2021 Badger Football

[Sanguine camper]

Chryst's job is secure. Even if the Badgers stink up the rest of the season, he isn't going anywhere.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Best win of the season for Bucky.

The Badger defense was once again really good today. Purdue with -13 rushing yards for the day. The Badger LB's are just playing aggressive and lights out. The 1-2 running punch of Melusi and Allen is solid, but if Mertz doesn't improve, the offense is handcuffed to try the run game.

Bucky still controls its destiny for the Big10 West title.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Chryst's job is secure. Even if the Badgers stink up the rest of the season, he isn't going anywhere.

Agreed. I've questioned his play calling a few times, but his job is 1000% safe.

 

[Mondio]

We are just weak on offense. RB's are decent enough, but putting the ball on the ground too much yesterday. Mertz seems blissfully unaware out there. I think he can turn the ball over at will, can't read defense, can't feel pressure. is nothing that I thought he'd be. Maybe he'll grow, he's still young. Our Oline isn't what it historically has been and our WR's are just guys really. We have 1 good TE.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The Badger offense is totally dysfunctional and predictable right now. Chryst no longer trusts Mertz to pass and who could blame him. However, throwing the ball 8 times in what was a close game for 3 quarters is just way too predictable. 2 teams we still have to face are Iowa and MN and their defenses are ranked 2nd and 3rd at stopping the run (Badgers D is #1). The Badgers are going to see a lot of stacked boxes and Chryst is going to have to devise a game plan to attack them. Running up the middle play after play should not be one of them.

I actually think both WR's, Kendrick Pryor and Danny Davis are slightly above average players. TE Jake Ferguson will be playing in the NFL. However, when your offense is running the ball 90% of the time and your QB is constantly making mistakes in the passing game, it has to be pretty hard to stay focused.

 

[Mondio]

It is predictable, because he is so incredibly limited or prone to getting sacked and losing the ball, or throwing an INT it hinders the entire offense. You can't count on him to make reads or passes. I really don't see any point in blaming Chryst for being too conservative because that is about the only formula for this particular Badger team to win.

If you let Mertz with that line and WR's try and open anything up, we're likely to just put our defense in tougher and tougher spots. Try and establish the run, kick the ball, and play defense to shorten the field for our offense and see what happens.

Or, let the offense create short field after short field for our defense to try and defend because they turn it over like crazy.

I just don't think there is any choice at this point if you want to have a chance to win later in games but to keep it very conservative with a QB that can't read or feel pressure and can't read a defense to throw the ball playing behind an Oline that doesn't protect him very well.

 

[Sanguine camper]

The playbook is severely limited with Mertz and a rather unathletic o line. Even screens and other short passes are not working. The o linemen are big but don't move well. Mertz doesn't go through his progression if the primary receiver is covered. Maybe play action or trick plays can help but I think if the Badgers are going to win games, the defense will have to take the ball away like they did against Purdue.

 

[realitybytez]

i haven't seen any of the games. is it true that people are carrying signs that say "nertz to mertz"?

boy if you ever wanted evidence that the "star" rating system for high school players is b.s., mertz is exhibit a.

although he sure looked good in his very first start for the badgers.

 

[longtimefan]

Touchdown Wisconsin!
They took down Number 9 Iowa

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Touchdown Wisconsin!
They took down Number 9 Iowa

The Badgsrs were 3 point favorites, the results weren't too shocking considering Iowa's schedule. PSU was Iowa's only decent win and watch PSU get destroyed by the Buckeyes tonight.

The Badgers are literally a good QB away from being a top 5 team.

 

[Poppa San]

The Badgers are literally a good QB away from being a top 5 team.

O-line has not done the offensive game plan any favors. They are so-so compared to previous seasons.

 

[longtimefan]

The te cundif got seriously hurt.

I didnt see the video but was told it was gruesome

 

[Poppa San]

The te cundif got seriously hurt.

I didnt see the video but was told it was gruesome

Ambulance ride straight to the hospital. Released yet Saturday evening.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

By the way a few of his teammates that looked at him reacted, it had to be pretty gruesome. I'm guessing either a compound fracture and/or something like his foot was pointed in a never seen before direction.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Badgers are now Bowl eligible for the 20th consecutive season, 3rd longest streak in college football.

The defense, what can one say? Even though it was "just Rutgers", they dominated just like they have in almost every game this season. I just don't know how Jim Leonhard won't get poached from the Badgers coaching staff.

Mertz actually look pretty decent today. 11/16, 240 yds and 3 TD's. Not spectacular, but more than enough for a team that went over 300 yds rushing today.

The bad news for the day. Starting RB Chez Mellusi went down with an undisclosed leg injury. Looked somewhat serious. I love the backup 17 year old Freshman Braelon Allen, but the Badgers were already super thin at the position. Allen looks legit and was the first Freshman RB since Anthony Taylor did it in 2001 at Wisconsin, to rush for his 5th consecutive 100+ yard game.

