SB Nation - Allan Evridge

2009 Big 10 Quarterback Rankings, First Edition

grahamfiller10 — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:13:26 -0000

It's been 9 long months since I made my final edition of the 2008 Big Ten Quarterback Rankings. Since late 2008, the majority of teams in the Big Ten are starting a new quarterback and let me tell you folks, this is great, great news for the quarterback rankings. In 2008, quarterback play was horrible and inconsistent. Two main factors led to the horrid play - Injuries and disappointing veterans. Curtis Painter, Kellen Lewis, Brian Hoyer, Todd Boeckman, Allan Evridge, and Juice Williams were injury prone or ineffective in 2008, leading to backups getting significant playing time. By the end of the season, only a few QB's were healthy and putting up solid stats. This year, with a conference wide focus on passing and more teams opening their playbooks, the quarterback play is markedly improved from last year.

Not only does this improvement make the ranking a more interesting exercise, I don't have to spend the year explaining how in the world Juice Williams is the third best quarterback in the Big Ten, a spot he ended up in through default last year. Enjoy The Rivalry's 2009 Big Ten Quarterback Rankings First Edition, which I will update every three weeks.

Ed Note: After #4, the quarterbacks blend together, talent and number wise. I gave Tolzien and Kafka extra points because of their surprising success, but that can all be wiped away with early in-conf struggles. And I took away points for struggling in big games, which I believe is where a quarterback can best be judged.

	QB	Team	Comments
#1	Daryll Clark	PSU	Has looked comfortable in the pocket throwing to the newbie receivers. Clark's best attribute is that he trusts his O-Line - he will sit and slowly chop his feet, waiting for routes to open up. Game Avg: 22-32, 250 yards, 3 TDs.
#2	Kirk Cousins	MSU	His accuracy and poise in the pocket have resulted in the Big Ten's best passing efficiency rating. This devout Bapist can make every throw - swing passes, curl routes in traffic, out routes to the sideline. Don't let the wobbler at the end of the ND game fool you - He should be taking every snap at MSU. Game Avg: 15-23, 215 yards, 2 TDs.
#3	Tate Forcier	UM	Showed up in primetime against ND, putting on a performance for the ages. Throws an accurate ball and his shifty moves are perfect for the RichRod Spread. Not lightning fast like Pat White, but gets the 3-5 yards on the Zone Read QB run that Sheridan/Threet could never get. Game Avg: 14-22, 163 yards, 2 TD, 37 ypg rushing.
#4	Terrelle Pryor	OSU	Lebron In Cleats showed a fully evolved arm in the Spring Game, leading to an overly excited phone call from Law Buck. Unfortunately, the indecisive shot putting returned against USC. Would I take him over Forcier? Yes. Did he choke under pressure? Yes. Game Avg: 14-25, 204 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 59 yards rushing.
#5	Ricky Stanzi	IOWA	Holds himself like a veteran and has engineered victories while Iowa Hating God wipes out all his playmakers. No complaints about his throwing motion here, but the unexplainable interceptions flummox everyone. Game Avg: 20-33, 215 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
#6	Scott Tolzien	WISC	Tolzien has been the surprise of the non-conf games. Accurate and eager to spread the ball around, I guess we realize why Sherer's loopy delivery was dropped in favor of this supposed career backup. Throws an extremely catchable ball for a Wisky offense that isn't relying on the run so much anymore. Game Avg: 15-23, 214 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
#7	Mike Kafka	NW	A tremendous game against Syracuse was tainted by an ugly pick late, but his numbers exceed what we expected by so much it's scary. He's showed a live arm and has refused to depend on his very solid scrambling abilities. Game Avg: 21-28, 247 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
#8	Adam Weber	MINN	I watched him against California and two problems are obvious. He doesn't know how to throw the ball away and he doesn't get any blocking. When given time, Weber/Decker is a dangerous combo. I expect more from this frequently inaccurate veteran. Game Avg: 20-34, 231 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
#9	Ben Chappell	IND	Crimson Quarry and others were calling for him to start last year, but injuries and Lewis's on-again, off-again playing schedule never allowed Chapell to become the unquestioned leader. Now fully in command, the Pistol offense and some athletic receivers have helped Chappell to look, as the British say, not half-bad. Game Avg: 21-31, 225 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
#10	Joey Elliot	PU	We predicted doom and gloom in West Lafayette, but the Boilers and Elliot looked a tad more explosive than expected. His personality as a QB isn't fully evolved yet - Should be rolling out as much as in the NIU game? Should the quick slants of yesteryear be incorporated more? Game Avg: 20-33, 225 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs.
#11	Juice Williams	ILL	We all saw the Mizzou ugliness and the uninspired Illini. We all saw Juice do Juice things like throw wild, ineffective passes all over the place. We also saw no run game. So until he returns to good old rollercoaster Juice, Big Ten leader in Total Yards in 2008, I leave him here. Game Avg: 18-28, 179 yards, 1 INT.

First impressions on the depth chart

Adam Hoge — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:01:22 -0000

There are three major stories regarding the official depth chart released Thursday for the Northern Illinois game, the biggest of which is actually the linebackers.

Badger fans should be excited about all three developments.

Everyone will focus on the fact that UW will be using a two-headed quarterback attack and a two-headed running back attack, but more importantly a linebacker finally stepped up and earned a starting job because of impressive play over the last week or so.

That linebacker is of course redshirt freshman Mike Taylor who has shown flashes of brillance on the practice field for a while now, but has been slowed down by injuries. He finally appears healthy and impressed the coaches enough to earn a start at outside linebacker opposite of senior Jaevery McFadden. Meanwhile, junior Blake Sorensen was moved back to the middle where he is surprisingly listed as a co-starter with Culmer St. Jean.

This seemingly last second jumble at linebacker is good news for Wisconsin football. Previously all we had seen was a somewhat boring group of linebackers that weren't showing a whole lot of brillance at the position. The emergence of Taylor and the move back to the middle by Sorensen means something positive is happening with the linebackers -- certainly a good sign for a defense still maligned by a number of questions.

As for Scott Tolzien and Curt Phillips being named co-starters on the depth chart, I think it simply means that the UW coaching staff doesn't know who is the better option right now and they learned their lesson last season that you don't have to force the issue by prematurely naming a concrete starter. Allan Evridge was clearly not the guy last year, but Wisconsin wasted half their season before they figured that out.

Tolzien will likely take the first snaps against Northern Illinois, but Phillips will get his reps and the opportunity to run the football. Think Tim Tebow's freshman season, just don't think Tim Tebow. Phillips is talented, but not that talented.

