What college football bowl games are you looking forward to the most? This article ranks all 34 games (no surprise what #1 is).
Besides the Badgers' bowl game (vs. Florida State, December 27, Champs Sports Bowl) and the National Championship, I'm really not looking forward to any of these games. None of the "marquee" matchups seem that exciting to me:
-Penn State vs. USC, USC already trounced one Big Ten opponent this year and I imagine they'll take care of Penn State.
-Ohio State vs. Texas, Texas has a legitimate case for being in the National Championship game and will most likely destroy Ohio State.
-Alabama vs. Utah, A week ago Alabama's bags were packed for the title game and now they are going up against Utah.
This year's matchups provide yet more support for the argument that the BCS should be replaced by a playoff system (get on this Obama!). Imagine the possible matchups with a playoff system - Alabama vs. USC, Texas vs. Florida, Oklahoma vs. Penn State, Utah vs. Boise State, etc.
How can we get the bigwigs who run college football to change their minds?
Showing posts with label Badgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Badgers. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Badgers Disappear In Second Half
I don't have ESPNU so I didn't get to watch last night's UW-Marquette game, but here's what I could figure out from looking at the numbers:
-The Badgers got cold in the second half. After going 13-for-27 from the field in the first half, UW was 9-for-21 in the second half, including 3-for-12 from three-point land.
-It was not a "Bo Ryan" game, which means the Badgers lost the battle on fouls and turnovers. UW turned over the ball 16 times (Marquette had 12 turnovers), and committed 26 fouls to Marquette's 16. When the Badgers did get to the free throw line, they were 7-for-13.
-Marcus Landry did not show up. These are the type of games where you need your senior leaders to be big playmakers. Last year it was Brian Butch who would sometimes take over in big games, and two years ago it was Alando Tucker. Last night, Landry was just 2-for-5, in 28 minutes.
-Jason Bohannon is still not out of his early season funk. Bohannon was 2-for-7 from beyond the arc, and committed 4 turnovers.
-Badgers couldn't find a defensive answer to Jerel McNeal. McNeal scored most of his team-high 26 points in the second half. It's funny how much attention is given to Marquette's two "stars," Dominic James and Wesley Matthews (overrated), when in actuality the most valuable player on the roster is McNeal.
The Badgers have four more games (all home) until the Big Ten season opens on December 31 at Michigan. The next three games should be wins - Idaho State, UW-Green Bay, and Coppin State. Then No. 8 Texas comes to town, and the Longhorns will be looking for revenge for last year's loss in Austin. Texas just beat No. 12 UCLA, and their lone loss was by a single point against Notre Dame.
-The Badgers got cold in the second half. After going 13-for-27 from the field in the first half, UW was 9-for-21 in the second half, including 3-for-12 from three-point land.
-It was not a "Bo Ryan" game, which means the Badgers lost the battle on fouls and turnovers. UW turned over the ball 16 times (Marquette had 12 turnovers), and committed 26 fouls to Marquette's 16. When the Badgers did get to the free throw line, they were 7-for-13.
-Marcus Landry did not show up. These are the type of games where you need your senior leaders to be big playmakers. Last year it was Brian Butch who would sometimes take over in big games, and two years ago it was Alando Tucker. Last night, Landry was just 2-for-5, in 28 minutes.
-Jason Bohannon is still not out of his early season funk. Bohannon was 2-for-7 from beyond the arc, and committed 4 turnovers.
-Badgers couldn't find a defensive answer to Jerel McNeal. McNeal scored most of his team-high 26 points in the second half. It's funny how much attention is given to Marquette's two "stars," Dominic James and Wesley Matthews (overrated), when in actuality the most valuable player on the roster is McNeal.
The Badgers have four more games (all home) until the Big Ten season opens on December 31 at Michigan. The next three games should be wins - Idaho State, UW-Green Bay, and Coppin State. Then No. 8 Texas comes to town, and the Longhorns will be looking for revenge for last year's loss in Austin. Texas just beat No. 12 UCLA, and their lone loss was by a single point against Notre Dame.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Nice Road Win For UW
If you missed last night's UW-Virginia Tech game, you missed a rather exciting road win for the Badgers. UW was in control for most of the night, but the Hokies made a frenzy comeback with under 2 minutes to play. With about 7 seconds left, a player for VA Tech hit a game-tying three-pointer, which set up Trevon Hughes for the game-winner.
It's a good road victory for this young Badger team. Until the last minute, the team showed great poise. When the Hokies started pressing on defense, the Badgers had troubles (just like against UConn). But going into a hostile environment, against an ACC team that isn't afraid of anyone, and coming out with a win is always a positive. I think this was a good learning experience for the young guys - Leuer, Taylor, Wilson, Nankivil, and Jarmusz all played at least 10 minutes.
Leuer was in particular impressive last night. In 21 minutes he was 6-for-11, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. He finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The true freshman Rob Wilson made a slightly different impression. He shows flashes of brilliance on defense, but is too often out of control on offense (kind of like Kammron Taylor when he was a freshman). I think once he learns to settle down and let the game come to him, he will be a good player. But there will probably be some growing pains this year.
Landry, Hughes, Krabbenhoft, and Bohannon all had solid games, as you would expect from the core of the team. Overall, it was a good shooting night for the Badgers. They finished the game with a field goal percentage of 50, and were 12-for-18 on three-pointers (Landry was 4-for-4!).
After playing a number of games in a short period of time, UW can rest until Saturday's showdown at Marquette (8:30 pm, and on ESPNU (boo!)). Marquette just lost to Dayton last Saturday, and definitely revealed some weaknesses, so a victory on the road against the top-25 opponent isn't out of the question.
It's a good road victory for this young Badger team. Until the last minute, the team showed great poise. When the Hokies started pressing on defense, the Badgers had troubles (just like against UConn). But going into a hostile environment, against an ACC team that isn't afraid of anyone, and coming out with a win is always a positive. I think this was a good learning experience for the young guys - Leuer, Taylor, Wilson, Nankivil, and Jarmusz all played at least 10 minutes.
Leuer was in particular impressive last night. In 21 minutes he was 6-for-11, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. He finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The true freshman Rob Wilson made a slightly different impression. He shows flashes of brilliance on defense, but is too often out of control on offense (kind of like Kammron Taylor when he was a freshman). I think once he learns to settle down and let the game come to him, he will be a good player. But there will probably be some growing pains this year.
Landry, Hughes, Krabbenhoft, and Bohannon all had solid games, as you would expect from the core of the team. Overall, it was a good shooting night for the Badgers. They finished the game with a field goal percentage of 50, and were 12-for-18 on three-pointers (Landry was 4-for-4!).
After playing a number of games in a short period of time, UW can rest until Saturday's showdown at Marquette (8:30 pm, and on ESPNU (boo!)). Marquette just lost to Dayton last Saturday, and definitely revealed some weaknesses, so a victory on the road against the top-25 opponent isn't out of the question.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Bowl Predictions For UW
It's the first day after Thanksgiving, so I thought I would spoil the good mood and cheer by linking to a story that offers some bowl projections for college football. The bad news isn't that the Badger football team is projected to be heading to the Insight Bowl (Dec. 31 in Arizona) - the bad news is that according to this story, the game is televised by the NFL Network. What?! Why would the NFL Network (a channel most people in Wisconsin don't have) have the rights to televise a college football game?