 

[weeds]

It was getting somewhat "indelicate" when the scoreboard was looking like a perpetual motion machine. The kid from Fondy is looking good.

 

[weeds]

I work in Fondy ... so ya know... I figure he must have moved there from somewhere else.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Bucky keeps rolling! Hard not to be impressed by this defense each week. Technically they pitched a shutout, since Northwestern's 7 points came on a fumble recovery.

How about 17 year old RB Braelon Allen? A guy that came to Wisconsin as a LB or RB and was 4th/5th on the depth chart to start the season.....I think they better keep him at RB.

 

[longtimefan]

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[Voyageur]

Bucky keeps rolling! Hard not to be impressed by this defense each week. Technically they pitched a shutout, since Northwestern's 7 points came on a fumble recovery.

How about 17 year old RB Braelon Allen? A guy that came to Wisconsin as a LB or RB and was 4th/5th on the depth chart to start the season.....I think they better keep him at RB.

Allen was considered an "athlete." Could play almost anywhere coming out of Fondy. He's not blazing fast, but fast enough that with his size and power, pretty darned good as an RB. In all honesty, I think they found the right spot for him. He's going to be the next great Wisconsin RB heading to the NFL.

Despite the bad start to the season, I have to admit I'm impressed by how well they're doing. Jim Leonhard? I think he should definitely be in line for the National Assistant Coach of the Year award. The guy has done a phenomenal job. How long we can hold him, I don't know. He's going to be getting a lot of big time offers after this season is over.

On our offense... Inside of Mertz is the guy who had that first game success against Illinois. Maybe not a 90% completion guy with 5 TDs a game, but the ability to move the ball through the air, certainly well enough to make the running game even better. Right now, he may say his confidence is fine, but it isn't. He's going to have to rebuild it over time. By the end of this year, we'll know if he's the guy to move the program forward on his arm, or not. I'm not certain to be honest. Sometimes it just never comes back, and sometimes it doesn't come back until the player is somewhere else.

Offensive line has had it's problems, and a lot of injuries as well. They're deep into the reserves in some cases. But, it's Wisconsin, and they will find the next man up, and get him ready to play.

That said, not certain Joe Rudolph is the kind of guy who offers the best offensive coaching skills moving forward.

On a recruiting note. There needs to be improvement recruiting skill players on offense and defense. I keep hearing how we get kids out of Texas, Florida, New Jersey, and sometimes Ohio, but they aren't the top players. They're usually what's left after the 4 & 5 star players are picked over. Although I don't put much stock in the "star ratings," I do believe that there's a correlation between the chances of a kid being an excellent player and the rating system. It's just that you need to find the round pegs for round holes, and square pegs for square holes, not just use the star system to decide on who can help your program.

 

[Voyageur]

Wow! We dodged a bullet! Nebraska came to play! Great game by Allen! Over 200 yards rushing! Could be offensive player of the week in the entire nation!

At 8-3, this is a real comeback for them, after starting out 1-3. A seven game winning streak! We need to beat Minnesota next week, and hope for a New Years 6 game, so the Badgers can showcase "why" young talent should choose Wisconsin to further their football aspirations.

 

[longtimefan]

Nebraska wasnt typical 3 and 7 team.

Top 10 teams they lost close games

 

[Voyageur]

Nebraska wasnt typical 3 and 7 team.

Top 10 teams they lost close games

They were saying, during the game, that the Huskers seven losses were for a combined 42 points. Add in the 7 point loss to Wisconsin, and they were within a score in all eight losses. That's a sign of a team that's so close to being there, but just a tad short. I'd imagine it's also getting into their heads by now.

#10, Wake Forest, got their heads handed to them. They won't be ahead of the Badgers after the next poll. They never belonged there anyway. Just my opinion. Of course Michigan State was creamed by Ohio State. They're going to drop, but below the Badgers? I think they should, but they won't because of who beat them. But, a shellacking like that should put them way down in the polls.

We need to win next week, and take out OSU in the Big 10 Championship game. I'm living in a dream world.

 

[Voyageur]

We rose to #14 in the polls. MSU did stay two positions ahead of us, as I figured they would. The Badgers are looking at the Citrus Bowl as a strong possible NY6 game. It wouldn't be the worst. Just being part of the NY6 party means you had a pretty good season. Imagine Braelon Allen being able to hoist a NY6 trophy before turning 18 years old. When they get back to Wisconsin, he'll have to celebrate the victory with a glass of milk, and a cookie.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Really ugly coaching job by Chryst today. He has no imagination on offense and made some very questionable decisions in the 4th quarter. Mertz and the OL went back to looking like they did in their other losses.

Give the Golphers credit, they played like they really wanted to win.

Is it time for Jim Leonhard to take over the HC job?