Moving Forward

[ForkEmBucky]

I'm a little disappointed that my fellow Badger hooplans have disappeared. Thought I'd share this link if you haven't been following. I believe the offense is going to be alright. We have some talented new coaches coming in. Ball and Abby will be around to keep things going, and the team knows Phillips and Budmayr well. Bart Houston is still incoming.

It looks like they've already decided on Linebacker and Offensive Line, as well. I'm pumped.

Wisconsin Badgers

[Smart]

Our new coaching staff looks alright, but they have awfully big shoes to fill. I think Canada will be a decent OC, but he's no Paul Chryst. I think we probably upgraded at WR, while downgrading at OL and LB. On the whole, i'm excited about the future while simultaneously recognizing that the coaching staff's best days are probably behind them. Hopefully, the younger, more charismatic staff will recruit well enough to make up for it.

[Smart]

Also, it is nice to see that both Budmayr and Phillips are healthy. I'd love to see a two QB system with them that is similar to what they did with Tolzien and Phillips in 2009 but utilizing Curt more. Our season depends on at least one being healthy, so to have both provides tremendous insurance.

[Papalou]

how much of a step down do you believe there will be from last year to the pcoming season.

[Smart]

Originally Posted by Papalou

how much of a step down do you believe there will be from last year to the pcoming season.

The defense will be better than last season. We lose our best two secondary players, but they have experienced replacements. Devin Smith started all of 2009 at CB and was the starter this year before an early season injury ended his year, and Dezmen Southward played 25% of plays this year. With natural development, they should be better. Taylor and Borland (our awesome linebacker duo) return. Our D-Line returns most of its best players, and really can't be any worse than they were this year. We lose Dave Huxtable (fantastic linebackers coach), but the impact shouldn't be too obvious because all our linebackers are back.

The offense will be much worse. We lose our best O-Lineman, top receiver, and of course, Russell. Budmayr and Phillips are decent quarterbacks (Budmayr is like a slightly worse Kirk Cousins, Phillips was like a slightly worse Taylor Martinez with better passing form before his ACL injury). The bigger problem will be in the offensive playcalling. Matt Canada is good, but Paul Chyrst was a genius at times. Under Canada, the passing attack likely won't be enough to stop defenses from stacking the line. I expect a decent offense and a huge year from Montee, but expect 10 less PPG and 50 less YPG. We also lose a very good punter and kicker, and there replacements won't be near as good.

The team will probably be a fair amount worse, but the reality is that this year's team was dominant in their wins. I'm not sure I see us losing to teams that we beat by 28+ last year, and we also get OSU and MSU at Camp Randall. Because of this, I think it is entirely possible that our team is much worse bbut actually winds up with a better record. I hope I am right about that.

[Smart]

The big problem will be in the long term. This team thrives on developing players for three years only to have them play for their RS Junior and Senior years. Next year's contributors will have had those development years under Chryst, Bostad, Rudolph, and Huxtable (for one year). It's the classes that are coming in after they left or who only came in this year that really concern me.

[ForkEmBucky]

Originally Posted by Papalou

how much of a step down do you believe there will be from last year to the pcoming season.

I see a big one, personally, in terms of total wins. They may start looking like a tough team to tangle with later on.


1. you can't replace Russel Wilson. We have 2 or 3 young guys who will never be Tolzien or Wilson. We have one guy, Curt Phillips, who I think is our only chance to have a threat at the QB position...but he's been hurt for like 4 years. The incoming freshmen are in high-school so they don't count yet.

2. Offensive Line loses a lot of guys. They are still going to be good, but they won't gel until the end of the season.

3. Defense. The line will be worse, I think, without Butrym. Borland and Taylor are great linebackers, and we will probably have a young guy step up to help them out, but they will be a busy unit. I don't care what Smart says, our secondary will be atrocious.

4. Wide Receivers. Abbredaris is it. Although we do have a stud Tight End who transferred from Pitt and sat last year...ironically because of Chryst's offense. That kid has to be losing sleep.

5. Staff. Paul Chryst was a genius. We also lose Bostad(OL)...but I'm still not even sure why. He's basically taking the exact same position...just...in the NFL instead. Huxtable....the linebackers coach....so maybe our younger LBs won't step up to help Borland and Taylor after all?

