Given that we do this every year, I have a strong feeling we come out clicking and make it a game with Wisconsin. Our old teams would have lost that game against Idaho and those teams turned out fine that dropped crappy openers. Could be off base here but will not be surprised one bit to have a great game next weekend and look like a worthy opponent.
Wisconsin
- Thread starter chugspig
- Start date
I would say it depends on what defense the Badgers are running. As I've said many times before, there are two kinds of coaches - those who coach with a "we do what we do" philosophy, and those that gameplan their opponent specifically. Every coach who gameplanned Leach and the AR was able to drastically decrease its effectiveness. I'm guessing that Eck gameplanned the Cougs.
If Wiscy gameplans us, I expect CW will have a very long day.
When we played the Badgers in 2007, the game was tied 14-14 at the end of the first quarter. It was 28-21 at the end of the third quarter. Unfortunately, that 2007 defense was trash and gave up 389 points.....the most since 1970 and they couldn't hold up in the fourth quarter and we ended up losing 42-21. The saving grace for that 2007 defense is that in 2008, Wulff burned the program to the ground and we gave up 570 points......making 2007 look like a decent year.
The good news this week is that our defense is actually pretty decent against the run if they don't get gassed. We held Idaho to a measly 1.8 yards per rushing attempt courtesy of a lot of TFL's. Wisconsin is going to have to be able to throw the ball to beat us.
I think we look a lot better this week and I could certainly see us within one touchdown of the Badgers in the third quarter. At that point, we're going to find out if we have the quality depth to beat a Top 25 team on the road. My vibe on this game isn't great and I see us losing 35-21. Beat the spread but come out of the game 1-1.
Can’t have 3 and outs and stupid fumbles. Wisconsin will lean on teams that have a lighter front 7 and break them in the second half. If we can move the chains and keep the defense off the field there will be a chance to keep it close. Leach never thought much about TOP but it’s huge in a game like this.
As of right now Dickert looks in over his head and I'm thinking the Badgers blow us out. 48-14
Hope I'm wrong
Hope I'm wrong
FYI Wisconsin is a base 3-4 defense. Against spread attacks they use 2-4-5. Jim Leonard is the DC and has been a National top 5 unit the last 5 year. # 2 last year. Replacing 8 starters this year. Shut out FCS opponent this past week. Mobile QB with big arms have been a weakness of Leonard defenses.
Good morning Cooug fans. Just dropping by this week to see what you're talking about.
Both sides of the ball for this UW (is that a two-letter swear word over here?) have mostly new starters this year, and we have a new OC and staff (mostly). My guess is that when you think of Wisconsin football, you think ground and pound, and you're not wrong. The new OC knows that's the identity, and won't be straying from that as the core, but did show some new things against Ill State. The RBs, Allen and Mellusi, are very good, but it remains to be seen whether the OL is up to snuff, and that's the real question mark on offense. The QB, Mertz, is a favorite punching bag of the fanbase - not without justification - but there are weapons in the receiving corps, including a couple of good looking TEs.
But the real consistently excellent part of the Badgers has been on D - like top 5 or 10 in the country every year. They play a 3-4, which tends to throw opposing OCs a curve ball because it's not the norm. There's so many new guys this year that it's hard to know if that will continue.
Anyway, looking forward to having you folks in Madtown.
Both sides of the ball for this UW (is that a two-letter swear word over here?) have mostly new starters this year, and we have a new OC and staff (mostly). My guess is that when you think of Wisconsin football, you think ground and pound, and you're not wrong. The new OC knows that's the identity, and won't be straying from that as the core, but did show some new things against Ill State. The RBs, Allen and Mellusi, are very good, but it remains to be seen whether the OL is up to snuff, and that's the real question mark on offense. The QB, Mertz, is a favorite punching bag of the fanbase - not without justification - but there are weapons in the receiving corps, including a couple of good looking TEs.
But the real consistently excellent part of the Badgers has been on D - like top 5 or 10 in the country every year. They play a 3-4, which tends to throw opposing OCs a curve ball because it's not the norm. There's so many new guys this year that it's hard to know if that will continue.
Anyway, looking forward to having you folks in Madtown.
