SB Nation - Shane Carter

Bucknotes is doin' work, son

Sam @ WWAHT — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00:30 -0000

(Shorter entry today, Iowa preview and #'s 6-10 on the blogpoll ballot a bit later on)

The Buckeye Battle Cry | Offensive Tackle: Key to the Season
Excellent article over at the BBC, but I'm curious: is it out of the question that Adams and Miller will settle into a rotation, and the staff will wait to see who looks better during an actual game? Or is USC too soon for this?

Villains add spice to college football - ESPN
Number three: Maurice Clarett. Number ten: Woody Hayes. Jim Tressel checks in too, all the way down at 35. I wouldn't put any stock in the "rankings" - it's in alphabetical order.

Ohio State might move Turner to point guard - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News
I'm alright with it, if he can just tamp down on the damn turnovers when he's at the point, and shows a bit more willingness to pass the ball around when the play isn't there for him.

Navy Scrimmage Notes | Navy Sports Blog | Blogs (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital)
Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs has looked the part of a competent passer in practice up to this point, making the Middies' triple-option attack that much more of a concern for the Buckeyes come the 5th.

Bret Bielema may be hearing from suspended safties' attorneys - Dr. Saturda... - NCAA Football - Rivals.com
The Madtown Meltdown continues. Here's the story: Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant, big contributors to the Badger D last year, have been suspended indefinitely. Butch Carter, Shane's brother, and Garner Pleasant, Aubrey's father, are not pleased, and have threatened legal action. I have no idea if the suspension is justified, so I'm not taking sides, but I will say this: Bielema, your ass is burnin'. Might want to stand up, at the very least.

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Name gets him recognition
mmm Duron Carter fluff. Probably not redshirting, in case you were still holding out hope that he might.

Welcome to Hell Week (Blogging the Buckeyes)
Tressel is taking away players' ipods, cell phones, laptops, even TVs (all that work for nothing, eh, Terrelle?) in the spirit of "Hell Week", in which the Navy SEALS "weed out" many candidates in a system of isolation. There will also be "unique drills" and "condition surprises", meaning the days of "TOOTSIE POPS FOR REHRING" may be nearing an end.

Mauti Suffers Knee Injury - Black Shoe Diaries

That, my friends, is a torn ACL. Never a good thing, and possibly a season-ender for Penn State's starting MLB. I'd say the Moeller injury keeps us fairly even.

Daily Nugz - Tuesday, August 18, 2009

JG2112 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:00:22 -0000

A few morsels for you today. I'd start here, if you haven't seen this already. Seantrel Henderson's dad has announced Seantrel's likely official visits to be: Ohio State, Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma and Florida. This isn't a deal-breaker for Minnesota, since he'll be at every home game if he's in town. But, that list of teams is ominous, and it's rare for a guy to commit to a school where he doesn't take an official visit. One of the last? OU's Gerald McCoy, who will likely be a top-5 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Other interesting news:

(1) The Manning Award announced its watch list for the 2009 season. Adam Weber is on the list. Of course, as long as Tim Tebow doesn't get assaulted during one of his prison fellowship sessions, he'll likely win. Of course, if the Mannings want to commemorate a college player who, like Peyton and Eli, couldn't win the big one and ultimately came up short as collegians, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy currently look like nice choices.

(2) If Ron Zook can be on the hot seat two years removed from the "Rose Bowl Game," well, keep Brewster in your thoughts this year if the team doesn't improve.

(3) Heard of Bret Bielema? He deserves all the scorn he gets for being a mediocre, at best, coach. Over the weekend he suspended two backup safeties, Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant. Well, the players plan to fight the suspensions. The season threatens to unravel for Wisconsin before it even starts.

(4) Finally, an interesting post over at Brian Cook's MGOBLOG. An extremely bored Michigan fan decided to look at the "effect" of Michigan rotating on and off a Big Ten rival's conference slate since the practice began in 1993. By and large, a team plays WORSE when Michigan has been absent from their schedule. However, as you can see, Minnesota is one of the only teams that bucks the trend. If the winning percentage holds true, get ready for a 7-5 season and a loss to Nebraska in the Insight or Alamo Bowls.

EDIT: Breaking news (6:00am CST) - Syracuse has named former Duke antagonist Greg Paulus as their starting QB for the opener against Minnesota. He has apparently beaten out Ryan Nassib and Cam Dantley for the job. (credit buddylee853, who was on this last night as well).