OK, now you can get back to your leftovers while I go prepare for some old school sandlot football!
OK, now you can get back to your leftovers while I go prepare for some old school sandlot football!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Badgers Will Face UConn, Monday Night
UW defeated San Diego earlier tonight, 64-49, to advance to the Paradise Jam Tournament title game. The Badgers will be up against a tough opponent - No. 2 Connecticut. The game will tip-off at 7:30 pm central time, and will air on FSN in Wisconsin.
The Huskies beat Miami tonight, 76-63. UConn (4-0) has also beaten Western Carolina, Hartford, and La Salle, and the Huskies are averaging 86.3 points in their first four games. UConn's center, Hasheem Thabeet, is 7'3" and will certainly pose a tough matchup for the Badgers. In UConn's win over Miami, Thabeet scored 19 points, had 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks - hopefully he tired himself out!
Last year, the Huskies finished 21-6, with a 10-4 record in the Big East. They, ironically, lost to San Diego in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament, 70-69. UConn's roster this year boasts 6 seniors and 5 juniors.
The Huskies beat Miami tonight, 76-63. UConn (4-0) has also beaten Western Carolina, Hartford, and La Salle, and the Huskies are averaging 86.3 points in their first four games. UConn's center, Hasheem Thabeet, is 7'3" and will certainly pose a tough matchup for the Badgers. In UConn's win over Miami, Thabeet scored 19 points, had 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks - hopefully he tired himself out!
Last year, the Huskies finished 21-6, with a 10-4 record in the Big East. They, ironically, lost to San Diego in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament, 70-69. UConn's roster this year boasts 6 seniors and 5 juniors.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
14 Games To Look Forward To - College Basketball
Below is a list of 14 potentially awesome college basketball games, all of which will be played in December. Looking at the list, Texas easily has the toughest schedule on paper - four games against Top 25 teams, including two on the road. Besides the Wisconsin games, the matchups I'm most looking forward to are Duke at Purdue, UNC at Michigan St., and UCLA at Texas.
What games are you looking forward to? Any games missing from the list?
(All times listed are central standard time)
TUE, DECEMBER 2
No. 10 Duke at No. 11 Purdue, 8:00 pm, ESPN
WED, DECEMBER 3
No. 1 North Carolina at No. 5 Michigan State, 8:15 pm, ESPN
THU, DECEMBER 4
No. 19 USC at No. 12 Oklahoma, 6:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 4 UCLA at No. 7 Texas, 8:00 pm, ESPN2
SAT, DECEMBER 6
No. 25 Wisconsin at No. 15 Marquette, 8:30 pm, ESPNU
TUE, DECEMBER 9
No. 7 Texas at No. 23 Villanova, 8:00 pm, ESPN
SAT, DECEMBER 13
No. 13 Memphis at No. 22 Georgetown, 1:00 pm, CBS
SUN, DECEMBER 14
No. 9 Gonzaga at Arizona, 5:00 pm
TUE, DECEMBER 16
No. 15 Marquette at No. 14 Tennessee, 8:30 pm, ESPN
SAT, DECEMBER 20
No. 5 Michigan State at No. 7 Texas, 1:00 pm, CBS
No. 2 UConn at No. 9 Gonzaga, 3:00 pm, CBS
No. 21 Davidson at No. 11 Purdue, 3:00 pm
TUE, DECEMBER 23
No. 7 Texas at No. 25 Wisconsin, 8:30 pm, ESPN2
No. 24 Kansas at Arizona, 9:30 pm
What games are you looking forward to? Any games missing from the list?
(All times listed are central standard time)
TUE, DECEMBER 2
No. 10 Duke at No. 11 Purdue, 8:00 pm, ESPN
WED, DECEMBER 3
No. 1 North Carolina at No. 5 Michigan State, 8:15 pm, ESPN
THU, DECEMBER 4
No. 19 USC at No. 12 Oklahoma, 6:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 4 UCLA at No. 7 Texas, 8:00 pm, ESPN2
SAT, DECEMBER 6
No. 25 Wisconsin at No. 15 Marquette, 8:30 pm, ESPNU
TUE, DECEMBER 9
No. 7 Texas at No. 23 Villanova, 8:00 pm, ESPN
SAT, DECEMBER 13
No. 13 Memphis at No. 22 Georgetown, 1:00 pm, CBS
SUN, DECEMBER 14
No. 9 Gonzaga at Arizona, 5:00 pm
TUE, DECEMBER 16
No. 15 Marquette at No. 14 Tennessee, 8:30 pm, ESPN
SAT, DECEMBER 20
No. 5 Michigan State at No. 7 Texas, 1:00 pm, CBS
No. 2 UConn at No. 9 Gonzaga, 3:00 pm, CBS
No. 21 Davidson at No. 11 Purdue, 3:00 pm
TUE, DECEMBER 23
No. 7 Texas at No. 25 Wisconsin, 8:30 pm, ESPN2
No. 24 Kansas at Arizona, 9:30 pm
Monday, November 17, 2008
Reactions To Badgers' Season Opener - GUEST POST
Scott S. on UW's 68-61 victory over Long Beach State yesterday:
Well, the weird thing about the Badgers is that they didn't play that bad. There is just one HUGE weakness: Height. They're just too damn small. I've been ranting about this for months and no one will listen. Here's my rant:
Greg Stiemsma should have red-shirted his freshman year. It was the stupidest move ever not to. He played in 10 games, not one meaningful minute, and scored about 6 meaningless points. I'm not saying Stiemsma is the end all, be all by any stretch of the imagination, but he brought a defensive presence and offensive rebounding ability that this team DEARLY lacks.
Ok, so back to the Long Beach State game. Nankivil is too small to play center, and not a good enough athlete to play anywhere else. Leuer is too weak to play center. Gullickson is too short. Their best lineup is the starting five, minus Nankivil and adding Taylor. They're small and quick.
Unfortunately, its kind of like Marquette. When Marcus Landry (who is the only player who played his ass off) is your center at 6'7", you're going to get KILLED on the glass. I love Krabby, but he can't jump, and thus at 6'6" is too small to play power forward.
Overall impressions of the team? Bohannon is going to be the 2nd best scoring option. Bo isn't happy with Hughes, and essentially gave Taylor just as many minutes. Taylor is a better defensive player than Hughes, and probably by the end of the season will be just as good offensively - really like Taylor. Nankivil was poor with the ball, committing too many turnovers.
The real problem is, when you have guys like Krabby, Jarmusz, Nankivil, Rob Wilson (who someday could be a Flowers-esque defensive stopper) on the floor, you don't really have a lot of scoring options. None of those four scare you, so teams focus on Landry and Bohannon. The absolute X-factor is Hughes, and he played poorly.
