SB Nation - P.J. Hill

Preview: Michigan State vs. Wisconsin

LVS — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:09:00 -0000

Thanks for one good memory, JLS.

Your MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS vs. the WISCONSIN BADGERS
CAMP RANDALL STADIUM, MADISON, WISCONSIN
NOON, ESPN
WEATHER: 67 DEGREES, 30% CHANCE OF RAIN

Before the season, most observers expected for MSU to struggle offensively, but make up for with defense. Of course, after the last two weeks, that seems like a big lololololololololol, as our defense has put us in a position where we basically have to outscore the opponent. Against two of the better offenses we'll see all season, we failed barely -- but certainly miserably -- to do that. And so here we are, stuck with essentially the worst case scenario: 1-2, with our only win against an FCS team, heading into Camp Randall (where we haven't won since 2001) to play 3-0 Wisconsin. If last week was a big game, this one is now even bigger and more important, as we've obviously done an awful job of padding our record in the OOC schedule, and now have to salvage our season in conference play. Ending the losing streak and getting off on the right foot is incredibly, incredibly important.

But hey, it's cool. We're going to win.

First, let's talk about Wisconsin for a minute. Their three wins have been:

An 8-point home win against a middle-of-the-pack MAC team, Northern Illinois. (I'll admit that this win looks at least a little bit better after NIU took down a corpse-like Purdue team last week.)
A double overtime, 3-point win at home against Fresno State, a team which doesn't exactly play to the level of the David Carr-era vintage any longer.
A blowout against Wofford, an FCS team.

For one thing, I'm completely certain that MSU would have an identical 3-0 record against those teams at this point. Second, if past performance is any indication, Wisconsin's early-season success isn't necessarily going to roll right into the conference season. Remember, they went 3-0 OOC in 2008 before starting 0-4 in Big Ten play. So, anyway, while 3-0 vs. 1-2 certainly impacts upon the general mental state of both teams, I'm equally certain that they tell us very little about which team has been playing better. Furthermore, everything that's written henceforth about Wisconsin comes with the "their OOC schedule is garbage" caveat. Anyway . . .

WHEN MICHIGAN STATE IS ON DEFENSE: Prior to the season, most would have expected Dustin Sherer to start for the Badgers; however, Scott Tolzien won the starting job during the offseason and, by in large, has looked quite good through the first three games. (Sherer is currently third on the depth chart. Bret Bielema: crazy, or crazy like a fox?) Tolzien is currently completing around 70% of his passes:

Rating	Att	Comp	Comp %	TDs	INTs	Long	Yds	YPG
161.83	47	68	69.1	4	2	80	641	213.7

Those numbers include a 281 yard performance against NIU. At the risk of looking through the stereotype lens, it appears that Tolzien is another reasonably-effective game manager, in the mold of every Wisconsin quarterback since, like, ever. Nonetheless, this will be the biggest start of his nascent career; if we can pressure him a bit, that should go a long way toward being successful tomorrow. We were a little better in that regard against Notre Dame; if anything, Wisconsin should be even more reliant than the Irish on 4-and-5 step drops, so the opportunity is there.

Furthermore, as you might have read yesterday, B5Q thinks that we could see a bit of Curt Phillips at quarterback for the Badgers:

But Bielema insists he will use quarterback Curt Phillips if the flow of the game calls for it. Phillips can run – he led the team with 92 rushing yards last week – and if Michigan State has been struggling against spread offenses and wildcat formations, you will probably see the UW offense mix it up a little bit with Phillips at quarterback.

At receiver, the Badgers look a bit like Central Michigan: they feature one big possession-type receiver (Nick Toon) and one little speedburner, presumably from the slot (Isaac Anderson). Toon, whose dad is former Jets wideout Al Toon, is the Badgers' leading receiver with 15 catches for 191 yards and 1 touchdown. However, he doesn't exactly seem like a big-play threat: he's averaging only a shade over 12 yards per catch, and his longest play this year was a 22-yarder. I'd expect for Ross Weaver, who's the bigger and more physical of our corners, to be matched up with Toon most of the game. Anderson, conversely, is the gamebreaker: he has only 7 catches on the season, but those catches have gone for 170 yards (24.3 yards per catch!), including an 80-yard touchdown against NIU.

