CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Four => Big Ten => Topic started by: 847badgerfan on December 02, 2024, 11:10:09 AM
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I've never put out a Wisconsin offseason thread in December before, but here we are.
Obviously need an OC and lots of QB's. Who knows what they can pull. A package deal would be great.
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Three in the portal, so far.
QB Cole LaCrue
OLB Leon Lowry
CB Amare Snowden
No big losses there, although I would have liked to see LaCrue develop.
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Sigh. I told all who would listen that the spread on that game was all out of whack.
I'm very curious what Fickell does for an OC. I'm also curious what changes are made on the other side of the ball. Sure, the fellas were getting tired by the second half of every game, but the Badger run defense was not good, and I'd love to see a defensive line that mauls people.
I'm tired of seeing new quarterbacks all the damn time. Develop someone, please.
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I'm with you on all of that.
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At this point, they’re going to have to add at least one portal quarterback. Unless they really believe in TVD and he actually wants to stay around, both of which seem doubtful.
But there ain’t adding the talented kid from wherever he’s from, and maybe you go for next year with him as back up.
I do think an interesting thing about this portal era is going to be how some smart coaches figure out how to hold onto a couple of mid-level guys with a more drawn out promise of a chance to play.
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At this point, they’re going to have to add at least one portal quarterback. Unless they really believe in TVD and he actually wants to stay around, both of which seem doubtful.
But there ain’t adding the talented kid from wherever he’s from, and maybe you go for next year with him as back up.
I do think an interesting thing about this portal era is going to be how some smart coaches figure out how to hold onto a couple of mid-level guys with a more drawn out promise of a chance to play.
TVD said he wants to stay but he is badly injured and won't get to be a part of Spring, with a new OC. I think they need to mutually pull the plug.
They absolutely need two QB's in the portal. They need to part ways with the Locke Brothers too.
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DB's Justin Taylor and Jonas Duclona and DL Curtis Neal are in the portal now. That's now 6 players. Neal was a starter (and not a good one).
The 2022 and 2023 classes are looking really bad (thanks CPC).
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2025 recruits lost:
Kicker Erik Shmidt (fND) yesterday. Top 5 Kohls and in-state - that one hurts.
WR Cameron Miller (unknown) today. Not a big loss IMO.
Probably one more today/tomorrow (a TE).
Got a commit today from CB Cairo Skanes out of North Carolina.
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CB Jace Arnold now gone.
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TVD said he wants to stay but he is badly injured and won't get to be a part of Spring, with a new OC. I think they need to mutually pull the plug.
They absolutely need two QB's in the portal. They need to part ways with the Locke Brothers too.
98% of the time, getting two portal QBs means getting one potential starter and one Locke.
Maybe that Locke type surprises. But if he thinks he can actually start, he'll take six figures from an ACC of Big 12 team with a better chance to start.
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This is Wisconsin's 2023 DB class. They are ALL in the portal.
(https://i.imgur.com/rk3bUPW.png)
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This is Wisconsin's 2023 DB class. They are ALL in the portal.
(https://i.imgur.com/rk3bUPW.png)
They sure couldn’t get on the field.
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https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1864358612870512823 (https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1864358612870512823)
This one really stings.
Trech Kekahuna, Wisconsin, Wide Receiver (https://247sports.com/Player/trech-kekahuna-46128574/)
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Wow--weird. I thought they were really excited about him. It wasn't a lack of playing time...he must think he can do better somewhere else (or just really hates the QB room--which maybe is the same thing).
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QB room and O coordinator
and therefore the head coach
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UNL is going to be a player in the Trech transfer. He wants money.
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DL James Thompson Jr. in the portal.
Open tryouts for DL and DB next week.
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Might be good.
Wisconsin football targeting Louisville edge rusher Mason Reiger in the transfer portal (https://www.badgernotes.com/p/wisconsin-football-targeting-louisville-edge-mason-reiger-transfer-portal)
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Looks like the Badgers have their OC:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2024/12/09/what-new-wisconsin-offensive-coordinator-jeff-grimes-brings-to-job/76857688007/
Also looks like Fickell wants to get back to running the ball. That seems like a good idea.
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good idea if he wants to keep his job
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Looks like the Badgers have their OC:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2024/12/09/what-new-wisconsin-offensive-coordinator-jeff-grimes-brings-to-job/76857688007/
Also looks like Fickell wants to get back to running the ball. That seems like a good idea.
I like this approach. It’s a bit of a reclamation project, but ultimately the only downside is worn by the head coach.
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https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1866213657652457716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1866213657652457716%7Ctwgr%5E21cf1f139025210e1c97e5d8b2eb1914911d0918%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F247sports.com%2Fcollege%2Fwisconsin%2Fboard%2F23%2Fcontents%2Ftweets-144988831%2F%3Fpage%3D1 (https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1866213657652457716?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1866213657652457716|twgr^21cf1f139025210e1c97e5d8b2eb1914911d0918|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F247sports.com%2Fcollege%2Fwisconsin%2Fboard%2F23%2Fcontents%2Ftweets-144988831%2F%3Fpage%3D1)
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Sounded like Fickell wasn't ready to commit to him for next year, and given the change in the offensive scheme, he may no longer want what the Badgers are selling.
Not too surprising. Does mean the Badgers probably need another portal QB, just to get to 4.
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https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1866213657652457716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1866213657652457716%7Ctwgr%5E21cf1f139025210e1c97e5d8b2eb1914911d0918%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F247sports.com%2Fcollege%2Fwisconsin%2Fboard%2F23%2Fcontents%2Ftweets-144988831%2F%3Fpage%3D1 (https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1866213657652457716?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1866213657652457716|twgr^21cf1f139025210e1c97e5d8b2eb1914911d0918|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F247sports.com%2Fcollege%2Fwisconsin%2Fboard%2F23%2Fcontents%2Ftweets-144988831%2F%3Fpage%3D1)
Not so surprising. He will be a weird part of the Fickell story no matter how it turns out.
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whats going on in Madison?
seems like a lot of players hitting the portal
too lazy to dig in and research myself
are the players leaving guys that dont play and making room for better new players?
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rosters capped at 105 next season
Were you running with 125 or something with walk-ons like Nebraska
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Sounds like a little reaction to changes anticipated on offense and defense. Not a lot of big contributors leaving, but one or two (I don't like Kekahuna leaving; that's concerning). TVD is kind of a unique situation. Not worried about it...yet.
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whats going on in Madison?
seems like a lot of players hitting the portal
too lazy to dig in and research myself
are the players leaving guys that dont play and making room for better new players?
New OC. A lot are not good players. Team and vibes weren’t very good.
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As the world turns. Braedyn Locke enters the portal, so guarantee a new starting QB next year, and Kekahuna changes his mind, deciding to stay. Possible that Kekahuna agreed with lots of fans, that Locke wasn't the guy?
And will Locke's little brother, who just signed his LOI to Wisconsin, actually come to Madison?
Curious.
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As the world turns. Braedyn Locke enters the portal, so guarantee a new starting QB next year, and Kekahuna changes his mind, deciding to stay. Possible that Kekahuna agreed with lots of fans, that Locke wasn't the guy?
And will Locke's little brother, who just signed his LOI to Wisconsin, actually come to Madison?
Curious.
That feels a little like a mad fan created narrative.
he went in the portal when it wasn’t clear who the coordinator was going to be. The coordinator got him on the phone, made a good pitch, they offered enough money, and it was good to go (for now).
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Agreed--I think that's the more likely story. But Locke leaving is interesting, with his little brother's LOI and all.
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maybe little brother is better?
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maybe little brother is better?
"Little" brother is 3-4 " taller so maybe he could not do that "throw the ball into the DL's facemask" thing.
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QB pickup in the portal: Danny O'Neil from SDSU. Comes as a true soph, with a year of starting experience.
Landed DL Corey Walker from Western Michigan and Mason Reiger from Louisville. Important pickups for the defense.
(and some others)
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south dakota state?
those jackrabbits are good
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San Diego State...
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maybe little brother is better?
Ok, bye now.
https://twitter.com/LandynLocke/status/1868835848239956446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1868835848239956446%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url= (https://twitter.com/LandynLocke/status/1868835848239956446?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1868835848239956446|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=)
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Wisconsin DB coach Alex Grinch took the DC job at UCF today. Opportunity knocks.
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I'd move on this ASAP.
Mike Caputo - Safeties/Special Teams - Football Coaches - University at Buffalo (https://ubbulls.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/mike-caputo/475)
Played at Wisconsin. Learned how to coach from Dave Aranda. Makes too much sense.
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Ok, bye now.
https://twitter.com/LandynLocke/status/1868835848239956446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1868835848239956446%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url= (https://twitter.com/LandynLocke/status/1868835848239956446?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1868835848239956446|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=)
Surprising no one.
