Badger Football 2021

[stoutdude04]

The Badgers tell you where you are playing...not the other way around.

 

Well, all reports here have been kind of the opposite of that, they planned D the whole time but he asked for it and they gave him a chance to see how it went before deciding.

 

I play ball with his uncle - Wisconsin made that move. Though, he may have asked and they said yes. Both could be true I suppose! Either way, ge looks solid there.

[Oxy]

Devin Chandler has entered the transfer portal. Annoying, I guess, but better get used to this sort of thing as it is probably the new norm. I get it that the guy is frustrated that he can't get time over Jack Dunn. If you aren't a good, willing, blocker though you aren't going to be a fit for UW (or the NFL unless you have Moss-like talent).

 

In other news, ESPNs SP+ college football efficiency rankings still has the 3-3 Badgers at #7 in the country. Our YPP differential combined with our quality of opponents means they think we've been unlucky. Or else maybe Graham Mertz actually IS turnover prone. Hard to know.

[Underachiever]

In other news, ESPNs SP+ college football efficiency rankings still has the 3-3 Badgers at #7 in the country. Our YPP differential combined with our quality of opponents means they think we've been unlucky. Or else maybe Graham Mertz actually IS turnover prone. Hard to know.

Have they tried turning the computer off and back on again? That may fix it.

[tmwiese55]

Yea I see how the computers are fooled by our D and SOS. But the O is just so bad, so I don't see it.

 

But, if we were to make this the optimism thread. UW controls their own destiny to win the B1G.

[yourout]

I don't see any way Bucky wins this one.

Purdue could throw for 300 plus yards because that is the one weak spot on the defense. Mertz will be lucky if he's not in the hospital after this one.

[PinaMadness]

Devin Chandler has entered the transfer portal. Annoying, I guess, but better get used to this sort of thing as it is probably the new norm. I get it that the guy is frustrated that he can't get time over Jack Dunn. If you aren't a good, willing, blocker though you aren't going to be a fit for UW (or the NFL unless you have Moss-like talent).

 

In other news, ESPNs SP+ college football efficiency rankings still has the 3-3 Badgers at #7 in the country. Our YPP differential combined with our quality of opponents means they think we've been unlucky. Or else maybe Graham Mertz actually IS turnover prone. Hard to know.

This is exactly why I don't put very much stock in stats. Anyone can make them say what they want them to say.

[PinaMadness]

I don't see any way Bucky wins this one.

Purdue could throw for 300 plus yards because that is the one weak spot on the defense. Mertz will be lucky if he's not in the hospital after this one.

I think this is going to be a classic letdown game for Purdue and Wisconsin pulls this one out.

[JosephC]

Devin Chandler has entered the transfer portal. Annoying, I guess, but better get used to this sort of thing as it is probably the new norm. I get it that the guy is frustrated that he can't get time over Jack Dunn. If you aren't a good, willing, blocker though you aren't going to be a fit for UW (or the NFL unless you have Moss-like talent).

 

 

I don't think it's any secret....I think there were a couple Madison sport writers that mentioned it...but Chandler was probably the most disappointing player in the fall practices. The coaching staff were feeling good about him and Dike being quality starting WRs of the future at the end of last season, and Chandler ended up way down the depth chart by the end of fall practices. Very disappointing.

 

And I am definitely not a Jack Dunn fan, but at this point I think they should probably stick him back at punt returner. Am I the only one that thinks that Engram has been pretty terrible at that job?

[JosephC]

I don't see any way Bucky wins this one.

Purdue could throw for 300 plus yards because that is the one weak spot on the defense. Mertz will be lucky if he's not in the hospital after this one.

I think this is going to be a classic letdown game for Purdue and Wisconsin pulls this one out.

 

Wisconsin is currently a 3 point favorite.

 

Don't be fooled by one result against Iowa. Purdue lost to Minnesota at home and only beat Illinois by 4 points at home, which is as ugly a win as possible. The only thing the Purdue/Iowa game proved was that the Big 10 West is terrible and pretty much completely up for grabs (unless you are Illinois...they suck).

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I don't see any way Bucky wins this one.

Purdue could throw for 300 plus yards because that is the one weak spot on the defense. Mertz will be lucky if he's not in the hospital after this one.

