2017 Wisconsin Football Thread

[LouisEly]

Yeah, I'm starting to think that if there's a star defensive player on the other team, all you need to do is duck when he tries to tackle you and he'll get called for targeting and thrown out of the game.

 

As for Leonhard, he's the DC at his alma mater in the state he grew up in where he is a legend and an icon. He played in the NFL for 10 years, so he's financially set. Why leave that to go be a HC somewhere where you are just another HC under four years of pressure and media scrutiny to do something? Unless the Packers come calling... I can't see a whole lot of situations that would be better for him. I'd be more concerned about jumping to the NFL than a HC at another college program.

[CheezWizHed]

Edwards: I was only listening to the game when it happened and the Badgers announcer seemed to think that it had to do with Edwards leading with his helmet more than the WR ducking.

 

Leonhard: Hard to know what his career aspirations are... he might want to become a HC somewhere. Or maybe he is happy as a DC only. But I do like how he has been coaching. Looks like a great find for Chryst.

 

For the Packers, I was wondering what getting Dave Aranda might do for them...

[Baldkin]

Edwards: I was only listening to the game when it happened and the Badgers announcer seemed to think that it had to do with Edwards leading with his helmet more than the WR ducking.

 

If you didn't see it, Edwards facemask literally hit the other guys helmet. His facemask. Not any other part of his helmet.

 

Sorry for the ESPN link, seems to be the only spot with the video.

 

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=21023389

[OnaBadger58]

Edwards: I was only listening to the game when it happened and the Badgers announcer seemed to think that it had to do with Edwards leading with his helmet more than the WR ducking.

 

If you didn't see it, Edwards facemask literally hit the other guys helmet. His facemask. Not any other part of his helmet.

 

Sorry for the ESPN link, seems to be the only spot with the video.

 

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=21023389

I like the thought behind the targeting rule, but there needs to be a better way to enforce this. Edwards' head was up and he brought his arms. There was no launching; it was a good form tackle. In half of a second the receiver ducks his head and starts falling to the ground. There is literally no way to avoid this situation. He starting the act of tackling before the receiver started going to the ground. By the letter of the law, it probably is targeting. It's up to the review both to take a practical stance as opposed to the letter of the law stance.

[CheezWizHed]

Given the way things are going with concussions, I wouldn't expect this rule to change and for it to be enforced to the letter of the law.

[pacopete4]

Another game with another lousy performance from a Badgers QB. It’s like they don’t even coach that position. The lack of a quality player in that position will once again hold this team back. It’s too bad because I think Cyphus is a legit WR, we know we have a reliable TE and our RB situation is awesome again. Plus we have a good defense.

[CheezWizHed]

I'm really surprised because its like Horningbrook has regressed since last year. He had some yips, but was very good protecting the ball. Not so this year. I wonder if lack of competition has hurt him?

 

The announcer for the Illinois game pointed out that Hbrook has been staring down WRs and he is absolutely correct. He did it all game. Great if WRs are running free, but it draws in the S all the time and makes it very hard against a good player.

[jjgott]

That and his arm strength will always make things interesting. Every time he throws the ball, it seems like the WR is waiting for the ball to get to him, or on deep balls, having to camp under it. I always kinda cringe when he throws for fear it will be picked off.

[stoutdude04]

That and his arm strength will always make things interesting. Every time he throws the ball, it seems like the WR is waiting for the ball to get to him, or on deep balls, having to camp under it. I always kinda cringe when he throws for fear it will be picked off.

 

Yea, there have been a few instances where he has seemed to put more on it and it looks good, but most of the time it looks like it just floats up there. A Grogan ball from Tecmo Super Bowl.

[stalton]

9th in the playoff ranking? Wow. I expected a drop but didn't think Penn State and TCU passing us.

[LouisEly]

Not surprising, Penn State almost knocked off Ohio State on the road. TCU's loss was at Iowa State, who also knocked off Oklahoma, who beat Ohio State.

 

The Badgers haven't beaten any top 25 opponents, and they haven't walked over anyone since BYU. I think a big part of that is injuries to their top four RBs (Taylor, James, Shaw - he isn't 100%, Deal) and four of their top five receivers (Peavy, Fumagalli, Davis, Rushing, and now Cephus has a head injury). Their depth at the end of the Illinois game was a less-than-100% Shaw and Groshek at RB, and Taylor/Pryor/Roy/Krumholz at WR.