Your thoughts on the depth chart? Check it out after the jump:

OFFENSE
Quarterback
16 Scott Tolzien, 6-3, 205, Jr. OR
10 Curt Phillips, 6-3, 228, Fr.
18 Dustin Sherer, 6-3, 220, Sr.

Running Back
30 Zach Brown, 5-10, 210, Jr. OR
32 John Clay, 6-1, 248, So.
28 Montee Ball, 5-11, 225, Fr. OR
22 Erik Smith, 6-0, 198, Fr.

Fullback
34 Bradie Ewing, 6-0, 231, So.
42 Sam Spitz, 6-0, 245, Fr.

Wide Receiver
1 Nick Toon, 6-3, 212, So.
85 David Gilreath, 5-11, 170, Jr.

Wide Receiver
6 Isaac Anderson, 5-10, 177, Jr.
23 Maurice Moore, 5-10, 180, Jr.

Tight End
89 Garrett Graham, 6-3, 250, Sr. OR
84 Lance Kendricks, 6-4, 236, Jr.
82 Jake Byrne, 6-4, 260, So.

Tight End
84 Lance Kendricks, 6-4, 236, Jr. OR
36 Mickey Turner, 6-3, 250, Sr.
43 Rob Korslin, 6-4, 260, So.

Left Tackle
68 Gabe Carimi, 6-7, 325, Jr.
58 Ricky Wagner, 6-6, 313, Fr.

Left Guard
78 Jake Bscherer, 6-7, 310, Jr.
60 Jake Current, 6-3, 304, So. OR
79 Ryan Groy, 6-5, 310, Fr.

Center
74 John Moffitt, 6-5, 320, Jr.
72 Travis Frederick, 6-4, 336, Fr.

Right Guard
70 Kevin Zeitler, 6-4, 317, Fr.
76 Bill Nagy, 6-3, 310, Jr.

Right Tackle
67 Josh Oglesby, 6-7, 330, So.
66 Peter Konz, 6-5, 315, Fr.

DEFENSE
Defensive End
50 O’Brien Schofield, 6-3, 248, Sr.
93 Louis Nzegwu, 6-4, 245, So.

Defensive Tackle
45 Dan Moore, 6-2, 283, Sr. OR
95 Patrick Butrym, 6-4, 291, So.
77 Dan Cascone, 6-3, 3-1, Sr.

Defensive Tackle
79 Jeff Stehle, 6-6, 310, Sr.
64 Jordan Hein, 6-3, 286, Sr.

Defensive End
99 J.J. Watt, 6-6, 287, So.
90 Anthony Mains, 6-6, 223, Fr.

Linebacker
47 Jaevery McFadden, 6-2, 230, Sr.
41 Kevin Rouse, 6-0, 232, So.

Linebacker
15 Culmer St. Jean, 6-0, 233, Jr. OR
9 Blake Sorensen, 6-1, 231, Jr.
56 Matt Groff, 6-2, 234, Fr.

Linebacker
53 Mike Taylor, 6-2, 221, Fr.
44 Chris Borland, 5-11, 235, Fr.

Cornerback
7 Aaron Henry, 6-0, 195, So.
26 Antonio Fenelus, 5-9, 185, So.

Strong Safety
2 Jay Valai, 5-9, 201, Jr.
17 Josh Peprah, 5-11, 205, Fr. OR
37 Kevin Claxton, 6-1, 218, So.

Free Safety
21 Chris Maragos, 6-0, 198, Sr.
24 Shelton Johnson, 6-0, 183, Fr.

Cornerback
10 Devin Smith, 5-11, 188, So.
29 Niles Brinkley, 5-10, 188, Jr. OR
12 Dezmen Southward, 6-1, 210, Fr.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
98 Brad Nortman, 6-3, 209, So.
90 Ryan Wickesberg, 6-1, 215, So.

Kicker
18 Philip Welch, 6-3, 200, So.
96 Alec Lerner, 5-7, 172, Fr.

Long Snapper
62 Kyle Wojta, 6-2, 231, So.
57 Drew Woodward, 6-4, 212, Sr.

Holder
21 Chris Maragos, 6-0, 198, Sr.
90 Ryan Wickesberg, 6-1, 215, So.

Punt Returner
85 David Gilreath, 5-11, 170, Jr.
26 Antonio Fenelus, 5-9, 185, So. OR
7 Aaron Henry, 6-0, 195, So.

Previewin': Wisconsin

Beauford — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:00:13 -0000

Maize n' Brew mercilessly drifts through yet another preview; this one long overdue. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Wisconsin Badgers.

Previously: Illinois, Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan State

Explanation and indemnifications found: here

For as much press as the "Rodriguez is on the hot seat" concept has gotten this off season, in my e-pinion, it's Bret Bielema who might be running short on rope. Entering the Michigan game last season, Wisconsin was 3-0, and the number 9 team in the country. The admittedly fluky and...well...weird loss at Michigan set Wisconsin into a downright Sparty-esque tailspin, and they lost the next 4 consecutive games. By the time they regrouped to win the last three (one against Cal Poly in OT), the team had already massively underachieved. A loss to Florida State in the Champs Sports bowl capped a 7-6 season in which only 3 Big Ten games were won.

This isn't meant to be a "slam Wisconsin" type preview, but last season, with PJ Hill and Allan Evridge returning, the expectations were pretty high in Madison; expectations that were not met. Looking to atone for that, Dustin Sherer returns after going 4-3 as Evridge's replacement last season. John Clay, a sophomore, will take over the tailback duties. However, the offense returns only 6 starters, while the defense returns just 5. They are young, and might be due for a rebuilding-type year that I'm not sure Bielema has room for.

More Previewin' Dead Ahead. Click Below

2009 Schedule

September 5	Northern Illinois	7:00 PM ET
September 12	Fresno State	12:00 PM ET
September 19	Wofford	12:00 PM ET
September 26	Michigan State	TBA
October 3	at Minnesota	TBA
October 10	at No. 6 Ohio State	TBA
October 17	No. 22 Iowa	12:00 PM ET
October 31	Purdue	TBA
November 7	at Indiana	TBA
November 14	Michigan	TBA
November 21	at Northwestern	TBA

One thing the media will harp on that is off base

The defense is young and suspect, but to me that's not the biggest concern for this team. Despite the fact that Dustin Sherer is a returning starter (of sorts) his number don't point to being anything other than pedestrian.