As you'd might expect, the Badgers heavily involve their tight end in the passing game: Garrett Graham has 11 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. It's sort of been lost in the shuffle how Kyle Rudolph did a ton of damage against us last week, with 6 catches for 95 yards. We can't afford for Graham to replicate those numbers this week.

Lets' imagine for a minute, that everything before the 4th quarter of last year's Wisconsin game actually happened. (This might be painful.) Probably the single defining characteristic of those three quarters (and the first part of the fourth) was our complete inability to stop Wisconsin's ground game: P.J. Hill ran 20 times for 106 yards, but the contributions of then-freshman John Clay were more devastating: 14 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown, and that doesn't include a big touchdown run in the 4th quarter that was called back for holding. (Yes, Badger fans, it was a hold.) P.J. Hill declared "for the NFL" (ha!) but Clay is back -- sort of. He lost the starting job in training camp, then won it back with a 143-yard performance against Fresno State, and then took that opportunity and fumbled it away -- literally -- by coughing the ball up three times against Wofford last week. Clay's replacement, Zach Brown, also fumbled once. Nonetheless, I'm sure Bielema remembers our struggles against Clay last year; I have to believe that he'll be the primary Badger back tomorrow. Clay was highly recruited from high school; he's big (a Caulcrick-like 250 pounds) fast, and tough. Our rush defense wasn't terrible against Notre Dame last week, but an even bigger effort this week certainly wouldn't hurt.

As for our personnel: after being posterized (is this a word in football?) two weeks in a row, Chris L. Rucker, mercifully, won't be getting the start this week; Kendell Davis-Clark is your second cornerback. I like this move both for motivational purposes, and also because something really needed to be done. KDC has been fairly good over the past few years; normally I'd say that there'll be very little drop-off, but there's not too much further down we can go compared to the past two weeks. As far as I know, Trenton Robinson will still start over Danny Fortener.

WHEN MICHIGAN STATE IS ON OFFENSE: Wisconsin's secondary was supposed to be good:

Wisconsin's secondary will be the strength of their defense, returning three out of the four starters including junior cornerback Niles Brinkley (5-10, 180), who had a team-high five interceptions last year, and hard-hitting junior safety Jay Valai (5-9, 200) was a second-team All-Big Ten selection after recording 56 tackles and forcing three fumbles in 2008.

But, happily enough, they kinda, you know, suck!

The cornerbacks look awful. Surprisingly, the front seven looks great and free safety Chris Maragos has been all over the field. Unfortunately he can’t cover three wide receivers at one time and apparently UW’s cornerbacks don’t even have the ability to cover one receiver at a time. Sophomore Aaron Henry, who was supposed to be the conference’s best corner, looks confused out there and Antonio Fenelus, Niles Brinkley and Devin Smith couldn’t cover a 90 year-old man playing wideout. If defensive ends O’Brien Schofield and J.J. Watt don’t have career days, Cousins might throw for four touchdowns.

Fresno State passed for 289 yards against the Badgers, and everything I've read suggests that it may have looked even worse than the statistics indicate. Wisconsin's Scout site suggests that the Badger secondary needs this game for "redemption." I strongly doubt that Kirk Cousins will allow that to happen. One caveat: Wisconsin, led by Schofield and Watt, has been fairly effective in rushing the quarterback so far. They have seven sacks this season; our pass blocking this year has been quite good, but the offensive line will be tested.

As I've said previously, for me, the biggest positive about last week's game was the re-emergence of Mark Dell. If he can keep playing well, I don't think anyone in the conference has a better wide receiver corps than Blair White, Dell, and B.J. Cunningham. Given Wisconsin's difficulties defending the pass against lesser opponents, I think we're going to put up a ton of yards through the air.

The Badgers have also looked somewhat vulnerable against the run: they've allowed 493 yards (and a fairly middling 3.8 ypc) and 4 touchdowns over the first three games. Wisconsin's defensive line doesn't have an Erasmus James-type run swallower this year, but, as always, they're big and physical: DT Jeff Stehle, for instance, is 6'6", 310. Larry Caper's effort against ND probably moved our rushing game off run support; this isn't a great Wisconsin rush defense, but clearly the run game is playing second fiddle in our offense. I'd expect our rush output to be around 125-ish; if we go well above that, we're almost certainly winning. Garrett Celek is back in the lineup for MSU this week; he's good in the passing game, but even more importantly, he's probably the best-blocking tight end we have. It also appears that Nitchman might be able to go, which would be another big boost for the line and the rushing game.

