GT: Bucky at Boilermakers - 2:00 - BTN

[DrWood]

It's a big IF, but if they beat Iowa, they have a good chance of getting in the Big10 championship game. And the conference doesn't have any elite teams (just a bunch of pretty good ones), so there'd be a chance to win the conference.

[neiLz]

This is what I was thinking the rest of the way. Unfortunately Mertz is Stave with worse INT problems but other than Iowa or maybe @Minnesota all of these games should be winnable by doing exactly that.

This team isn’t anything special (well, the defense is) but it’s closer to some of the mediocre Badger teams of the past 20-30 years that can beat up on the lean part of the schedule. Front-loaded schedule made things look worse than they really were.

The turnovers have been a killer. Penn State could have been an easy win without those fumbles. They had a shot vs Notre Dame going into the 4th and shot themselves In the foot.

If they get 7-8 wins considering the start that's good but they are wasting elite defense after elite defense. They supposedly find their stud qb and he's mediocre and they forget out to run or pass block.

Hopefully they found something with the run game. However they need mertz to make a play. He needs to develop.

[Kerb Hohl]

This is what I was thinking the rest of the way. Unfortunately Mertz is Stave with worse INT problems but other than Iowa or maybe @Minnesota all of these games should be winnable by doing exactly that.

This team isn’t anything special (well, the defense is) but it’s closer to some of the mediocre Badger teams of the past 20-30 years that can beat up on the lean part of the schedule. Front-loaded schedule made things look worse than they really were.

The turnovers have been a killer. Penn State could have been an easy win without those fumbles. They had a shot vs Notre Dame going into the 4th and shot themselves In the foot.

If they get 7-8 wins considering the start that's good but they are wasting elite defense after elite defense. They supposedly find their stud qb and he's mediocre and they forget out to run or pass block.

Hopefully they found something with the run game. However they need mertz to make a play. He needs to develop.

I’m not necessarily celebrating this and yeah it’s frustrating that they are somewhat wasting this defense, but really just a response to the “this team might only win 4 games” nonsense from early in the year.

[sdn40]

It's 2021 not 1921. If your QB is 5-8 and 50 yards, things are as bad as they seem.
Feel free to chase the mirage, but just like the "Mertz for Heisman" last year, you'll just end up with a mouthful of sand.

[Mags FTW]

They're basically the '93 Badgers at this point.

[Kerb Hohl]

The skill position players aren't great, though RB is looking better and better...but if we had a crystal ball before the year and knew Mertz would be this bad (which I had feared, to some extent) we'd have been in the same position saying, "this team is Jack Coan away from being a Rose Bowl team and Russell Wilson away from the playoffs.

But here we are, a team with a very good defense and solid running game, trash QB/passing game. As usual, though I guess a bit different than the pre-Aranda days.

[Kerb Hohl]

I’m good with promoting Leonard on the bud ride home. Chryst can get some emeritus job in the AD or something.

That super slow developing play on 2nd down when he knows our LT can’t block a pass rushing chair, broke me.

This will be an interesting debate and I actually have kinda flipped my take a bit.

Obviously I'd rather have Leonhard stay than not. I acknowledged I'd want a bit more of a modern touch on the team/offense even though we have to stay with who we are and earlier this year noted that I'd replace Chryst even though this team isn't the dumpster fire the Joe Public fans think it is.

All of that said - do we want Jim Leonhard spending 90% of his time recruiting? Obviously we may not be able to keep him forever as a highly paid coordinator, though I do hope he stays around with his young kids and NFL money as the HC in waiting or whatever might be happening...but there is also the downside of Leonhard as HC is he loses some of his time spent on running the defense anyways.

Either way, we just need to keep the meathead families like the Watts and Chenals procreating within the state borders.

[MickeyDavis]

I’m good with promoting Leonard on the bud ride home. Chryst can get some emeritus job in the AD or something.

That super slow developing play on 2nd down when he knows our LT can’t block a pass rushing chair, broke me.

This will be an interesting debate and I actually have kinda flipped my take a bit.

Obviously I'd rather have Leonhard stay than not. I acknowledged I'd want a bit more of a modern touch on the team/offense even though we have to stay with who we are and earlier this year noted that I'd replace Chryst even though this team isn't the dumpster fire the Joe Public fans think it is.

All of that said - do we want Jim Leonhard spending 90% of his time recruiting? Obviously we may not be able to keep him forever as a highly paid coordinator, though I do hope he stays around with his young kids and NFL money as the HC in waiting or whatever might be happening...but there is also the downside of Leonhard as HC is he loses some of his time spent on running the defense anyways.

Either way, we just need to keep the meathead families like the Watts and Chenals procreating within the state borders.

Although Millen doesn't make sense a lot of time he did make sense talking about Leonard and how being a top coordinator doesn't make you a good coach automatically and that taking him away from the defense full time would be a detriment. Of course if he leaves it's a detriment too. I'm really curious what Leonard is thinking. The next step is college HC or NFL coordinator.