** 2018 Opponent Previews: Wisconsin (Game 6) **

[Saunders]

Added the SBNation preview: https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/7/5/17507522/wisconsin-football-2018-preview-schedule-roster

[MichiganDad3]

Wisconsin does not worry me. Frost will exploit their defense, maybe not in year 1, but after that the Huskers will not have a problem scoring. I also think the attacking defense will give Wisconsin problems. Wisky will not be able to run the ball all game anymore. They must try for the big play against an over aggressive defense. I give us a 50% chance of beating them this year. I also think there is less than a 10% chance of the Huskers losing to the badgers in 2018 and 2019.

[runningblind]

43 minutes ago, MichiganDad3 said:

Wisconsin does not worry me. Frost will exploit their defense, maybe not in year 1, but after that the Huskers will not have a problem scoring. I also think the attacking defense will give Wisconsin problems. Wisky will not be able to run the ball all game anymore. They must try for the big play against an over aggressive defense. I give us a 50% chance of beating them this year. I also think there is less than a 10% chance of the Huskers losing to the badgers in 2018 and 2019.

It is probably a higher percentagr than that, but no one seems to mention that they only return 4 starters on defense when they project an 11-1 season for them.  

[badgers007]

1 hour ago, runningblind said:

It is probably a higher percentagr than that, but no one seems to mention that they only return 4 starters on defense when they project an 11-1 season for them.  

 

"Starters" is relative when it comes to the Wisconsin defense, especially along the front seven.  Wisconsin does so much shuffling that these kids have no shortage of meaningful game experience.  Couple quick examples:

• Andrew Van Ginkel did not start a single game in 2017, but he was the Badgers' best OLB by the end of the season.
• Many opposing fans are so used to hearing about the Wisconsin 3-4 that they don't realize that Jim Leonhard used a 2-4-5 base in a number of games.  This allowed Dontye Carriere-Williams, the No. 3 CB, to start five games last season.  He is not counted in these "starters" numbers.

Since Dave Aranda came to Wisconsin 2013, and he has been one of three DCs in that time, Wisconsin has not finished outside of the top seven in Total Defense.  This may be the year that streak ends, but Wisconsin has shown the ability to put together a good defense + has the luxury of an experienced offense that is as good as any controlling the clock.

[brophog]

25 minutes ago, badgers007 said:

•  
• Many opposing fans are so used to hearing about the Wisconsin 3-4 that they don't realize that Jim Leonhard used a 2-4-5 base in a number of games.  This allowed Dontye Carriere-Williams, the No. 3 CB, to start five games last season.  He is not counted in these "starters" numbers.

 

That's because the average fan is taught defense by the average announcer, which doesn't have the slightest clue how many fronts the average team actually uses. No one would ever claim a modern offense uses only one formation, but that enlightenment has sadly not made it to describing the defensive side of the ball.

[runningblind]

2 hours ago, badgers007 said:

Wisconsin does so much shuffling that these kids have no shortage of meaningful game experience.

What is this thing you call shuffling? You mean the starters don't play the entire time no matter if they fail??? 

 

Haha. I hear you and am looking forward to Nebraska trying that again.

[lo country]

4 hours ago, runningblind said:

What is this thing you call shuffling? You mean the starters don't play the entire time no matter if they fail??? 

 

Haha. I hear you and am looking forward to Nebraska trying that again.

No doubt.  What a novel idea.  Try to get a lot of guys game experience so a 3 yr starter isnt replaced with a guy who never took a snap in a game....SMH, the previous staff......

[Mavric]

This is an over-simplification.  But it's interesting.

 

 

[Scarlet Overkill]

I've been saying that for awhile, about Alvarez being what makes Wisconsin "go", and to look at records of coaches when they weren't at WI... Chryst had a MR record at Pitt - 19-19.  Bielema - terrible at Ark.  Anderson, terrible at OSU.

 

The fact that he meddles and micromanages, works for them.  Eichorst likely learned how to do that from BA, but with obviously different results.  (Right down to wearing those stupid glasses that was supposed to help them rest better, or whatever).

[badgers007]

 

1 hour ago, Dilly Dilly said:

 

 

The fact that he meddles and micromanages, works for them.

 

I see this, or something similar, said quite a bit without much substance to the claim. In what ways has Barry Alvarez ‘meddled and micromanaged’ Paul Chryst?

[swmohusker]

49 minutes ago, badgers007 said:

 

 

I see this, or something similar, said quite a bit without much substance to the claim. In what ways has Barry Alvarez ‘meddled and micromanaged’ Paul Chryst?

I thought that was a reason Anderson left. 

[Scarlet Overkill]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/10/10/16449914/gary-andersen-bret-bielema-wisconsin-football-coaches-barry-alvarez

 

I thought it was interesting that Anderson had a statue of Alvarez in his office, with a picture of it and caption, "He’s as hands-on and ever-present as an AD can be. I mean:"

 

[brophog]

7 hours ago, swmohusker said:

I thought that was a reason Anderson left. 

 

And may be the reason Beilema left. I don't know that either really explained the curious cases of their leaving a stable and successful program for ones that were not. 

 

I'm not one to assume he meddles, but there are pretty substantial coincidences as to both the record of these coaches outside Wisconsin and a commonality in how they run their programs. It's therefore natural for people to look for a common link.

[badgers007]

14 hours ago, swmohusker said:

I thought that was a reason Anderson left. 

 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/wisconsins-admission-standards-pushed-gary-andersen-to-oregon-st/

[Enhance]

I don't know if it's fair to say Alvarez micromanages and meddles (I have no frame of reference). 

 

However, the national perception of Wisconsin is that Alvarez is the biggest reason they've maintained their relatively high level of success through multiple coaching changes. What exactly that means... I can't say. But, I do believe there's a lot of truth to it. He sets the tone, expectations and core values around that place.

 

I think @brophog worded it pretty well: "I'm not one to assume he meddles, but there are pretty substantial coincidences as to both the record of these coaches outside Wisconsin and a commonality in how they run their programs. It's therefore natural for people to look for a common link."