There are two pretty obvious ways this will play out. One, Syracuse's returning QBs were so terrible that playing Paulus is a no-lose situation, but the Orange ultimately get no production and Paulus counts the lights in the Carrier Dome.

However, we support Minnesota, and we know what's likely to happen. Paulus throws for 400 yards and 5 TDs, and Syracuse springs the upset.

After all, if Syracuse is going to derive any benefit of surprise from Paulus, it's going to be in the first game, where Minnesota has no idea what kind of offense Coach Doug Marrone is going to run, and Minnesota has essentially no film on the Orange by which to game plan against their schemes. Now, without even Nassib or Dantley on the field, Syracuse will have at least the first two drives to try and spring surprises against the Gophers. It seems to me that Paulus would be used for his arm, as he threw for over 3,000 yards and 38 TDs in his senior year in high school, and he can throw to Mike Williams, who sat out 2008 after a 60-reception, 10-TD haul in 2007.

Even though Syracuse has had at least 15 players leave its program since Marrone was named coach, this is going to be a serious test for the Gophers, and especially, co-defensive coordinators Kevin Cosgrove and Ronnie Lee. They will have to exhibit an ability to recognize, diagnose and counteract Syracuse's method of attack by the end of the first quarter, or else, the Gophers will be in serious danger of losing. Nothing I've seen out of Cosgrove after 2004, or Lee at any point during his career, gives me confidence they can handle the job. I hope they prove me wrong and come home from New York with a 1-0 record. However, if they can't, it won't bode well for 2009.

Analysis of Big Ten Player Injuries and Suspensions

grahamfiller10 — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:35:18 -0000

Law Buck cannot remember the last time so many important players got injured before a Big Ten season. I think it's just a product of the increased coverage on Fall practice. Either way, a bunch of solid players face questions over their health or eligibility status. Let's take a quick look at the impact of the latest injuries and suspensions:

Tyler Moeller, LB, OSU

What Happened: He was going to start until getting conked on the head in a Florida bar.

Diagnosis: Early reports said he was out for the year, but according to 11 Warriors, he's chomping at the bit to get back on the field.

Impact: As 11 Warriors points out, this was one of OSU's deepest positions. And since the Buckeye's reload at LB anyways, I can't imagine this being a monstrous loss.

Justin Boren, OL, OSU

What Happened: Sprained his knee badly in practice, will miss three weeks at the most.

Diagnosis: Will not miss any games, but will miss valuable time to gel with the other members of the offensive line.

Impact: He's on Phil Steele's First Team All-Big Ten team and supposed to be an anchor for this talented OSU line. Not the guy you want to be surrounded by injury questions.

Michael Mauti, LB, PSU

What Happened: As BSD describes, Mauti tangled his knee up and tore an ACL while chasing a running back during practice.

Diagnosis: He's done, by all accounts. Mauti's father is talking MRI's and doom and gloom.

Impact: Minimal, but that's not a denigration on Mauti. It's just that Penn State's LB corps is so nasty this year with Lee and Bowman.

Aubrey Pleasant and Shane Carter, Safeties, Wisconsin

What Happened: Bielema suspended these two veterans for the remaining preseasons camp. No word on what exactly happened, but both safeties have contacted lawyers and are fighting their suspensions.

Diagnosis: Getting kicked out of preseason camp is never good news. I've been unable to find any rumors or news about what their prospect of being reinstated is.

Impact: Wisconsin plays a couple of run focused OOC teams (NIU, Fresno) and avoids Juice Williams and his highly hyped receivers. Losing a couple of backup safeties who were dogging it during practice and had a history of breaking team rules will probably not throw off this teams equilibrium. However, the shady circumstances of their removal will make fans question the way Bielema is running this team.

Jewel Hampton, RB, Iowa

What Happened: Or more accurately, what has been happening. After another recent injury, BHGP wrote:

...this is the third time in 6 months that he's injured the same knee and missed practice time.

Diagnosis: When your stepping in for Shonn Greene, you're going to be under a microscope. Hampton's knees are not reacting well to this scrutiny, as he was recently witnessed walking gingerly on the sidelines at practice.

Impact: Iowa has unproven backups and an offense that ran the ball 60% of the time last year. Hampton's health is probably the biggest question around Iowa's camp right now.

