MADISON — Maybe this is a cursed spring.

It's starting to look that way for the University of Wisconsin football team, which suffered yet another devastating injury, with the loss of senior defensive end Matt Shaughnessy with an apparently severe leg injury.
It happened about midway through practice Thursday night, the final workout prior to Saturday's spring game. Shaughnessy was working in one a one-on-one pass-rush drill when he crumpled to the turf inside the McClain Center. His right leg was placed in an inflatable cast and he was wheeled off the field. UW coach Bret Bielema declined to address Shaughnessy's status Friday.

Shaughnessy was the only projected starting defensive lineman who had been healthy this spring. He started all 13 games last season and was a consensus second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection.

Starting senior defensive tackle Jason Chapman has been out all spring while recovering from knee surgery. Starting senior defensive tackle Mike Newkirk took part in the first couple of practices, then underwent shoulder surgery. He returned in a limited fashion and is expected to be ready when summer conditioning drills start in June.

Sophomore defensive end Kirk DeCremer missed the entire spring following back surgery. Also, junior end O'Brien Schofield, who started in the Outback Bowl, missed a couple of practices with a broken hand, but has since returned.

Through it all, the one thing new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge could cling to was Shaughnessy.

''The thing that excites me about Matt is he's hungry for more knowledge,'' Partridge said earlier in the spring. ''He wants to be coached. He wants to get better. He doesn't feel like he's arrived in any way.''

Shaughnessy led the defense last season with 18 tackles for loss and was fourth in tackles with 60. He also was second with five sacks.

He also was a consensus second-team All-Big Ten pick in 2006, battling back after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee against Iowa Nov. 12, 2005. He has a redshirt year remaining if he elects to use it.

Without Shaughnessy, it's likely Schofield and DeCremer, if healthy, would be the starting defensive ends next season.

Schofield suffered a broken right hand April 15 but missed only two practices. He has practiced well since returning, despite wearing a large wrap on his right hand.

''I couldn't let an injury faze me right now,'' he said after Thursday's practice. ''We're kind of short right now on the D-line. I wanted to show my leadership, stepping up and being able to play when I'm hurt.''

Schofield didn't play a snap on defense during the regular season last year, but came on during the month of bowl practices and started against Tennessee.

By unofficial count, the Badgers have 26 players this spring who either missed practice time due to injuries, or suffered something more than a minor injury in practice.

''You can't let your mind go into a negative mindset,'' strong safety Jay Valai said. ''If you go into a negative mindset, you're just going down the drain already. Our defense is playing pretty well right now and we have a lot of people hurt.''

The other current options at end, behind DeCremer and Schofield, are redshirt freshman Louis Nzegwu and sophomore Ricky Garner, who have gotten a lot of work in the spring but still have a long ways to go.

The Badgers hope to get junior college transfer Dan Moore back at some point. He began the spring at right end, behind Shaugnessy, before suffering an undisclosed knee injury.

''Coach B has instilled in us that mentality, next man in,'' Schofield said. ''When somebody goes out, it's an opportunity for somebody else to get better and show the coaches what they have. I think a lot of guys have done that.''

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