Sherer 2008

Att	Comp	Pct.	Yards	INT	TD
191	104	54.5	1389	5	6

Dustin Sherer via espn.com

That's not the most consistent stat line from what figures to be your starting quarterback. Add on to this the fact that Bielema isn't 100% sold on Sherer, and you've got a quarterback situation that could see a marginal but experienced starter being replaced by a young but maybe more athletic backup. Meanwhile, the offense is going to have to put some points on the board because, as mentioned previously, the defense is young and will take some time to get things together. O'Brien Schofield returns as a senior at Defensive End, but the other 3 members of the defensive line are getting their first starts this year. At linebacker, the team returns leading tackler Jaevery McFadden, and Culmer St. Jean and Blake Sorensen are seem to be serviceable. Both juniors were 3-star types with St. Jean being perhaps a little more athletic. The quarterback situation is never going to be solved this year; but it could implode given the right situation. In that case, this Wisconsin team is probably not going to be able to lean on their defense against the top-level teams in the Big Ten.

One thing the media will completely ignore that is integral to this team's success:

John Clay

There are two things here that I feel will be extremely beneficial for this Wisconsin team. First, the schedule sets up nicely with 4 games at home to start, including the Big Ten opener against Michigan State. Fresno State may be a test for this young team, but they could easily start the season at 3-0 and roll into conference play with some confidence. They travel to Ohio State, but miss Penn State this season. If you're going to have a rebuilding year, it's nice to have the majority of your tough games at home and miss a team projected to battle for the conference championship.

Second, the secondary is actually pretty experienced, returning both safeties and one corner. Also, cornerback Aaron Henry returns after missing the entirety of last season with an ACL injury. If Wisconsin can go on one of those crazy turn-over fueled runs ala Minnesota a few years back, they could sneak into contention for the Big Ten.

Most important contributors on each side of the ball:

Offensively, Wisconsin features, once again, a huge white-guy-farm-bred type offensive line anchored by left tackle Gave Carimi. John Moffitt, a junior, also returns at center. John Clay might be the scariest running back in the league, and the combination of blocking and running might allow Wisconsin to lead the conference in rushing like they did last year.

Defensively, it's going to be that secondary, particularly Niles Brinkley who led the team in INT's last year.

Area that scares you as Michigan Wolverines:

Wisconsin's ground attack will again be the team's strength. The good news is that they're definitely just going to throw rock. The bad news is that they throw it harder, stronger, and with more dairy than any other team in the Big Ten. If they start rolling on the ground, any QB concerns will be a moot point.

Area that makes you salivate as the Michigan Wolverines:

A young-ish front seven against a complicated spread n' shred attack will be fun to watch. The game this year is at camp Randall, which is always tough, but will be played November 14th. By this time, hopefully, the offense will be at as full of capacity as it's going to get. Provided there are no injuries, Wisconsin will catch the Michigan offense, hopefully (again! say it with me! hopefully!), at its peak.

Overall Record:

7-5

Final Big Ten Standing:

5th

Bowl Destination

I can't seem to keep this stuff straight...where does the 5th place Big Ten team go? Citrus Jr. Was the Citrus ever big enough to warrant a son? Who did it mate with? Will Citrus Jr. ever leave the nest of Orlando and settle in, like, San Francisco?

I smell a sit-com.

Golden Nugz 07-02-09

GopherNation — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:59:35 -0000

I've been researching a bit for my Badger game preview so the links today may be a little heavy on Badger links, but you'll make due.

Bucky's 5th Quarter had a good post this week on the rules of buying a Badger jersey. I enjoyed the read so I'm sharing it with you. There are 5 basic rules for buying a college team jersey..

1) If the player is a true freshman then he must be a No. 1 recruit who is not red-shirting and if he is a red-shirt freshman then he must be a starter and lead the team in at least one key statistical category. Too many highly regarded recruits fall flat on their face.
            Pass: ~~Ron Dayne in 1996~~ Lawrence Maroney 2003
            Fail: ~~Josh Oglesby in 2007~~ MarQueis Gray 2008 (you gt the idea)

2) If the player is a sophomore or junior then he must be a starter and lead the team (among returning players if it is the offseason) in at least one key statistical category. These are the guys you want to invest in. They have already proven themselves and they are going to be around for a while.
            Pass: ~~David Gilreath or John Clay~~ Adam Weber 2008
            Fail: ~~Kyle Jefferson~~ Brandon Green

3) If the player is a senior then he must be a Heisman/Player of the Year candidate or be a good candidate to have his jersey number retired at that player’s school. Sorry Garrett Graham fans, you missed your chance.
            Pass: ~~Alando Tucker in 2006-07~~ Maroney 2005
            Fail: ~~Kammron Taylor in 2006-07.~~

4) If the player plays football and wears No. 1, 7, 9, 12, 14, 18 or 80 then the previous rules do not apply to purchase the jersey, although the jersey can only be worn during seasons when the player currently wearing that number is a clear cut starter and leads the team in at least one key statistical category.
            Pass: ~~No. 12 Tyler Donovan in 2007.~~ - I'm not sure what he is getting at here, maybe those are retired numbers for Wisconsin?
            Fail: ~~No. 4 Allan Evridge in 2008.~~

5) Any former All-American is eligible for a jersey purchase, but the jersey must be from a year in which that player played.
            Pass: ~~Ron Dayne and Alando Tucker~~ - Kevin McHale
            Fail: ~~A No. 33 or No. 42 placed on a 2009 jersey~~

6) He forgot one rule.

Pass: Gopher Jersey
Fail: Badger jersey

A couple years back there was a post out in the blog-sphere giving the general rules about wearing a jersey (any jersey). His rules were things like don't tuck your jersey in, don't buy #69 (it's not that funny), don't wear average players no longer on your team (i.e. Brad Johnson, Vikings fans), etc.

Zombie Nation shares his Big Ten picks and he has Hassan Lipscomb as his pick to surprise the rest of the conference this year. Interesting.
Good article by Marcus Fuller on Mbakwe. This kid is going to help us a LOT next year.
On Wisconsin asked me a few questions, here are my answers.
This Badger sports fan thinks it will be a rough year for the Badgers, always good to read.

Five rules for buying your next Badger jersey

Adam Hoge — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

You're crazy if you buy a Garrett Graham jersey this season.

Browse more photos »

So Travis Beckham is gone and P.J. Hill left early for the Canadian Football League. That No. 9 jersey you’ve been sporting for the last two seasons? It’s useless now. The $50 you dropped on that No. 39? Seems like a pretty silly purchase now.

That’s because you didn’t follow the rules for purchasing a college football jersey—which is OK because they don’t exist… until now.

Buying a jersey can be tough. They are expensive and they always expire (unless of course you are the guy who customizes a jersey with his own name). That’s why I have a set of five rules each for buying college and professional jerseys.

