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

[young guns]

And now the Minnesota game is canceled due to an outbreak among the gophers. I guess this makes last weeks loss moot anyway. Wouldn't have had enough games to qualify. Imagine if we had won last week, this news would have been brutal.

[CheezWizHed]

At this rate, I wonder how likely there will be Bowl games anyway...

[MadThinker88]

At this rate, I wonder how likely there will be Bowl games anyway...

 

I suspect there still be a limited number of bowl games, but the normal large slate is already skewd by the later schedules of some conferences..

 

Maybe 12 or 13 total (counting the playoff bowl games & the national championship)..

[pacopete4]

This season is/was dumb. That is all.

[PeaveyFury]

This season is/was dumb. That is all.

 

Yeah. I was holding out hope that basketball might be more normal, but with news tonight that the UW Women’s first game is already canceled, I think this is our college sports reality for 2020/21.

[wildcat83]

I wonder if the missed games increase the chances of some seniors coming back next year.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The NCAA is a clown show. This is dumber than no season. It's a waste of everyone's time.

[homer]

Can you still play 4 games and retain your redshirt? At this point, you might as well sit Berger for a game and redshirt him since he's only played in two.

[SomewhereInTime]

Can you still play 4 games and retain your redshirt? At this point, you might as well sit Berger for a game and redshirt him since he's only played in two.

 

This year doesn't count for eligibility for anybody, no matter how many games the team or player plays.

[SomewhereInTime]

And now the Minnesota game is canceled due to an outbreak among the gophers. I guess this makes last weeks loss moot anyway. Wouldn't have had enough games to qualify. Imagine if we had won last week, this news would have been brutal.

 

Would have been exactly what they deserve for not playing the Purdue and Nebraska game even though they were not at the number of positive tests for an automatic cancellation of the games.

[homer]

And now the Minnesota game is canceled due to an outbreak among the gophers. I guess this makes last weeks loss moot anyway. Wouldn't have had enough games to qualify. Imagine if we had won last week, this news would have been brutal.

 

Would have been exactly what they deserve for not playing the Purdue and Nebraska game even though they were not at the number of positive tests for an automatic cancellation of the games.

 

They deserve it because they were overly cautious?

[PeaveyFury]

And now the Minnesota game is canceled due to an outbreak among the gophers. I guess this makes last weeks loss moot anyway. Wouldn't have had enough games to qualify. Imagine if we had won last week, this news would have been brutal.

 

Would have been exactly what they deserve for not playing the Purdue and Nebraska game even though they were not at the number of positive tests for an automatic cancellation of the games.

 

99% Sure they made it there prior to the games even if they called Nebraska early.

[FVBrewerFan]

Can you still play 4 games and retain your redshirt? At this point, you might as well sit Berger for a game and redshirt him since he's only played in two.

 

This year doesn't count for eligibility for anybody, no matter how many games the team or player plays.

 

How does that work for draft eligibility though? I'm assuming Mertz or any other freshman would be draft eligible after two more seasons?

[homer]

Can you still play 4 games and retain your redshirt? At this point, you might as well sit Berger for a game and redshirt him since he's only played in two.

 

This year doesn't count for eligibility for anybody, no matter how many games the team or player plays.

 

How does that work for draft eligibility though? I'm assuming Mertz or any other freshman would be draft eligible after two more seasons?

 

I think Mertz is technically eligible after next season. The rule is three years post high school (so redshirt +2). At least I think that's what it is. Not many redshirt sophs go pro.

[wildcat83]

I don’t want Mertz to leave after next year, but I don’t want him to stay through his senior season either. Honestly think it benefits recruiting if we put guys into the draft early.

 

Oddly next season might be the best path to the college playoff. It will be the last time in the Mertz era that Ohio State isn’t on the regular season schedule. They have Notre Dame in a early season non-con at Soldier Field as probably their biggest test of the regular season.

[LouisEly]

And now the Minnesota game is canceled due to an outbreak among the gophers. I guess this makes last weeks loss moot anyway. Wouldn't have had enough games to qualify. Imagine if we had won last week, this news would have been brutal.

 

Would have been exactly what they deserve for not playing the Purdue and Nebraska game even though they were not at the number of positive tests for an automatic cancellation of the games.

Remember, the number of cases rose after they stopped team activities. When they stopped team activities they were red/orange but a few days later after case counts went up I'm pretty sure they were red/red.