FINAL PREDICTION: I feel very, very good about this game. Wisconsin has looked meh against meh competition, we're desperate, and I like everything I've heard from the team this week. More importantly, I think the Badgers are just a good matchup for our team: I think our passing game is clearly better than their pass defense, and I don't think their passing game is nearly as prepared to take advantage of our glaring weaknesses in the secondary. This game may be frustrating at times, because Wisconsin is going to be able to gain first downs on the ground, but I can't see them landing the knockout blow -- and I certainly can see us doing it. Wisconsin's good at home, but we were oh-so-close to winning there two years ago. This year, we won't fall short. MSU 34, Wisconsin 27.

A Funny Thing Happened...

hmlee — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:00:20 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

3 months ago: Wisconsin running back John Clay (32) gets past Northern Illinois' Kiaree Daniels (23) for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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...On the way to the start of the season. Earlier this week, I was spending my time within the friendly confines taking in a rare victory by the Cubs. Shortly before last call, I headed out to the beer stand for some frothy nourishment. While the beer man was pouring my beer he noticed that I was wearing a Northwestern hat. The following ensued:

Beer man: "Opening day is Saturday..."

Me (rooting around in my pocket for change): "Huh?"

Beer man: "You don't care do you..."

Me: "Oh! Actually, I really do care. I think they'll have a good season and I'm encouraged by both Mike Kafka's improved arm and this kid they've got coming in named Arby Fields... The secondary is also completely intact from last year...."

The beer man, with his mouth agape, goes silent for roughly 30 seconds, and then quietly says, "Wow... I... uh... didn't expect all that."

My season introductions for Northwestern and Wisconsin

TRE's closing arguments on the underestimated Wildcats and resurgent Badgers

Expectations are a curious thing. I've always felt that the run-up to the first week of the college football season is a special time, characterized by a state of bliss fueled by hopes and expecations. Sure, in a few weeks, most of us will be confronting the cold hard reality that a Big 10 championship is just not in our 2009 forecast, but, it's usually the case that through the first game of the season, we can all hold on to our warm, fuzzy comfort for at least a little while longer.

Unless, of course, your team has already brushed up against that menace of reality.

The first game of the season always brings out mixed emotions in me. It's great, of course, to head out of the first week with a win under your belt, and it's even better if you can do so in a particularly convincing fashion. It's hard, though, to be completely excited when you know that the team you're scheduled against is likely either an inferior team or, even, a "cupcake". These are the games you should win - that, arguably, you need to win to be taken seriously in the division.

Most of the teams in the conference this week accomplished their goal, though one (Illinois), failed miserably, and a few others (Minnesota, Ohio State, Iowa) came dangerously close to having their championship dreams dashed before they even got started.

Fortunately, I'm not a fan of any of those teams. This means I get to enjoy my hopeful bliss for at least another week.

Both Northwestern and Wisconsin came away with victories today, and in watching the games I saw several things for each team that I wanted to see on the first day of the season.

For Northwestern, it was great to see the defense, which had largely remained intact, playing up to the way that it did last year. They will be very dangerous this year and I don't think last year's play was a fluke at all. Also, Kafka managed to play the entire game without throwing an interception, which is really a testament to his improved accuracy. It would have been nice to see him throw for a TD, but unless this becomes a trend, I won't be too worried. FInally, how about Arby Fields? His first game and he runs for 2 TDs and 48 yards on only 6 carries! Even though he had to come out of the game with leg cramps, I really think this kid is something special and I'd keep an eye on him for the rest of the season.

As for Wisconsin, while they didn't win by as large a margin as Northwestern (though, let's be honest, it's not like Towson is a fearsome opponent) I still am encouraged by what I saw tonight. Scott Tolzien looked excellent, with a largely clean game - the intereception was the fault of the running back who failed to do his job - and the very brief appearance by red-shirt freshman Curt Phillips suggests that even if Tolzien goes down because of injury or inconsistency, the Badgers will have another good option to turn to, who also has double-threat upside. As predicted, Nick Toon and Isaac Anderson have continued their emergence as dependable WRs and the dual-headed monster that is Zach Brown and John Clay gave the message, "P.J. Hill? Who's that?" loud and clear. Finally, it was good to see that even though things got a bit shaky in the fourth quarter, with NIU pulling within 8 points, the Badgers managed to do something that they had serious trouble with last year - namely, close the game out and retain their lead.