I know I've said it a lot, but I want to see what Jared Berggren can do. He's 6'10" and athletic. I don't see how he can be dramatically worse than 6'8" Nankivil. One of the staples of Bo's Platteville teams was that they went 10-deep and applied a hellish full court press throughout the game. Well, these Badgers are 9 deep, and guys like Hughes, Taylor, and Wilson excel at pressing the ball full court. I'm not proposing using it exclusively, but an occasional 3 or 4 minutes pressing action might generate some easy buckets. Defensively, minus the lack of a true center, we're fine. I just don't think we can score enough to compete for a Big Ten title.
Well, the weird thing about the Badgers is that they didn't play that bad. There is just one HUGE weakness: Height. They're just too damn small. I've been ranting about this for months and no one will listen. Here's my rant:
Greg Stiemsma should have red-shirted his freshman year. It was the stupidest move ever not to. He played in 10 games, not one meaningful minute, and scored about 6 meaningless points. I'm not saying Stiemsma is the end all, be all by any stretch of the imagination, but he brought a defensive presence and offensive rebounding ability that this team DEARLY lacks.
Ok, so back to the Long Beach State game. Nankivil is too small to play center, and not a good enough athlete to play anywhere else. Leuer is too weak to play center. Gullickson is too short. Their best lineup is the starting five, minus Nankivil and adding Taylor. They're small and quick.
Unfortunately, its kind of like Marquette. When Marcus Landry (who is the only player who played his ass off) is your center at 6'7", you're going to get KILLED on the glass. I love Krabby, but he can't jump, and thus at 6'6" is too small to play power forward.
Overall impressions of the team? Bohannon is going to be the 2nd best scoring option. Bo isn't happy with Hughes, and essentially gave Taylor just as many minutes. Taylor is a better defensive player than Hughes, and probably by the end of the season will be just as good offensively - really like Taylor. Nankivil was poor with the ball, committing too many turnovers.
The real problem is, when you have guys like Krabby, Jarmusz, Nankivil, Rob Wilson (who someday could be a Flowers-esque defensive stopper) on the floor, you don't really have a lot of scoring options. None of those four scare you, so teams focus on Landry and Bohannon. The absolute X-factor is Hughes, and he played poorly.
I know I've said it a lot, but I want to see what Jared Berggren can do. He's 6'10" and athletic. I don't see how he can be dramatically worse than 6'8" Nankivil. One of the staples of Bo's Platteville teams was that they went 10-deep and applied a hellish full court press throughout the game. Well, these Badgers are 9 deep, and guys like Hughes, Taylor, and Wilson excel at pressing the ball full court. I'm not proposing using it exclusively, but an occasional 3 or 4 minutes pressing action might generate some easy buckets. Defensively, minus the lack of a true center, we're fine. I just don't think we can score enough to compete for a Big Ten title.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Badger Basketball Season Starts Sunday
The UW men's basketball team starts the 2008-09 season Sunday afternoon, with their first non-conference game at home against Long Beach St. (3 pm start time).
The Badgers enter the season ranked in both the AP (#25) and the Coaches (#21) polls. There are 2 other Big Ten teams in the top 25 - Michigan St. is #6 in the AP and Purdue is #11.
Last year UW only lost to three teams before the NCAA Tournament, and two of those were during the non-conference schedule. The Badgers lost to Duke and Marquette early in the season, and then lost twice to Purdue during the Big Ten schedule. But those losses didn't prevent UW from winning the Big Ten regular season title outright, which they followed up with a Big Ten Tournament title.
There are a few teams that will provide the Badgers with tough tests before the Big Ten season begins. From November 21 to 24 UW will participate in the Paradise Jam Tournament, where they could play Valparaiso, Miami, and Connecticut (ranked #2 in both preseason polls). On December 1 the Badgers will travel to Virginia Tech for the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. UW then travels to Marquette (#16) on December 6. Last year the Golden Eagles beat the Badgers at the Kohl Center 81-76. On December 23 the Badgers will play host to #7 Texas. Last year UW went down to Austin and beat Texas 67-66 when Michael Flowers made a game-winning three-pointer with seconds left in the game.
Here are a few final notes before tomorrow's game:
-The UW got two national letters of intent signed this past Wednesday.
-Freshman Ryan Evans has decided to redshirt this year. That leaves 4 true freshmen still available to come off the bench for Bo Ryan.
-The Badgers have lost just 1 season opener during the Bo Ryan-era. That was his first opener, back in 2001, at UNLV.
The Badgers enter the season ranked in both the AP (#25) and the Coaches (#21) polls. There are 2 other Big Ten teams in the top 25 - Michigan St. is #6 in the AP and Purdue is #11.
Last year UW only lost to three teams before the NCAA Tournament, and two of those were during the non-conference schedule. The Badgers lost to Duke and Marquette early in the season, and then lost twice to Purdue during the Big Ten schedule. But those losses didn't prevent UW from winning the Big Ten regular season title outright, which they followed up with a Big Ten Tournament title.
There are a few teams that will provide the Badgers with tough tests before the Big Ten season begins. From November 21 to 24 UW will participate in the Paradise Jam Tournament, where they could play Valparaiso, Miami, and Connecticut (ranked #2 in both preseason polls). On December 1 the Badgers will travel to Virginia Tech for the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. UW then travels to Marquette (#16) on December 6. Last year the Golden Eagles beat the Badgers at the Kohl Center 81-76. On December 23 the Badgers will play host to #7 Texas. Last year UW went down to Austin and beat Texas 67-66 when Michael Flowers made a game-winning three-pointer with seconds left in the game.
Here are a few final notes before tomorrow's game:
-The UW got two national letters of intent signed this past Wednesday.
-Freshman Ryan Evans has decided to redshirt this year. That leaves 4 true freshmen still available to come off the bench for Bo Ryan.
-The Badgers have lost just 1 season opener during the Bo Ryan-era. That was his first opener, back in 2001, at UNLV.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Badger Basketball Preview - Guest Post
Scott S. watched UW's exhibition game last night, and provides a preview of the 2008-09 season:
My disclaimer to this preview/review is that the game was played against a Division II school, Augustana, though they were a D II tournament team last year. No Badger played more than 23 minutes in the 81-57 win.
STARTING FIVE
TREVON HUGHES - The key word with Hughes is consistency. He can look dominant at times with his combination of speed and shooting range, but at other times commits foolish turnovers and terrible shots. Hughes was relatively quiet, finishing with 7 points. The key, however, was that he only had 1 turnover. He efficiently got the team into their offense, and fed the post players, who had a large height advantage.
JASON BOHANNON - I've been waiting for J-Bo to develop a midrange game as well as the ability to put the ball on the floor. He made great strides last year in becoming more than just a 3 point specialist, and appears to have progressed even further this year. J-Bo played solid D, and contributed 12 points. I was impressed most with his 3 offensive rebounds, including an athletic tip in off a Landry miss. Very poised and controlled on the court, even with the constant substitutions.
MARCUS LANDRY - Landry was simply dominant over the outmanned Augustanians. He put the ball on the floor, hit the spot up jump, and dominated in the post, en route to 21 points in 21 minutes. Landry could turn into the 2008 version of Alando Tucker, an undersized power forward who isn't afraid to bang inside. A definite possibility for Big Ten player of the year, especially since the team has other scoring options to take the pressure away.
