Four plays into the game yesterday, Wisconsin tailback Brian Calhoun took a handoff on third-and-1 with daylight ahead of him, slipped and plopped to the Aloha Stadium turf at the Badger 48-yard line for a yard loss.

Who knew at the time it would be a milestone moment in the game — the last point the University of Hawai'i football team would "stop" the Badgers' offense until the final 2 minutes, 21 seconds of the fourth quarter?

An all-too-telling situation indeed in a game where the 24th-ranked Badgers scored early, scored often and, seemingly, moved the ball at will in a 41-24 non-conference victory.

Of the nine times the bowl-bound 9-3 Badgers had the ball — not including 17-second and 11-second possessions at the end of each half — they scored on seven of them, a statistic that should provide considerable food for thought and fuel for action.

For the 4-7 Warriors, now doomed to their first losing season since 2000 with a game still remaining, it was one more pointed reminder of what should be Job One in recruiting.

Tomorrow is the starter's gun in recruiting, the first day the NCAA allows recruiters to go into the homes of prospective recruits. And, if the Warriors needed any reminders of what should be atop their shopping list, this game should have reinforced the urgency of going heavily for defense. Lock, stock and jock.

It underlined for more than the just 29,088 on hand — the largest crowd since the season opener — the continuing need for cornerbacks, defensive linemen ... well, you get the idea. It should have added to UH's resolve to shore up the shortcomings of this season and better position itself for 2006.

Wisconsin averaged 4.7 yards per carry — five yards or better by its top three rushers — and 6.4 yards per play overall in 440 yards of total offense mostly while eschewing the big play for the steady gain. "I told them, 'let's get four yards and not worry about the home run,' " said Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin's head coach.

Alvarez hardly needed the two campus police officers at his side for protection. Not while he had his bovine, 6-foot-5, 302-pound average offensive line muscling the Badgers to the end zone.

Four times Wisconsin marched 70 yards or more for scores. "It wasn't always pretty and it wasn't always clean but we were able to keep it positive, three, four, five yards at a time," said Paul Chryst, the Badgers' co-offensive coordinator.

Because they were, the Badgers never allowed UH to close what became a 10-point gap early in the second period and only widened.

It wasn't the first — or even the third — time an opponent has stuffed the ball down UH like so many Thanksgiving leftovers. But, at this juncture, it was one more illustrative reminder of the task ahead.

"They play hard; they're a good hard-nosed football team," said Donovan Raiola, the Badgers' center via Kamehameha Schools said by way of respect. Toughness, however, isn't the Warriors' shortcoming. Quality and numbers are. Forget filling the shelves with quarterbacks, get some defenders.

The Warriors, barring ineligibility or transfers, will return eight of their 11 starters on offense and 19 of their listed top 22. Offense should be fine next year. But, by itself, it won't be nearly enough.

Defense, which could lose half its starters, is the concern. The play of Solomon Elimimian, Ikaika Alama-Francis and & Co. provides a foundation, but only if UH can fill in the many surrounding blanks.

After yesterday, there should be no doubting that is Job One.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.