Badger Football 2020 (Latest- Headed to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl (seriously)

[homer]

Apparently Coan was hurt at practice. Out indefinitely.

[pacopete4]

Mertz time. Sad for Coan but at least we do have a good option.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Apparently Coan was hurt at practice. Out indefinitely.

 

Likely (though not assuredly) makes them worse in 2020. Could very well make them better than they otherwise would've been in 2021 and 2022.

 

Feel bad for Coan, am excited as heck to get Mertz started for real.

[tmwiese55]

How many games until folks are calling for Mertz benching and that he's overrated because he missed a deep throw? haha, I'd say by game 3.

 

I wish everyone watched UGA/Auburn Saturday and see Aub 5 star QB miss several open throws. Give some realistic expectations for a college QB, these guys aren't Aaron Rodgers.

[HiAndTight]

How many games until folks are calling for Mertz benching and that he's overrated because he missed a deep throw? haha, I'd say by game 3.

 

I wish everyone watched UGA/Auburn Saturday and see Aub 5 star QB miss several open throws. Give some realistic expectations for a college QB, these guys aren't Aaron Rodgers.

 

 

I just don't think fans appreciate how fast things are moving and the anticipation and accuracy it takes to play QB at a high level.

 

It's mind boggling how these guys throw the ball with guys in their face well before these guys even get out of their break.

 

I think Mertz is gonna be good. I think Jake Ferguson is going to see his stock shoot up significantly early on in the season as Mertz adjusts to the speed of the game. Having a big, reliable TE(who can move) is a hellua security blanket.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

How many games until folks are calling for Mertz benching and that he's overrated because he missed a deep throw? haha, I'd say by game 3.

 

I wish everyone watched UGA/Auburn Saturday and see Aub 5 star QB miss several open throws. Give some realistic expectations for a college QB, these guys aren't Aaron Rodgers.

 

That's why I say "get started" with Mertz. Rather him get the growing pains out of the way in 2020 rather than use half of the 2021 season to get up to speed. Hate seeing it take an injury to get the ball rolling but Mertz beginning his development is an undeniable silver lining.

[CheezWizHed]

Agreed. While losing JT, Cephus, and three OL, it seems like the offense will reset this year. Might as well do the QB also. Coan might play better this year, but I think Mertz has the better chance to carry the offense if needed.

 

I wonder if Coan will redshirt? And if Mertz is established, will he transfer?

[PeaveyFury]

I think lost in all of the social media glee about Mertz taking over is that the Badgers are a positive COVID test away from Chase Wolf starting 2-3 games for them this year per Big Ten protocols....

[CheezWizHed]

So will our RB situation be a split between Groshek and Watson or will some hot RB freshman come in and steal the rock?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

So will our RB situation be a split between Groshek and Watson or will some hot RB freshman come in and steal the rock?

 

Watson will likely draw the starts at the beginning, but I expect Berger to eventually run away with the job. Groshek will play in his typical 3rd down, change-up role.

[pacopete4]

I think lost in all of the social media glee about Mertz taking over is that the Badgers are a positive COVID test away from Chase Wolf starting 2-3 games for them this year per Big Ten protocols....

 

With that name, I'm excited!

[tmwiese55]

Agreed. While losing JT, Cephus, and three OL, it seems like the offense will reset this year. Might as well do the QB also. Coan might play better this year, but I think Mertz has the better chance to carry the offense if needed.

 

I wonder if Coan will redshirt? And if Mertz is established, will he transfer?

 

Quirk of the year is it doesn't count for anyone's eligibility. Essentially they're all getting free redshirts. So, if Coan had done well again this year he'd be able to come back next year and kept Mertz on the bench.

 

Another funny thing of it is that would give someone like Lawrence 3 more years if he wanted to rack up multiple Heisman's and possible titles. Or say Taylor hadn't gone pro, he could've ended with like 13K rushing yards if he played two more years.

[CheezWizHed]

I missed that twist added to this year... JT still made the right decision (as much as I'd loved to have him back). He looked very good against the Bears last weekend.

[tmwiese55]

For sure, to set an unbreakable record would've cost him at least 5ish million dollars and two years of wear on his body which could cost more money down the line. The other odd thing would have been lets say he did come back to break the record (obviously not knowing covid would happen) he probably wouldn't have been able to do it due to the less games, that would've been some bad luck.