So if you’re the guy with the No. 39 jersey hung in the back of your closet already, or you’re a freshman and want a jersey you can wear for the next four years, or you’re just a tool that wears a jersey every day of the week and is tired of wearing that Anthony Davis jersey, follow these rules when investing this fall:

For college teams (where players’ names are left off the jersey):

1) If the player is a true freshman then he must be a No. 1 recruit who is not red-shirting and if he is a red-shirt freshman then he must be a starter and lead the team in at least one key statistical category. Too many highly regarded recruits fall flat on their face.
Pass: Ron Dayne in 1996
Fail: Josh Oglesby in 2007

2) If the player is a sophomore or junior then he must be a starter and lead the team (among returning players if it is the offseason) in at least one key statistical category. These are the guys you want to invest in. They have already proven themselves and they are going to be around for a while.
Pass: David Gilreath or John Clay
Fail: Kyle Jefferson

3) If the player is a senior then he must be a Heisman/Player of the Year candidate or be a good candidate to have his jersey number retired at that player’s school. Sorry Garrett Graham fans, you missed your chance.
Pass: Alando Tucker in 2006-07
Fail: Kammron Taylor in 2006-07.

4) If the player plays football and wears No. 1, 7, 9, 12, 14, 18 or 80 then the previous rules do not apply to purchase the jersey, although the jersey can only be worn during seasons when the player currently wearing that number is a clear cut starter and leads the team in at least one key statistical category.
Pass: No. 12 Tyler Donovan in 2007.
Fail: No. 4 Allan Evridge in 2008.

5) Any former All-American is eligible for a jersey purchase, but the jersey must be from a year in which that player played.
Pass: Ron Dayne and Alando Tucker
Fail: A No. 33 or No. 42 placed on a 2009 jersey

The key here is to invest in a guy who ends up being a player Badger fans never forget. It’s not easy, because those types of players are rare. That’s why these rules are tough.

Under these rules, only two players currently qualify for a jersey purchase this season:

1) John Clay, So. – Clay is UW’s leading returning rusher, which means he qualifies under Rule 2. There is a small chance that he has so much success in 2009 that he leaves early for the NFL, but chances are he will be around for at least two full seasons, maybe even three.

2) David Gilreath, Jr. – Gilreath is first in receiving among UW’s returning wide receivers so he also qualifies under Rule 2.

This is a good year to wait out the first month and then re-evaluate the roster under these rules. These are the players to watch during the season:

1) Curt Phillips, R-Fr. – If Phillips ends up taking over as UW’s starting quarterback then he will most likely lead UW in passing and qualify for a jersey purchase under Rule 1.

2) Nick Toon, So. – Toon came on strong at the end of last season and could very well end up leading Wisconsin in receiving this season. If he does, he would qualify under Rule 2.

3) Kraig Appleton, Fr. – We don’t know if Appleton will play this season, but if he does and he ends up being the real deal then he could qualify under Rule 1.

The 2009 verdict: The No. 32 John Clay jerseys are going to be on shelves all over State Street and that’s the jersey you should be buying this season. I’m still worried he might leave early, but look at it this way, if he does that means he had a season that won’t be forgotten at Wisconsin any time soon.

Honestly, college jerseys are easier because names are left off and they can sometimes be used years later for a new player under Rule 4. Professional teams are tougher because names are on the jerseys and free agency changes everything. Of course, sometimes jerseys last forever because you bought Michael Jordan’s Bulls jersey in the 1980s.

It’s always a gamble, but here are five rules for purchasing a professional player’s jersey:

1) The player should have at least two years left on his contract and not have a history of trade rumors following him around.
Pass: Ryan Braun – Milwaukee Brewers. He’s got the long-term deal and the franchise is building around him.
Fail: Milton Bradley – Chicago Cubs. Some Cubs fans fell into the Nomar Garciaparra trap again. Bradley has the long-term deal, but he’s played on 312 teams.

2) If the player is over 30 years old then he must have at least two All-Star appearances.
Pass: Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets. Still two years left on his deal and the Nuggets love him.
Fail: Russell Branyan, Seattle Mariners. He’s become one of Seattle’s best players, but history says he won’t keep it up past this season.

3) Do not buy a rookie’s jersey unless it’s 2003 and his name is LeBron James. Half the rookies out there fail to materialize. Wait a year and then follow the rest of these rules. Do I even need to mention names like Darko Milicic, Kwame Brown, Ryan Leaf, or Rex Grossman?

4) Any regular contributor on a Championship team is eligible for a jersey purchase. This includes starters, key bench players/relief pitchers and even a very mediocre player who made a huge play in the postseason that will be remember forever (although in that case it would help to add a World Series, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, e.t.c. patch to the jersey).

5) Any Hall-of-Famer is eligible for a jersey purchase, but the jersey must be from a year in which that player played.
Pass: Carlton Fisk – Boston Red Sox or Chicago White Sox
Fail: Michael Jordan – Washington Bullets. I have actually seen a few of these. He didn’t play for the Bullets, you morons. He regrettably played for the Wizards.

If your player does not violate the rules that apply to him, then you can fork out the money for that player’s jersey. If none of your favorite players pass all five of these rules then consider buying a personalized jersey with your name on it. However, if you go that route, be prepared to be forever known as "that guy."

Better Know a Nemesis: Wisconsin

Hawkeye State — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:42:49 -0000

Guess who's back?

There aren't that many Wisconsin bloggers; many of them start blogs, only to succumb to dairy-induced heart attacks or alcoholism weeks later. The exception, of course, is sports radio personality, Fanhouse contributor, and all-around Blogfrica juggernaut Bruce Ciskie. When not talking hockey or the impending termination of Brad Childress, Bruce covers Badger sports at The Ciskie Blog. The reason for his longevity? He moved to Minnesota!

Bruce, welcome to BHGP. Say something sophomoric.

You're an Iowa fan. Suck it.

Now, the quarterbacks. Evridge is clearly not the answer, and Sherer looked capable in the second half last week. Who starts this week? Who finishes? What does Sherer do that Evridge couldn't accomplish, other than having the same last name as the guy who plays Smithers on The Simpsons and occasionally completing a pass?

Evridge looks just like he did at Kansas State: Hopeless.

There's a reason he lost his job without even being allowed to put up a fight, and it wasn't because Prince was afraid he would win it. Instead, Prince knew a QB competition was a complete waste of time.

As far as Sherer goes, standards for QBs at Wisconsin aren't very high. Hold on to the damn ball. Evridge is apparently incapable of completing this simple task. Sherer can't be worse. If he can tell the difference between black/gold and white/red, he should be able to beat that crappy team they're playing this weekend.

Who starts? I have no idea. I have no reason to believe either of them is good enough to lead this team to a win without 200 yards rushing and great defense.

