It's no secret we love us some Kenzel Doe here at MTB, but that's because the guy has been one of the most fun and insightful interviews on the Badger team. That said, for all of his quotability he hasn't accomplished much on the field and some have openly questioned whether a small guy like Doe (and if you've seen him in person I don't think you'd say that to his face… He's anything but small -Short? yes, small NO) could find a real place within the Badgers offense.
Basically, some see Doe as a novelty act – a good option in the punt return game and someone UW can turn to for trick plays once in a while. However, those outside opinions could be changing and changing quick as a lot of reports over the first four days of camp ($) have had Doe as one of, if not the biggest standout at wide receiver for Wisconsin.
Doe finished 2012 with all of 16 receptions for 121 yards with a long of 19 yards on the season, but that was good for 3rd amongst all wide receivers last year. So, while the numbers weren't huge he was one of the better options UW had at the position coming into the 2013 season.
Those that know Doe and his work ethic behind the scenes are probably the least surprised to hear or see him standing out above the crowd. Doe is not only a weight room warrior, but one of the hardest working players on the team. It's also earned him a lot of respect and a chance to lead this football team off the field.
"When I first got here, I didn't know too much, really wasn't playing like that," said Doe during UW's media day last week. "Now it's two-and-a-half, three years later and I'm one of the leaders as a receiver and I'm trying to be a leader on the team. When I get my opportunity on the field in each and every game, I'm going to have to take advantage of that."
The question is – is this a case of the first week flash and plateau, or is this sustainable?
If it's the latter don't be surprised to see Doe lining up opposite of Jared Abbrederis when UW's offense takes the field against UMass to open the season. Remember, it's all about consistency for Andersen at the No. 2 WR spot and if Doe continues to show up in big ways on a nearly every day basis it's hard to see how he's kept off the field.
What may be most surprising to some out there isn't the fact that Doe is flashing and doing it consistently, but how he's been doing it. What most reports are saying is that Doe is doing it not on the boundaries in the short passing game (something we witnessed a lot in the spring game), but by stretching the field and going over the middle. He's been consistently beating corners in vertical routes day after day.
How does that make sense, right? After all, isn't Kenzel Doe just 5 feet 8 inches tall? Yes, but that brings us back to perhaps the greatest quote Doe has ever given. When asked at last year's Wisconsin media day about his height and size and going over the middle, Doe responded by simply saying "Man, it's football! You're going to get hit."
If that doesn't sum up exactly what Doe is all about, I'm not sure what else will.
One of the most understated things that perhaps should've been a clue to us all that this was coming was the fact that over the summer it was Kenzel who was incoming freshman Rob Wheelwright's "big brother." Instead of a guy like Abbrederis or Duckworth or any of the other four upperclassmen that are at the position, it was Doe – the complete opposite of Wheelwright physically – that ended up teaching the youngster the ropes of the UW way and the UW offense.
It's a role he's embraced and it's also perhaps something that has helped him put it all together in his 3rd year, playing for his 3rd position coach as well.
Of course, this is just one week and there's a long way to go in camp, but when a player is consistently standing out from day to day at his position (and a position so wide open like the No. 2 WR is) that's usually a good sign that something positive is happening for the long term.
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