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Outkick's resident Wisconsin fan columnist, David Hookstead, notes the Badger's transfer portal exodus of nearly two dozen players has not been without unusual drama:
"Wisconsin Badgers player sends wild tweet after entering the transfer portal. Badgers safety Kamo'i Latu hit the transfer portal, and is now on his way to UConn. He also made sure to stir the pot on his way out the door. First, he fired off a tweet thanking Paul Chryst and Jim Leonard - two coaches who haven't been with the program since 2022 - "for an amazing time at Wisconsin!" ...The natural conclusion is that he's taking a shot at the current coaching staff."
"...this isn't the first time something like this has happened since Fickell became the head coach in Madison: Former star running back Braelon Allen pretty much did the exact same thing back in September. Fickell needs to figure out a way to get a tent over this circus. Wisconsin fans aren't going to tolerate this garbage much longer. Many have already given up."
https://twitter.com/Outkick/status/1871934173931606256
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MSU had a transfer only thank Mel Tucker. I mean jury is still out on Jonathan Smith, but if you are going to fire a shot, maybe back a different horse than Tugger?
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Outkick's resident Wisconsin fan columnist, David Hookstead, notes the Badger's transfer portal exodus of nearly two dozen players has not been without unusual drama:
"Wisconsin Badgers player sends wild tweet after entering the transfer portal. Badgers safety Kamo'i Latu hit the transfer portal, and is now on his way to UConn. He also made sure to stir the pot on his way out the door. First, he fired off a tweet thanking Paul Chryst and Jim Leonard - two coaches who haven't been with the program since 2022 - "for an amazing time at Wisconsin!" ...The natural conclusion is that he's taking a shot at the current coaching staff."
"...this isn't the first time something like this has happened since Fickell became the head coach in Madison: Former star running back Braelon Allen pretty much did the exact same thing back in September. Fickell needs to figure out a way to get a tent over this circus. Wisconsin fans aren't going to tolerate this garbage much longer. Many have already given up."
https://twitter.com/Outkick/status/1871934173931606256
If he could tackle, he'd still be playing safety in Madison. The coaches gave up on him. He's a heat seeking missile who could never find any heat.
Instead, he will take his "talent" to ... UConn.
Not Bama. Not OSU. Not Georgia.
UConn.
Allen's tweet was a shot at Longo.
Not worried.
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It looks like Bert is gonna take 3 Wisconsin DL in the portal.
Makes me think he didn't watch any Badger games this year because they got pushed around by anyone with a pulse.
Iowa (329), UNL (180) and Mini (183) made them look silly against the run, and the trophy case is empty for the first time ever as a result.
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I'd move on this ASAP.
Mike Caputo - Safeties/Special Teams - Football Coaches - University at Buffalo (https://ubbulls.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/mike-caputo/475)
Played at Wisconsin. Learned how to coach from Dave Aranda. Makes too much sense.
I read somewhere that he had stepped away from coaching this year. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t on The new staff this season.
good badger, even if his game was a little one-sided
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Outkick's resident Wisconsin fan columnist, David Hookstead, notes the Badger's transfer portal exodus of nearly two dozen players has not been without unusual drama:
"Wisconsin Badgers player sends wild tweet after entering the transfer portal. Badgers safety Kamo'i Latu hit the transfer portal, and is now on his way to UConn. He also made sure to stir the pot on his way out the door. First, he fired off a tweet thanking Paul Chryst and Jim Leonard - two coaches who haven't been with the program since 2022 - "for an amazing time at Wisconsin!" ...The natural conclusion is that he's taking a shot at the current coaching staff."
"...this isn't the first time something like this has happened since Fickell became the head coach in Madison: Former star running back Braelon Allen pretty much did the exact same thing back in September. Fickell needs to figure out a way to get a tent over this circus. Wisconsin fans aren't going to tolerate this garbage much longer. Many have already given up."
https://twitter.com/Outkick/status/1871934173931606256
That writer is a glue eating moron and a shit stirrer.
I’m not close to sold on the current staff, but I also don’t care that kids on the way out aren’t lavishing them with praise. It hasn’t been a smooth two years. Kids are going to leave, and probably have warmer feelings for the coaches that recruited to them than the coaches who didn’t play them.
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It looks like Bert is gonna take 3 Wisconsin DL in the portal.
Makes me think he didn't watch any Badger games this year because they got pushed around by anyone with a pulse.
Iowa (329), UNL (180) and Mini (183) made them look silly against the run, and the trophy case is empty for the first time ever as a result.
If he can get anything out of them, we probably have to hire him back.
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I'd be fine with that.
BB has proven to be a better P5/P2 coach than Fickell.
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Wisconsin playing hardball here. But it's not a good look.
https://twitter.com/XavierL_25/status/1872697059146645986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1872697059146645986%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url= (https://twitter.com/XavierL_25/status/1872697059146645986?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1872697059146645986|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=)
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Wisconsin playing hardball here. But it's not a good look.
https://twitter.com/XavierL_25/status/1872697059146645986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1872697059146645986%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url= (https://twitter.com/XavierL_25/status/1872697059146645986?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1872697059146645986|twgr^|twcon^s1_&ref_url=)
Yeah, don’t do that. You can find a way to do that without looking that small.
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Sounds like he got paid by UW for 2025 and won't give the money back like all the others did. What is it now? UW let 23 players go, so far?
$250K is the money according to the various Badger boards.
And then Miami called (tampered).
This is a mess and UW can't comment apparently.
Really starting to hate the game now.
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if the kid won't give back the money - tough shit
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It looks like Bert is gonna take 3 Wisconsin DL in the portal.
Makes me think he didn't watch any Badger games this year because they got pushed around by anyone with a pulse.
Iowa (329), UNL (180) and Mini (183) made them look silly against the run, and the trophy case is empty for the first time ever as a result.
Ever?
Don Morton didn't even empty the trophy case?
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That writer is a glue eating moron and a shit stirrer.
I’m not close to sold on the current staff, but I also don’t care that kids on the way out aren’t lavishing them with praise. It hasn’t been a smooth two years. Kids are going to leave, and probably have warmer feelings for the coaches that recruited to them than the coaches who didn’t play them.
A possible problem here is that Wisconsin leads the conference in transfer portal departures. Meanwhile in Iowa City, U of Iowa is using NIL to induce its players to stay.
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Ever?
Don Morton didn't even empty the trophy case?
I meant the current trophy case, which contains has space for the Axe, and whatever the hell the Iowa and Nebraska trophies are called. Those are relatively new trophies. Of course there were many times Wisconsin had not held the Axe. Morton won it once.
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A possible problem here is that Wisconsin leads the conference in transfer portal departures. Meanwhile in Iowa City, U of Iowa is using NIL to induce its players to stay.
There is something very wrong with the culture in Madison right now.
Out of the 25 transfers out, 18 were from the prior staff (2023 class and before). What is disturbing is that the other 7 were players Fickell recruited or brought in.
Two of the best were receivers. One is going to Stanford and the other to Notre Dame. That stings.
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A possible problem here is that Wisconsin leads the conference in transfer portal departures. Meanwhile in Iowa City, U of Iowa is using NIL to induce its players to stay.
Oh, there are definitely problems. But a light isn’t shown on them by a hold over kid who doesn’t play not thanking the current staff.
If the kid was better, he would probably like the current staff a lot more because they would play him. Or if he liked the current staff, but still wasn’t good enough to play, what does that do for me?
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I'm guessing most were on the offense
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I think they have only 2 CB's left.
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Luke has some work to do
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That writer is a glue eating moron and a shit stirrer.
The same Wisconsin fan columnist is eating glue over Braedyn Locke transferring to Arizona:
"This is a really interesting decision from Arizona for one simple reason: Locke was really bad this season at Wisconsin."
"He was one of the worst QBs - if not the worst - QB in major college football. He finished the season with 1,936 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 48.4 QBR."
"What do you think about Arizona adding Braedyn Locke? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com."
https://twitter.com/Outkick/status/1872688963515011238
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maybe he'll improve like Mertz?
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The same Wisconsin fan columnist is eating glue over Braedyn Locke transferring to Arizona:
"This is a really interesting decision from Arizona for one simple reason: Locke was really bad this season at Wisconsin."
"He was one of the worst QBs - if not the worst - QB in major college football. He finished the season with 1,936 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 48.4 QBR."
"What do you think about Arizona adding Braedyn Locke? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com."
https://twitter.com/Outkick/status/1872688963515011238
Wow, a woefully incomplete article from that guy? One that definitely has a vibe, but is arguably misleading? That’s crazy.
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maybe he'll improve like Mertz?
Although he mildly improved last year, I think it’s fair to say that particular addition to Florida was a pretty all-around failure?