JOE KRABBENHOFT - With the Badgers up 15 late in the first half, Krabbenhoft chased a loose ball, jumped over the scorer's table, and landed on some guy in the 2nd row. Someone forgot to tell Joe that this was an exhibition. Krabby is a glue guy, whose All-Big 10 defense was on display yet again. Probably the most consistent player on the team. Solid decision maker who is still somewhat limited offensively, but knows his role and provides toughness.
KEATON NANKIVIL - The Great Question Mark. Nankivil started at center, even though he's only 6'8. He's strong for his height, somewhat like a Mike Wilkinson type player. His skill level, however, is not near that of Wilkinson's. Nankivil didn't score in 17 minutes, but did have 7 boards. Wasn't as dominant as you'd hope against a small front line. Could be challenged for minutes by a variety of players.
THE BENCH
JON LEUER - I'd read the last few weeks about Leuer's added strength over the summer. It appears accurate. Leuer was phenomenal, banging inside, popping outside for the J, and driving inside. He held up much better on the boards than last year, and showed improved footwork as well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the majority of the minutes at the 5, especially against teams that don't have a big center.
TIM JARMUSZ - Jarmusz is kind of like a younger Krabbenhoft, albeit smaller. A solid player fundamentally who will make the right decisions on the court, but not a game changer. In 14 non-descript minutes Jarmusz had 2 points and 4 boards. Ryan trusts him, which is the number one factor in the distribution of minutes.
THE FRESHMEN
JORDAN TAYLOR - Taylor was the most impressive of the freshmen, with 5 points and 5 assists in 21 minutes. I loved the lineup of Taylor, Hughes, and Bohannon on the court together. Taylor and Hughes could both get into the lane at will and either finish or dish. Taylor's game is similar to that of Hughes, a quick, strong player who would rather drive than shoot the 3. Played hard and smart, and seemed to understand the nuances of the offense. Bo seemed happy with him, so expect to see him on the court, possibly taking some of Jarmusz’s minutes.
ROB WILSON - The 6'5 swingman from Cleveland was as advertised. Wilson is a strong, athletic player whose specialty is defense. Wilson didn't seem as comfortable on the offensive end, but did attack the hoop when the plays broke down.
RYAN EVANS - Evans only played 10 minutes, but had 6 points. Very athletic at 6'6, but raw. Impressive hops who could be a surprising contributor to the team, though still wouldn't be shocked if he red-shirted.
JARED BERGGREN - I was excited to see the 6'10 Berggren play, and disappointed that he didn't appear in the first half. Only got 5 minutes and didn't do much. Still excited to see him play.
IAN MARKOFF - 7 footer played 4 minutes. Will probably red-shirt, provided the equally 7 foot JP Gavinski takes the role of "Tall 7 foot guy who has a uniform, but doesn't play."
My disclaimer to this preview/review is that the game was played against a Division II school, Augustana, though they were a D II tournament team last year. No Badger played more than 23 minutes in the 81-57 win.
STARTING FIVE
TREVON HUGHES - The key word with Hughes is consistency. He can look dominant at times with his combination of speed and shooting range, but at other times commits foolish turnovers and terrible shots. Hughes was relatively quiet, finishing with 7 points. The key, however, was that he only had 1 turnover. He efficiently got the team into their offense, and fed the post players, who had a large height advantage.
JASON BOHANNON - I've been waiting for J-Bo to develop a midrange game as well as the ability to put the ball on the floor. He made great strides last year in becoming more than just a 3 point specialist, and appears to have progressed even further this year. J-Bo played solid D, and contributed 12 points. I was impressed most with his 3 offensive rebounds, including an athletic tip in off a Landry miss. Very poised and controlled on the court, even with the constant substitutions.
MARCUS LANDRY - Landry was simply dominant over the outmanned Augustanians. He put the ball on the floor, hit the spot up jump, and dominated in the post, en route to 21 points in 21 minutes. Landry could turn into the 2008 version of Alando Tucker, an undersized power forward who isn't afraid to bang inside. A definite possibility for Big Ten player of the year, especially since the team has other scoring options to take the pressure away.
JOE KRABBENHOFT - With the Badgers up 15 late in the first half, Krabbenhoft chased a loose ball, jumped over the scorer's table, and landed on some guy in the 2nd row. Someone forgot to tell Joe that this was an exhibition. Krabby is a glue guy, whose All-Big 10 defense was on display yet again. Probably the most consistent player on the team. Solid decision maker who is still somewhat limited offensively, but knows his role and provides toughness.
KEATON NANKIVIL - The Great Question Mark. Nankivil started at center, even though he's only 6'8. He's strong for his height, somewhat like a Mike Wilkinson type player. His skill level, however, is not near that of Wilkinson's. Nankivil didn't score in 17 minutes, but did have 7 boards. Wasn't as dominant as you'd hope against a small front line. Could be challenged for minutes by a variety of players.
THE BENCH
JON LEUER - I'd read the last few weeks about Leuer's added strength over the summer. It appears accurate. Leuer was phenomenal, banging inside, popping outside for the J, and driving inside. He held up much better on the boards than last year, and showed improved footwork as well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the majority of the minutes at the 5, especially against teams that don't have a big center.
TIM JARMUSZ - Jarmusz is kind of like a younger Krabbenhoft, albeit smaller. A solid player fundamentally who will make the right decisions on the court, but not a game changer. In 14 non-descript minutes Jarmusz had 2 points and 4 boards. Ryan trusts him, which is the number one factor in the distribution of minutes.
THE FRESHMEN
JORDAN TAYLOR - Taylor was the most impressive of the freshmen, with 5 points and 5 assists in 21 minutes. I loved the lineup of Taylor, Hughes, and Bohannon on the court together. Taylor and Hughes could both get into the lane at will and either finish or dish. Taylor's game is similar to that of Hughes, a quick, strong player who would rather drive than shoot the 3. Played hard and smart, and seemed to understand the nuances of the offense. Bo seemed happy with him, so expect to see him on the court, possibly taking some of Jarmusz’s minutes.
ROB WILSON - The 6'5 swingman from Cleveland was as advertised. Wilson is a strong, athletic player whose specialty is defense. Wilson didn't seem as comfortable on the offensive end, but did attack the hoop when the plays broke down.
RYAN EVANS - Evans only played 10 minutes, but had 6 points. Very athletic at 6'6, but raw. Impressive hops who could be a surprising contributor to the team, though still wouldn't be shocked if he red-shirted.
JARED BERGGREN - I was excited to see the 6'10 Berggren play, and disappointed that he didn't appear in the first half. Only got 5 minutes and didn't do much. Still excited to see him play.
IAN MARKOFF - 7 footer played 4 minutes. Will probably red-shirt, provided the equally 7 foot JP Gavinski takes the role of "Tall 7 foot guy who has a uniform, but doesn't play."