Jordan Bernstine, CB, Iowa

What Happened: Broke his ankle on special teams play in practice, or as his high school coach said, snapped it good. OH GOD that gives me, owner of two previously busted ankles, shivers.

Diagnosis: Will probably miss the whole season.

Impact: As the owner of the Big Ten's hardest in-conference schedule, Iowa needed all the depth they could find in their secondary. The Hawkeyes play two of the the only Big Ten teams that can legitimately wing the football down the field (Ohio State, Penn State), so Bernstine's importance as a possible starting CB or safety was paramount.

Carter, Pleasant fight back at Bielema

Adam Hoge — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:48:57 -0000

More photos » by PHELAN M. EBENHACK - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shane Carter, left, and Aubrey Pleasant, right, arrive at their team hotel in Orlando, Fla., for the Capital One Bowl back in 2005. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Browse more photos »

Wow. We almost never see this at the college level, especially at Wisconsin, but Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant intend to fight the indefinite suspensions handed out by Bret Bielema Saturday.

Bielema declined to specify why the two senior safeties were suspended and it appears neither violated the student-athlete discipline policy because previous violations have been announced by the university.

Garner Pleasant, the father of Aubrey Pleasant, vows to fight back, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"I hate to say this, but you just can't treat people any old way. I think that is what he (Bielema) is used to doing. Maybe this is how they do things at Iowa. And I hate to say that . . . but I hope the guy comes to his senses. Lawyers have been contacted, and we just want the kids' names cleared."

Lawyers, hearings, no answers and Bret Bielema in the middle. Not exactly a good start for a team trying to improve its "chemistry" this season.

Football is here! Our 10 questions for Fall Camp

Adam Hoge — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:55:09 -0000

The 2009 football season officially starts today at 3:50 p.m. when the Wisconsin Badgers open their first practice of the season at Camp Randall Stadium.

Finally! Trust me, eeking out content on this site all summer long has been no easy task. From today until late March we're going to have plenty to talk about on Bucky's 5th Quarter.

What's on tap for camp

As camp opens, here's what you can expect:

After completely closing the media's access to practice last season, Bret Bielema has graciously opened up practice from Aug. 17 to Aug. 25. That is going to give us all a better idea of what's going on as Bielema sets up his final two-deep depth chart 10 days before the opener (Aug. 26).

I will personally be attending a few of those open practices, although when is yet to be determined.

For the first week, we are going to have to go strictly off post-practice interviews from coaches and players and every day we will have all the links to the stories that come out of camp.

Questions, questions, questions

Every camp opens with questions. The difference between a good football team and a bad football team depends on how many of those questions get answered before the season opener.

In Wisconsin's case, the following questions need to be answered before Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. when UW hosts Northern Illinois:

1) Has Dustin Sherer developed into a Big Ten-caliber quarterback capable of leading the Badgers back to a New Year's Day bowl game? If not, are freshmen Curt Phillips or Jon Budmayr good enough to take over the reigns this season?

2) Who will fill the void left by the departed Jonathan Casillas and DeAndre Levy at linebacker? Are Blake Sorensen and Mike Taylor ready?

3) Are there any young guys capable of fixing the serious depth issue apparent on the defensive line?

4) Who starts opposite of Aaron Henry at the other cornerback position?

5) Are any of the veteran members of the secondary (Aubrey Pleasant, Shane Carter, Jay Valai, Chris Maragos) ready to put together an all-conference season?

6) Is Josh Oglesby the real deal or a bust?

7) Can Jake Bscherer cut it at guard?

8) Who will start at fullback? Will Mickey Turner have to become a make-shift fullback?

9) Which formerly young wide receiver (David Gilreath, Issac Anderson, Kyle Jefferson) becomes a dependable go-to veteran? Will Nick Toon be that guy as a sophomore?

10) Which incoming freshmen earn playing time with a solid camp?

What questions do you want to see answered in the coming weeks? Leave them here and we will see if they get answered as we break down camp on a daily basis.

Badger Bloggers Roundtable: Discussing the defense

Adam Hoge — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:16:56 -0000

In Part II of our preseason roundtable, the Badger Bloggers got together to discuss the defense. Joining me in the roundtable are Duff Beach from On Wisconsin! Scott Tappa of Badgercentric, and Phil Mitten of Hoops Marinara:

Can you believe it has been five years since that great defensive line of 2004? Depth is once again an issue this year, but there seems to be some promise in J.J. Watt among others. Do you see any newcomers stepping up on the D-line to provide some depth?