P.J. Hill simply refuses to graduate, and John Clay looks to be another prototypical monster Wisconsin tailback. Now that the Big Ten championship run envisioned this summer is dead, will Bielema save his young halfback's legs and run Hill into the ground, or are we still going to see a two-headed hydra in the Badger backfield? Will Wisconsin have any luck running the ball against an Iowa defense that hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher so far this year despite facing LeSean McCoy, Javon Ringer, and Tyrell Sutton?

Wisconsin will run the ball decently. It will help if they start a quarterback who can keep from fumbling or throwing idiotic interceptions. Of course, that means I'm expecting them to have that type of player on the roster, and I'm not sure they do.

The run game is pretty solid. Hill and Clay are both good. Clay runs hard and would remind me of Adrian Peterson if he had a bit more straight-line speed. Very similar, physical style, but Clay doesn't appear to be a real game-breaker. Maybe he'll prove me wrong before he is done. I've always liked Hill, but his propensity for injury is absolutely aggravating.

Over/under on weeks until Travis Beckum succumbs to his frustration, morphs into Travis Bickle, and shoots up Camp Randall: 3.5. Who ya got?

Give me the over. Either he's going to start putting up numbers, or Wisconsin is going to change quarterbacks, giving him a chance to put up numbers.

No matter what, he's a millionaire next summer. The scouts aren't dumb enough to blame this season on anything he did wrong.

Hypothetical question: After leading Iowa to another 6-6 campaign, Kirk Ferentz is canned like tuna. The rampant speculation indicates Bielema is the first name in play for the job, and the faithful at BHGP start tracking flights out of Madison. When the IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW post goes up on a Tuesday night in early December, what is the typical Wisconsin fan's immediate reaction? Anger? Relief? Tepid resignation?

Well, Bielema does have the lame-ass Iowa logo tattoed on his body. It would be hard to begrudge him for taking the job.

That said, Iowa would be dumb to hire him, considering he hasn't proven he can recruit winning players. Remember, these first two years were largely built on the backbone of Alvarez recruits.

You want him, and you want to help him buy out of his UW deal (assuming he has a buyout), go right ahead. After overpaying Ferentz for all these years, I'd think your school would want to wisely spend its dollars. But it's not really my problem.

These two offenses are disturbingly similar: Run-first philosophy, gargantuan offensive lines, bruising tailbacks, mediocre-at-best quarterback play. How good is Wisconsin's defense at stopping its own offense?

Wisconsin's defense probably wouldn't be able to stop Auburn's offense. So I wouldn't be terribly worried about Iowa.

As bad as the Hawkeyes are on offense, they will stay in the game if they get into a war of field position, especially if Evridge starts. If that happens, he's bound to do something stupid deep in UW territory to cost his team the game.

Barry Alvarez: Great coach or greatest coach? How is the Badger populous responding to his work as athletic director?

Barry is a fairly untouchable figure in Madison, IMHO. I'm not sure he's had to do much so far. Bielema won big his first two years, the basketball team has been highly successful with Bo Ryan, and the men's and women's hockey teams are national powers with highly-regarded coaches. Alvarez is in the position Trent Dilfer was in when the Ravens won the Super Bowl. Just don't screw it up. So far, so good.

What is the one thing about this Wisconsin team that we're overlooking and that could determine the final outcome of this game?

They do have some talent on defense, especially on the front seven. I keep waiting for them to play the kind of game they're capable of, but it seems like they have a meltdown every week at some point, and it just sours me on them.

Guys like Casillas and Levy (LBs) are better than they've played, and I'm just hoping it comes together before they're 0-5 in the Big Ten and needing to win a couple games just to get to the Motor City Bowl.

A final prediction...

I'm not going against the Badgers. It won't be pretty, but Wisconsin wins 19-16.

...one more juvenile statement...

What's the best-looking thing to come out of Iowa?

I-35.

...and you're off the Budweiser Hot Seat. Thanks, Bruce!

Videofication: Wisconsin

Kevin HD — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:41:37 -0000

Back by popular demand...some video and screenshots of the Wisconsin game. The episode in which we explore illegal picks, easy touchdowns and phantom reversals.

Act I: How the bend-but-don't-break broke.

In an otherwise great performance, the defense gave up a very uncharacteristic big play on what appeared to be a sell-out rush combined with bad coverage. Upon further inspection, however, there was something a little fishy about the way a receiver running a five yard slant pattern was able to get six yards of separation from his cornerback.

The first thing to look at here are the two Wisconsin receivers, running toward each other about three yards in front of the LoS. Notice that, to the right, Tony Davis is all over Travis Beckum.

Ah, the old "turn-around-tail-out" route, in which non-option from the left plants himself firmly in front of his teammate's cover man.

Davis, at this point, is pretty much knocked off his feet as the ball is being released. Not really relevant to the story, but the defensive line is all over Evridge just a nano-second after he gets rid of the ball.

Alas, the Wisconsin receiver is in open space with little in the way of a safety valve in his way. This was the risk Bradley took when he decided to send seven after the quarterback, and it was the appropriate call for Wisconsin. The thing is, though, without that move over the middle this is probably a six to seven yard gain.

On 3rd and 3 it works, but considering the way the Badgers had been moving the ball up to that point, a score was highly unlikely even with a seven yard first down. Now, these types of things happen all the time, and it wasn't as blatant as I've seen before, but it helps explain the one anomaly in Saturday night's almost perfect performance.

Here it is in full speed:

Act II: In which Williams takes a leisurely stroll though the middle of the field, and why he decided he might as well turn it into six.

Ladies and gentlemen, the real Derrick Williams.

Act III: In which instant replay does the opposite of what it was designed to do.

Mark Rubin made a great jump on the ball and appeared to bring it in for the interception. The officials on the field thought so, anyway.

Instead, the instant replay official apparently spotted him some "indisputable evidence" and overturned the call. From the first angle they show it does look a bit like the ball bounced off of something, but it's clear from the second angle that his arm was under the ball the whole time.

They say over and over again that a call cannot be overturned unless there is, in so many words, no question that the call on the field was wrong. Not only is there not even close to enough evidence from the video to conclude that, but if anything the angles in the replay confirm that it was in fact an interception.

I'm not really worried about this particular call, it would have been meaningless and it was almost worth it to see Rubin kind of laugh it off and start making sure everyone knew he did actually catch it. I guess I'm just a little confused as to why this keeps happening. If a replay official can't be sure of the call, he is supposed to let the one on the field stand; it doesn't seem like that is happening. It's almost like the closer the call the more random the outcome of the review process.