Monday, October 20, 2008
Weekend Sports Recap
-The disappointing season for the UW football team continued Saturday, losing badly at Iowa, 38-16. I may have been too optimistic in an earlier post when I said that I believed the team still had a good shot at reaching a bowl game this year. Should the team make Scott Tolzien the new starting quarterback? I think the Badgers are heading to a quarterback by committee approach, where whoever is playing well will get to lead the offense. The only real bright spot this season has been running back John Clay, who ran 16 times Saturday for 89 yards. For the season, Clay has 394 yards rushing on only 65 carries, which is an average of 6 yards per carry. He may be the starting tailback now if PJ Hill is sidelined with yet another injury.
-The Green Bay Packers improved to 4-3 this year with an impressive 34-14 victory over the Colts at Lambeau. The two things I took away from the game: 1) what a performance from the defense, which shut down the Colts' passing attack and provided two touchdowns off of interception returns; and 2) how great was it to watch a discouraged, dejected, depressed, aggravated, flummoxed, and angry Peyton Manning? I can't remember seeing Manning look so defeated before, and it was a nice added touch to the victory. What a strong way for GB to head into the bye week (Speaking of strong, Ryan Grant looks 100% now, and that is great news for the Packers - 31 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD).
-The other big Packers-related news item from the weekend was the latest chapter in the Brett Favre soap opera. If the allegations are true, that Favre has provided other teams with information about the Packers, it will be a devastating blow to his legacy. Charles Woodson, who is one of GB's leaders now, had probably the best response:
"He contacted them?" cornerback Charles Woodson said with raised eyebrows. "I don't respect that. If they called him and he gives them information, that's one thing. But to seek a team out, because, you know, I guess you're trying to sabotage this team, you know I don't respect that. I know he's been the greatest player around here for a long time but there's no honor in that."
-It was a busy weekend for the Brewers too. Doug Melvin's contract was extended. Dale Sveum was interviewed and told "we'll get back to you." The Brewers got back to him and said adios. And now the search is on for an "experienced manager that has a reputation for winning." There is apparently a handful of candidates that have sought out Melvin for the position. If it were up to me, I would choose either Buck Showalter or Bob Brenly. Both have demonstrated a good knowledge of the game, and both have prior accomplishments in their careers.
-The World Series is now set and it's not pretty: Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay. Here is why I'm cheering for the Phillies: 1) if they win, then Brewers fans can say at least our team got knocked out by the eventual World Series champions (this would ideally be directed at cubs fans), 2) Tampa Bay really annoys me - from those stupid mohawks to the lame song they play after wins to shots of Dick Vitale cheering obnoxiously from the stands to Grant Balfour's ridiculous mannerisms on the mound, and so on and so forth, 3) if the Phillies win, we won't have to listen to stupid Philadelphia sports fans cry about their city not winning a championship since 1980, and 4) The DEVIL Rays have only been around as a franchise for 10 years! - there are a number of teams that deserve to win a World Series title before some team that can't even sell out home playoff games.
-The UW men's basketball team got to work for the upcoming season. The Badgers, defending Big Ten regular season and tournament champions, play their first exhibition game November 1. The Final Four this season will be in Detroit - see the rest of you Badger fans there!
-The Green Bay Packers improved to 4-3 this year with an impressive 34-14 victory over the Colts at Lambeau. The two things I took away from the game: 1) what a performance from the defense, which shut down the Colts' passing attack and provided two touchdowns off of interception returns; and 2) how great was it to watch a discouraged, dejected, depressed, aggravated, flummoxed, and angry Peyton Manning? I can't remember seeing Manning look so defeated before, and it was a nice added touch to the victory. What a strong way for GB to head into the bye week (Speaking of strong, Ryan Grant looks 100% now, and that is great news for the Packers - 31 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD).
-The other big Packers-related news item from the weekend was the latest chapter in the Brett Favre soap opera. If the allegations are true, that Favre has provided other teams with information about the Packers, it will be a devastating blow to his legacy. Charles Woodson, who is one of GB's leaders now, had probably the best response:
"He contacted them?" cornerback Charles Woodson said with raised eyebrows. "I don't respect that. If they called him and he gives them information, that's one thing. But to seek a team out, because, you know, I guess you're trying to sabotage this team, you know I don't respect that. I know he's been the greatest player around here for a long time but there's no honor in that."
-It was a busy weekend for the Brewers too. Doug Melvin's contract was extended. Dale Sveum was interviewed and told "we'll get back to you." The Brewers got back to him and said adios. And now the search is on for an "experienced manager that has a reputation for winning." There is apparently a handful of candidates that have sought out Melvin for the position. If it were up to me, I would choose either Buck Showalter or Bob Brenly. Both have demonstrated a good knowledge of the game, and both have prior accomplishments in their careers.
-The World Series is now set and it's not pretty: Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay. Here is why I'm cheering for the Phillies: 1) if they win, then Brewers fans can say at least our team got knocked out by the eventual World Series champions (this would ideally be directed at cubs fans), 2) Tampa Bay really annoys me - from those stupid mohawks to the lame song they play after wins to shots of Dick Vitale cheering obnoxiously from the stands to Grant Balfour's ridiculous mannerisms on the mound, and so on and so forth, 3) if the Phillies win, we won't have to listen to stupid Philadelphia sports fans cry about their city not winning a championship since 1980, and 4) The DEVIL Rays have only been around as a franchise for 10 years! - there are a number of teams that deserve to win a World Series title before some team that can't even sell out home playoff games.
-The UW men's basketball team got to work for the upcoming season. The Badgers, defending Big Ten regular season and tournament champions, play their first exhibition game November 1. The Final Four this season will be in Detroit - see the rest of you Badger fans there!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
UW Crushed At Home By PSU
The Badger football team got knocked out last night at Camp Randall by the No. 6 Nittany Lions. The bad news is that last night's loss was the third straight for UW and the team is 0-3 in the Big Ten. The good news is that the schedule does get theoretically easier for the Badgers.
UW has 6 games remaining and 5 of those are against Big Ten opponents - Iowa, Illinois, Michigan St., Indiana, and Minnesota. The Badgers should be able to pull out at least 3 wins from that group (2 of those games are at Camp Randall, and playing at Indiana shouldn't be tough this year).
As long as the Badgers can find a way to regroup they should find themselves in a bowl game. But it almost certainly won't be played in 2009.
Meanwhile, in light of recent events, the university might want to consider changing the promotional video that is played during UW sporting events. It prominently features the UW marching band, including a cymbals-player with a crazed look near the end of the spot. Check it out:
UW has 6 games remaining and 5 of those are against Big Ten opponents - Iowa, Illinois, Michigan St., Indiana, and Minnesota. The Badgers should be able to pull out at least 3 wins from that group (2 of those games are at Camp Randall, and playing at Indiana shouldn't be tough this year).
As long as the Badgers can find a way to regroup they should find themselves in a bowl game. But it almost certainly won't be played in 2009.
Meanwhile, in light of recent events, the university might want to consider changing the promotional video that is played during UW sporting events. It prominently features the UW marching band, including a cymbals-player with a crazed look near the end of the spot. Check it out:
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Yuck
First this.
Then this.
And to top it all off, this.
For Wisconsin sports fans, it was not a good day.
Tomorrow the Pack will travel to Tampa Bay, while CC tries to pitch the Brewers into the playoffs. The cubs will be starting Carlos Zambrano, but it does not sound like he will be pitching more than a few innings.