I think this is going to be a classic letdown game for Purdue and Wisconsin pulls this one out.

 

Wisconsin is currently a 3 point favorite.

 

Don't be fooled by one result against Iowa. Purdue lost to Minnesota at home and only beat Illinois by 4 points at home, which is as ugly a win as possible. The only thing the Purdue/Iowa game proved was that the Big 10 West is terrible and pretty much completely up for grabs (unless you are Illinois...they suck).

 

I agree with all of this...and then Illinois comes out of nowhere to beat Penn State. Reminded me a bit of them beating the Badgers in 2019.

 

The West is totally up for grabs right now, though Iowa could end that pretty quick with a win Saturday.

[LouisEly]

Kaden Lyles in the transfer portal. Understand that one, he has one year of eligibility left and had gotten beat out for the starting job. I think his injury history and occasional unknown availability played a part in him not being the starter.

 

For some reason the thought seems to be the earlier you get in the portal the better the chance you'll get to a good school. I don't know about that.

[MadThinker88]

Kaden Lyles in the transfer portal. Understand that one, he has one year of eligibility left and had gotten beat out for the starting job. I think his injury history and occasional unknown availability played a part in him not being the starter.

 

For some reason the thought seems to be the earlier you get in the portal the better the chance you'll get to a good school. I don't know about that.

 

Exiting now ensures he is still healthy. I have to assume someone rehabbing a major injury faces additional hurdles as they try to change schools.

 

I look at entering the transfer portal sooner is akin to HS Seniors enrolling early.. Get into the new program early, get up to speed faster and have a better chance of playing in the upcoming season.

[LouisEly]

I don't see any way Bucky wins this one.

Purdue could throw for 300 plus yards because that is the one weak spot on the defense. Mertz will be lucky if he's not in the hospital after this one.

You're not doing well with your Badgers predictions this year...

[yourout]

I don't see any way Bucky wins this one.

Purdue could throw for 300 plus yards because that is the one weak spot on the defense. Mertz will be lucky if he's not in the hospital after this one.

You're not doing well with your Badgers predictions this year...

 

I'm ok with it. The cosmic overlords seem to relish making my posted predictions wrong so I will keep being negative Nancy and see if I can reverse jinx them all the way to Indianapolis.

[JosephC]

Kaden Lyles in the transfer portal. Understand that one, he has one year of eligibility left and had gotten beat out for the starting job. I think his injury history and occasional unknown availability played a part in him not being the starter.

 

For some reason the thought seems to be the earlier you get in the portal the better the chance you'll get to a good school. I don't know about that.

 

Really just another highly regarded 4-star prospect that wasn't a starting quality Big 10 player. Coaching staff tried to give him the job a couple of times and rotated him in when he wasn't the starter to see if they would see some improvement out of him, but I always thought he was a weakness whenever he was on the field. I wish him well though, I never heard any real negative off-the-field comments about him.

 

Even though they had moved him to be the blocking tight end, I wonder if Cormac Sampson is now the #2 center? Chances are pretty good he'd do just as well, if not better, than Lyles would do. Gives the Badgers another scholarship to play with, and gives one more of depth offensive linemen a chance to work into a #2 spot on the depth chart.

[LouisEly]

Bortolini is likely the #2 center - he played center in two games last year when they were short on healthy bodies.

 

Lyles was beat out by another highly-regarded 4-star recruit, so I don't know that I would classify him as not being "starting quality Big Ten player". It was so close in camp that they rotated him in early in the season. I really do think that the injuries have hampered his development and if two guys are fairly equal, you go with the guy you know is going to be available and not the guy who may or may not be. Consistency on the O-line is important.

[SomewhereInTime]

Bortolini is likely the #2 center - he played center in two games last year when they were short on healthy bodies.

 

Lyles was beat out by another highly-regarded 4-star recruit, so I don't know that I would classify him as not being "starting quality Big Ten player". It was so close in camp that they rotated him in early in the season. I really do think that the injuries have hampered his development and if two guys are fairly equal, you go with the guy you know is going to be available and not the guy who may or may not be. Consistency on the O-line is important.

