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The importance of the Wisconsin win

NewEra 2014

Well-Known Member
Jan 3, 2014
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A couple of weeks ago, I posted after the Iowa win that several players on the defense had "made the leap" from becoming a talented player to becoming a good football player who can be counted on to make plays for this team.

I saw a similar leap in performance from the offense against Wisconsin, and the light has gone on for several players on this side of the ball. For one of the first times this year, I saw this offense begin to actually, you know, execute the offense. Folks can argue about how good the playcalling was, but I saw a much higher ratio of crisp execution on plays than I had at any time before during this season. Looking back, much of the offense early in the year was based on Trace making something happen on busted plays. Against Wisky, I saw better blocking, better route running by WR's, and Trace's accuracy was as good as I have seen in several games. Sanders is also looking really sharp behind this OL.

Now that both sides of the ball are starting to "get it", I think choosing Penn State in the Bowl Pick 'Em is a good bet, no matter who we are matched up against.
 
Not disparaging our players in any way but Wisky had no QB. Honestly felt bad for the kid as the coaches ran the same 7 running plays all game long. Then when he did get the chance to throw he couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn. If they had any semblance of a decent QB that game is much tighter.
 
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Not disparaging our players in any way but Wisky had no QB. Honestly felt bad for the kid as the coaches ran the same 7 running plays all game long. Then when he did get the chance to throw he couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn. If they had any semblance of a decent QB that game is much tighter.
I don't even think the Wisconsin coaches thought he had a chance to win, they didn't even try to hurry up in the 4th. Wisconsin did a better job of eating the clock for us than we did all year.
 
Not disparaging our players in any way but Wisky had no QB. Honestly felt bad for the kid as the coaches ran the same 7 running plays all game long. Then when he did get the chance to throw he couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn. If they had any semblance of a decent QB that game is much tighter.
But what about their offensive line? Could those guys doing the telecast praise them anymore? Looked to me that our players handled them all day. In some cases, ran them over.
 
But what about their offensive line? Could those guys doing the telecast praise them anymore? Looked to me that our players handled them all day. In some cases, ran them over.
This was a very good win as Wisconsin has the best running back in the BIG and a top o line.
 
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That's true but Hornibrook is still a better QB even if only slightly. I mean, inept is too kind of a word for what we saw from Wisconsin.
We have faced some truly horrific QB play across the board this year. Only a few teams really lined up a guy who could actually play. I would say App. St. and Michigan were the only real threats to throw the ball downfield.
 
We have faced some truly horrific QB play across the board this year. Only a few teams really lined up a guy who could actually play. I would say App. St. and Michigan were the only real threats to throw the ball downfield.

I agree. Haskins is a tough call on that one although because he looked awful against us he has shown that he can throw the ball downfield successfully.
 
A couple of weeks ago, I posted after the Iowa win that several players on the defense had "made the leap" from becoming a talented player to becoming a good football player who can be counted on to make plays for this team.

I saw a similar leap in performance from the offense against Wisconsin, and the light has gone on for several players on this side of the ball. For one of the first times this year, I saw this offense begin to actually, you know, execute the offense. Folks can argue about how good the playcalling was, but I saw a much higher ratio of crisp execution on plays than I had at any time before during this season. Looking back, much of the offense early in the year was based on Trace making something happen on busted plays. Against Wisky, I saw better blocking, better route running by WR's, and Trace's accuracy was as good as I have seen in several games. Sanders is also looking really sharp behind this OL.

Now that both sides of the ball are starting to "get it", I think choosing Penn State in the Bowl Pick 'Em is a good bet, no matter who we are matched up against.

Bowling in Orlando or bowling in Shreveport. Just a hunch.
 
Not disparaging our players in any way but Wisky had no QB. Honestly felt bad for the kid as the coaches ran the same 7 running plays all game long. Then when he did get the chance to throw he couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn. If they had any semblance of a decent QB that game is much tighter.
UW Qb is a big time recruit, but he was over matched on that day.
 
Watch some of the highlights from earlier in the season and you can see our defense is definitely improved.
 
“Looking back, much of the offense early in the year was based on Trace making something happen on busted plays.“

That statement could be said for most of 2016 offense. They were pretty good.
 
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