All in all, a great start to the season for my teams, and I'm looking forward to keeping my hopes and expectations alive after next week too!

Puttin' on the Cheesehead

hmlee — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:30:12 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

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In my introductory post a few days ago, I wrote about my favorite Big 10 team and current school, Northwestern. Before I bled purple, though, there was another team that I pledged my loyalty to, namely, the Wisconsin Badgers. While I never attended the University of Wisconsin, my family ties to the University and the great dairy state as well as my love of beer, sausage, and all things Bucky naturally made them my adopted team back when I was just a wee little Chicagoan. Even though I am now at Northwestern, I still retain my fandom of the Badgers and am happy to be writing about them for The Rivalry, Esq.

Last year was, frankly, a disappointing season for Badgers football. The 9 win 2007 season had been quite thrilling, despite the heartbreaking bowl loss to the Volunteers. The 2008 campaign started well, with the Badgers going 3-0 before sloppy play doomed them against an easily beatable Michigan team. That seemed to take the air out of the Badger's sails and they followed it up with a complete failure of late-game play against OSU and crushing defeats to the Nittany Lions and the Hawkeyes. While they eventually finished over .500, the predictable bowl loss to FSU served as a capstone to the underwhelming season.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that 2009 will be much better.

Make sure to go back and submit your picks for the Obligatory Predictions Contest. Every weekly winner gets the right to write 500 words on the site about college football. NEW this year is our season long competition - win the whole damn thing and we send you something amazing.

In some ways, Wisconsin is in the exact opposite situation that Northwestern is. Most of Wisconsin's defense is gone, while the offense will remain relatively consistent. What changes that are made on the offense look to be positive ones - QB Scott Tolzien will be starting over Dustin Sherer, which looks to be an improvement. While P.J. Hill is gone to the NFL, Zach Brown and John Clay look to split carries and should be more than adequate in their duties. The emergence of Nick Toon at receiver could also be helpful to the Badgers game.

Still, questions remain about this team. A large proportion of the starters and backups are either sophomores or freshman, which suggests an amount of uncertainty is in store this year. There is also the matter of the head coach. Was Bielema's 12-1 rookie season a reflection of his abilities as a coach, or a fluke powered by players who had been recruited by Alvarez? If the answer is the former then last year was just a down year and the Badgers should return to football glory. If it's the alternative... well, it's best not to think about where that would leave Wisconsin come this January.

Though I may be spending my Saturday afternoons in a rival stadium, I will still be following my Badgers and will have many thoughts to share as this season progresses.

On Wisconsin!

Here they are! My 2009 Big Ten Predictions

Adam Hoge — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:00:24 -0000

Drum roll, please... My 2009 Big Ten Predictions are here! I know, you haven't been this excited since P.J. Hill rushed for two touchdowns the other night.

First, a little disclaimer. It may seem crazy, but this is how I do these predictions: I literally sit down with a Big Ten pocket schedule and predict the entire season in about five minutes using nothing but my gut feeling. I'm not trying to beat the Vegas odds makers here. It's just fun to look back at the predictions in December to see how I did.

So, after five minutes of mind boggling, in-depth college football thought, here are my 2009 Big Ten Predictions:

1. Ohio State (7-1 Big Ten, 10-2 overall)

Wins: Navy, vs. Toledo, Illinois, at Indiana, Wisconsin, at Purdue, Minnesota, New Mexico State, Iowa, at Michigan

Losses: USC, at Penn State

2. Penn State (6-2, 10-2)

Wins: Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Iowa, at Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Minnesota, at Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana

Losses: at Northwestern, at Michigan State

3. Wisconsin (5-3, 9-3)

Wins: Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Wofford, Michigan State, Iowa, Purdue, at Indiana, Michigan, at Hawaii

Losses: at Minnesota, at Ohio State, at Northwestern

3. Michigan State (5-3, 8-4)

Wins: Montana State, Central Michigan, Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa, Western Michigan, at Purdue, Penn State

Losses: at Notre Dame, at Wisconsin, at Illinois, at Minnesota

3. Illinois (5-3, 8-4)

Wins: vs. Missouri, Illinois State, Michigan State, at Indiana, at Purdue, Michigan, Northwestern, Fresno State