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I'll defer to the resident Gator fan
I thought Mertz was injured
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I'll defer to the resident Gator fan
I thought Mertz was injured
After his injury, Florida took off with the true freshman.
No way they make a bowl game with Mertz playing the whole season, and no way they are top 10 in recruiting right now.
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With transfers, the Badgers have 39 players coming in. This is not how to build a program, and definitely not want Fickell wants. He has no choice.
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I'll defer to the resident Gator fan
I thought Mertz was injured
This is basically how it went.
Mertz comes in and is a pretty decent game manager. They don't put a ton on his plate. The offense with a decent line, two good tailbacks, a few good receivers including an NFL first rounder is around 55-60th in producing points (33rd in yards per play). The team goes 5-7 for just the third sub-6 win season since 1979.
This year, he went 2-3 as a starter and there were folks who said the sentence "man, that coach really might have been fired if Mertz had not torn his ACL."
Like, that just ain't good.
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If kids are paid, Im also fine with this
https://twitter.com/jarin_mock26/status/1879285061343985922?t=lVllIRi16JMv2zkTG0mu3g&s=19
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Yep, I used to frown on that stuff, but now?
F 'em.
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So this saga is picking up attention – From the Athletic (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6071080/2025/01/18/xavier-lucas-transfer-portal-miami-wisconsin/): “Wisconsin alleged the University of Miami football program had “impermissible contact” with one of its former players who recently withdrew from the school and enrolled at Miami without entering the transfer portal after signing a name, image and likeness deal with the Badgers.”
What’s making this story stand out is Wisconsin’s refusal to allow Xavier Lucas to enter the Transfer Portal under the reasoning that the recent NIL deal Lucas agreed to prohibited him from entering the Transfer Portal over the two-year period of the deal.
“Wisconsin, in its statement Saturday, said Lucas and the school’s athletics department entered into a “binding two-year NIL agreement” on Dec. 2, 2024, which included “substantial financial compensation” for Lucas. The program contends that agreement remains in effect and enforceable…The Big Ten also released a statement Saturday supporting Wisconsin’s position.”
“Badger student-athletes who have signed these agreements expect Wisconsin Athletics to honor the terms. In turn, Wisconsin Athletics relies on the student-athlete representations in signing these agreements that they will do the same,” Wisconsin said. “A request to enter the transfer portal after entering into such an agreement is inconsistent with the representations and mutual understanding of the agreement and explains the reason for not processing a transfer portal request under these circumstances.”
Because Xavier Lucas was never formally entered in the Transfer Portal, any contact he would’ve had with other programs, in this case Miami, was therefore impermissible contact, leaving him in limbo.
“Now, he has taken matters into his own hands by enrolling at Miami. On Jan. 7, Lucas and his family hired Heitner to represent Lucas in his battle against Wisconsin. Heitner also serves as an adjunct professor of NIL at the University of Miami School of Law. He argued that Wisconsin was violating NCAA rules by not putting Lucas into the transfer portal, calling it “an illegal restraint.”
I don’t mind Wisconsin “going nuclear” against an outflow of transfers. Wasn’t it last season two of the Badgers better DL were bought away by SEC schools – LSU and South Carolina? At some point a roster becomes impossible to manage if every offseason your entire roster, that you’ve done the work of developing, is up for sale to any which of the wealthier collectives that come calling.
https://twitter.com/TheAthleticCFB/status/1880964815851757919
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When Lucas signed (he also signed a deal with the Collective), a lot of cornerbacks behind him entered the portal. UW is now scrambling to find another CB.
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It sounds like the kid had an opportunity to disengage peacefully. He and his camp seemingly chose to cause problems, and here we are.
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It sounds like the kid had an opportunity to disengage peacefully. He and his camp seemingly chose to cause problems, and here we are.
It doesn't sound like that to me at all.
Note: I'm not saying anything Wisconsin did is wrong here, so don't get defensive. I'm saying that for him to either enter the Transfer Portal, or just leave school and go enroll at Miami, is likely a material breach of his NIL contract. There's nothing "peaceful" about it. You either enforce contracts or there's no point to having them at all.
Per the story [as an outsider], it says that the two parties signed a 2-year binding NIL contract. And Lucas decided he wanted to walk away and not fulfill his part.
Now he and his camp seem to be wanting to try to make Wisconsin out as the bad guy simply because they didn't just let him do whatever the hell he wanted, in flagrant violation of the contract he signed.
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B.R.A.D. has it right.
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B.R.A.D. has it right.
However, and this is where it might get sticky in court...
There will be two legal questions:
- Did Lucas violate the terms of the contract he signed?
- Was the contract itself actually legal and enforceable?
That second bit will probably be what they argue, already signaled by the lawyer calling it "an illegal restraint [of trade]".
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It was a standard contract provided by the B1G.
My money is on the B1G lawyers here.
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My prediction: It will get quietly settled and everyone will go their merry way. Lucas will get to play for Miami, but he may have to pay a little of his NIL earnings back to UW.
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It was a standard contract provided by the B1G.
My money is on the B1G lawyers here.
The NCAA has lawyers too, and they kept losing lawsuits...
I'm not saying that will happen, or that it's even my prediction that it will happen.
Just saying that in this new world, things that people think are legal will be tested in court, and may not survive.
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It sounds like the kid had an opportunity to disengage peacefully. He and his camp seemingly chose to cause problems, and here we are.
disengage peacefully by giving back the money and/or payin any penalties of the contract
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It doesn't sound like that to me at all.
Note: I'm not saying anything Wisconsin did is wrong here, so don't get defensive. I'm saying that for him to either enter the Transfer Portal, or just leave school and go enroll at Miami, is likely a material breach of his NIL contract. There's nothing "peaceful" about it. You either enforce contracts or there's no point to having them at all.
Per the story [as an outsider], it says that the two parties signed a 2-year binding NIL contract. And Lucas decided he wanted to walk away and not fulfill his part.
Now he and his camp seem to be wanting to try to make Wisconsin out as the bad guy simply because they didn't just let him do whatever the hell he wanted, in flagrant violation of the contract he signed.
As I’ve read, some money was taken and not returned?
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However, and this is where it might get sticky in court...
There will be two legal questions:
- Did Lucas violate the terms of the contract he signed?
- Was the contract itself actually legal and enforceable?
That second bit will probably be what they argue, already signaled by the lawyer calling it "an illegal restraint [of trade]".
I was listening to a podcast that suggested he can probably play for Miami, but his access to the revenue sharing money might be blocked because of the deal he signed with Wisconsin.
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revenue sharing money???
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revenue sharing money???
House settlement stuff.
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You tell 'em.
https://twitter.com/ESPNMadison/status/1889403511902986648 (https://twitter.com/ESPNMadison/status/1889403511902986648)
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run the damn ball!
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(https://i.imgur.com/unK5S6N.png)
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This sucks.
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1897322670259306908 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1897322670259306908)
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at least it's not Friday
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This sucks.
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1897322670259306908 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1897322670259306908)
Hmmm. I think I dislike this.
Mostly because it means I can’t go to the Badger bar for the game.
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Silly. But inevitable.
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it's another time slot for good content
$$$
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We are where we are.
(https://i.imgur.com/8TMJjNd.png)
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At least they got rid of the “nine-man boxes“ for a couple years.
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been there, it's brutal
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(https://i.imgur.com/ohHxGu8.jpeg)
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Minnie has 30 total starts in this timeframe.
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probably more than UNL
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Minnie has 30 total starts in this timeframe.
the carnival barker didn't bring this up
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Nope. Only that Fickell will be gone.
(He didn't bring up that he looks for a new job constantly.)
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all's fair in love and war
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https://twitter.com/Hayesfawcett3/status/1911588663797969260 (https://twitter.com/Hayesfawcett3/status/1911588663797969260)
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Transfer from State of Ball. Signed in December.
https://twitter.com/CBartWSJ/status/1911786717536833936 (https://twitter.com/CBartWSJ/status/1911786717536833936)
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(https://i.imgur.com/keKJ6AC.png)
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Ouch. That hurts.
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On players transferring out:
https://twitter.com/Wi_Recruiting/status/1912279561280143418 (https://twitter.com/Wi_Recruiting/status/1912279561280143418)
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That's a great message. It would land better if the grown-ass men were winning...like they used to.
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We're going to find out in a few months if UW has a grown-ass coach.