Then this.
And to top it all off, this.
For Wisconsin sports fans, it was not a good day.
Tomorrow the Pack will travel to Tampa Bay, while CC tries to pitch the Brewers into the playoffs. The cubs will be starting Carlos Zambrano, but it does not sound like he will be pitching more than a few innings.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Badgers Overcome Poor Start
UW looked sluggish in the first quarter, but the Badgers were able to respond in the final 3 quarters and waltz to a 51-14 victory.
Marshall took advantage of a number of Badger miscues and took a 14-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter. UW committed several dumb penalties, was plagued by poor play in the secondary, and was unable to get any momentum on offense.
The tide started to turn with a 36-yard reception by Lance Kendricks a minute and a half into the second quarter, which put the Badgers into Marshall territory. The scoring drive was capped by a PJ Hill touchdown, giving the Badgers their first score of the day. The Badger defense improved too, collecting 3 interceptions later in the game and shutting down the Marshall offense for the rest of the game. And if my memory is correct, I don't think they committed a costly penalty after the first quarter.
The schedule only gets tougher now for the Badgers, as they travel to Fresno State next week for a prime-time game under the lights against a hungry opponent. UW then has a bye week before opening the Big Ten season at Michigan. Here's hoping the Badgers don't come out flat next week.
One final note about the Big Ten Network, which carried UW's game for the second straight week. I'm hoping the BTN will try a little harder in the future when it comes to the quality of their broadcast. The picture quality of the network was poor, and the announcers are pretty sub-par as well.
Marshall took advantage of a number of Badger miscues and took a 14-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter. UW committed several dumb penalties, was plagued by poor play in the secondary, and was unable to get any momentum on offense.
The tide started to turn with a 36-yard reception by Lance Kendricks a minute and a half into the second quarter, which put the Badgers into Marshall territory. The scoring drive was capped by a PJ Hill touchdown, giving the Badgers their first score of the day. The Badger defense improved too, collecting 3 interceptions later in the game and shutting down the Marshall offense for the rest of the game. And if my memory is correct, I don't think they committed a costly penalty after the first quarter.
The schedule only gets tougher now for the Badgers, as they travel to Fresno State next week for a prime-time game under the lights against a hungry opponent. UW then has a bye week before opening the Big Ten season at Michigan. Here's hoping the Badgers don't come out flat next week.
One final note about the Big Ten Network, which carried UW's game for the second straight week. I'm hoping the BTN will try a little harder in the future when it comes to the quality of their broadcast. The picture quality of the network was poor, and the announcers are pretty sub-par as well.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Badger Game Day
This morning, I woke up to the sounds of some yahoo on bongos, banging away like a 4-year-old, and mixing in some terribly conceived chants. For a minute, I thought I was dreaming that it was a Badger game day, and that I was back on State Street. In actuality, it was just some yahoo cheering on a bunch of runners in a local charity run. Did I mention that he was a YAHOO!
But I was right about one thing: it's BADGER GAME DAY! The 2008 football season starts today for UW, which always brings an exciting mixture of anticipation, hope, and of course, beer.
UW enters the season once again ranked in both preseason Top 25s - 13th in the AP poll, and 12th in the USA Today poll. There are many people out there that believe a Big Ten title is possible this season, but there are a few questions that will need to be answered this year:
-How will Allan Evridge perform? The fifth-year senior, who transferred from Kansas State, won the QB starting position. But from the accounts I've read, it was a fairly close battle. The Badgers don't need Evridge to be a super-star, they just need him to manage games and make the easy plays (how many times has that been said about UW QBs?). Here's hoping Evridge comes out today and gives the Camp Randall faithful a dose of confidence.
-Who will step up from the receiving corps? Travis Beckum is predicted to be an All-American and a future high-draft pick at the tight end position. But the rest of the Badger receivers are less heralded. I'm hoping sophomore David Gilreath will have a break-out season, as he has shown the ability to be explosive with the ball.
-How special will the special teams be? UW lost a senior kicker and a senior punter, and will be breaking in new kids at both positions. Ken DeBauche and Taylor Mehlhaff left some pretty big shoes to fill, and special teams are a crucial part of any college football team.
-Who becomes the man at running back? PJ Hill was not healthy the entire season last year and Lance Smith is off the team. There are two other RBs on the team that will see playing time: Zach Brown and John Clay. If Hill is once again plagued by injuries or is inconsistent, will Brown and Clay be able to carry the Badger offense?
-Who fills the holes in the Badger defense? UW's defense has not been as impressive the past couple of years, and some holes have developed. Cornerback is one spot where there remain question marks. Health will also be an issue for the defense overall, and the defensive line could get thin if injuries crop up.
Will all of these questions be addressed today against Akron? Of course not. But keep in mind that any element that is negative today against a lesser opponent, will only be magnified once the Big Ten season begins.
But I was right about one thing: it's BADGER GAME DAY! The 2008 football season starts today for UW, which always brings an exciting mixture of anticipation, hope, and of course, beer.
UW enters the season once again ranked in both preseason Top 25s - 13th in the AP poll, and 12th in the USA Today poll. There are many people out there that believe a Big Ten title is possible this season, but there are a few questions that will need to be answered this year:
-How will Allan Evridge perform? The fifth-year senior, who transferred from Kansas State, won the QB starting position. But from the accounts I've read, it was a fairly close battle. The Badgers don't need Evridge to be a super-star, they just need him to manage games and make the easy plays (how many times has that been said about UW QBs?). Here's hoping Evridge comes out today and gives the Camp Randall faithful a dose of confidence.
-Who will step up from the receiving corps? Travis Beckum is predicted to be an All-American and a future high-draft pick at the tight end position. But the rest of the Badger receivers are less heralded. I'm hoping sophomore David Gilreath will have a break-out season, as he has shown the ability to be explosive with the ball.
-How special will the special teams be? UW lost a senior kicker and a senior punter, and will be breaking in new kids at both positions. Ken DeBauche and Taylor Mehlhaff left some pretty big shoes to fill, and special teams are a crucial part of any college football team.
-Who becomes the man at running back? PJ Hill was not healthy the entire season last year and Lance Smith is off the team. There are two other RBs on the team that will see playing time: Zach Brown and John Clay. If Hill is once again plagued by injuries or is inconsistent, will Brown and Clay be able to carry the Badger offense?
-Who fills the holes in the Badger defense? UW's defense has not been as impressive the past couple of years, and some holes have developed. Cornerback is one spot where there remain question marks. Health will also be an issue for the defense overall, and the defensive line could get thin if injuries crop up.
Will all of these questions be addressed today against Akron? Of course not. But keep in mind that any element that is negative today against a lesser opponent, will only be magnified once the Big Ten season begins.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Time Warner Blinks First
Time Warner Cable has agreed to add the Big Ten Network to the expanded basic cable package they offer, which should make a lot of local Badger fans happy. Time Warner had previously stated that they wanted to offer the BTN only as a part of their expanded sports package.
Of course, thousands of Badger fans, including those in Madison and myself up in Eau Claire, will still not be able to watch the regular season opener against Akron this Saturday, because we have Charter cable.
