vs. Illinois, Graf’s interception for a touchdown sealed the come from behind victory for the Badgers before a crowd of over 80,000. Graf’s quote in the Wisconsin State Journal the following morning was “After I scored they could have opened the gate and I would have run to Jingles (Tavern) to continue the celebration.” Jingles, located adjacent to Camp Randall Stadium, is a local bar favorite for Wisconsin fans throughout the years.
During his collegiate years, Graf participated in two college plays: the Sound of Music and Antigone. Graf completed his undergraduate degree in Communications (B.S. 1987).
Read more about this topic: Rick Graf
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