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https://twitter.com/BarstoolGruden/status/1914786761374302694 (https://twitter.com/BarstoolGruden/status/1914786761374302694)
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One is not like the others.
https://twitter.com/andrewbandstra/status/1917750164292264155 (https://twitter.com/andrewbandstra/status/1917750164292264155)
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In a recent sit-down interview with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Fickell described the new look presented by OC Jeff Grimes as one that identifies where physicality starts but also allows the team to be multiple in its attack:
“I feel like it’s the identity that we need, and it’s not completely all the way old-school back, but I think the idea of being more multiple and truly understanding what physicality-first looks like is where we kind of came to,” said Fickell. “Whether it was Coach Grimes’ philosophy or his scheme or really just his personality. I think we’re in a good place. Obviously, we’ve got a ways to continue to grow, but I really do feel like we’ve got the identity that fits us, that gives us a chance to lean on our guys up front, but still be multiple enough to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to be able to create big plays and create space and get down the field just maybe in some different ways’.”
Within that interview, Fickell also said the program is not backing down from the mountain to climb while also acknowledging there are still expectations that the Badgers will be relevant year in and year out. However, how the program does that in the 18-team, division-less era of Big Ten football remains to be seen.
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0 for October seems likely.
(https://i.imgur.com/f0Xpcol.png)
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i'd give a good chance at beating the hawks
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OK then.
MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Football's meeting with Notre Dame, originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, has been shifted to Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, as announced by the schools on Wednesday. As part of the 2026 Labor Day weekend slate of college football action, the matchup will take place before the start of the NFL season. The game is scheduled to be televised live by NBC.
The matchup, originally scheduled for Oct. 3, 2020, was rescheduled for 2026 after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the 2020 football season. Wisconsin took on Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2021 as part of the Shamrock Series, the neutral-site non-conference series between the two programs. Notre Dame claimed the first game of the series on Sept. 25, 2021, 41-13.
Wisconsin last played at Lambeau Field in 2016 and scored a 16-14 win over No. 5 LSU. After the upset victory in the season opener, Wisconsin went on to secure a trip to the 2016 Big Ten Championship game, win the Cotton Bowl, and finish with an 11-3 overall record.
Ticket information will be released at a later date.
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Going to be a tough opener for the new coach.
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Big Noon kick or primetime?
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New coach?
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New coach?
I’m implying Fickell will get canned.
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I'm not sure they can afford to can him. Mac has to hope like hell that he wins games this season. His gig is on the line too.
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I'm not sure they can afford to can him. Mac has to hope like hell that he wins games this season. His gig is on the line too.
Well, UW seems to keep a policy of holding him at 7 years, so it’ll never go down.
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Times are Central.
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1928119625604051357 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1928119625604051357)
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Times are Central.
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1928119625604051357 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1928119625604051357)
Love an early Bama game.
Have a beer by noon and get it out of the way.
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Love an early Bama game.
Have a beer by noon and get it out of the way.
(https://i.imgur.com/kZtblMG.png)
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It's May 29: hope springs eternal. ;)
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(https://i.imgur.com/8pE89l4.jpeg)
<checks notes>
<sees it's the Wisconsin thread, not the Purdue thread>
Never mind. Carry on.
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The Redhawks are going to pretend that Fick is still out there coaching the Bearcats
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Some blue-blood must have committed NCAA violations.
Wisconsin football sanctioned for violating recruiting rules (https://badgerextra.com/sports/football/ncaa-hits-wisconsin-football-with-penalties-for-recruiting-violations/article_3fe545b8-8c1a-4b02-9940-793fd8ea3861.html)
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barely an infraction and it was self reported
it should not be much of a distraction at all
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Yeah, it's meh. It is interesting that the two show-cause guys are no longer in the program.
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i am not sure how old this is but is Wisconsin sueing Miami over a recruiting tampering?
is there a case
what is expected to come of the suit
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There is a case, and they will win it.
The B1G is backing it too.
Miami to the B1G is probably completely off the table now. They f'd up big time.
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(https://i.imgur.com/ktBEEUO.png)
https://twitter.com/PeteNakos_/status/1936137462662746350 (https://twitter.com/PeteNakos_/status/1936137462662746350)
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(https://i.imgur.com/CuVMcgj.png)
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Do the NCAA tampering rules matter in a civil lawsuit regarding a contract dispute?
I ask sincerely... Not trying to say the UW case has any issue...
But it seems to me that no school can successfully sue another school for poaching their HC... Hence why contracts have buyout clauses and other things to define exactly what consequences exist if either side breaches the contract.
I can only assume that the NIL contract UW and their collective initiated with Lucas had some teeth in it if he breached... If not, that was dumb.
The only thing I can think is that UW and Miami both being part of the NCAA and having agreed to abide by its tampering restrictions might make this lawsuit have merit. But I can also envision an outcome where the NCAA anti-tampering rules could be declared unenforceable and contrary to the rights of a student-athlete, and then I don't see how UW prevails, as long as any consequences of breach by Lucas are fulfilled...
Given the NCAA's record in court of late, I'm not sure anti-tampering rules will be upheld...
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@SFBadger96 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=51) needs this.
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Wisconsin Badgers WinCraft 3' x 5' Single-Sided Deluxe House Divided Flag (https://www.fanatics.com/college/minnesota-golden-gophers/minnesota-golden-gophers-vs-wisconsin-badgers-wincraft-3-x-5-single-sided-deluxe-house-divided-flag/o-38+t-78752991+p-82637377448+z-8-3599817141?_ref=p-DLP:m-GRID:i-r6c1:po-19)
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(https://i.imgur.com/bejsFd0.png)
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Sounds like he may have died in his sleep. Nobody knows much yet. Way too young to leave us.
https://twitter.com/Buckys_Burrow/status/1937914121888141558 (https://twitter.com/Buckys_Burrow/status/1937914121888141558)
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Sounds like he may have died in his sleep. Nobody knows much yet. Way too young to leave us.
https://twitter.com/Buckys_Burrow/status/1937914121888141558 (https://twitter.com/Buckys_Burrow/status/1937914121888141558)
Ugh. You hate to see that. And an overnight death like that, leaves you wondering.
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Helluva offer list for this kid. Glad to have him.
https://247sports.com/player/amari-latimer-46138810/ (https://247sports.com/player/amari-latimer-46138810/)
Same with this one.
https://247sports.com/Player/jayden-petit-46138003/ (https://247sports.com/Player/jayden-petit-46138003/)
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https://twitter.com/Evan_Flood/status/1939107674227929173 (https://twitter.com/Evan_Flood/status/1939107674227929173)
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Kid should transfer to OSU or Michigan. Then the fNCAA would let him play.
https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1945534052208943580 (https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1945534052208943580)
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Was always a long shot. Such is life.
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Was always a long shot. Such is life.
Of course it was. Any appeal filed by Wisconsin is a long shot.
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Of course it was. Any appeal filed by Wisconsin is a long shot.
Also, the logic was pretty flimsy.
The kid played four years. None was the COVID year. Is what it is .
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GVSU website says he played in 4 games in 2021, but he redshirted in 2020 (Covid).
(UW website says 11 games, not much field time)
The NCAA - an organization that claims to be on the side of student - is doing this kid no favors.
(https://i.imgur.com/QJRaCzF.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/JVfTqYV.png)
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GVSU website says he played in 4 games in 2021, but he redshirted in 2020 (Covid).
(UW website says 11 games, not much field time)
The NCAA - an organization that claims to be on the side of student - is doing this kid no favors.
(https://i.imgur.com/QJRaCzF.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/JVfTqYV.png)
Someone flubbed entering the stats at grand Valley. It looks like he played 11.
So he played 11, 13, 12 and 12, none in the COVID year.
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I see it as 4, 11, 12, and 12.
Maybe the 4 is what he played on D and 11 includes ST play? He also had family issues that season.
Regardless, not good by the NCAA - especially their need to pat themselves on the back while probably wrecking a football career.
Nice work. This is the same NCAA that kept Micah Potter on the shelf for 2 years.
Maybe he should take to the SCOTUS. Why not?
The litigation is not over, based on the dissenting judge's writing. So, there is still a chance.
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I see it as 4, 11, 12, and 12.
Maybe the 4 is what he played on D and 11 includes ST play? He also had family issues that season.
Regardless, not good by the NCAA - especially their need to pat themselves on the back while probably wrecking a football career.
Nice work. This is the same NCAA that kept Micah Potter on the shelf for 2 years.
Maybe he should take to the SCOTUS. Why not?
The litigation is not over, based on the dissenting judge's writing. So, there is still a chance.
You can see it here: https://gvsulakers.com/sports/football/stats/2021
Basically someone entered a bunch of players with abbreviated names and it split.
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(https://static.outkick.com/www.outkick.com/content/uploads/2025/02/fickell.jpg)
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In better news...or at least better columns, I love this time of year when the beat writers can't wait to tell everyone how great everyone on the teams will be. Right now the Journal Sentinel's articles would make you think Wisconsin was in the hunt for a conference title, as opposed to trying to not get their coach fired and maybe, just maybe, get to a crappy bowl game.
