Wisconsin QB Joel Stave not hurt, might have 'yips'

Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen said on Tuesday that quarterback Joel Stave would miss time with shoulder issues, but after practice the head coach acknowledged that the junior isn't hurt.

Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen said on Tuesday that quarterback Joel Stave would miss time with shoulder issues, but after practice the head coach acknowledged the junior isn't hurt.

"Is he injured?" Andersen said, according to Fox Sports Wisconsin's Jesse Temple. "No. Is he ready to play right now? No. I used the word injury, so maybe bad choice of words."

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Stave, who had 23 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season, injured the AC joint in his shoulder in the Badgers' loss to South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day.

So does Stave have the "yips?"

"Maybe on some level," the quarterback said. "I've heard of that, too. The yips, a golfer who can't hit it straight and stuff like that. I know I can throw the ball. That's something that since I've been a kid, not even just football, I've been good at throwing things. I could throw a baseball. Give me a volleyball, I can chuck it across a gym.

"I've just been good at throwing things since I've been young. It's not a lack of confidence. It's not a lack of preparation or anything like that. It's just a matter of getting back to feeling comfortable and feeling like the ball's coming out the way it should."

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Stave said he was confounded by the problem, whatever it may be.

"I've thrown how many thousands of balls in my life?" Stave said. "I know when it hurts and when it doesn't. I don't know what it is. It just isn't right, I guess."

Junior Tanner McEvoy was 8-of-24 passing for 50 yards with two interceptions in Saturday's 28-24 loss to LSU.

- Chris Mascaro