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State Street has one of the best nightlife scenes I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It's too bad I can't make this one! And FYI.... Coogs are for Houston, we are the Cougs.
I had no problem with UW (I call Wisconsin the real UW by the way) but throwing Coogs out there was a bridge too far. I thereby punish you by banishing you to our non-football thread: https://washingtonstate.forums.rivals.com/threads/peace-and-love-thread.24991/#post-295970
Yikes. A thousand pardons, milord. I shall never make the mistake of double-o'ing when it's clearly ou.
Ha! Question for you, is your QB living up to the hype? I know he was highly regarded out of HS and started as a Frosh. Someone on another thread says something about him not being great and that was news to me.
They will game plan us.
So we can expect them to be like the Husky D under Pete and not the Utah D under Willingham, right?
No, he hasn't, is the short answer. I can't give you a why, but he has had trouble with INTs at times, and doesn't have the best pocket presence under pressure. He has what's been termed "perma-potential" on our board. You can see the talent, but he hasn't done it with enough consistency to match expectations.
The other thing to say is that his main backup, Wolf, was lost for the season to injury a couple weeks ago. Even when healthy, Wolf was pretty shaky, so the elevated #3/#4 guys are likely significant steps down from Mertz. Therefore, keeping Mertz healthy is extremely important.
ETA: Another thing I'd say that has been subpar about Mertz is something oft-overlooked - ball-handling. He just is not as smooth on handoffs and play fakes as we've had in the past, and that has an effect on the crispness of execution.
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Interesting. Dickert’s defenses excel in creating turnovers. We know a steady dose of ground and pound is coming, would expect even more of that knowing Mertz has had these issues. If there’s one way for the Cougs to turn this game it’s picks and sack/fumbles.
It's obvious that Wisconsin will run the ball as much as possible and that will make it hard for us to get any offensive rhythm going...just as Idaho did effectively.
If Mertz doesn't have to pass much, we are in for a long day.
If we were not a legit 2 deep across the DL then I'd be seriously concerned about a blowout. As it is, I don't expect us to be ground into the turf by the 4th quarter, and against a team like Wisconsin, that is the #1 concern. As to whether Ward will get through his reads more quickly, or whether the receivers will work to get open once he has left the pocket, or whether we can successfully run the ball against a 3 man front, that remains to be seen. If we let them get away with rush 3/drop 8, then it will be a long day. If we can force them to throw on 3rd down, it will be a completely different game, since they don't like to do that. A lot remains to be seen. I don't expect to win this game, but I expect it to be closer than some of you seem to expect, and if we get a couple of turnovers we will be in it to the end.
Since the offense won't be so hell-bent on passing most all the time like under Leach, I think the "drop 8" should not be as effective a strategy.
I just want to see Ward at least challenge their DBs with going vertical some...unlike what we saw on Saturday. Need to stretch the field not only horizontally, but also vertically or it will be a long day.
Also, can we hold onto the damn ball this Saturday?!
FWIW, Ill St. did hit on a few vertical passes, and this has been a bit of a common susceptibility over the years. It's generally been hard to have sustained drives against the Badgers, so the splashes (or short fields from turnovers or special teams) are how teams have had their offensive successes.
If you have issues stopping WR screens you are F’d…Cougs by 50!
I was reading about Wisconsins RB and he sounds like a great hard nose runner who needs be gang tackled and wrapped up. Just the kind we have problems with. I don’t know much about him beyond what I read but it sounds like he will be playing in the NFL for a long time when his time comes.
RB1 - Allen - is only 18 and really still learning. RB2 - Mellusi - transferred in from Clemson last year and got hurt somewhere during the season which gave Allen his chance to excel. I wouldn't be surprised if they're both in the NFL in a couple years. Humble brag, but this isn't particularly unusual for Wisconsin - we once had Montee Ball, James White, and Melvin Gordon at the same time.
This. Dink and Dunk won't do it. De Laura had his issues but I loved his willingness to throw the long ball. I was watching highlights from last season and that really stood out. Of course they were highlights but the concept that going deep it opens up so much is valid. A constant diet of Dunk Food is not only gonna give me a bad stomach but will probably lose us the game.
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