On Wisconsin: Yeah, 5 years since Anttaj and Erasmus, but harder to believe for me is that Chapman and Shaughnessy never became true beasts on the line. They had so much promise early. Schofield is solid (led the team in sacks last season) and everyone is excited about Watt, but it's all based on practice so far. I want to believe in him, but I'm a little nervous. I'm concerned about our size everywhere and Moore really should be an end (where he would probably be very good), but we should have speed on the edges. I don't know who the solid tackles-to-be are, but with Nzegwu, Mains, and Westphal, there is plenty of young talent ready to step up on the ends. We'll need it.

Badger Centric: It's funny, because when you mentioned 2004, the first thing I thought was "I thought 2005 would be a down year, and we ended up winning 10 games, great year." But that was in spite of the defensive line! Even so, while injuries killed that unit (remember Beckum playing end?), but guys like Shaughnessy, Hayden, and Chapman showed promise. I don't see those guys on this unit. O'Brien is a solid starter. Watt seems to have a Hayden-like ceiling. But are there difference-makers? Doesn't look like it. I'll be happy if these guys can keep offensive linemen off our linebackers.

Hoops Marinara: It's a shame Erasmus and Co. flamed out in the NFL. Maybe they weren't that great after all. In 2009, the Badgers look weak up the middle and that spells trouble. I like O'Brien Schofield, who seems like he should be the emotional leader on the unit. Again, I like the younger guys UW has backing up the end positions, but inside is a question mark.

Bucky’s 5th Quarter: You have to be careful from what comes out of Camp Randall in the off-season because a lot of it can be propaganda. But I must say I am a little more optimistic about the defensive line than I was in the spring. After talking with O’Brien Schofield, I must say he seems like a solid leader and he’s determined to have a good year. If J.J. Watt blossoms like he is supposed to, I think Brendan Kelly and Louis Nzegwu do enough to make this a solid line.

Speaking of a lack of depth, the linebacking corp. seems to be scrambling to replace Jonathan Casillas and DeAndre Levy. Blake Sorensen didn't have a great spring, but he is still listed ahead of Mike Taylor on the depth chart. Are you worried about the linebackers?

On Wisconsin: I think the linebackers are the scariest group. First, Sorenson looked S-L-O-W in the spring. I'm pulling for Taylor if only because Sorenson either isn't fast enough or didn't care enough to try harder. I think St. Jean played pretty well when he had his chances last season, so we have two solid starters, but who's backing them up? That's where the loss of Hodge as a solid, contributing second-stringer really hurt. We've heard some positives about Megna, Rouse, and Hubbard, but we haven't seen it yet. Bottom line: I'm worried. Really worried.

Badger Centric: Yes, very. Don't want to join the chorus questioning Sorenson, but I've never seen it with him. Saw Taylor play in high school and he was a stud, but we certainly can't count on him to be a standout this year. McFadden and St. Jean are average at best. And there is no one else. What about playing Pleasant at linebacker? We see so much spread it might make sense to have a guy like that in the front seven.

Hoops Marinara: Sorensen certainly has a lot of expectations to fulfill, but I think along with Culmer St. Jean and J. McFadden they can form a decent group. No one will accuse them of being as athletic as last year's group -- Casillas and Levy were two of the best athletes at that position that Wisconsin has seen. But what the Badgers really need is simply a group that knows how to tackle well. I don't want every draw play that gets past the line going for 6 ... can we get another Donnel Thompson in this bunch, please?!

Bucky’s 5th Quarter: I’m excited about McFadden in the middle, but very worried about the other two spots. Culmer St. Jean has never really put it all together and Sorensen didn’t exactly take advantage of his opportunities in the spring. It should be interesting to see what Mike Taylor can do. If he has a good camp, this will be the most fun defensive position battle over the next month.

Is it safe to say (and a little scary to say) that the secondary is the strength of the Badger defense? It seems like every guy listed on two-deep has shown flashes of brilliance at some point in the last few seasons, but they also have had their hardships. And will Aaron Henry really be as good as he looked like he would be before the knee injury?

On Wisconsin: I think they are a strength, but that's relative to the near total unknown of the front 7. Especially at safety, I worry about making that critical tackle. As much as Valai can lay the wood (needs to watch the head-to-head stuff, though), he missed his fair share of tackles last season. That's been Carter's problem all along, which is why Maragos will probably start at free safety. At corner Henry will be fine. I'm glad they decided to keep him out all of last season to truly let him heal. Niles Brinkley played fine last season, and I'm hoping Fenelus and Smith are coming along as well as advertised. But hope is not a method.