The official Badger football schedule on uwbadgers.com, shows that the first two games of the season will be shown only on the BTN. The third game, at Fresno State, will be shown on ESPN2. All of the remaining games are TBA, but most of those will probably be shown on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC.
Of course, thousands of Badger fans, including those in Madison and myself up in Eau Claire, will still not be able to watch the regular season opener against Akron this Saturday, because we have Charter cable.
The official Badger football schedule on uwbadgers.com, shows that the first two games of the season will be shown only on the BTN. The third game, at Fresno State, will be shown on ESPN2. All of the remaining games are TBA, but most of those will probably be shown on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC.
Monday, April 28, 2008
NFL Draft
I really don't care much for the NFL draft. In fact, I think it is one of the most over-hyped events in all of sports. I usually pay attention to only two things from the draft: who the Packers get, and which Badgers got drafted.
So who did the Packers get? A pair of quarterbacks that no one is really enthused about much, a couple of wide receivers I've never heard of, a TE from Texas, two defensive players, a guard, and some dude named Breno. I know pretty much nothing about most of these players, so I won't pretend to offer up any analysis. I think it's ridiculous to read too much into these drafts anyhow, and it makes more sense to grade how a team performed a few years after the players actually put on their new jerseys. The only criticism I can think of, is that it might have made some sense to get a running back - I know we have Ryan Grant, but he hasn't played a full season yet, and running backs in today's NFL have a short lifespan.
Meanwhile, four players from last year's UW team heard their names called. Of the 6 total minutes I spent watching the draft this year, 3 of them actually came when Hubbard was selected by Cleveland. It was nice to hear all of the studio analysts talk about Hubbard and the tradition of Wisconsin wide receivers (like Chris Chambers and Lee Evans).
One final note, former Badger punter Ken DeBauche went undrafted, but was signed by the Packers.
So who did the Packers get? A pair of quarterbacks that no one is really enthused about much, a couple of wide receivers I've never heard of, a TE from Texas, two defensive players, a guard, and some dude named Breno. I know pretty much nothing about most of these players, so I won't pretend to offer up any analysis. I think it's ridiculous to read too much into these drafts anyhow, and it makes more sense to grade how a team performed a few years after the players actually put on their new jerseys. The only criticism I can think of, is that it might have made some sense to get a running back - I know we have Ryan Grant, but he hasn't played a full season yet, and running backs in today's NFL have a short lifespan.
Meanwhile, four players from last year's UW team heard their names called. Of the 6 total minutes I spent watching the draft this year, 3 of them actually came when Hubbard was selected by Cleveland. It was nice to hear all of the studio analysts talk about Hubbard and the tradition of Wisconsin wide receivers (like Chris Chambers and Lee Evans).
One final note, former Badger punter Ken DeBauche went undrafted, but was signed by the Packers.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Guess Who's Back
Geoff Jenkins makes his return to Miller Park tonight - thankfully it is in the uniform of a different team. Jenkins is probably my least favorite Brewer of all-time. He was with Milwaukee from 1998 to 2007, and if you look at his numbers from 2003 to 2007, you'll see a steady decline in production. His best year was in 2000, when he hit over .300, had 34 home runs, and 94 RBI. Since then, he has never hit over .300, and has never hit more than 28 home runs in a season.
Here's a look at his averages from the last 4 years with Milwaukee:
.270 avg., 22.5 home runs, 78 RBI, 70.5 runs, 47.5 walks, 133.7 strikeouts
Those numbers aren't terrible, but they certainly don't merit the amount of money he was making. How sad to think that at one time, he was considered the best player on this team.
This year, in 21 games with the Phillies:
.250 avg., 1 home run, 3 RBI, 6 runs, 4 walks, 15 strikeouts
Here's a look at his averages from the last 4 years with Milwaukee:
.270 avg., 22.5 home runs, 78 RBI, 70.5 runs, 47.5 walks, 133.7 strikeouts
Those numbers aren't terrible, but they certainly don't merit the amount of money he was making. How sad to think that at one time, he was considered the best player on this team.
This year, in 21 games with the Phillies:
.250 avg., 1 home run, 3 RBI, 6 runs, 4 walks, 15 strikeouts
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Badger Spring Game
Camp Randall was the site of today's UW spring football game, and I have a friend and fellow UW-alum who was among the plus-20,000 crowd. Scott S. was good enough to share his thoughts on the game and the 2008 Badger team:
This spring for the UW football team has been marred by injuries, mainly to the defensive line. That said, the defense played relatively well. The kickers, well, that’s another story. The game featured the starters, the Cardinal team, against the reserves, the White squad. The Cardinal won a lethargic game, 28-3. Here’s a position by position breakdown of UW’s spring game:
Quarterback
Following Tyler Donovan’s graduation, this has become a two man race between Senior Allen Everidge and Junior Dustin Sheerer. Both alternated shifts for the Cardinal squad. Sheerer was the better QB today, but both were somewhat limited by poor play by the receivers. Both QBs went through their progressions well against a depleted secondary, but Everidge had one absolute horrible decision that resulted in an interception. Since QBs were off limits to tackling, it was impossible to judge their ability to run the ball. Third stringer Scott Tolzein played very well for the White squad. Heralded recruit Curt Phillips was the 5th QB today, and played with mostly 3rd stringers. He was sharp passing the ball, but was still somewhat confused as to his reads. Barring a miracle, look for him to redshirt this year.
Running Back
Easily the most talented position on the team. PJ Hill and Zach Brown both ran with the Cardinal, while Lance Smith and heralded recruit John Clay ran with the White. Hill had some impressive runs in the first half; however they were against essentially a 4th string defensive line. Brown had a few nice runs as well, but did not distinguish himself. Smith looked excellent catching the ball out of the backfield, and also broke a few long runs. The staff has been experimenting with him at WR, and he looks like a natural catching passes. Clay’s much anticipated debut did not disappoint. Going against the number one defense, Clay ran with impressive burst and power. He never got into the open field, but reminded me of Ron Dayne in the way that he had to be gang tackled each play, always carrying the pile. His skills in the passing game will take some time to develop. At this point, I think Hill will be number 1, Clay has an excellent chance to overtake Brown for number 2, and Smith will be a slotback/3rd down running back.
Wide Receiver
David Gilreath, last year known exclusively as a punt returner, was the only wideout to distinguish himself. He made a nice catch on an up and out route, and showed sure hands. No other WR did anything to impress, and the drops, especially a dropped TD by Issac Anderson made the game painful to watch at times.
Tight End
With Travis Beckum out, Mickey Turner played extremely well in the passing game, though his run support could have been better. Freshman Jake Byrne had a nice catch for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter.
Offensive Line
Going against a defensive line ravaged by injuries, this unit should have dominated the game. They did not. The line effectively opened lanes, but never got their hands on the linebackers, who roamed free for most of the game. I was expecting more from this unit. I was also looking forward to seeing redshirt freshman Josh Oglesby, a 5 star recruit from Milwaukee make his debut. He played left tackle with the White squad and had a really rough day. On consecutive plays he committed a false start, and then was bull rushed by O’Brien Schofield (80 pounds lighter than Oglesby) and thrown into Lance Smith, who was trying to run a stretch play. Pass protection was generally good; again, hard to say because QBs were down by touch.
