2024 Badger Football Thread

TW said:
Pettaway must have believed he wasn't going to be playing much in Madison, and figured that with the Gophers he'd have a better chance at making it to the field.
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Again, I can accept that. But, I'm just an old knuckledragger that would be banging my head trying to get on the field rather than moving on.

Imagine if Rudy had a portal?
 
Keg Man said:
Again, I can accept that. But, I'm just an old knuckledragger that would be banging my head trying to get on the field rather than moving on.

Imagine if Rudy had a portal?
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I have an old friend who went through the same thing as Rudy, in a way. He was stuck in a school where his road to the top ended up blocked because there was no such thing as the portal. He was a super talent RB who went to Ohio State. When he was a freshman, he and another guy both showed they had the skills to be the #1 RB. The other would be relegated to the #2 role. But, Woody Hayes had to make a decision, and when he did, it left my old friend heartbroken, except for one thing. Woody told him he was good enough that he could not only be the #2 RB, but could be an amazing WR, with a little work.

So, my friend set out on a mission to prove himself, and did so, as both an RB and WR. He was a starter at OSU for all 4 years at OSU, because he dedicated himself to doing the job right. He was drafted into the NFL in the 3rd round, by the Chicago Bears. He played for the Bears for 9 years, before retiring.

It's been close to 40 years since I last saw him, and from what I gather, he's been concerned about the onset of CTE. I was sad to hear that. He has given so much back to community over the years, and has never ceased to amaze me how casual he could be as he met, and talked to people.

I'd imagine, with the portal today, would he have transferred? I'd bet he would. He was good enough to play for anyone. The only guy who could beat him out of a job was Archie Griffin, who went on in their competing 4 years to rack up some of the most amazing numbers seen to that point, for college RBs. It took a Heisman Trophy winner to beat Brian Baschnagel out of a job. But, it didn't take the fight out of Brian Baschnagel. He was, and still is, a winner.
 
TW said:
I have an old friend who went through the same thing as Rudy, in a way. He was stuck in a school where his road to the top ended up blocked because there was no such thing as the portal. He was a super talent RB who went to Ohio State. When he was a freshman, he and another guy both showed they had the skills to be the #1 RB. The other would be relegated to the #2 role. But, Woody Hayes had to make a decision, and when he did, it left my old friend heartbroken, except for one thing. Woody told him he was good enough that he could not only be the #2 RB, but could be an amazing WR, with a little work.

So, my friend set out on a mission to prove himself, and did so, as both an RB and WR. He was a starter at OSU for all 4 years at OSU, because he dedicated himself to doing the job right. He was drafted into the NFL in the 3rd round, by the Chicago Bears. He played for the Bears for 9 years, before retiring.

It's been close to 40 years since I last saw him, and from what I gather, he's been concerned about the onset of CTE. I was sad to hear that. He has given so much back to community over the years, and has never ceased to amaze me how casual he could be as he met, and talked to people.

I'd imagine, with the portal today, would he have transferred? I'd bet he would. He was good enough to play for anyone. The only guy who could beat him out of a job was Archie Griffin, who went on in their competing 4 years to rack up some of the most amazing numbers seen to that point, for college RBs. It took a Heisman Trophy winner to beat Brian Baschnagel out of a job. But, it didn't take the fight out of Brian Baschnagel. He was, and still is, a winner.
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Except, he still sucks
 

Wisconsin DC Mike Tressel: 'Truthfully...we've gotten more athletic'​


Mike Tressel's first season orchestrating the defense in Madison was...rather forgettable.

The Badgers were plagued by, among many other things, slow starts, the lack of a pass rush and the lack of ability to contain mobile quarterbacks. Only two players, Hunter Wohler and Ricardo Hallman, emerged as true stars on that side of the ball. The result was a mediocre defense that seemed to lack an identity.
Of course, one must also consider the circumstances. Tressel was working with a roster almost entirely composed of players signed by the previous staff to play in Jim Leonhard's old-school, 3-4 defense. You didn't have to be a football savant to see that play-style clashed with Tressel's scheme, a defensive back-heavy, base 2-4-5 system.