Wisconsin Preview: Badger Badger Badger

Run Up The Score — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:40:41 -0000

Who Shot Who In The What Now? Penn State (6-0, 2-0) at Wisconsin (3-2, 0-2). Kickoff at 8:00 p.m. Eastern at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

Kicking Television: ESPN primetime, baby. There have been plenty of comments about the abysmal announcing last week by Dave Pasch and Andre Ware. We should be in better hands on Saturday night. Mike Patrick, Todd Blackledge, and Holly Rowe will guide us through the proceedings. If you're in the car, the game can be heard on any number of radio stations including XM 197.

A Fool And His Money: Penn State is favored by 5 1/2 points. The over/under sits at 47. Penn State is 0-5-1 against the spread in their last six conference games. Wisconsin is 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 conference games. So, yeah. Have fun with that.

Weather: Surprisingly great. Accuweather says it'll be 65 degrees and mostly cloudy at kickoff.

Dubious Statistical Achievements: Penn State has started conference play 3-0 once since 2000.

Ouch, Babe: Jordan Norwood (hamstring) and Mickey Shuler (ankle) are noted as "probable" in the official PSU Game Notes.

Highly Diverse?: Also in the PSU Game Notes, we learn that Penn State is the only team in the country averaging more than 250 yards rushing and 240 yards passing per game. Useless, yes, but true. They're also the only team ranked in the top 10 nationally in both total offense and total defense.

Lest We Forget: Last year, Penn State was battling numerous off-field issues, and we all wondered what kind of team would show up on Saturday. Quite simply, they dominated. While the Penn State Football Story is unbelievably good at polishing a turd, there was no need for it after last season's encounter with the Badgers:

In Scores From Other Games: CBS Sportsline has a quality five minute preview on YouTube. Pickin' On The Big Ten is calling for a road blowout for Penn State. The good kind of blowout.

Smoke Signals From Enemy Territory: Beware of a QB change for Wisconsin, as head coach Bret Bielema is openly suggesting that Allan Evridge might be on a short leash Saturday night.

“Allan is going to start on Saturday,” Bielema said. “But there comes a point in time where you have to make an assessment as to where we are as a football team. … The next guy would probably be Dustin Sherer.”

Still, Bielema recognizes there are aspects of Evridge’s game he must work on.

“The part that Allan has to improve on more than anything is his accuracy as a passer,” Bielema said of the left-handed quarterback. “The bottom line is that we have to expect the ball to be delivered with better accuracy. … He has to see a clearer picture of what we’re trying to get done.”

Nitt Picks Returns Briefly

BSD — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:30:40 -0000

It's hard to find time to put these together during the season, but today there's enough interesting editorials out there I felt one was warranted.

As RUTS so eloquently pointed out, Joe's contract status got put on the back burner as the team jumped out to a 6-0 start. But his recent health problems have rekindled talk about his future and the future of the program. Today David Jones reshuffles the deck and tries to read the cards to determine where this ship is sailing. Of course Tom Bradley is on the list of possible successors with Schiano's stock dropping faster than the Dow Jones. JayPa is out while Al Golden's door may be opening. But there's one name that may get major consideration that may come as a surprise to many people.

Here's an outline of the way I see a possible regime change, based on recent correspondence with key people within the program:

Defensive line coach Larry Johnson is a much bigger player than you might imagine. If this ends up an inside hire, a more likely scenario, I'd put at least even money on him as the next coach. I might even give him better odds than defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.

Right or not, Bradley probably will suffer from having been the heir apparent so long at a place where those closest to Paterno have not wanted to contemplate his successor. Certain people in Paterno's inner sanctum are under the mistaken impression that Bradley has attempted surreptitiously to promote himself as the next head coach.

Jones goes on to explain.

Johnson doesn't have to. He's naturally even in demeanor and quiet and dignified in manner with the sort of navy-suit patina that can present the program at money functions. If Bradley is a VFW banquet room kind of guy, Johnson is more suited to Nittany Lion Club and alumni dinners. That's where the big money flows.

As a coach, Johnson has recruited and taught his butt off the past few years. No single unit has performed as consistently as PSU's defensive line.

He has a famous NFL running back for a son, twins who both were PSU athletes and wife Christine is said to be as good a recruiting closer as he is.

Finally, he's black. At a place so laughably straitlaced and politically correct as PSU, I'm sure his ethnicity seems exotic to the Wonder Bread chieftains. Johnson knows how to present himself in that CEO way that impresses them. It would be awfully tough for Spanier and the Board of Trustees to reject a loyal, qualified African-American.

One thing Jones doesn't point out is that many of the problem kids we've had in recent years were all very close to Johnson. Baker, Taylor, Evans, and Koroma are all defensive linemen, the unit Johnson coaches. Navorro Bowman was recruited by Johnson out of Maryland and has a very close relationship with him. And let's not forget he had one son (Tony) arrested for DUI and another son (LJ JR) that has chip on his shoulder wherever he goes. There have been grumblings in the dark underbelly of the internet message boards that some members of the staff and university lay part of the blame for our recent problems at the feet of LJSR for not keeping "his kids" in line. Johnson may be a fantastic position coach, but I'm not sold on his ability to lead a pack of young men to greatness.

On Wisconsin

I'm gaining more and more confidence going into our game against Wisconsin this weekend. This is a huge game for both teams as Wisconsin is trying to salvage what chances they have left to win the conference and Penn State is still entertaining dreams of undefeated seasons and BCS championships. From everything I've read the Penn State players and coaches are focused squarely on going into Madison and taking care of business. Wisconsin on the other hand seems to be focused more on themselves and looking back at what they did wrong to blow two fourth quarter leads in two weeks. In his weekly press conference reporters only wanted to talk about the Ohio State game. It wasn't until the very end that they sneaked in two questions about Penn State. They have the looks of a team in disarray. It's so bad Bielema is thinking about changing quarterbacks.

University of Wisconsin senior quarterback Allan Evridge needs to play better to hold on to his starting job.

That was the direct message to come out of coach Bret Bielema's Monday news conference.

Following back-to-back losses to Michigan and Ohio State, Bielema said he was evaluating several areas. But he made it clear he expects more out of his quarterback.

"As a football coach, you look at positions that haven't played as well as you'd like them to play," Bielema said. "There's a lot of guys on our team playing as good a football, or better, than we thought they could to begin with, but Allan's not immune to that. Obviously, the next guy in would probably be (junior) Dustin Sherer."

After a brief pause, Bielema clarified Evridge will still start Saturday night against Penn State. But Bielema's endorsement didn't extend beyond that.

"You don't need to read into it, Allan's going to start on Saturday and be our quarterback," Bielema said. "There comes a point in time where you have to make an assessment of where we are as a football team."

Well, at least they have P.J. Hill to fall back on. But then, some are even questioning that too.

While not having the gravity or importance of our presidential election, an important question rages throughout UW football fandom. Do we go with the young and dynamic John Clay or the proven bruiser P.J. Hill at running back?