Losses: at Ohio State, Penn State, at Minnesota, at Cincinnati

6. Northwestern (4-4, 8-4)

Wins: Towson, Eastern Michigan, at Syracuse, Minnesota, Miami (Ohio), Indiana, Penn State, Wisconsin

Losses: at Purdue, at Michigan State, at Iowa, at Illinois

6. Iowa (4-4, 7-5)

Wins: Northern Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas State, Michigan, Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota

Losses: at Iowa State, at Penn State, at Wisconsin, at Michigan State, at Ohio State

6. Minnesota (4-4, 7-5)

Wins: at Syracuse, Air Force, Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois, South Dakota State

Losses: California, at Northwestern, at Penn State, at Ohio State, at Iowa

9. Michigan (2-6, 5-7)

Wins: Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Delaware State, Purdue

Losses: Notre Dame, at Michigan State, at Iowa, Penn State, at Illinois, at Wisconsin, Ohio State

10. Purdue (1-7. 2-10)

Wins: Toledo, Northwestern

Losses: at Oregon, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, at Minnesota, Ohio State, Illinois, at Wisconsin, at Michigan, Michigan State, at Indiana

10. Indiana (1-7, 2-10)

Wins: Eastern Kentucky, Purdue

Losses: Western Michigan, at Akron, at Michigan, Ohio State, at Virginia, Illinois, at Northwestern, at Iowa, Wisconsin, at Penn State

So I have Ohio State winning the conference again and Wisconsin finishing with an optimistic 9-3 record. Agree or disagree? Leave your predictions below!

Penn State's Reason For Hope #3 - Evan Royster

BSD — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:00:14 -0000

Let's say for a moment the wide receivers don't come together. Let's say Daryll Clark has nothing to work with in the passing game. And let's say the offensive line is adequate, though not great. Can the offense be successful? Can they still move the ball and score enough points to cover the defense and win some ball games?

If history is an indicator, all Joe Paterno needs is a good running back and he can win a bunch of football games. This year he has Evan Royster, and Paterno has proven he can win with a whole lot less.

Evan Royster didn't get nearly the publicity he deserved last year. In the preseason all we read about was Beanie Wells, and P.J. Hill, and Javon Ringer. Even Tyrell Sutton was getting more preseason love, and once the season started Shonn Greene was the toast of the conference. But the fact is that on a per carry basis Evan Royster outperformed all of them.

Name	Carries	Yards	Yards Per Carry
Evan Royster	191	1236	*6.47*
Shonne Greene	307	1850	6.03
Beanie Wells	207	1197	5.78
P.J. Hill	234	1161	5.14
Javon Ringer	390	1637	4.30

Usually when you scan up and down the conference before the season looking for potential Heisman candidates you look for the top returning passer and the top returning rusher. So conventional wisdom would say that Daryll Clark and Evan Royster should be on the short list. But instead all we hear about is the Crybaby and, well, nobody else. No respect for Royster.

The major knock on him has been his durability. Despite playing in all 13 games, Royster had fewer carries than all the guys on the list above. His entire career has been riddled with ankle sprains, shoulder stingers, deep thigh bruises, and twisted knees.

How far Penn State goes will depend a lot on the legs of Evan Royster. If the passing game sputters, he will have to pick up the load and carry the ball 20-25 times per game.

(By the way, did I mention Royster used to play lacrosse?)

Nitt Picks is Slow Out of the Gate This Morning

BSD — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:46:44 -0000

Ok lots of stuff for you today. Let's just get to it without the sugar coating.

Cory Giger points out in the Altoona Mirror that Evan Royster has an outside chance of setting two distinctions this season.

Evan Royster is on pace to leave Penn State holding two noteworthy distinctions, one relating to the other.

Royster has a chance to not just set, but to blow away the Nittany Lions' career rushing record. The redshirt junior tailback has gained 1,749 yards his first two seasons and needs only 1,650 yards over the next two years to surpass Curt Warner's mark of 3,398.

The other distinction? Royster might end up owning one of the school's most prestigious records yet may go down as one of the most underrated players in program history.