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In better news...or at least better columns, I love this time of year when the beat writers can't wait to tell everyone how great everyone on the teams will be. Right now the Journal Sentinel's articles would make you think Wisconsin was in the hunt for a conference title, as opposed to trying to not get their coach fired and maybe, just maybe, get to a crappy bowl game.
Wouldn’t want it any other way. (Seriously)
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Preseason delusion is a hell of a drug.
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I'm not falling for the banana in the tailpipe this year.
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We can hope.
https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1948085564143747339 (https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1948085564143747339)
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Listened to a few seconds of Fickell's press conference today. He sounds like he fits the mold. Just gotta get back to winning. But...
Miami-OH: W
MTSU: W
@ Alabama: L
MD: W
@ Michigan: L
Iowa: probably L
OSU: L
@ Oregon: L
Washington: Toss-up, only because of the travel involved?
@Indiana: old days: W, now...?
Illinois: Probably L...really want to at least put down a question mark.
@Minnesota: legit ?
9-4 would be a spectacular season. 6-6 would be substantially better than last year, and not just because the Badgers would be back in a (terrible) bowl game. 5-6 would be better than anticipated assuming all of these teams are essentially the same as last year. But in the current world they aren't. Is Indiana really going to catch lightning in a bottle again? How is Iowa keeping up with the changes in CFB? Or are they? No idea what to expect out of the Gophers. Has Bert really turned Illinois into 2009-2012 era (i.e., Bert's good version of) Wisconsin? After last season, I'm confused about Washington.
This team could win every game it's favored in and go 3-9. WTH.
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Saw some pretty reliable rumblings that Wisconsin has taken a backseat in the new era of college football financials.
Honestly, pretty disappointing.
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None of the billionaires in Wisconsin care about the Badgers.
Herb Kohl is dead.
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So what is Iowa's secret? Minnesota's? Illinois'? Indiana's?
I don't expect the Badgers to have the resources that OSU, USC, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon do, but that's not an excuse for falling below the next tier of the Big Ten.
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Well @bayareabadger (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1571) simply said "back seat". That doesn't *necessarily* mean that they're behind some of those other schools.
I'm pretty sure if Wisconsin is in the back seat, Purdue's probably in the third row seating. Maybe even a towed trailer.
BAB, did you have a ranking/list of the B1G? Is Wisconsin truly behind the B1G's dregs, or just behind the "power" teams?
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So what is Iowa's secret? Minnesota's? Illinois'? Indiana's?
I don't expect the Badgers to have the resources that OSU, USC, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon do, but that's not an excuse for falling below the next tier of the Big Ten.
Indiana and Illinois have more NIL money for Hoops and Football than does Wisconsin from what I've read.
They both have wealthy donors who care about sports.
Illinois took three players from Wisconsin this year, because Wisconsin couldn't match $.
Wisconsin took a step back when it became evident that the coaching staff would not/could not adapt to the new normal and stopped recruiting.
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Last season Wisconsin was in the bottom third of the conference.
In 2017, Wisconsin lost the Championship game to Ohio State by 6, then won the Orange bowl, on its way to one of its best seasons ever. Prior to 2017, Wisconsin played in four of six Big Ten Championship games (one was a little suspect because of sanctions against other schools, Wisconsin won that game 70-31), and played in the Rose Bowl the year before the Championship game existed. Since 2017:
8-5 (2nd West), 10-4 (1st West), 4-3 (Covid), 9-4 (2nd West), 9-4 (2nd West, 3-way tie with MN and PU), 7-6 (Chryst fired mid-season, 5th West, Leonhard pulled off quite a turnaround to get them to bowl eligibility). Then Fickell: 7-6 (3rd West, embarrassed at home by Northwestern), 5-7 (ahead of only Northwestern, Maryland, and Purdue; probably better than Rutgers, but with a worse record). Money is not an excuse for Fickell to be worse than nine of the teams that finished ahead of Wisconsin last season.
Badge, that's interesting info about Indiana and Illinois, but I'm curious to see how that actually plays out in jimmys and joes. Sure, it helps, but this isn't the kind of divide that we see between the Badgers and Ohio State or Oregon.
I still think Fickell was the right hire at the time, but I'm concerned that he isn't the coach we need. That's nothing new--we had this conversation a lot last season. His seat (and McIntosh's) is getting pretty warm in my view, and this schedule may be the thing to save him, because no one really expects the Badgers to do very well against it.
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It was clear that Chryst didn't want to play the game, and it was also clear that Jimmy wasn't a recruiter.
Jonathon Taylor covered a lot of warts, as did playing in the West, while essentially it was just Wisconsin and Iowa and maybe Northwestern here and there.
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Re the West, so says Fickell. And it's true, to a degree. But the West didn't exist 1993-2010, during which Wisconsin won the conference 3 times, and finished in the top 3 8 times--three times more than it finished in the bottom half.
To be clear, I'm still hopeful that Fickell will prove himself, and I'm looking forward to this season, notwithstanding the brutal schedule. I have hope that the Badgers may surprise a few teams. But his time is running short...
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I want to get back to the identity Those teams had - and that starts in the trenches. The DL has been completely remade, and the OL now has a solid coach to compliment some very highly rated players.
The identity?
Run the football
Stop the run
Pressure the QB
We've seen none of that under Fickell. The team needs to show it this season, or he will lose the fanbase completely.
Oh, and... lose the T.E.A.M. vest. We're not the Goophs.
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None of the billionaires in Wisconsin care about the Badgers.
Herb Kohl is dead.
Welp, best figure out something.
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Well @bayareabadger (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1571) simply said "back seat". That doesn't *necessarily* mean that they're behind some of those other schools.
I'm pretty sure if Wisconsin is in the back seat, Purdue's probably in the third row seating. Maybe even a towed trailer.
BAB, did you have a ranking/list of the B1G? Is Wisconsin truly behind the B1G's dregs, or just behind the "power" teams?
I think they’re behind much of the mid-tier, which is a damn issue.
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Indiana and Illinois have more NIL money for Hoops and Football than does Wisconsin from what I've read.
They both have wealthy donors who care about sports.
Illinois took three players from Wisconsin this year, because Wisconsin couldn't match $.
Wisconsin took a step back when it became evident that the coaching staff would not/could not adapt to the new normal and stopped recruiting.
I just don't understand why any wealthy donor would prioritize IU football?
The issue with football is that it's SUCH a large roster that you're going to need to financially support, and you know that in any recruiting battle where the money is even REMOTELY close to equal, a high-level player would much rather go to OSU/UM/ND locally, not even to mention helmets further away.
I mean, if you're IU, throwing that money into football will get you what, 8-4 seasons? I realize they had a massive outlier season in 2024, but I don't know that anyone expects that to continue. And even fewer expect that it will EVER result in anything better than a CFP berth with an early exit as you get slaughtered by a real team. There's just no real ROI there...
Instead, why not throw that money around in basketball, where you're a legitimate blue blood, where you'll *win* recruiting battles against non-blue bloods with equal-ish $$, and you only have to be paying 13 players, not 85? The chance of actually getting ROI (final fours, national titles) is SO much higher.
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I think they’re behind much of the mid-tier, which is a damn issue.
Gotcha. Thanks for clarifying.
Yeah, Wisconsin being behind the mid-tier is an issue.
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Indiana and Illinois have more NIL money for Hoops and Football than does Wisconsin from what I've read.
They both have wealthy donors who care about sports.
Illinois took three players from Wisconsin this year, because Wisconsin couldn't match $.
Wisconsin took a step back when it became evident that the coaching staff would not/could not adapt to the new normal and stopped recruiting.
To be fair, those three Illinois transfers weren’t very good.
Though if they get good with that team, bad news bears for Luke.
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To be fair, those three Illinois transfers weren’t very good.
Though if they get good with that team, bad news bears for Luke.
Curt Neal was pretty good, and James Thompson Jr. (4* transfer rating) was on the verge of being great before missing last season.
Those really hurt.
Leon Lowery wasn't used right.
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Welp, best figure out something.
Get some of these folks to give a shit about football. Hell, only one of them even went to school in Madison and she's not into athletics at all.
The 10 Richest People in Wisconsin (https://moneyinc.com/richest-people-in-wisconsin/)
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https://twitter.com/TheTailgateTent/status/1947063311083717036 (https://twitter.com/TheTailgateTent/status/1947063311083717036)
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The people are saying the right things, including that none of it matters unless they win. I'm always hopeful, and I like reading that take, but...prove it.
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Start by kicking the hell out of some nonconference opponents. Then play tough as hell all year. If they can do that, get themselves to six wins, that’ll be enough.
Shoot, if there are really spry 5-7, that might be enough given the schedule.
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Need to do to the MAC and other G5 what they were doing before Covid.
60-0 and stuff like that would make me happy.
