FanHouse Curt Phillips

The Wisconsin Badgers open a pivotal season in a little more than a week. Off a 7-6 season that ended with an embarrassing home win and a blowout at the hands of Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl, the Badgers are expected to show progress under fourth-year coach Bret Bielema this season.

When they take the field against Northern Illinois Sept. 5 in Madison, they'll have a new starting quarterback. The team's depth chart for that game was released Thursday, and senior Dustin Sherer has surrendered the gig. We just don't know who won the job yet.

As Mark Hasty mentioned Friday, there is much pressure on the Wisconsin Badgers football team this fall. After a disappointing season a year ago, the heat is on to prove it was nothing but a fluke.

To do so, Wisconsin will rely, in large part, on a "new" starting offensive backfield in 2009. 2008's starting running back, P.J. Hill, is gone. Also gone is the guy who started the season as the top quarterback, Allan Evridge.