MADISON, Wis. — Taiwan Deal climbs onto the edge of an 18-foot-long Tracker Targa powerboat, digs his heels into a pair of white Under Armour sandals for balance and lowers a fishing rod toward Lake Monona near the banks of the city. Only the sounds of small waves splashing and cars speeding on a road in the background interrupt the silence. The engine is off, the sun is out, and Deal stares into the vast blue distance, trying to perfect his casting motion while floating in a circular pattern at a depth of roughly 12 feet.



Heaven on Earth in a perfect Sunday afternoon.



Deal, a fifth-year senior running back for Wisconsin’s football team, has a rare day off from preseason practice. He is spending it in the one place that has come to mean as much to him as the sport that led him to Madison. It is here, on the water and off the grid, where he has found inner peace amid football turmoil.



Deal proudly points out he is holding a 7-foot, 6-inch-long...