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How about 59-0, j/k
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You can thank Gary Andersen for that bullshit game.
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Youse guys want them to win enuff to keep the coach?
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We got our wish with the new OC, but I still don't like Mike Tressel at DC. He's got a lot to prove this year. Fickell is in Madison for a while yet with that $35 Million buyout. Boosters paid for Chryst's buyout - they still support Fickell.
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it's tough, I always tried to support the current coach
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Fickell wanted to can Phil Longo after year 1, but the AD said no.
Very short-sighted on that one by the AD. Lots of no-shows in the stands last season, with how that team played (like shit on offense).
Today's no-shows turn into tomorrow's no-buys.
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Still hoping Fickell turns out. I don't necessarily blame him for struggling during what is probably the most tumultuous time in CFB history in the last...80 years (to WWII, probably)? But that excuse won't last much longer. At a place like Wisconsin even the best coaches will have bad years, and will try things that don't work out. I can live with that--it's the price of not sticking with "above average is good enough." But I can't live with prolonged mediocrity.
And yeah, confident three-score+ wins over the body bag games, and playing tough ball against the big kids. Can't fade in the 2nd half/4th quarter of every game as they appeared to last year. There's a world in which 6 wins looks pretty good, and a world in which 6 wins means its time to evaluate the buyout. Eye test coming, and none too soon.
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Weird.
Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes contract details (https://badgerextra.com/sports/football/jeff-grimes-is-wisconsin-footballs-highest-paid-offensive-coordinator-ever/article_e9142264-af9a-4553-b3fa-785a44b1009b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story)
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The lawyer in me likes it. The sides negotiated over a lot of important stuff and baked it in. He makes a little more than he did at Kansas, but not a lot, and there are incentives and disincentives built in. Sounds like good contracting to me. The leaving for another coordinator job is an interesting one. Basically, there's not enough money at the college level for him to do that because, if I understand it correctly on my quick read, the new employer would have to cover a huge amount of his remaining UW salary. But the NFL can afford to pay half of his remaining salary, so if the NFL really wants him, the money is there for it--with a good benefit to UW.
Now let's control the ball and win football games. The latter being more important than the former, but we've seen what happens when the Badgers don't do the former.
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Weird.
Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes contract details (https://badgerextra.com/sports/football/jeff-grimes-is-wisconsin-footballs-highest-paid-offensive-coordinator-ever/article_e9142264-af9a-4553-b3fa-785a44b1009b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story)
Which part is weird?
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Fickell wanted to can Phil Longo after year 1, but the AD said no.
Very short-sighted on that one by the AD. Lots of no-shows in the stands last season, with how that team played (like shit on offense).
Today's no-shows turn into tomorrow's no-buys.
I didn’t 100 percent know that, but it was interesting that higher on sideways in some ways that were exactly what you expected and at least one that was somewhat unexpected.
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Which part is weird?
That it took 8+ months to get done.
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That it took 8+ months to get done.
There may have been some extra machinations, but it’s actually pretty common for stuff like that to happen (usually not quite that long). There is some other document that coaches sign just to get started and often in the actual signing just sort of drags out.
I used to work adjacent to that space and I can’t tell you how often you would look at a contract and wonder why some football assistant actually put pen to paper in like June.
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I hope he turns into a hot commodity that everyone wants to hire. That means we can be happy for a few years. It's been a shit couple of years and nothing truly good since 2019.
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I hope he turns into a hot commodity that everyone wants to hire. That means we can be happy for a few years. It's been a shit couple of years and nothing truly good since 2019.
Would not hate that. Was trying to watch some of his film from his best Baylor offense, but it’s pretty hard to get much of a read on that one.
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Discussion on another thread leads me to this: at 4-8 is Fickell necessarily gone? I think even at that record, he probably gets another year. The buyout is substantial, the schedule is rough, and McIntosh might not be far behind him if Fickell gets the axe. But...
3-9 is a real possibility:
Miami-OH: W
MTSU: W
@Alabama: L
Maryland: put in the W column...then...
@Michigan: L
Iowa (at home): no one would be surprised by a loss in this game, which is competitive in the best of times
Ohio State: L
@Oregon: L
Washington at home: the Badgers will badly need this game, and the travel will kick Washington's ass, but...Washington is never a pushover.
@Indiana: I'm still not convinced Indiana wasn't a flash in the pan last season. But if it wasn't, then another L is easy to see.
Illinois at home: this is another one the Badgers will really need, and I'm still not sure Illinois is all it's being cracked up to be right now, but if it is, easy to see another L.
@Minnesota: tough. Imagine the Badgers come into this game with 3 wins. Chances they pull out a 4th?
On the one hand, they could be decent and have three or four wins.
On the other, looking up at Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota isn't an acceptable place for the program to be. And it shouldn't be chasing Iowa, either.
Hope springs eternal, so let's say they beat Iowa and Washington at home, Indiana and Illinois return towards the mean and the Badgers beat them, then finish off their rival to reclaim the axe at Minnesota. 8 wins. Surprise one of the big four that they are playing? 9 wins. Now I'm probably just hallucinating...
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Discussion on another thread leads me to this: at 4-8 is Fickell necessarily gone? I think even at that record, he probably gets another year. The buyout is substantial, the schedule is rough, and McIntosh might not be far behind him if Fickell gets the axe. But...
3-9 is a real possibility:
Miami-OH: W
MTSU: W
@Alabama: L
Maryland: put in the W column...then...
@Michigan: L
Iowa (at home): no one would be surprised by a loss in this game, which is competitive in the best of times
Ohio State: L
@Oregon: L
Washington at home: the Badgers will badly need this game, and the travel will kick Washington's ass, but...Washington is never a pushover.
@Indiana: I'm still not convinced Indiana wasn't a flash in the pan last season. But if it wasn't, then another L is easy to see.
Illinois at home: this is another one the Badgers will really need, and I'm still not sure Illinois is all it's being cracked up to be right now, but if it is, easy to see another L.
@Minnesota: tough. Imagine the Badgers come into this game with 3 wins. Chances they pull out a 4th?
On the one hand, they could be decent and have three or four wins.
On the other, looking up at Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota isn't an acceptable place for the program to be. And it shouldn't be chasing Iowa, either.
Hope springs eternal, so let's say they beat Iowa and Washington at home, Indiana and Illinois return towards the mean and the Badgers beat them, then finish off their rival to reclaim the axe at Minnesota. 8 wins. Surprise one of the big four that they are playing? 9 wins. Now I'm probably just hallucinating...
I think 3-9 and he’s cooked. 5-7 gets a pass (not from me), just because of money. I think 4-8 should be fired, but not 100 percent the world will alight.
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Good writeup in the Journal Sentinel discussing what the record will look like: LINK. (https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2025/08/19/debating-the-prospect-of-winning-season-for-wisconsin-football-in-2025/85718241007/)
I didn't realize the transfer class was rated as highly as it was. Changes on the line--if they work--should lead to a better team, which will matter against Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, and Indiana. I certainly like an offense that is designed to grind the ball and the clock.
There are reasons for optimism...BUT...
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Paywall for that article.
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Good writeup in the Journal Sentinel discussing what the record will look like: LINK. (https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2025/08/19/debating-the-prospect-of-winning-season-for-wisconsin-football-in-2025/85718241007/)
I didn't realize the transfer class was rated as highly as it was. Changes on the line--if they work--should lead to a better team, which will matter against Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, and Indiana. I certainly like an offense that is designed to grind the ball and the clock.
There are reasons for optimism...BUT...
They really re-built the DL (5 4* players) this time. Also took 3 QB's.
(https://i.imgur.com/9Io5tZG.png)
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Well, the article isn't worth paying for: basically it says if the lines play better, the QB should be better, and the defense shouldn't crumble in the 4th quarter as it has done for the last two years, then they can get to a winning record. Conversely, they play the brutal October and may not have anything left by the time they get to the stretch of winnable, but not easy games in November.
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The first two games will be telling. If they struggle against Miami (OH) and MTSU, we'll know we can do other things on Saturday this season.
Simply, they need to come out and destroy those teams.
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yup, can't just count wins and losses
there are good losses and bad wins
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Wisconsin doing throwbacks for the Miami (OH) game in a week.
They are throwing back to 1988 - the worst time in history to be a Wisconsin fan.
WTF?
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1958514427705143705 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1958514427705143705)
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But they look cool?
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Paul Chryst thinks they look cool!
(https://i.imgur.com/YCqdAMT.png)
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I guess the kids like them, which is important, even if they don't realized just how bad those teams were under Don F'ing Morton.
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1958605310740107773 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1958605310740107773)
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Why wear any retro helmet other than the one that features the W on the front?
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yup, if the kids like them it helps recruiting
it also produces revenue
therefore, no one cares what grumpy old men think
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Why wear any retro helmet other than the one that features the W on the front?
