Badgers grieve loss of ex-teammate as they prep for Huskers

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin interim head coach Jim Leonhard said Thursday his players are still grieving the loss of former Badgers receiver Devin Chandler and believes it might keep some from being focused enough to play Saturday at Nebraska. Chandler and Virginia teammates Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry were returning from a class trip Sunday night when a uthorities say they were killed by a fellow student and former football player. “So every time they’re around football, it becomes fresh again, whether that’s sitting in a meeting and having thoughts about something that happened or hitting that field and bringing up a different memory.” Leonhard says he doesn’t expect any players not to make the trip to Nebraska because they’re still mourning, but he wondered whether some would be emotionally ready to play in a game. “We need to support them in every way we can and try to find out what the best role for them on gameday is going to be and how to continue to support them every day going forward.” Leonhard said the coaching staff has the task of “trying to find out who’s going to give us the best chance to win if the focus can’t be there, if they can’t kind of handle the emotions either of the day or kind of the moment.” “It’s tough because I want our guys to understand those emotions are real and I’m not trying to make them eat them and move on,” Leonhard said.