 

That being said, the rankings don't really take into consideration injuries.

[pacopete4]

Win out and none of it matters. Chances are they won’t but if they do, they’ll get in.

[young guns]

I'm starting to worry it might not be enough. I'm sure it will work itself out, but I would not be surprised if the year we go undefeated is the year there's a doomsday scenario and we are on the outside left looking in.

[FVBrewerFan]

9th in the playoff ranking? Wow. I expected a drop but didn't think Penn State and TCU passing us.

 

They're both better teams. Frankly, there's probably a few more teams ranked lower that are better. But ad Brew said, win out and it won't matter. Undefeated Big 10 champ left out? I cant imagine.

[nate82]

9th in the playoff ranking? Wow. I expected a drop but didn't think Penn State and TCU passing us.

 

They're both better teams. Frankly, there's probably a few more teams ranked lower that are better. But ad Brew said, win out and it won't matter. Undefeated Big 10 champ left out? I cant imagine.

 

Both Notre Dame and Clemson will make it over Wisconsin. Both need another loss for the Badgers to get in. Don't be surprised if Penn State or Ohio State get in over the Badgers even if the Badgers win the Big Ten title game.

 

The Badgers bad schedule and their recent weak play is what is holding them back. Not blowing out a weak Illinois team is looking pretty bad right now. If the Badgers don't blow out their next couple of cupcake games I don't see how the Badgers make the playoffs even if they win out.

[adambr2]

I didn't think we'd come close to top 4 at this point yet. I have no issue with Georgia and Bama on top. I think Notre Dame is overrated as usual, but I don't have a huge problem with them in the top 4.

 

Where I start to have an enormous problem is Clemson at #4. So wait, you're telling me we get dinged all the way out of the top 8 just on SOS, and Clemson winds up in the playoffs after actually LOSING a game to a 4 loss Syracuse team? They don't even get dinged for that? We're not talking a loss to Georgia here, we're talking a loss to a team that couldn't beat Middle Tennessee.

 

That's a joke. Because they beat who, Auburn? It's not even like they've been destroying teams. They don't have a win by more than 14 since September 23rd.

 

The playoff system seems to be getting less and less results oriented, and I have a big problem with that. It's like the committee is gathering and saying, 'Well, wins and losses be damned, these are the teams we THINK are the best 4."

[ZBTMP]

9th in the playoff ranking? Wow. I expected a drop but didn't think Penn State and TCU passing us.

 

They're both better teams. Frankly, there's probably a few more teams ranked lower that are better. But ad Brew said, win out and it won't matter. Undefeated Big 10 champ left out? I cant imagine.

 

What are basing TCU being better than Wisconsin on?

Massey and Sagarin both have Wisconsin higher as uninspiring as the Badgers wins have been, and Wisconsin also didn't give away a game to Iowa State. Sure its the same Iowa State team that beat Oklahoma; its also the same team that lost to both Iowa and Texas at home.

 

The fact that there is no longer any criteria at all seems like we haven't gotten the ideal system yet.

[brewcrewdue80]

I posted o/u on 9.5 Badgers playoff rank. Not surprised. Schedule deems such and let's put it this way. It will all be corrected when/if the Badgers win the Big 10 championship game. If they don't, as I'm guessing models, media and such would predict, they aren't going to the Playoffs with 1 loss. Win out and that takes care of this on its own.

 

Let's face it, the continued 1st half performances, would not go well vs a good team who scores 3 times in the 1st half, and now having to produce the good 2nd halves as the Badgers have done while behind a good team is so much more difficult. Think about OSU and Penn st. fans if WI was ahead of them. It would be absolutely argued, disgust with the schedule WI has gone through. Penn St. lost by 1 on the road to OSU. Lead near the entire game, and lose in final moments. Yeah, no way Penn. St is ranked below WI

[stoutdude04]

Let's face it, the continued 1st half performances, would not go well vs a good team who scores 3 times in the 1st half, and now having to produce the good 2nd halves as the Badgers have done while behind a good team is so much more difficult. Think about OSU and Penn st. fans if WI was ahead of them. It would be absolutely argued, disgust with the schedule WI has gone through. Penn St. lost by 1 on the road to OSU. Lead near the entire game, and lose in final moments. Yeah, no way Penn. St is ranked below WI

 

I agree with just about everything you said and have no problem being 9. I also agree with the post about Clemson. They lost to Syracuse...I realize their QB got hurt, but they lost Syracuse.