That one I liked. It was also retro to a great team.
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I guess the kids like them, which is important, even if they don't realized just how bad those teams were under Don F'ing Morton.
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1958605310740107773 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1958605310740107773)
More than 12 years passed between his firing in the birth of Wisconsin‘s sixth year defensive transfer who has to be close to the oldest player on the roster.
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Will the game be televised on Wisconsin Public Television at 10pm on tape delay like they did at the time? That was often the only time Wisconsin was on TV in the 80s.
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For sure.
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a true throwback and a huge boom for Wisconsin Public Television - make up some lost revenue!
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Yay team! Let's throw 'em back to this shit!
(https://i.imgur.com/C8veeX5.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/BSCcnIq.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NK2Mvfk.png)
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it's like they want to lose to the Redhawks
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We were talking college football in the office last evening and schedules came up. Wow, Wisconsin has a BRUTAL schedule. The only positive we could come up with was at least it's not AT Iowa.
(https://i.imgur.com/knvLz9h.png)
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you didn't include @ Minnesota.
Yup, it's tough. On the other hand, Wisconsin should beat Iowa at home, should beat Illinois at home, should beat Indiana anywhere, and should beat Minnesota anywhere. Every year. Any year.
Make this an Ohio State schedule, and Buckeye fans would still think 8-4 is a worst case scenario.
Wisconsin is not, and never has been, Ohio State, but with the exceptions of 2001 and 2008, Badger teams in the last 30 years would be expected to go 8-4-ish.
Time to man up, boys.
How's that for unreasonable pre-season expectations. I'm sticking with it.
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you didn't include @ Minnesota.
Yup, it's tough. On the other hand, Wisconsin should beat Iowa at home, should beat Illinois at home, should beat Indiana anywhere, and should beat Minnesota anywhere. Every year. Any year.
Make this an Ohio State schedule, and Buckeye fans would still think 8-4 is a worst case scenario.
Wisconsin is not, and never has been, Ohio State, but with the exceptions of 2001 and 2008, Badger teams in the last 30 years would be expected to go 8-4-ish.
Time to man up, boys.
How's that for unreasonable pre-season expectations. I'm sticking with it.
That's how ridiculous it is.. I left the @Minnesota off on purpose because it actually seems like one of the easiest games on the schedule as crazy as that is. not a knock on Minnesota but an insight how high this hill is to climb.
Wisconsin has never been OSU, but they've always been my silent 2nd team I root for in the Big10.. For years, I just loved how they played the game. They always focused on winning the trenches as a key part of the game and then somehow always had a star running back. Seem to always have mediocre QB play which would have driven me nuts as a Badger fan, outside of landing Wilson and being one of the easiest teams ever to root for as a non fan.
8-4 would be a huge win this year. Honestly, any team facing this schedule should be proud of 8 wins because that's a rough run to make.
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I will be happy with 8 wins. I won't be horrified with 7 wins. 6 wins? Will depend on how the season rolls out, not only for the Badgers, but for the other teams on this list. Anything less than 6 and I will be frustrated. All that said, 3-5 wins is the most likely outcome.
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The season is upon us. Wisconsin hosts Miami (OH) on Thursday at 9PM EDT. I might have to take a nap. hopefully the Badgers don't take a nap in this game. By many accounts, Miami is at the top of the MAC.
(https://i.imgur.com/kI52psW.png)
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same time as UNL/Cincy???
geez
I hope I stay awake until the end
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Stolen from Badger247. He's completely spot on.
(https://i.imgur.com/UtraCys.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/SyEjJfD.png)
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Stolen from Badger247. He's completely spot on.
Yup, the AD should simply turn down the paycheck.
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https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1960777601561116688 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1960777601561116688)
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Listened to Fickell’s press conference from Monday. Lots of standard stuff about not knowing anything about anything, but being excited for the season to start and having confidence in the guys. Nothing interesting there.
But…the only tangible piece of news is the lack of team captains. They have a large group that he’s choosing from, which means they don’t have a small group of obvious leaders. I find that worrisome.
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I'm so glad this clown is gone.
https://twitter.com/TheCUSACentel/status/1960721891477610916 (https://twitter.com/TheCUSACentel/status/1960721891477610916)
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Listened to Fickell’s press conference from Monday. Lots of standard stuff about not knowing anything about anything, but being excited for the season to start and having confidence in the guys. Nothing interesting there.
But…the only tangible piece of news is the lack of team captains. They have a large group that he’s choosing from, which means they don’t have a small group of obvious leaders. I find that worrisome.
They are doing game captains, and then permanent captains, right?
not that it probably really matters in the aggregate, but I always kind of liked that. Like people are consistently doing the work of being leaders, and the final captaincy reflects how you lead, not how we hope you lead.
Wonder if there is a portal factor I.e. in the past a captain is a guy who you’ve been around for a lot longer. Also probably helps sidestep if a guy is talented but a little delusional about his leadership capability or the job in general.
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I'm so glad this clown is gone.
https://twitter.com/TheCUSACentel/status/1960721891477610916 (https://twitter.com/TheCUSACentel/status/1960721891477610916)
Lot of interesting lessons from that one.
One silver lining was that laid bare how stupid in particular long running message board complaint had been
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There is a 14-player "leadership group," but no named captains. At least that's how I understood what Fickell was saying. Journal Sentinel heard it the same way.
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Yep.
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There is a 14-player "leadership group," but no named captains.
(https://i.redd.it/y3tnb6n39t1f1.gif)
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Another year, another injury to QB1.
Consistency in Madison is a thing.
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Sounds like Edwards had a sprain. So, maybe back in a week or six depending. Badgers' defense is solid.
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Offense needs to clean some things up, but it's not catastrophic. The backs are running hard, the play calls aren't asking too much of the quarterback (whomever that might be), and the O-Line looks more aggressive. Those are all positives. Controlled the clock. That is a big positive. And an improvement over last year--even against Western Michigan in the season opener and South Dakota in week 2. (Deep breaths, patience...)
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Need a left tackle. That kid will get the QB killed against the great teams coming up.
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Fingers crossed. Still need a left tackle though.
https://twitter.com/chris_hummer/status/1961455341482205489 (https://twitter.com/chris_hummer/status/1961455341482205489)
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We'll see. Can't imagine him playing next week.
https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1961497949734658360 (https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1961497949734658360)
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I had this in the SOC but I'm bringing it here, as I think it's worth the discussion.
There are a good number of first- and second-year players who will contribute this year. That says a lot about recruiting at the tail end of the Chryst era.
Actually, I think Minnesota is mostly about the same as it has been for two decades, except Minnesota seems to have caught up to Wisconsin during P.J.'s tenure, so there is some advancement, although it could be attributed to regression in Madison.
It's this. People don't realize how far Paul Chryst let the program fall. He and his staff did not embrace the Portal or NIL. He had a staff full of buddies, and he went a whole year without a recruiting department.
PC's last class was 2023 (LF took over late in the cycle). There are only 5 kids left from that class, and only 5 (each) left from the 2022 cand 2021 classes.
Luke Fickell inherited a shit sandwich with a culture (complacency) problem.
It's mostly all his now, so we'll see how he does, moving forward. Those PC kids who weren't bought in are gone (graduated or transferred out). Those who are bought in? They stayed.
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Danny O'Neil as the starter this week. One thing highlighted in his comments to the media that I like: feels like he's been counted out everywhere because of his size (6', 200). Those guys are the best Badgers, ever since Joe Panos's Lunch Pail crowd in 1993.
Let's go, Danny. MTSU is as forgiving an opponent as you can get to make your first start. Make those reps count.
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Also, I think it was OAF's comment on the SOC thread: is the root of all of this crap at Wisconsin Bielema's departure? Interesting what if.
Bielema wasn't that good at Arkansas, but he seems to be back to his Wisconsin ways at Illinois.
The Chryst era went well enough until post-COVID. No reason to believe Bielema would have been any better, and Bielema's last season at Wisconsin wasn't any better than the years Andersen was coaching. Crushing Nebraska in the conference championship game made a lot of people forget that the Badgers were 7-5 during the regular season. Why did Bielema leave? Had he stayed he would be going into his 20th year, assuming he stayed on a similar trajectory.
But he would have made a lot less money. He left because he was worth more than Wisconsin would pay him (and his assistants, too). As much as I hate to say it, that's fair. I hope the Badgers have the opportunity in the near future to pay their consistently-winning football coach what he's worth.
But Bielema's record at Arkansas and Illinois don't necessarily show that Wisconsin carved up the goose that laid golden eggs. He was up and down at Arkansas (trending way down when he was fired), and he has been up and down at Illinois. Everyone remembers last year, but the year before (Bielema's 3rd season) the Illini went 5-7. So maybe Wisconsin made the right choice. And so did he--he made a bunch of dough by moving around.