Simply put, many players' skillsets simply didn't match the scheme Tressel deploys. A full offseason of high school recruits and transfers, however, has given Wisconsin's defense reinforcements with which to work. That's exciting to Tressel, who believes the roster is now more tailored to what he needs.

“Truthfully, we’ve gotten a little bit longer. Hopefully, as we see it on the field, we’ve gotten a little more athletic," he said.

The Badgers reeled in seven transfers on the defensive side of the ball, three of whom will report directly to Tressel as inside linebackers. Jaheim Thomas (Arkansas), Tackett Curtis (USC) and Sebastian Cheeks (North Carolina) have joined Wisconsin's inside backers, making them one of the deepest positions on the roster.

"I know there’s a lot of guys in the room who believe they’re starter material, and they are, but only two can start," Tressel added.

The Badgers' front seven needed a makeover from top to bottom, but inside linebacker is an area in which reinforcements will be especially welcomed. Two players who played starter-level snaps a season ago, Maema Njongmeta and Jordan Turner, are no longer with the program. Both are talented linebackers, but both fit much more snuggly into Leonhard's defensive scheme as north-and-south, run-stuffing thumpers.

That clashed with Tressel's need for linebackers who can cover ground quickly and make plays in the open field as well as in the box. Tressel admitted that fell somewhat by the wayside as the staff prepped for its debut year in Madison.

“I think all of would say, coach (Luke Fickell) would say, we probably didn’t figure out athleticism in space in spring practice as much as we would’ve liked to, because you’re limited in how much you wanna tackle in spring and how much you wanna go to the ground. We need to find ways to put people in those space situations, which exposed us a couple times last fall," he said.

“I wish we could’ve identified our strengths faster. I do think we adapted as the year went on, which happens in year one. I wish it would’ve happened faster," the coach added. "Identifying and playing to strengths is something we take pride in. Hopefully we can identify that right off the bat and any adaptations happen sooner.”

It's not just inside linebackers that have undergone a makeover. Wisconsin's pass-rushers did little to inspire long-term confidence last season. Enter two transfer outside linebackers, Leon Lowery (Syracuse) and John Pius (William & Mary). Based on Tressel's comments, those two players also appear to fit his desired scheme more than what he had to work with last year.

“I think that John and Leon both have shown that they can have a great impact. They have some natural pass rush, they have some physicality. They have more length than we’ve had," he said.

Wisconsin worked the transfer portal tirelessly this offseason to upgrade several positions of need on defense, focusing on inside and outside linebackers. But these aren't simply new players; these are players in the mold of what Tressel is looking for, and there's a big difference. Tressel is hoping they aren't just reinforcements; they're the cavalry.
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With all due respect to TW and the kinder gentler, quoting the Happy Schnapps Combo tongue in cheek about anything about the Bears other than a death is always appropriate
 
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Keg Man said:
With all due respect to TW and the kinder gentler, quoting the Happy Schnapps Combo tongue in cheek about anything about the Bears other than a death is always appropriate
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I like to remember that it's a game, and after the whistle blows, we're all in the same boat. But, there is a certain animosity that I feel towards Bears and Vikings fans, as well as some of the players as well. But, after meeting Brian, and getting to know him, it wasn't about the Bears with him, it was about living and being yourself instead of getting caught up with the frauds who think that they're having reached a certain level of stardom thinking they were "special."
 
TW said:
I like to remember that it's a game, and after the whistle blows, we're all in the same boat. But, there is a certain animosity that I feel towards Bears and Vikings fans, as well as some of the players as well. But, after meeting Brian, and getting to know him, it wasn't about the Bears with him, it was about living and being yourself instead of getting caught up with the frauds who think that they're having reached a certain level of stardom thinking they were "special."
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Any friend of your is a friend of mine. I can't help it he still sucks
 
Badgers offer Seneca Valley, PA TE Adam Gehm 6'6 235, Great hands... could be a sleeper kid who gets developed into a stud.
 
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