As John McCain and Barack Obama throw around accusations and half-truths, we voters attempt to find some semblance of fact through the pile of garbage. I do not profess to be an expert on international affairs or the financial mess we find ourselves hip deep in. I would not consider myself a maverick, but I do believe I can provide some clarity on the Badgers running back situation.
John Clay is our present and future hope at running back.

This sounds like a team that has to get their house in order fast.

Wait. What? Is It Basketball Season Already?

In case you didn't already see the fanshot on this, check out the ESPN article on the Penn State basketball team.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Walking down Curtin Road on a Penn State campus just beginning to clog with football fans, the proud alum practically spun around on his heel as he grabbed his wife and daughter, and yelled:

"Hey, what's your name?''

"Jamelle,'' the student replied.

"Right," the alum grinned with knowing satisfaction. "Good luck tomorrow against Illinois.''

Jamelle Cornley shrugged and smiled.

If four years in Happy Valley has done anything, it has inured Conley (sic) to the anonymity of Penn State men's basketball. Playing literally in the shadows of the nearly 110,000-seat beast that is Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions who play hoops have long suffered as second-class citizens.

How fitting in a story about the anonymity of the Penn State basketball players the writer would misspell Cornley's name. I guess even the World Wide Leader makes typos too.

A Comeback for the Ages: Michigan Football Rallies from 19 Down to Top Wisconsin 27-25

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:19:41 -0000

via mikedesimone.com

Maturity is something that, by definition, comes with age. It's something you get as you go through life's little challenges and emerge from them with a little scar to remind you of the things you're really not supposed to do. Maturity takes time. I mean it's not like you can learn what to do and what not to do in an afternoon. You grow into things. You take your knocks. You eventually emerge from it stronger, and sometimes victorious. But it doesn't happen in an afternoon, does it?

Saturday afternoon started the same way the last three have. Fumbles. Mistakes. Fumbles. Mental errors. Fumbles. Poor play calling. Fumbles. So, as Michigan left the field at the end of the first quarter, the Michigan faithful, men and women, rose to their feet and voiced their displeasure. Could you blame them? Five turnovers. One first down. Negative seven yards passing. And the fifth turnover was an end of the half interception that nearly found its way back into Michigan's endzone. And as the chorus of boos rained down on the field, much to my surprise, I found myself riding this wave of frustration and anger and let loose a good hearty "Boo!"

It was a first for me. I'd seen worse beatings inflicted on Michigan during an opening half, last year's Oregon game for instance. 2002's Iowa/Brad Banks' delivered butt-whuppin'. This year's Yackety Sax in South Bend. But as I glanced back through my treo at my thoughts on the first half, I'd used more expletives than a longshoreman's convention and used the word "criminal" in describing the play calling more than once. I wasn't mad at the kids on the field. I was mad at the situation they'd been put in. And, well, honestly, I was a little mad at the kids who kept fumbling. Human nature being what it is, right? How could we spend two weeks "getting better" and do the same damn thing we'd done against Notre Dame? Why was our offense so damn inept?

Seriously? The offense was a disaster. Wisconsin stacked the line, keying on any movement by McGuffie or anyone else in the backfield. It was as if the two coaches were in a staring match and Michigan kept blinking, determined to not blink first and run the ball until it found success. Student body left. Student body right. Those were Michigan's two plays for the first half. That and the 15 yard scamper by Stephen Threet that resulted in him both getting plastered by Wisconsin's safety and losing the ball. Michigan's passing game was strictly horizontal, even more so after Threet sailed every down field pass into geostationary orbit. The running game was predictable. The line was getting beat. Nothing was going right. It was as if DeBord never left. And what the hell was with the constant fumbling?

via mikedesimone.com

Buried in the specactular, steaming turd the offense left on the field was a diamond of a performance by the defense. Despite spending the entire first half on the field the defense held Wisconsin to just 19 points. 19 points when three Wisconsin drives started inside the Michigan 40, and their own touchdown drive of the first started at the Wisconsin 40 yard line. For the first time this season Stevie Brown and Charles Stewart weren't just serviceable, they were actually pretty good. Even more important, Jonas Mouton was a force at Linebacker. Making plays in the backfield, pressuring the quarterback, tackling and wrapping up. And the line, oooh boy, the line, was just awesome. Both Jamison and Graham were in Evridge's face the entire day and the Taylor/Martin/Johnson rotation was simply dominant against a line that they were giving up an average of 30 pounds to. More on this later.

But defense wins championships and offense wins games, and without any signs of life from the offense when Michigan went into the locker room everyone in my section looked as though they'd just seen Seven Bells not only euthanized but thrown on the barbeque.

Unbeknowst to those of us in the stands or at home, the defense not only controlled the first half, but the locker room as well. At halftime, apparently before the coaches reached the locker room, Terrance Taylor went off. Not-fit-for-print went off. He teed off on everyone, challenging them. In my head I imagine it went something like this:

Reggie Dunlop: Goddamn lard-ass Barkley Donaldson, I'm tellin' you he jumped us!
Steve Hanson: [nodding head] Mm huh.
Reggie Dunlop: Gloves off, stick down, no warning, he challenged the Chiefs!
Steve Hanson: Called us names!
Reggie Dunlop: Called us names! But Dave was there.
Steve Hanson: Dave's a killer!
Johnny Upton: Dave's a mess.
Reggie Dunlop: But Dave's out. Who's gonna take his place?
Ned Braden: Is the answer Jesus?
Reggie Dunlop: [looks at the Hanson brothers] Ok guys. Show us what you got.

via mikedesimone.com

Whatever he did, it worked. Michigan's offense was entirely different in the second half. Maybe it was effort. Maybe it was emotion. Maybe it was the fact Michigan had to throw the ball vertically. But things were different out of the locker room.

The most notable difference was Stephen Threet. After his first half performance I was fairly certain we'd see Nick Sheridan in the game. In hindsight there's no way in hell Sheridan would've been put in, but it's difficult to describe the level of despair that settled in following his first half performance. But there he was. And he looked pretty good.

His passes were where they were supposed to be. His deep balls were Henne-esque (and I mean that when I say it), and he managed the game within himself rather than trying to win it with every throw. A couple of quick sideline passes to Mathews and Brown and Threet had finally found his rhythm. And then, after a bulldozer performance by Kevin Grady on 4&1 picked up five, Threet lofted the perfect 20 yard pass to a streaking Kevin Koger over two linebackers right down the middle on his third read. It was an incredible thing to watch, really. Even from the other side of the field I could see his head turn from read to read, finally settling on Koger. It may be hyperbole to say you saw a quarterback grow up before your eyes, but that may be what we saw.