As I pointed out in the running back breakdown in We Are Penn State 2009, Royster has an outside chance of breaking the school's career rushing mark if he can top 1,650 yards this season. And if he doesn't pass the mark this year he will certainly pass it next year. Giger is correct that it's unbelievable Royster hasn't gotten more publicity than he has to date. A big reason for that is the fact Royster was overshadowed last season by players like Beanie Wells, P.J. Hill, and Shonn Greene. The other problem was the talent that surrounded him in the Spread HD and the bumps and bruises that limited his carries. When you only carry the ball 12-15 times per game it's hard to dominate the highlight reel of the game.

Giger also pointed out this weekend that there may be some changes on the offensive line.

Starters: Sr. Dennis Landolt (6-4, 303) said he moved to LT this summer; that means So. DeOn'tae Pannell (6-5, 313), the projected starter there, would move to RT; nothing is finalized, however, though it would make sense to have the more experienced Landolt protecting QB Daryll Clark's blindside.

This is something to keep an eye on, but don't take it too seriously at this point. Coaches often juggle positions in the offseason to cross train players and see what they have to work with. The important thing is they settle on a lineup when camp starts and stick with it to develop the right chemistry. If we see a different starting lineup against Syracuse than we see against Akron, it might be time to hit the panic button in regards to the offensive line.

More Evidence Mark Dantonio is a Jerk

If you recall, around the time Robert Bolden committed to Penn State there was a lot of commotion about Michigan State shutting the door on him a week or two before then. Nobody really had a good explanation at the time, but MSU blog Jolly Green Giants offers one now.

In reality, Robert Bolden was looking to wear the #1 jersey at Michigan State. Now, there would usually be no issue with a pretty simple request. However, Mark Dantonio’s policy would state that a player has to earn the #1 jersey with All-Big Ten selection.

I don't know. I find it hard to believe even Dantonio could turn his back on a top ten quarterback over a jersey number issue. Doesn't really affect anything, but it's a curious piece of information to discuss.

This Week In Schadenfreude

Ohio State kicked off their fall camp this weekend, but as opening days go it was pretty much a downer. This from Eleven Warriors.

Unfortunately, all anyone wanted to talk about were the players not at camp. Rumored academic casualties Ray Small and Robert Rose did not report, but the biggest news of the day was the surprise announcement that Tyler Moeller was in the hospital.

Moeller and Small are expected to be major contributors this fall. Small may not make the grade in the class room while Moeller is is dealing with a potential season or career ending head injury.

And our friends in Ann Arbor are quick to point out it is they who dump their girlfriends and not the other way around. MGoBlog offers this commentary on the information released about the departure of quarterback Justin Feagin.

Feagin was a last-minute addition to Michigan's first class under Rodriguez when it became clear that Rodriguez wasn't likely to acquire a higher-rated quarterback recruit. He did not work out, obviously. The Freep article dryly notes that Feagin "struggled to learn the playbook" mere paragraphs after describing Feagin's extensive marijuana habit.
The onfield impact of Feagin's departure remains nil; the off-field stuff… well, at least when a Michigan player violates team rules he actually violates them. Woo spin!

In Scores of Other Games

The Courier Post has an article on Jack Crawford
Several Penn State players are thankful for a second (or third) chance. Some of them even put on a carnival for charity this weekend.
Jay Paterno's blog is becoming just as popular as his twitter account. Here is a must read for any Nittany Lion fan on the pride of playing for Penn State.
Coquese Washington picked up a major commitment for the womens basketball team with Ariel Edwards from New York.
Finally, a preseason camp kickoff article from the Post Gazette. Nothing earth shattering or anything.

Bielema: Flying under radar 'a good place to be'

Adam Hoge — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:37:09 -0000

More photos » by David Banks - AP

Wisconsin head football coach Bret Bielema talks to reporters at the Big Ten football media day in Chicago, Monday, July 27, 2009. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Browse more photos »

CHICAGO - Bret Bielema couldn't help but notice a lack of interest in the Badgers at Monday's Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.

'I was expecting more [questions]," Bielema said after only fielding five questions and finishing the day as the only coach to not use his allotted 15 minutes of press conference time.

When asked if it meant the Badgers were flying under the rader, he replied, "Could be" and said it reminded him of 2006 when Joe Thomas and John Stocco accompanied him to Chicago and told him, "Coach, they don't think much of us."

He responded by telling his '06 seniors that it was "a good place to be" and of course the Badgers went on to win 12 games in Bielema's inaugural year as UW's head coach.