Badger Centric: It is scary, and I'd even question the "flashes of brilliance" assertion. We've seen flashes of competence from these guys, and I'd settled for sustained competence. But every one of the starters has question marks: Henry with the knee, Maragos still learning the position, Valai and his pure hitter MO, and Brinkley giving up big plays. But I'm actually optimistic about these guys and the young guys too. Shane Carter is a wild card, if he could come in and force some turnovers that would be huge.

Hoops Marinara: There's no question that the secondary looks good by comparison. But I think they actually will be good. Henry should be ready to go -- he's one of the elite talents on the team. I'm really excited to see him grow up. The entire makeup of the secondary is intriguing. You have knock-out artist in Valai, an overachiever in Maragos, plus a lot of experience backing those safeties up (Carter and Pleasant). Niles Brinkley is probably the weak link.

Bucky’s 5th Quarter: Remember when Shane Carter led the Big Ten in interceptions two years ago? And Niles Brinkley picked off four passes last season? Why don’t I remember all of this? Oh, because when they weren’t grabbing turnovers they were getting beat for touchdowns and committing crucial penalties. Every member of the starting secondary has a good amount of experience, but how much talent do they have? We’ll find out soon.

What are your thoughts on the defensive coaching staff? Toughness seemed to be an issue at times last season. How will this unit overcome the mental and physical shortcomings that were apparent in 2008?

On Wisconsin: Bottom line is the heat should be squarely on Doeren. After what Hankwitz did to turn around the Northwestern defense, Bielema's choice to go with Dave over Mike hasn't looked so hot. Maybe it was just breaking everything in the first year with guys who were more used to Hankwitz's way of doing things? That's no excuse this year. On top of making tackles, the defense needs to improve its conditioning. The losses to Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State all lay at the defense's tired feet (Bielema's too, of course). The idea that a Barry Alvarez legacy team (as long as he's the AD, he's a part of it) could be 9th in scoring defense in the Big Ten is unfathomable. That can't happen again.

Badger Centric: I don't know about toughness, it's hard to get to be a guy who plays a lot on a Big Ten defense and not be at least somewhat tough. Remember, there were a lot of injuries on that side of the ball last year: Casillas, Levy, Chapman, Henry, and that hurt productivity. What sticks with me are comments made on my blog after the Iowa game. I forget who said it, but the point was made that our defense had finally adapted to deal with the Spread, but when we go against a power line and back like Iowa had, we get run over. That probably won't always happen, but there's a lot of truth there. So by making the seemingly necessary adaptation to deal with the Spread, we have lost our identity as being a stout, stop-the-run defense, and become just another defense with a bunch of undersized guys running around in space. If these undersized guys were racking up sacks and interceptions, that would be one thing, but the unit seems mediocre at best, and it's not like next year looks any more promising. Some of that's on X's and O's coaching, but it's also recruiting and player development.

Hoops Marinara: It starts at the top with BB. I can't stress enough how much I want the coach to relinquish the Special Teams duties. He needs to set the example being focused and knowing where to be at all times. The good news is if the secondary can be everything I want it to be, that makes the job of pressuring the QB a little easier. I think the offense can be better this year too, which should (hopefully) alleviate the problems the defense had being worn out all the time in tight games.

Bucky’s 5th Quarter: The good news is that fixing these problems was item No. 1 in the off-season. Improving the defense’s mental and physical toughness – and committing fewer mistakes – will give this team an extra win or two this season. And if the problems continue then it will be a major problem for the defensive coaching staff.

A way too early look at the 2009 Schedule - Week 5 - Wisconsin

GopherNation — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:30:10 -0000

The battle for The Axe is the highlight game of the year, imo. A year ago the Gophers went down to Madison and played arguably their best game of the year, nearly pulling off the huge upset on the road. Instead the game was the last competitive game we would see out of the Gophers and 2008 finished in a tailspin not easily forgotten. 2009 cannot come soon enough for the Gophers and you can bet this game is one they are looking forward to winning.