Then the defense stepped up again, forcing two punts in quick succession and giving the offense the opportunity to make something happen. They did. If there's one thing the Michigan coaching staff isn't calling enough of, it's the deep pass. Threet has an amazing ability to put the ball into a bucket 40 yards downfield. On the same series he launched to moon scrapers that found the hands of his receivers 30 plus yards away only to have one dropped on a circus catch and the other batted away by excellent coverage. Even though they fell incomplete, they left Wisconsin just enough time to do something stupid, like nail Threet two seconds after his throw and pick up a personal foul for roughing the passer. After that, it was Threet making things happen, even when things went wrong. A couple of drops and a third and long later, Threet scrambled for a first down on an obviously broken play. It was his show now.

The next two plays were all Threet. On a quick read he found Minor to his right on a short pass that went for 11. And then, obviously arguing with the play calling, Threet gave the sideline the bird (though it had to be a signal or something, but it sure looked like the ole' eff you), caught Wisconsin in an obvious blitz, checked off to a run, and Brandon Minor did the rest, sprinting 36 yards to paydirt right before my eyes.

via mikedesimone.com

Minor's run was beautiful to watch. Sitting in the corner of the endzone has tremendous advantages. For one, it gives you and excellent vantage point to observe the whole field, including the holds, gaps and lateral issues you can't really see on TV or at a direct or perpendicular view. Second, when Minor blew threw the gap in the line and broke right for the endzone, he was running right at us. Legs churning, eyes darting for the safety he knew he could beat, showing us why we got so excited about him as a freshman/sophomore, and why we expect so much from him today. When he crossed the goal line, highsteping away from a diving safety, all of a sudden it was real. Michigan could run this spread thing we'd heard so much about. Michigan could win this game. Some how, some way, despite the half from hell, Michigan was the better team and they were playing like they spotted Wisconsin 19 points just to make it fair.

A play later this suspicion was confirmed. For some reason offensive coordinators feel like it's a good idea to keep challenging Donovan Warren. I haven't figured out why. Even on a three step drop, when Warren is in tight coverage throwing at him is simply asking for trouble. Seemingly oblivious to this, on Wisconsin's first play after the Minor touchdown, Evridge took the snap at UW 20, took three steps back and fired a bullet to his left. It was a good pass. Really. It sure looked it. the only problem was Warren read the play and got the the ball and the reciever at the same time, deflecting the ball skyward and eventually into the happy hands of Johnny Thompson.

All of a sudden, there was Thompson, surrounded by a sea of blue jerseys running right at the same spot Brandon Minor had recently christened as comeback corner. In front of him was the entire Michigan defensive line, looking for someone to block and/or inflict pain on. It was like the whole thing was in slow motion. As Thompson dodged the first defender, Taylor lined up an offensive lineman and drove him halfway to Philadelphia. Behind this wall of Thompson rumbled into the front right corner of the endzone, setting off jubilation in the stands.

Good lord, we're winning.

The next possession for Wisconsin ended nearly as quickly. Three short plays and a punt to the Michigan 23. Everyone was thinking the same thing. We're up a point 20-19. We're running the ball.

A year ago this would've meant Hart running into a line stacked with Badgers three times before punting the ball away. Maybe after the first half when Michigan showed no ability to disguise its runs or any ability to move the ball in an unconventional way, Wisconsin thought they'd figured things out. That's when Threet showed us he's more than capable of making the other team pay for underestimating him and his offense. On the first play following the punt, Rodriguez sent in Minor, seemingly signifying that Michigan was going to run the ball down Wisconsin's throat and chew up the clock. You could see the linebackers key on Minor as Threet went into his cadence and lock onto him as he darted to the right following the snap, taking a quick step toward and away from Threet behind a wall of blockers.

Only Minor didn't have the ball.

via mikedesimone.com

Reading the over aggressiveness of the defense, faking the hand off to Minor, Threet tucked the ball under his right arm and darted through the open gap vacated by the linebackers and weakside DE. This type of manuever you expect to gain 10 or 15 yards with a guy like Threet in the ball game. But just like with the passing game, Threet showed everyone he's got a lot more in his system than measureables. With a quick first step, Threet seemed to be at full speed by his second stride, he blasted through the linebacker contain before the LB even completed his dive at Threet's feet, and simply outran the Wisconsin safety for a 58 yard gain before he was finally hauled down by a cornerback. Describing the visual of a 6'6" quarterback, whose pre-season mobility was likened to office furniture, outrun Wisconsin's hyped linebackers and safeties is as difficult as it was remarkable. Threet may not be Pat White, but goddammit he is one competitive sonofabitch who is full of surprises.

Five plays later Sam McGuffie, who'd been kept in check all game, rumbled into the endzone behind increasingly impressive roadgrader Mark Moundros. All of a sudden it's 27-19 and everyone, coaches, players, fans, and more importantly, Wisconsin, knew Michigan was a legitimate football team. 27 unanswered points will do that to you.

Then it was time for the refs to try to screw Michigan out of a victory and for the Defense to say to Hell with it and win it anyway. Despite the referees awarding a first down on a juggled, trapped first down catch and finding Wisconsin on 6 yard line, Brandon Graham and his buddies stiffened and knocked the holy hell out of Evridge forcing a fumble that Taylor recovered.

To Wisconsin's credit, they forced a punt, then caught Michigan off guard on several plays, before beating Morgan Trent to pull within 2 points. On the two point conversion somehow Brandon Harrison got matched up on Travis Beckum, and Wisconsin seemingly tied the game with 14 seconds to go. But this time the officials got one right. Bekum lined up improperly, negating his game tying catch. The next play, negative five yards later, saw Michigan in a three man rush and Max Martin beat a double team to smash Evridge just as he released the ball, forcing it high and harmlessly into the stands.

Then, it was over.

A kneel down by Threet followed by a jumping chest bump with Mathews, and Michigan's greatest home comeback was complete.

Everyone in our section stayed. Shaking. Unbelieving but believing at the same time. No one could believe the turnaround. No one could believe that the team we saw during the first period was the same team we saw in the second. But we'd seen it with our own eyes. We'd seen the comeback. We'd seen a young team mature in 30 minutes and dominate the 9th or 8th ranked team in the country. Hell, we'd seen them post 27 points in 18 minutes.

From a todler to a full grown team in 30 minutes. That doesn't happen, does it? We'll know for sure next week when Illinois comes calling. But for a day, we saw a team grow up before our eyes and pull off the greatest comeback in Michigan Stadium history.

via mikedesimone.com

All photos courtesy the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Wolverine Photo, the Associated Press and Mike Desimone, who put all these together.