Naming a quarterback

As was the case the last two seasons when UW entered fall camp without a certain No. 1 quarterback, Bielema said a starter would be named 10 days before the Northern Illinois game at the very latest. That means UW will have its starter by Aug. 26.

As for who that starter will be, there's no question Dustin Sherer has the upperhand, but Bielema said he is "excited to see what Jon Budmayr can do ... He throws as good of a ball as anybody."

Freshman impact

Bielema said he currently sees 14 freshman that "can do something for us." He said that number usually gets reduced to six to 10 freshman, but he thinks "this class might be different."

Among the freshmen mentioned as possibly having an impact were RB Montee Ball, WR Kraig Appleton, OL Ryan Groy, OL Travis Fredrick, LB Chris Borland, DL David Gilbert and DL Tyler Dippel who is battling a knee injury.

Bielema said if there are freshmen ready to play then he doesn't mind saving the red-shirt.

"I kind of like having it in your hip pocket because injuries do happen," Bielema said.

Clay dancing his weight around

NCAA rules prevent coaches from weighing their players during the summer, but Bielema is happy with John Clay's efforts to manage his weight.

"[Clay] says he is 235 pounds, but "he's dreaming." Bielema said. "If he gets to 235 then he'll be on the dancing show somewhere. That's not his football weight"

Meanwhile, Kyle Jefferson is over 180 pounds and Bielema said the two helmet-to-helmet hits he suffered the last two seasons have not phased him.

Hidden talent

Bielema mentioned that Wisconsin tends to harbor a lot of hidden talent, like when P.J. Hill came out of nowhere to have a breakout 2006 season after red-shirting his freshman year.

Bielema said linebackers Culmer St. Jean, Blake Sorensen and Mike Taylor are among this year's "hidden talents."

The Vaunted Wisconsin Rushing Attack in 2009

grahamfiller10 — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:31:12 -0000

Bama Hawkeye had this to say in his 2009 Wisconsin Preview:

In so many ways, the Badgers have become the Big Ten's flagship institution...when the rest of the country talks about Big Ten football, they think of power. Slow, plodding power. Slow, plodding, corn-fed, dairy-fed power. And while every other team in the league has at least flirted with opening up their offensive systems, Wisconsin has not.

He's essentially right. Wisconsin's signature off-tackle runs and "Student Body Right" sweeps have been executed fiercely by future NFLers Ron Dayne, Brian Calhoun, Terrell Fletcher, P.J. Hill, Anthony Davis, and now the 250 lb John Clay. And don't forget stud offensive linemen Joe Thomas, Aaron Gibson, and Kraig Urbik. Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema have had sustained success with the run focused offense - in the last 10 years, Wisconsin has been the Big 10's third best program.

Two questions exist for 2009.

Can this Wisconsin team gain success running the ball and improve on last years 7-6 record?
Will Bielema diversify the offense by adding new formations or showing less dependence on the run?

Can Wisky improve?

2008 was a disconcerting year for Badger fans, full of questionable coaching decisions and uncertainty at the quarterback position. For all the focus on the run game and the big Wisky OL, Badger fans have been spoiled by excellent quarterback play from Tyler Donovan, Jim Sorgi, Brooks Bollinger. These QB's were adept at managing the two tight end sets and keeping defenses off balance with effective play action and rollout keepers. Signalcalling was suspect for the Badgers last year - even though the run game was statistically one of the best in the Big 10, the Badgers lost games because they lacked an effective all around attack (not to mention a solid defense).

The Champs Sports Bowl against Florida State was 2008 in a nutshell. The Badgers pounded the ball down the middle for 201 yards rushing, a huge number against a FSU defense that had easily slowed three power running offenses in 2008 (Clemson, Virginia Tech, Maryland) and routinely kept 8 men in the box. But Wisconsin still suffered a 42-13 blowout loss that included 0 rushing touchdowns, only 132 passing yards from quarterback Dustin Sherer, and a 10 minute deficit in possession ball control.

The simple strategy that slowed the Badgers? Contain the run and eventually get their offense to a 3rd and long situation...

Quarterback play will be the focal point of the Badgers improvement. We at The Rivalry have been less than impressed with Sherer's mechanics and the way he ran the offense in 2008. Bielema runs some shotgun formations and has spread the Badgers in three wide receiver sets, showing different looks to at least give opposing defensive coordinators something to ponder. But until Sherer proves he can run the play action and move around the pocket confidently, Clay and the other explosive Badger back Zach Brown (above) will be seeing a lot of stacked boxes.