This game is the Big Ten opener for TCF Bank Stadium, it is the longest rivalry in all of college football, ~~we have Brett Favre on our team now~~ and it is our anual chance to house Paul Bunyan's Axe where it rightfully belongs. I love this game and I love rivalries of this nature. I have queried a couple quality Badger blogs to get their thoughts on the Badgers. Bucky's 5th Quarter is an SBN sister and On Wisconsin is a lesser known blog full of great content. Let's get to the game...

The Badgers on Offense

Much like the Gophers the Badger offensive strengths lie with their skill position players. Dustin Sherer returns to likely start at QB, John Clay and Zach Brown should be one of the best RB tandums in the conference, Garrett Graham may be the best TE in the conference and the WRs with David Gilreath, Nick Toon and Isaac Anderson are all pretty good. Outside of Graham, those names are not going to be appearing on any All-American radar screens but they are all experienced and talented.

Where the Badger offense may struggle is along the offensive line. This group reminds me of the Gopher OL heading into last year. They are coming off a strong season from the prior year (2008) but have to replace three starters. All likely starters have experience and had started in the past just not full time. Neither B5Q or OnWisconsin seemed concerned but replacing three starters is a big deal. Here is college football expert, Phil Steele on offensive line returning starts...

When most folks judge a team for the upcoming season they look at the QB, RB and WR's that are returning. A few may take the time to look at star defensive players that are back (those with a lot of sacks or interceptions). Very few look at the offensive line and yet the team that controls the line of scrimmage wins the game more often than not. Now experience on the Oline is not the only criteria for an offensive lines potential for the next year. You have to add in Blue Chips, how last years line performed (YPC rushing and sacks allowed), size, etc.

Minnesota ranks 8th nationally with 102 returnings starts and Wisconsin ranks 95th out of 120 schools with 49 returning starts. I think this is a bigger issued than either of my respected blog-egues care to admit.

B5Q - Last year's offensive line wasn't all that special so I don't think it is that big of a deal that they lost some guys. The three new guys all have seen playing time in the past and sophomore RT Josh Oglesby should live up to all the hype he has received since high school. The point is that these guys are definitely good enough to allow John Clay to have a big season.

OnW - Of the three new starters, all have started in their careers, and all have logged many minutes. Oglesby was a 5-star recruit, Bscherer started over him their freshman year when injuries dictated the need, and Nagy started several games at guard last season. The first string will be fine. The concern is the depth. The second string has no experience, and I don't think there is a true two-deep at guard. Not counting incoming true-freshman, we don't have four guards. So the starters are fine, but injuries could pose a huge problem for the line.

I'm not convinced. The three starters they are losing all received some level of post-season recognition in the Big Ten. Kraig Urbik was 2nd team All-Conference and drafted in the third round, Andy Kemp and Eric Vanden Heuvel were both honorable mention. They weren't the most dominant players in school history or anything but they will be missed.

John Clay and Zach Brown return to form one of the deepest and more talented backfields in the conference. Assuming the OL can create some holes they should easily combine for 1,600 + yards on the season. Last fall in Madison the Gopher defense did a much better than expected job of containing this rushing attack. Clay was held to a season low 35 yards (with at least 10 carries) and PJ Hill had 117 yards but 38 of those was on one play with a missed tackle in the backfield. When the game was finished the Badgers had been held to their lowest rushing total of the season. This is a good ground game but for whatever reason the Gophers did a very good job gameplanning and executing in Madison.

Wide Receiver and Tight End are also areas of strength for the Badgers. David Gilreath was 2nd team All-Big Ten a year ago and keep an eye on sophomore, Nick Toon who may be their best receiver this year. Garrett Graham is an outstanding TE.

B5Q - As far as the receivers go, I think you are going to see a much improved group. Gilreath will continue to cause some problems and Kyle Jefferson should be healthy again. But the guy defenses should be worried about is sophomore Nick Toon who started to come on late last season and has the size and speed to be the best receiver on the team. True freshman Kraig Appleton could surprise too.

OnW - This is the best four-deep (Jefferson is the fourth) WR corps the Badgers have had in some time (at least since Williams/Orr). But the biggest concern opponents should have in the passing game is the Badger tight ends. Consider that the last three starting Badger TEs are playing in the NFL (Daniels was in the last pro bowl). Garrett Graham is the real deal and should be on all-American watch lists. Lance Kendricks is very athletic, and while slower than Beckum was, is bigger, approximating true TE size, but still fast enough to split wide. Finally, Turner is a decent true-TE, too. Expect a lot of two-TE sets that drive linebackers and safeties nuts in coverage. That's where the Badger passing game is toughest to defend. A competent quarterback could make this a very dangerous offense.

