MADISON, Wis. -- Casual fans might vividly remember the real debut of Semar Melvin.
As a true freshman, Melvin stepped onto the field at then TCF Bank Stadium as Wisconsin and Minnesota were squaring off in a blizzard with a Big Ten West Division title on the line. Needing cornerback help against the Big Ten's top wide receiver duo in Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson, the Badgers turned to Melvin early, which raised a lot of eyebrows on that chilly November evening.
Melvin's first series didn't go so well. Matched up with Bateman in the first quarter, Melvin was beaten over the top for a 51-yard touchdown as Minnesota took an early 7-0 lead.
After that, Melvin really settled in, however. Playing a total of 58 snaps, Melvin tallied one pass breakup and a tackle. He was thrown at four more times in the game, only allowing two receptions for 13 yards.
Due to multiple injuries since, Melvin's appearances have been few and far between since. While Fort Lauderdale native can at least hang his hat on that performance, as well as three others during his true freshman season, as a confidence boost now that he's once again healthy, Melvin isn't interested in resting on prior laurels.
"I do look back on that, but I try not to dwell on it, because that is the past," Melvin told Badger247. "What I did before, that was awesome.
"But now, I'm focused on what I can do to help the team."
Constantly in and out of the lineup, Melvin had minor injuries throughout the 2020 season and only appeared in three games. Last fall, Melvin did make eight appearances, five of which included defensive snaps. However, Melvin was battling a hip issue throughout the year and opted to skip the Las Vegas Bowl and have surgery in January.
Once again, Melvin found himself on the outside looking in, missing nearly the entire spring.
"Being out so long can take a toll on you mentally," he said. "That was probably the hardest part.
"Watching everyone ball and perform. I was unable to do that. I kept that in the back of my mind during the recovery process. I allowed that to fuel me during the recovery process. I feel like I'm stronger than I've ever been, I feel like I'm faster than I've ever been."
Expected to return in July, just weeks before fall camp, Melvin recovered from off-season surgery in May. For once, Melvin actually had some good fortune in the injury department.
"I got back way earlier than expected. By the middle of May, I felt 100 percent," he said. "I knew that it was gonna be a good summer."
On Monday, Melvin was rewarded with a spot in the two-deep, backing up senior cornerback Jay Shaw.
"We're just trying to get him back to the way we saw him playing at the end of last year," cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat said during fall camp. "He has made some plays for us, and we're really excited about him.
"He's pushing some of the guys we're ahead of him. He is someone who I feel can help this team. I like how he's pushing the guys ahead of him and continuing to get better. He's a guy who's starting to come up and watch extra film and ask a lot of questions about him.
"So, we'll see what happens."
Heading into 2022, Melvin owns 15 games of experience and 10.0 tackles. The Badgers are deep with seniority at the cornerback position, including Alexander Smith, Cedrick Dort, and Justin Clark, but Melvin has given the staff something to think about -- arguably playing the best ball of his career.
"He feels the best he's felt in a long time," defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. "He's very competitive. Long...really, really long and can run. He's made some big plays for us this camp."
Following the 2022 season, UW could lose as many as four senior cornerbacks, potentially putting Melvin near or even at the top of the depth chart as a senior.
"I feel confident that I will make it through a whole season," he said. "That's my goal and I will accomplish that."
"This season is very big for me," Melvin added. "This is a stepping stone and this season, I can really take that next level. I want to show what I've been working on since I got here.
"I'm excited for it to all come together."
Want the latest news on Wisconsin delivered right to your email? Subscribe to the Badger247 newsletter here. It is free and a great way to get daily updates on UW football, basketball, recruiting, and more delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign up for FREE text alerts on Badger247 to get breaking news on commitments, decommitments, transfers, injuries, coaching changes, and more with our NEW text alert system available to all registered users and VIP subscribers. Click Here to become a FREE registered user and Click Here if you are already a VIP subscriber then follow these directions to set up your text alerts.