[PeaveyFury]

Starting corner Rachad Wildgoose has elected to end his Badger career, opting out of the rest of the year and declaring for the draft.

[wildcat83]

Starting corner Rachad Wildgoose has elected to end his Badger career, opting out of the rest of the year and declaring for the draft.

 

I didn’t think of him as a top 2-3 rounds guy. Now your leaving your team in the middle of a season, leaving with and injury, probably not going to have a combine, and that’s the optics your giving NFL teams heading into the draft?

 

Hard to fault kids for any decision they make in these crazy times, but this seems really odd. Is he projected to be drafted? He’s not someone I considered leaving early, let alone a year and a half early with an injury on top of it.

[MrTPlush]

I am guessing his injury will keep him out the remainder of the year and that is a big portion of why he is just opting to declare now.

[CheezWizHed]

Can the Badgers even be bowl eligible this year?

 

Normally, leaving early really bugs me, but given COVID cancellations, no bowl chance (I think), little chance at a BIG10 championship, and his injury, I can't really blame him this year.

[wildcat83]

Can the Badgers even be bowl eligible this year?

 

Normally, leaving early really bugs me, but given COVID cancellations, no bowl chance (I think), little chance at a BIG10 championship, and his injury, I can't really blame him this year.

 

I totally get that thought process, but my big concern is where he gets drafted. I’m not sure he’s good enough to do this coming off a year with 2 games to show anything. Seems like a solid senior season on a good team would have boosted the draft stock. Now, with not much on film and an injury on top of it, how high in the draft can he actually go???

[brewcrewdue80]

Well, I would guess he's playing the long game. last pick of 3rd round this year signed a 4yr contract at close to 4.5mil

the 2nd pick of the 6th round signed for 3.5mil over 4 years. With the last pick of rd 6 signing for 3.42mil. Final pick overall made 3,370,490. Looking at a grand total of 1.129mil over 4 years being picked end of 3rd round or being Mr. Irrelevant. He gets to Free Agency though 1 year quicker if he happens upon a shutdown DB to get paid. Really looking at that, once you become a projected 3rd round pick or higher, it doesn't matter much staying another year, unless you would propel yourself in to the 1st round.

[HiAndTight]

 

I think Mertz is technically eligible after next season. The rule is three years post high school (so redshirt +2). At least I think that's what it is. Not many redshirt sophs go pro.

 

 

Yes, that's definitely what it is. He's in a unique situation. He could go pro next year or play 4 more seasons for the Badgers. Usually, any Redshirt Sophs that go pro comes from Alabama, Clemson, GA or they're guys who didn't meet the clearinghouse certification. That is pretty rare at UW.

 

I had to take a foreign language the summer after HS because I didn't qualify until I did and I was warned in advance and went to a HS that walked you through all that. I know there are a lot of HS's out there who aren't aware of all the requirements to athletes must meet to be eligible to participate in their freshmen year.

 

So you see a few each year, but it's rare. Sam Darnold was a Soph, so was Jessie Bates, Quinnen Williams, Dwayne Haskins...among others.

[HiAndTight]

I don’t want Mertz to leave after next year, but I don’t want him to stay through his senior season either. Honestly think it benefits recruiting if we put guys into the draft early.

 

Oddly next season might be the best path to the college playoff. It will be the last time in the Mertz era that Ohio State isn’t on the regular-season schedule. They have Notre Dame in a early season non-con at Soldier Field as probably their biggest test of the regular season.

 

 

I don't think recruits care one way or another if you leave after your Jr year or your Sr. year.

 

Of course, he can play 3 more years and still technically it'd be "leaving early."

 

If he can develop into one of the top QB's in the country and the Badgers can take the next step as an offense and become a real threat throwing the ball, THAT'S going to make UW more attractive to HS QB's(and WR'ers).

 

I think the best chance to get another elite QB prospect may come after next season when Mertz will be in his 4th year and any incoming player will see an opening in the near future at the position.

 

Long term, if he were to be a Heisman candidate and win some awards, that'll help out even more.

 

 

Ultimately, Cryst has plenty of opportunities to prove to young recruits that UW isn't just a running school. That skill players can thrive there. If Mertz can somehow get us into the playoffs, that would REALLY help our recruiting in the immediate future as much as anything.

[homer]

Looks like IU's Penix is gonna miss the rest of the year. Good for UW I guess but bad for college football.