Hmmm, a compent quarterback huh? Dustin Sherer should be competent but unless he surpasses expectations he'll be in the bottom half of Big Ten QBs this season. I'm not going to spend a ton of time on Sherer as he isn't a game-changer. The 5th year senior is solid and reliable. Expect about 58% completions, slightly more TDs than INTs and somewhere between 180-199 yards per game. He'll be required to hand off more than most Big Ten QBs and hit open receivers. As long as he doesn't try to do more than that (be like Brett Favre) he'll be find and this offense will be potent.

The Badgers on Defense

The key figure on the Badger defense is 5 returning starters. They lose three on the line, two linebackers and one in the secondary. That is five of their front seven that need replacing. In 2008 the Badgers finished 5th against the run giving up 133 yards per game and the second most rushing TDs in the conference. Expect more yards to be allowed this year as the front seven is a major question mark. I asked Bucky's 5th Quarter to give me a breakdown of the position groups and here are his thoughts on the defensive line and linebackers.

LBs - Honestly we don't really know what to expect here. Jaevery McFadden is the lone returning starter, while Culmer St. Jean (who has seen playing time, but never played extremely well) takes over in the middle. Kevin Rouse, who has been one of UW's better special teamers the last two seasons, should start on the outside as well, but he wasn't exactly spectacular in the spring.
DL - Again, Wisconsin has to replace three starters, but the coaches love DE J.J. Watt and a number of talented freshmen could provide depth. Still, it will probably be a tough year on the defensive line, a problem that could end up being the Achilles heel of this team.

He doesn't sound too overly optimistic about the 2009 Badger defense. But On Wisconsin is downright negative.

As for the front 7? Oy. Your guess is as good as mine. Transfer J.J. Watt, at DE (and maybe moving inside on passing downs) is expected to be a spark on the line, but he's among three new starters, so who knows? Linebackers McFadden and St. Jean will be fine (McFadden is returning, but moving outside), but I'm worried about Blake Sorensen on the weak side, and it isn't as though the former two will be on any pre-season all-conference teams. As dangerous as the Badger offense could be (with a decent quarterback), the defense is a total question mark, and were I guessing, I would say soft against the run, especially inside.

All of this sounds good for Gopher fans. The secondary should be OK. They lose Allen Langford at CB who was 2nd team All-Big Ten a year ago, but the other three starters return.

B5Q - It looks like Niles Brinkley will be the other starting cornerback, which is kind of a scary thought when you consider how lost he was on the field last season. Still, the coaches insist he has improved immensely. At safety, the Badgers return a lot of experience but not a whole lot of talent. But Jay Valai, Chris Maragos, Aubrey Pleasant and Shane Carter all have logged a ton of playing time and should be more than adequate.

OnW - There aren't any serious questions about the secondary. It should be solid. Henry is a very good cover corner and Brinkley isn't bad. Valai is a big hitter, but in obvious passing downs you might instead see Pleasant at strong safety as he has better size and doesn't give up much in talent. Either Maragos or Carter is a good option at free safety.

While they return the most in the secondary it isn't exactly a scary group. On paper this looks like a defense that most teams will be able to run on and I'll take my chances with Weber/Decker/Green against this secondary as well.

What is going to Happen

Well prior to researching this post I figured we had a coin flips chance of winning this game, maybe slightly better since it is a home game. But upon further review I am more confident now than I was a week ago. If Brewster wants to show that this team is improved and that he is capable of winning with the upgraded talent then he absolutely needs to win this game.

I'm putting this game into the "must win" category for a number of reasons. First and foremost this is year three of the Brewster era and he has yet to win a rivalry game. I'm not overly confident about our trip to Iowa this year and we don't have Michigan on the schedule, which means if he wants to win any rivalry game in his first three years on the job then this is the game he has to do it. Secondly the schedule gets really tough following Purdue and Indiana isn't on the schedule so the Gophers want to get back to a bowl game this is a must win. Lastly the Badgers are a bit down (at least replacing a number of starters) and the Gophers have a good nucleaus returning for 2009, this is in the must win category because it is winable against a good program.