 

Edit: The other thing is, Wisconsin rarely seems to dismantle teams, but they always seem to win or be in big games. If the committee is looking for lopsided scores from Wisconsin it'll be tough. Also, the defense HAS been dominating games. Although the scores might not look like it, all of the games have been handled.

[pacopete4]

Who exactly has Alabama beaten that is so good? Trust me, I get it, they are Alabama and I'm sure they'll probably win the thing. But how can we have different standards/criteria for different programs and call this thing legit? Why does an unbeaten Wisconsin team possibly get left out of they are B10 champs but a Bama team gets an automatic bid because they are Bama? This is my entire beef with NCAA football. It loses my interest fast when we even have to have these discussions.

[tmwiese55]

The only way UW doesn't get in if undefeated is this one in a million scenario. ND wins out (two road games vs top 25 teams), Clemson wins out, and a Big 12 team manages to only have one loss as they all play each other now and have to do rematch in the title game. In the history of CFB for all those 3 things to happen is going to be really damn tough. And even still, the committee could easily say, we can't leave out an undefeated B1G champ.

[pacopete4]

If Wisconsin beats a 1-loss Ohio State (assuming) and Michigan while going undefeated in the B10 and they don't get in... I'll probably never watch another college football game period. What a joke that would be. All these different circumstances depending on the program that you are is a flat out joke.

[PeaveyFury]

9th in the playoff ranking? Wow. I expected a drop but didn't think Penn State and TCU passing us.

 

They're both better teams. Frankly, there's probably a few more teams ranked lower that are better. But ad Brew said, win out and it won't matter. Undefeated Big 10 champ left out? I cant imagine.

 

Don't be surprised if Penn State or Ohio State get in over the Badgers even if the Badgers win the Big Ten title game.

 

There is a 0.00% chance that Ohio State makes the playoff over an undefeated Wisconsin team. For Wisconsin to be undefeated, they'd have to either beat OSU in the Big Ten championship, giving them their second loss and Wisconsin their signature win, or OSU would have to have lost their games to BOTH Michigan and MSU to not be there, giving them 3 losses on the season. It's simply impossible.

 

Penn State making it vs. an undefeated Wisconsin is only slightly more possible. They're going to end up with a similar schedule problem, as their loss to OSU robbed them of nearly any opportunity to obtain a quality win since they won't be playing in the Big Ten championship barring the OSU collapse noted above. Their strongest win right now is at home vs. the same Michigan team that Wisconsin plays in 2.5 weeks. The ONLY scenario that could possibly play out in their favor would involve OSU losing to one of the two Michigan schools but still playing in the Big Ten championship, robbing Wisconsin of their only opportunity to grab a signature win. In that case, I still like our chances, because PSU would still lack a quality win, but they'd still have a loss vs. our 0 losses, and that loss would look worse if OSU then has 3 losses. Extremely unlikely that they look more attractive at that point, IMO. Still, we probably want to root hard for MSU to beat them this weekend to eliminate any possibility of them making the playoff, as this is really their last plausible loss of the season.

 

Beyond that, as others have noted, there is enough football left to sort out the other 6 teams in front of us. The Big 12 teams may eliminate each other, and ND and Clemson have challenging games left. If this was the ranking after the regular season we'd be out of luck, but there is much left to sort itself out.

[FVBrewerFan]

Things usually work themselves out, especially with this many games to go. But let's face it, the most likely way it works itself out is UW will not run the table in the Big 10, then beat Ohio St.

 

If they do, and don't make the playoffs, that may be it for me. That tells me it's all about who they think SHOULD be the 4 best teams.

[nate82]

I still believe the committee will still take Ohio State over Wisconsin even if Wisconsin wins the Big Ten title. It just seems as though the committee just doesn't see Wisconsin as a title contender.

 

I still think if Penn State is sitting there at 1 loss and the Badgers win the Big Ten title they still get in before Wisconsin does. Just how I feel about the Badgers chances for making it into the Playoffs.