MADISON, Wis. – Montee Ball made his first public appearance since the Wisconsin running back was assaulted Aug. 1 near campus, speaking Sunday at Camp Randall Stadium during the Badgers’ media day.

Ball made it clear that he didn’t have anything to do with a fight before he was assaulted.

“I had nothing to do with it at all but with the police investigation still going on there’s not much I can say,” Ball said. “But I can 100 percent tell you that I had nothing to do with that first fight, honestly.”

Practices had been closed all week to the media.

Ball, who sustained a concussion when he was assaulted, didn’t dodge any questions, including those concerning his Heisman Trophy candidacy and his physical condition heading into the season.

Ball, 21, said he made a last-minute decision to go out with some friends before the start of training camp.

“We weren’t getting rowdy or anything. I was just heading right back to my place a block away and I was attacked. That’s all I remember,” Ball said. “I’m very blessed because it obviously could have been a lot worse.”

That followed “another unfortunate incident” according to Ball when he attended the Mifflin Street block party in early May and was fined for trespassing.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said Ball recently addressed the team to clear the air.

“You respect a person to get up and say what he was going to do from this day forward and apologize if he had been a distraction. He did vow to provide great leadership,” Bielema said