6. Senior leadership. We just lost a whole pile of guys who have been starters since 2009.

For the long term, I'm worried about recruiting. Chryst, Bostad, and Huxtable were all MAJOR recruiting guys. On the other hand, Wisconsin has never lacked offensive line talent. And for some reason we have had a slew of top linebackers come from in state, so the new guy will have talent to work with.

[ForkEmBucky]

The sky is not falling, boys.

UW football: Markuson hiring is official

[ForkEmBucky]

I think the class looks good. We lost two guys late, but despite the media playing up the Urban Meyer thing, I don't think anyone is losing sleep. We still picked up Dan Voltz. Vonte Jackson looks good. We picked up Jake Meador as a result of our new OL coach.

I'm pumped about DJ Singleton, based on some of the things his HS coach said about him late last year.

UWBADGERS.COM - The Official Web Site of The Wisconsin Badgers Athletics - Football

[drun.K]

Hi folks

just a couple thoughts on next year

1. The qb battle/development will obviously be the key...not much more to say about that.

2. The rest of the offense will be fine...Groy and Havenstein should be able to step and and be productive. Abby could have a monster year, depending on qb play...I'm also excited to see Garner, Duckworth, Doe and the other young WRs battle to see some PT. TEs, we'll have great depth.

3.I think our defense will be solid again (minus the RB haha) we have a lot of returning players...to really be good, we need someone to step up and get after the qb on the dline.

[ForkEmBucky]

Remember the name Brock DeCicco. He transferred and sat this season. I think we'll be seeing both DeCicco and Pederson out there at the same time with Abby pulling DBs deep and Ball coming out as a 4th receiver. I just really don't see any of these QBs being accurate deep, but they'll take shots to keep teams honest. Hopefully the run game will open some things up.

I'm cheering for Phillips. I'd love to see a happy ending to that story.

[drun.K]

Yeah when I first hard DeCicco was transferring here I was pretty pumped, I'm pretty sure we recruited him pretty hard out of HS. I find it funny that Chryst and Co. leave right when he is able to play haha...Todd Graham really fucked him over.

[ForkEmBucky]

Originally Posted by drun.K

Yeah when I first hard DeCicco was transferring here I was pretty pumped, I'm pretty sure we recruited him pretty hard out of HS. I find it funny that Chryst and Co. leave right when he is able to play haha...Todd Graham really fucked him over.

Yea, I'm sure he's probably not real amused by the irony of Chryst going to Pitt. I think Chryst's offense is the only reason he came, but according to Bielema they are aiming to maintain the pro-style.

I wonder how big of a leap Bart Houston can make next year. I hope he just enjoys the rest of his year....but I also hope he works his ass off. If he can learn quickly, that arm is a lot better than what the other guys bring to the table. It makes Abby, Pederson, and DeCicco(assuming he's kept his nose to the grind stone and worked up to his potential) legitimate threats rather than place holders.

[drun.K]

Yeah it would have been awesome if Houston would have enrolled this winter, having that extra couple weeks of spring practice would have been huge for him if he's gonna challenge for some early PT.

[ForkEmBucky]

So apparently we might get Danny O'Brien from Maryland. He is unhappy. Graduated early. Might use the same rule as Wilson. He said he was going to take a good look at Wisconsin. I don't think the Badgers have said anything yet.

[ForkEmBucky]

Not to mention, we stole former Badger and new tight ends coach Eddie Faulkner from Paul Chryst. Well I guess stole isn't the word. He wanted to come home and work with his former OC Matt Canada.

The Badger family is alive and well.

[drun.K]

I hope Stave performs well this spring...he has a really high ceiling talent wise, even being a walk on...His mechanics and most likely getting used to going through a progression needs improvement, but you can't teach his size, athleticism and arm strength.

[ForkEmBucky]

Originally Posted by drun.K

I hope Stave performs well this spring...he has a really high ceiling talent wise, even being a walk on...His mechanics and most likely getting used to going through a progression needs improvement, but you can't teach his size, athleticism and arm strength.

I read somewhere that he is kind of a fan favorite. Phillips showed something back in 2009 that I like, though, an that's awareness and scrambling.