D Line
Here’s the list of players who missed the game that are on the 2 deep depth chart: Matt Shaughnessy, Dan Moore, Jason Chapman, and Mike Newkirk. That said, the group held up well. I was impressed with Schofield, as well as little used nose tackle Jeff Stehle. The silver lining to the injuries is that we may develop some depth at this position.
LBs
Usual up and down day for the talented trio Casillas, Hodge, and Levy. All three would be in on the play one moment, then conspicuously absent the next. Clay was a good test, as he is big enough to run over the athletic linebackers, and at some points, did. Their ability to cover tight ends, or lack thereof, was exposed, yet again. Watch out for the spread offenses this year, as Minnesota and Michigan will be employing UW’s biggest nemesis in 2008.
DBs
Again, a group ravaged by injuries. Langford and Henry are recovering from ACL’s, and at points their replacements were too soft in zone coverages, opening up huge holes for Gilreath and Turner to exploit. Niles Brinkley acquitted himself well at corner, as did Jay Valai at safety. Still waiting for Aubrey Pleasant to have an Atari Bigby type awakening, thinking less, and just running around and hitting people.
Kickers
WOW. We will miss Ken Debauche and Taylor Melhaff. The kickers had competitions at the end of the first and third quarters, each kicking 4 field goals from 25, 35, 40, and 45 yards. No wind, no rain, nothing. Both Junior Matt Fisher and Freshman Philip Welch were horrible. At one point, Fisher missed 3 in a row, with no rush, from dead on. Welch was erratic as well, hitting the triumvirate of misses, left, right, and short, while only connecting on half of his 8 attempts. And THAT was the good news. The new (and only) punter is Debauche’s little brother, Brad. We’re going to need those genes to kick in real soon. Brad punted about 5 times. All five were short, line drives that easily could have been returned by Gilreath if returns were allowed. His average was around 30 years, some only around 20, and the net on most would easily be in the teens. An overall terrible day for the new Debauche. But hey, it’s the spring game, so he has all summer to add 20 yards and 2 seconds of hang time until it counts.
This spring for the UW football team has been marred by injuries, mainly to the defensive line. That said, the defense played relatively well. The kickers, well, that’s another story. The game featured the starters, the Cardinal team, against the reserves, the White squad. The Cardinal won a lethargic game, 28-3. Here’s a position by position breakdown of UW’s spring game:
Quarterback
Following Tyler Donovan’s graduation, this has become a two man race between Senior Allen Everidge and Junior Dustin Sheerer. Both alternated shifts for the Cardinal squad. Sheerer was the better QB today, but both were somewhat limited by poor play by the receivers. Both QBs went through their progressions well against a depleted secondary, but Everidge had one absolute horrible decision that resulted in an interception. Since QBs were off limits to tackling, it was impossible to judge their ability to run the ball. Third stringer Scott Tolzein played very well for the White squad. Heralded recruit Curt Phillips was the 5th QB today, and played with mostly 3rd stringers. He was sharp passing the ball, but was still somewhat confused as to his reads. Barring a miracle, look for him to redshirt this year.
Running Back
Easily the most talented position on the team. PJ Hill and Zach Brown both ran with the Cardinal, while Lance Smith and heralded recruit John Clay ran with the White. Hill had some impressive runs in the first half; however they were against essentially a 4th string defensive line. Brown had a few nice runs as well, but did not distinguish himself. Smith looked excellent catching the ball out of the backfield, and also broke a few long runs. The staff has been experimenting with him at WR, and he looks like a natural catching passes. Clay’s much anticipated debut did not disappoint. Going against the number one defense, Clay ran with impressive burst and power. He never got into the open field, but reminded me of Ron Dayne in the way that he had to be gang tackled each play, always carrying the pile. His skills in the passing game will take some time to develop. At this point, I think Hill will be number 1, Clay has an excellent chance to overtake Brown for number 2, and Smith will be a slotback/3rd down running back.
Wide Receiver
David Gilreath, last year known exclusively as a punt returner, was the only wideout to distinguish himself. He made a nice catch on an up and out route, and showed sure hands. No other WR did anything to impress, and the drops, especially a dropped TD by Issac Anderson made the game painful to watch at times.
Tight End
With Travis Beckum out, Mickey Turner played extremely well in the passing game, though his run support could have been better. Freshman Jake Byrne had a nice catch for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter.
Offensive Line
Going against a defensive line ravaged by injuries, this unit should have dominated the game. They did not. The line effectively opened lanes, but never got their hands on the linebackers, who roamed free for most of the game. I was expecting more from this unit. I was also looking forward to seeing redshirt freshman Josh Oglesby, a 5 star recruit from Milwaukee make his debut. He played left tackle with the White squad and had a really rough day. On consecutive plays he committed a false start, and then was bull rushed by O’Brien Schofield (80 pounds lighter than Oglesby) and thrown into Lance Smith, who was trying to run a stretch play. Pass protection was generally good; again, hard to say because QBs were down by touch.
D Line
Here’s the list of players who missed the game that are on the 2 deep depth chart: Matt Shaughnessy, Dan Moore, Jason Chapman, and Mike Newkirk. That said, the group held up well. I was impressed with Schofield, as well as little used nose tackle Jeff Stehle. The silver lining to the injuries is that we may develop some depth at this position.
LBs
Usual up and down day for the talented trio Casillas, Hodge, and Levy. All three would be in on the play one moment, then conspicuously absent the next. Clay was a good test, as he is big enough to run over the athletic linebackers, and at some points, did. Their ability to cover tight ends, or lack thereof, was exposed, yet again. Watch out for the spread offenses this year, as Minnesota and Michigan will be employing UW’s biggest nemesis in 2008.
DBs
Again, a group ravaged by injuries. Langford and Henry are recovering from ACL’s, and at points their replacements were too soft in zone coverages, opening up huge holes for Gilreath and Turner to exploit. Niles Brinkley acquitted himself well at corner, as did Jay Valai at safety. Still waiting for Aubrey Pleasant to have an Atari Bigby type awakening, thinking less, and just running around and hitting people.
Kickers
WOW. We will miss Ken Debauche and Taylor Melhaff. The kickers had competitions at the end of the first and third quarters, each kicking 4 field goals from 25, 35, 40, and 45 yards. No wind, no rain, nothing. Both Junior Matt Fisher and Freshman Philip Welch were horrible. At one point, Fisher missed 3 in a row, with no rush, from dead on. Welch was erratic as well, hitting the triumvirate of misses, left, right, and short, while only connecting on half of his 8 attempts. And THAT was the good news. The new (and only) punter is Debauche’s little brother, Brad. We’re going to need those genes to kick in real soon. Brad punted about 5 times. All five were short, line drives that easily could have been returned by Gilreath if returns were allowed. His average was around 30 years, some only around 20, and the net on most would easily be in the teens. An overall terrible day for the new Debauche. But hey, it’s the spring game, so he has all summer to add 20 yards and 2 seconds of hang time until it counts.
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