 

Same with Lawrence. A prospect at his level has the power to dictate where he wants to go (if he wants to be that guy), no reason to wait another year or three for the right team to get the #1 pick.

 

They're talking about this for basketball too, Big Ten fans are going to love seeing Brad Davison for a seemingly 8th year

[homer]

So they get another year of eligibility but that doesn't mean teams (cough cough SEC) have to renew their scholarship right?

[tmwiese55]

Haha, yea they didn't abide by that anyway. Come to think of it, I'm not sure what the workaround is in regards to the scholarship number limit. I'd guess if it's usually 85 (it's something like that) maybe it'll have a one year bump to 95 or 100 so you can still bring in your planned freshman and not have to pull scholarships. But yea, the SEC would anyway.

[HiAndTight]

I missed that twist added to this year... JT still made the right decision (as much as I'd loved to have him back). He looked very good against the Bears last weekend.

 

Of course he made the right decision, but as a hypothetical, it's kinda fun to think about Taylor. He's ~1000 yards behind Dayne. He'd have easily gotten that if healthy this year. And then next year just based on his average, you'd have to think 2000.

 

But of course, going pro now was the obvious choice. He has almost 1,000 more yards than any other back who only played 3years.

[HiAndTight]

Haha, yea they didn't abide by that anyway. Come to think of it, I'm not sure what the workaround is in regards to the scholarship number limit. I'd guess if it's usually 85 (it's something like that) maybe it'll have a one year bump to 95 or 100 so you can still bring in your planned freshman and not have to pull scholarships. But yea, the SEC would anyway.

 

I'd guess they'd just add a quarter of the scholarships and then roll it back over the next 2-3 years. I don't know if that's what they'll do, but...if they're saying this year doesn't count against their eligibility...it only seems logical(though I know I'm talking about the NCAA).

 

You don't want to take away chances from kids in HS right now who are already potentially losing chances by not being able to play or go to the camps they normally would have. There are a lot of kids who go under the radar and only get one scholarship as is.

[LouisEly]

Season opener against Illinois set for 7pm, Friday, October 23rd.

 

Was hoping for an afternoon game and decent weather to at least try to get people to watch it outside, but looks like the bars and living rooms will be packed to the gills that Friday night.

[homer]

A few freshmen getting some buzz in practice - WR, Chimere Dike and OLB Nick Herbig

 

Can't believe game #1 is in a week.

[tmwiese55]

Yea don't see the kind of chatter about Dike very often from UW. Heard if for Cephus and that turned out to be very true. It would make sense being from Oshkosh how he'd fly under the radar in recruiting, hope he makes it.

 

Saw some bars here doing reserve your table type things for the games. Everyone seems to be compliant with the rules but still, 4-5 hours of drinking and people fall into their old ways quickly. And even within the rules you don't need to wear masks at tables so yea I will stay away. I half expected the city to shut it down somehow but haven't heard anything and then with the tavern lawsuit this week probably is what it is.

 

I'm skeptical on the 23ish pt spread. I have a feeling UW type program with the head down no drama type approach is best fit to be prepared in this situation. But the trends in CFB seems to be the offenses are way ahead of the D. With what IL does that could be a problem. That's the logical part of me. Still have a weird feeling they're going to come out well here and the D will be ready.

[homer]

Dike is actually from Waukesha.

[tmwiese55]

Oh right brain fart of top of head, same thing applies. K and SH in both haha. Idea would be put him in TX or GA and he's called a 4 star and chased by the SEC. They don't watch up here though so a guy can fly under the radar easily.

[LouisEly]

Ten years ago today...

 

 

The funny thing is that after Wisconsin won the coin toss and elected to receive, Brent Musberger said, "There's Jim Tressel, you'll see his defense early tonight as the Badgers won the toss..."

 

No, no you won't.

[LouisEly]

Wisconsin's OL that game:

 

Ricky Wagner, John Moffitt, Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler, Gabe Carimi

 

Backup/injured: Travis Frederick, Ryan Groy (wore #89 and played TE that game), Rob Havenstein, Bill Nagy, Josh Oglesby

 

Oglesby was the only one of those ten not to play in the NFL. Oglesby and Groy were the only ones not drafted.