I think the upper-classmen will remember last year's gut-wrenching loss in Madison and you will see a Gopher team that will play a great game. The Gophers avoid any semblance of a 4th quarter melt-down and for the first Big Ten game in TCF Stadium the Axe will be hoisted high as the rouser is sung by 50,300.

Wisconsin - 20
Minnesota - 34

The rest of the questions and answers from Bucky's 5th Quarter and On Wisconsin after the jump...

TDG - Does this game make you nervous? The Gophers nearly stole one from you in Madison a year ago and the Badgers have been playing Russian-Roulette with near losses to the Gophers for a while now. Will the bullet finally fall into the chamber or do Badger fans just pencil in the W on their schedule as soon as they are printed?

B5Q - Yeah, this game definitely makes me nervous. The Gophers would have won last year if the game was in Minnesota and now they have a "real" home stadium where it won't be 60% Badger fans. I expect for Minnesota to be favored in this game and have a good shot at finally getting the Axe back.

OnW - I don't know about nervous, but I've marked it as one of two losses in my overly optimistic 10-2 pre-prediction for the season. The Badgers certainly didn't blow Minnesota away the last two games, but have gone 8-2 over the last 10 (including the remarkable finish in Minneapolis in 2005, but that wasn't they only way we might have won that game). I think Minnesota has a good chance in this game, but I think many Badger fans find that idea reprehensible and assume we'll indoctrinate TCF the right way. These are probably the same fans who wanted Alvarez fired in 2002. Don't get me wrong, I think the Badgers can and should win this game, but for now I have it down as a loss (you always have to pick one . . .)

TDG - I'll trade you any Wisconsin native on the Gophers roster for David Gilreath, what will it take?

B5Q - Hmm... backup kicker David Schwerman looks pretty good. Wasn't he on "Friends"? No offense, but the Wisconsin natives on the Minnesota roster are probably there because they weren't good enough to play for the Badgers (unless we're talking hockey and Phil Kessel).

OnW - Gilreath is overrated. He's the third best receiver on the team. Anderson and Toon are the true 1 and 2. Gilreath is speedy, but small, with mediocre hands. For all his speed, he hasn't been a hero in the kicking game (if I remember correctly he ranked 11th in the conference in return yardage last season). Anderson has better size, better hands, and isn't exactly slow; same for Toon.

TDG - The schedule is rather weak in Madison this year. Heading into the Big Ten schedule the Badgers host Northern Illinois, Fresno State and Wofford. Is this weak schedule going to keep the Badgers fresh or will the schedule do them a disservice by not adequately preparing them for Big Ten play?

B5Q - Actually this schedule is a step up from previous years. Northern Illinois and Fresno State will compete for a bowl game and the Bulldogs actually have some of the better running backs in the country. I hate the Wofford game, but it seems like everyone is scheduling FCS schools these days so you might as well play the better ones and Wofford at least is a competitive FCS team. I actually think the first three weeks will help this Badger team. Northern Illinois is a decent Week 1 opponent and Fresno State will beat you up physically (we saw that last year), so the new starters will get tested early while the team should still start 3-0. Wisconsin also ends the season at Hawaii.

OnW - The schedule is very weak. We get Michigan State and Iowa at home, we don't play Penn State or Illinois, and after Ohio State, our toughest road games are Northwestern and Minnesota. No offense to your program or theirs, but in the big picture of tough roadies, those aren't the two that normally get flagged. As for the weak schedule leading up the game at TCF? We open Big Ten play with Michigan State, in Madison, the week before so, I'm not terribly worried about the team being soft when it comes time for the trip west. The out-of-conference games should help keep the team healthy and hopefully will provide a little extra time for both lines to gel and for Sherer to get three more non-critical starts under his belt (though Fresno State has a history of pushing us). What concerns me more is the team's struggles on the road. Look at last season: nearly blew the Fresno State game, did blow the Michigan and Michigan State games, got annihilated in Iowa City, and folded in the Champs Sports Bowl. 2007? Losses at Illinois, at Penn State, at Ohio State, played you guys way closer than was appropriate in the Metrodome, and lost at the Outback Bowl vs. Tennessee. The road has not been kind to Bielema's Badgers.

Thanks be to B5Q and OnW, excellent responses from a couple of excellent blogs.

Poll

Who wins this critical match-up?

Wisconsin by a slim margin

11 votes

Wisconsin by a lot

7 votes

Minnesota finally eeks one out

46 votes

Minnesota dominates

36 votes

100 votes | Poll has closed