Post#182 » by Bernman » Fri Jan 2, 2015 7:26 pm
Indeed, it was a great day for Wisconsin and the Big Ten, as well as in turn both of their future recruiting prospects. Look at how badly Wisconsin's recruiting was effected by the loss to South Carolina at the end of last season. They lost numerous recruits to the Gamecocks alone. This chipped away at the narrative to play big boy football you gotta come to the SEC. The B1G should be the last place you go was the media cry, and that was silenced.
Just looking as far ahead as next year, the #1 area that needs to be addressed is receiver. That unit has been a joke at UW for the last few years, and it especially was this year after Abby left. Fredrick has been an on and off starter during this few year lull, and has never even reached 200 yards. This year he had 126 and under a 10 ypc average. The guy has no suddenness to get separation. And Doe was a tiny target w/out long speed. Erickson was the only receiver w/ a pulse. He has pretty reliable hands and runs good routes, but that only gets him about a half step of separation w/ his speed or lack there of. We really need McEvoy to be utilized there finally. And we need someone from the ballyhooed 2014 wr recruiting class to step up, i.e.: Sanders or Jones. I also think it will help now that Fumagali should be the starter at TE. Arneson had shaky hands and not the same fluidity of movement.
As far as Stave goes, ideally we'd have someone better behind center. But he's been superior to all the alternatives with the same supporting cast this last few years. And you almost know Kafentzis won't be ready as a true frosh and Bart Houston doesn't have much hope after 3 years in the program. It's basically Stave or Gillins the way I see it. Hopefully Gillins has developed enough to where he'll surpass Stave in the next fall camp. Otherwise, we shouldn't just start someone else for the sake of it like this year. Stave isn't the QB we deserve, but he may be the one we need right now. And maybe we see him return to at least 2012 level form with Chryst and improved receiving. Back then he at least had Canada and Abby to work with, instead of Dudwig and a bunch of misfits.
You really need to squint to see how the team could be better without Gordon. He was the best back this program has ever had by a good margin. A shame he wasn't even a starter then until this year. The improvement I think has gotta come from more stable and sensible coaching than we got from GA and Dudwig. As well as talent infusions at receiver and along the offensive line. We got beaten by opposing defensive lines several times this year, and that's something we were unaccustomed to.