With the run game be a focal point? Can it be slowed?

The running game is still the bread and butter, and why shouldn't it be? To quote Adam from Bucky's 5th Quarter:

I really can't see the Badgers getting away from their running game this season. It's not like the passing game has been fixed (Dustin Sherer is still the quarterback) and sophomore RB John Clay is poised to have a huge season in the backfield.

As the rest of the conference continues a shift to the spread offense, Wisconsin's power running game is almost becoming an advantage because it is no longer the norm. Expect the Badgers to run the ball right up the throats of their opponents early and often. It's just what we do in Wisconsin.

Damn right. And they do it with authority. The offensive line averages 314 lbs and will be led by veterans Gabe Carimi, John Moffitt, Josh Oglesby, and Bill Nagy - each have significant experience and the size to maul. Phil Steele says Wisky doesn't have great experience at the line position, but injuries in 2008 allowed Oglesby and Nagy to get valuable playing time. Much has been said of Clay and Brown - Clay the highly hyped, supersized "next Great Badger Back" and Brown the smaller but tough runner. And Adam is correct, this antiquated kind of attack has become the exception, even in the rough and tumble Big 10. Ron Zook said last year:

"Their linemen are the biggest we’ll face. Their backs are the biggest we’ll face. The spread attacks the perimeter more. These guys come off tackle.’’

The sweeps, the off tackle dive, the counter sweeps, the draw plays...It's all going to continue. No one team has really stopped it consistently (the Badgers lowest single game rushing total in 2008 was 116 yards against Minnesota). The 2008 Badgers actually had more rushing yards than any Wisconsin team in the last five years, which leads to the obvious conclusion that while this vaunted run game will continue to flourish, other elements will determine whether Bielema can actually win some games and remove his butt from the warm coaching seat.

Other Team Specific articles from the last couple months...

Helping Michigan schedule OOC

Is Northwestern going to be a contender?

The Case against Penn State

How to beat Ohio State

Can Indiana Football be saved?

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."

Badger Bits: Power struggle at UW drags on

Adam Hoge — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:15:34 -0000

Last week we touched on the power struggle brewing up between the UW Athletic Department and the UW faculty. In reality, this kind of thing happens at every university at some point, but at Wisconsin this has been building up for a long time and now has reached a boiling point.

Tom Oates from the Wisconsin State Journal has a good column on the story, but one particular part of the story jumped out at me:

Some saw the whole thing as a power play by athletic director Barry Alvarez to gain even more authority. Alvarez has rarely heard the word "no" since he arrived in Madison as UW’s football coach in 1990 and even ignored state laws — with the approval of then-chancellor John Wiley — in 2005 when he named Bret Bielema his successor in football without following proper hiring procedures.

There are further indications Alvarez has been operating without adult supervision. Jones was chairman of the athletic board when Bielema was hired, yet he didn’t learn about the hiring until about two hours before the press conference to announce the news. Some faculty were also concerned in 2007 about the board’s lack of input regarding UW’s contract with the Big Ten Network and again in 2008 when Alvarez announced that embattled women’s basketball coach Lisa Stone would have her contract renewed without even discussing it with the board.

There's no question Bielema enters 2009 on the hot seat -- at least with the fans -- and many other donors are confused by another contract extension that was handed out to Lisa Stone last month. This doesn't exactly put Alvarez in a good position if he didn't follow the proper procedures when he hired Bielema and extended Stone again.

Hmm, maybe that is why he is seeking more power?

If you are unfamiliar with the debate, here is Andy Baggot's take from a few days earlier. It has all the details.

More links:

JSOnline.com says undrafted free agents P.J. Hill and Jonathan Casillas both have good shots at making the Saints roster.
Baggot has more on the WCHA's expansion plans. As we discussed here, Bemidji State is the leading candidate to join the conference, while Nebraska-Omaha is rumored to be the second team. If that falls through, Alaska-Fairbanks could join, creating a good rivalry with Alaska-Anchorage.
BadgerBeat.com is reporting over 16,000 seats have already been sold for UW's hockey game at Camp Randall next February. That would be a sell-out at the Kohl Center. Here is a good FAQ on the event from UWBadgers.com.
Finally, the UW men's tennis team was ousted by Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was all decided in the last set of the last match.