The Badgers didn't need to pay Chryst to stay because he really wanted to be in Madison. Apparently he also didn't really want to coach big-time college football after the pandemic.
In the future if the Badgers want to challenge the big boys, the AD will need to be willing to open the check book to keep a quality coach. McIntosh showed that he is inclined to do so with the Fickell hire, but they are still evaluating if he's the right guy to keep...
In the meantime, Jim Leonhard is now the "Assistant Head Coach" for the Broncos, which sounds like he is getting ready for the big bucks leading a team in the League. Maybe McIntosh had a big miss there...
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And Minnesota isn't about the same as its been for two decades. Glen Mason was pretty solid for the Gophers, and Jerry Kill was ok, too, but Fleck is outperforming everyone in my lifetime:
(https://i.imgur.com/r0Ff0kk.png)
I presume that Holtz could have gotten the Gophers going, but seems like he made the right decision to leave when he did.
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Jimmy was not into recruiting much and the proof is pretty clear. DB recruiting pretty much sucked until recently.
That would not have worked out well.
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https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1963312558166921480 (https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/1963312558166921480)
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MTSU doesn't deserve its own thread. Favored by 28 against a team that got smoked by FCS Austin Peay (I saw the Badgers clobber them back in 2010--instead of seeing the epic win over Ohio State; long story I've probably told here before), and didn't convert a 3rd down.
Prediction: MTSU will only score if the Badgers turn it over, or they get a busted long play for a TD. So MTSU will get somewhere between 3 and 10 points (e.g., an INT turns into a field goal, and one busted play--or pick-6, gets them 7).
Badgers start O'Neil under center and are seeking a capable LT. Last week they spread the ball around a lot, and they probably will again this week, but they really need to use this as a tune-up for Alabama next week, so...I'm hoping they are a little more specific, at least until the game is out of reach, tuning up the plays and players they will need next week. Also, thank goodness Alabama has some directional Louisiana team this week to take its frustration out on. Hopefully that takes a little edge off before the Badgers head down to Tuscaloosa.
Anyway, the spread is 28.5. I think the Badgers rarely cover these early-season, crazy spreads, and if the running game is working well, I think they still won't because they will grind up clock in the process. Prediction: 34-6, Badgers. With a better offensive output, but still come away wondering if we can pass-protect against the big kids, and still not knowing if we have a true starter at LT.
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I'm very concerned with the LT position. The OL room is so damn young right now, which makes it hard to replace a guy that goes down. If Heywood were still the starter, I'd feel much better about it. He's out for the season, so next man up again.
I just hope they don't move the RT to LT, RG to RT and then a backup to RG. That would be really disruptive, IMO. But that's the current talk/chatter about what will happen. We'll see. Now is the time (well, it's well past time) to test it because next week gets a whole lot tougher.
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MTSU doesn't deserve its own thread. Favored by 28 against a team that got smoked by FCS Austin Peay (I saw the Badgers clobber them back in 2010--instead of seeing the epic win over Ohio State; long story I've probably told here before), and didn't convert a 3rd down.
Prediction: MTSU will only score if the Badgers turn it over, or they get a busted long play for a TD. So MTSU will get somewhere between 3 and 10 points (e.g., an INT turns into a field goal, and one busted play--or pick-6, gets them 7).
Badgers start O'Neil under center and are seeking a capable LT. Last week they spread the ball around a lot, and they probably will again this week, but they really need to use this as a tune-up for Alabama next week, so...I'm hoping they are a little more specific, at least until the game is out of reach, tuning up the plays and players they will need next week. Also, thank goodness Alabama has some directional Louisiana team this week to take its frustration out on. Hopefully that takes a little edge off before the Badgers head down to Tuscaloosa.
Anyway, the spread is 28.5. I think the Badgers rarely cover these early-season, crazy spreads, and if the running game is working well, I think they still won't because they will grind up clock in the process. Prediction: 34-6, Badgers. With a better offensive output, but still come away wondering if we can pass-protect against the big kids, and still not knowing if we have a true starter at LT.
Yeah, MTSU might be the worst team in the FBS. Not sold even a little on Wisconsin's O, but MTSU might not get a first down
Wisconsin 35, Middle Tennessee 0
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Tomorrow's Badger game is a good time for my firm to have an event. So I'll watch the scoreboard on my phone and hope not to see anything silly.
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One of my friends in Madison just texted me.
LT - Mahlman (from RT)
LG - Brunner (no change)
C - Renfro (no change)
RG Cubberley (new starter)
RT Mandell (from RG)
I think this is dangerous, but we'll see.
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OL is really dinged up. Starting Center is also out today. Starting LT and his backup too.
(https://i.imgur.com/QO8Soao.png)
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Yesterday's first half is not acceptable. Giving up 10 to MTSU (even though 7 was a gift) is not good.
The second half, on the other hand, saw defensive adjustments and some OL shuffling that made a big difference.
Maybe the coaches are on to something with this new OL. We'll find out soon enough. Still, the run game needs to be so much better. What they are doing won't get it done with the upcoming schedule.
The defense cannot start slow either. Need to be on top of it right away.
Show me.
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Just went through some stats on the UW website.
No penalties. Been a while since I could write that.
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that's a good one
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More of this please, Joe Brunner.
https://twitter.com/ryanbeilers/status/1964440221904490662 (https://twitter.com/ryanbeilers/status/1964440221904490662)
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odd stat
Badgers leading rusher in the game was a WR with a single carry
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Trech Kekahuna. He's really good. Badgers like Hawaiians.
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I don’t know, maybe not run it up the middle on EVERY SINGLE DAMN FIRST AND SECOND DOWN. It drove me nuts.
This was posted by @SuperMario (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1596) on the M/OU thread but I'm bringing it here because the same thing applied to me and Wisconsin yesterday. Mrs. 847 was also pissed and my buddies were lke WTF?
(We were at a B1G watch party with 4 TV's going for everyone's teams - very cool time.)
Anyway, UW was doing this constantly and then started doing play-action and jet sweeps.
It worked!
I wonder if that was the game plan. Lull them to sleep (nine in the box) and then blast 'em.
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that's how Kirk does it, but w/o the changeup
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This was posted by @SuperMario (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1596) on the M/OU thread but I'm bringing it here because the same thing applied to me and Wisconsin yesterday. Mrs. 847 was also pissed and my buddies were lke WTF?
(We were at a B1G watch party with 4 TV's going for everyone's teams - very cool time.)
Anyway, UW was doing this constantly and then started doing play-action and jet sweeps.
It worked!
I wonder if that was the game plan. Lull them to sleep (nine in the box) and then blast 'em.
Sorry you had to watch the same thing. When it’s game like OSU v Texas last week and Buckeyes are wisely conservative with their approach, I totally get it. They took the lead and didn’t need Sayin to take unneeded chances and played conservative. This was completely different. When you’re behind and running up the middle is failing over and over, maybe scrap the gameplan and adjust when every single indicator tells you to change it up, you should change it up.
ironic that I was just complimenting old school in the trenches about Wisconsin in my favorite non-primary rooting interest and they and Michigan showed the worst version of that type of football. I had it coming lol.
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This from the On3/Rivals writer. I guess the train really is off the rails.
(https://i.imgur.com/TuCNeOj.png)
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(https://themw.com/imgproxy/-EjwR8uW2V6T6qZ3NtjAcGWuSLSwN4WxVWvvHy0PqcY/fit/3840/2160/ce/0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zdG9yYWdlLmdvb2dsZWFwaXMuY29tL3RoZW13LWNvbS8yMDI0LzEyLzVhMzZmOGI2LWFocjBjaG02bHk5emRnOXl5d2RsbG1kdmIyZHN6d2Z3YXhtdXkyOXRsMmR2Ymc5aWIzbXR5Mjl0bHppd21qcXZtdGl2b3dmbG16aXlubXF0ZDJ2aWx3OXViaGxmenducmxtcHd6dy5wbmc.png)
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I like the MS degree he has.
(https://i.imgur.com/P7X4Kr9.png)
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I like the MS degree he has.
(https://i.imgur.com/P7X4Kr9.png)
Hell yeah HR.
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This was posted by @SuperMario (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1596) on the M/OU thread but I'm bringing it here because the same thing applied to me and Wisconsin yesterday. Mrs. 847 was also pissed and my buddies were lke WTF?
(We were at a B1G watch party with 4 TV's going for everyone's teams - very cool time.)
Anyway, UW was doing this constantly and then started doing play-action and jet sweeps.
It worked!
I wonder if that was the game plan. Lull them to sleep (nine in the box) and then blast 'em.
No more enduring belief that an infective offense is running too much on early downs and the box is too stacked.
Sometimes it holds up to scrutiny, often not.