 

They recently had a three man rotation early in the year with Furtney, Lyles, and Sampson rotating in for a series here and there at both guard spots and center. The last couple games they've scraped that, rolled with the starters, and sampson has put on an eligible number and lined up at tight end some. Could be part of the reason why the transfer happened now since Lyles' playing time on offense has dropped to 0.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

As I've said I'm not a Badgers fan. I just happen to catch a game now and then due to circumstances. But what on earth happened to Mertz? I would accept him being a total bust, but he looked pretty good last season given his experience level. Now he throws 8 passes a game?

[MrTPlush]

Well....first off he wasn't really good last year either...he was pretty terrible. He has the one good game against Illinois and then went downhill after that. They are 0-5 in any game he has thrown 25+ passes. When throwing 20 or less passes they are 6-1...the only loss is this years Michigan game. Only one of his 16 career INTs have come in those games.

 

No offense to Graham Mertz, but he has zero awareness on a football field. Every second he holds onto the ball his liability exponentially grows. Whether that be an INT, sack, or fumble. The offensive line also isn't that great and not helping the cause. Their defense is playing at a pretty amazing level. The best way to win is minimize the liability of really bad plays on offense. I am guessing at this point they have pretty much given up on Mertz being a difference maker QB.

[CheezWizHed]

He shows his capability if he can drop back and throw on rhythm to a QB in the middle 50% (left/right) of the field. When he is pressured, he has to improvise, or throwing to the edges, he is out of his comfort zone. At that point, he is prone to INTs, fumbles, and bad fundamentals (leading to loopy passes that are defended or pick-6ed on him).

 

My hope is that this is inexperience and he will continue to improve... but the fear is that the game will never slow down for him and he will continue to struggle there.

[DuWayne Steurer]

31 in the coaches poll and 28 in the AP.

 

probably one more convincing win away from (somehow) sneaking back into the top 25 in the AP. after that brutal start that didn't seem possible. offense still looks pretty blah but there's no doubt the defense is legit.

[tmwiese55]

Next two games should be somewhat easy wins (if you can say that with our O). Assume those and they'll move into the teens heading into the last two games and probably finish between 10-15 if they win out.

 

Just think, they had no business losing that PSU game. Basically dominated the game but messed up twice at the goal line. They would essentially have the division on lock and be ranked upper teens right now.

[Oxy]

[quote name="Oxy"

In other news' date=' ESPNs SP+ college football efficiency rankings still has the 3-3 Badgers at #7 in the country. Our YPP differential combined with our quality of opponents means they think we've been unlucky. Or else maybe Graham Mertz actually IS turnover prone. Hard to know.[/quote]

This is exactly why I don't put very much stock in stats. Anyone can make them say what they want them to say.

 

Maybe those stats knew a little more than it seemed? It's amazing how a few absolutely terrible plays in the 3 losses sabotaged the overall perception of the quality of the team as a whole. Turnovers are an incredibly erratic stat.

[JosephC]

Chryst confirmed today that Mellusi is out for the rest of the year. I feel bad for Mellusi, but excited to see Davis and Acker get more snaps.

[DuWayne Steurer]

[quote name="Oxy"

In other news' date=' ESPNs SP+ college football efficiency rankings still has the 3-3 Badgers at #7 in the country. Our YPP differential combined with our quality of opponents means they think we've been unlucky. Or else maybe Graham Mertz actually IS turnover prone. Hard to know.[/quote]

This is exactly why I don't put very much stock in stats. Anyone can make them say what they want them to say.

 

Maybe those stats knew a little more than it seemed? It's amazing how a few absolutely terrible plays in the 3 losses sabotaged the overall perception of the quality of the team as a whole. Turnovers are an incredibly erratic stat.

 

 

Can kind of honestly say they "should have" won the Penn State game. They were (incredibly) beating Notre Dame in the fourth quarter before Notre Dame ripped off 31! straight points, largely due to turnovers and special teams miscues.

 

They were somehow in the Michigan game (down only 3) halway through the third quarter, when the same thing happened. Turnovers, miscues, and ST mishaps sent the train careening out of control and off the tracks.

 

Not saying they could have or should have won either of those games, but the final scores were uglier than the game itself. It is what it is. Three losses are three losses no matter how you slice it. Doesn't matter if you lose by 3 or 30, but they were in those games.