Agree Pack, I think this was coaching to the talent available at QB. Playbook was pretty limited with him in there. Now, even then, there are still some things about the gameplan that I didn't like. Not sure if Chryst is just being too close to the vest with the gameplan or if it's truly Rudolph calling the plays does he need to be replaced/over-ridden.
Jonathan Taylor is a great back who unlike many good Badger backs also has some speed to him. I'd have to go back and look for sure, but I think every run play for him in the first 3 drives was run between the tackles. PSU had 8 men in a tighter box after that first drive and yet no adjustment. It's hard to win games when you don't stretch defenses horizontally hardly at all. Something as simple as a short toss sweep would be an effective way to get Taylor isolated on a single tackler in space.
Coan is clearly more athletic than Horni. Why not roll him out and give him some easy short throws. The bonus is that you can also allow Coan easier choices - see the short open receiver(s) in front of you and make the pass, see some open field and make a productive run, make it even easier to throw it away if nothing is there as you are already outside the tackle box. Add some simple elements to the gameplan that are not part of Horni's schtick, but might suit Coan's limited abilities.
When you don't have what you need get creative. There is nothing to be lost at this point. You can't win the West and you are bowl eligible. I did not see a single play that looked remotely like a "trick" play. Even Barry, who set the conservative course for this program used to pull something unconventional 8-10 times per season. The 2018 Badgers do nothing that isn't conventional.
