runningblind
All-American
2011 - lost to an unranked NW team by 3 as a top 10 team, bad.Last 4 years were 9-10-9-9 and 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 2nd.
Not really a downward trend.
Clearly recruiting was either not trending down either OR they were great at developing because he kept finishing 1st or 2nd. He was 22-10 in conference play in the Big Ten.
Out of those 10 losses, which ones were games he blew? I honestly don't remember. I think there was a loss vs NW that was lame. I think 3 vs wisconsin (not totally sure but the badgers were probably favored in 2 of the 3?).
2011 - lost by 28 to the 20th ranked Michigan team as the #17 ranked team, bad
2012 - lost to Ohio State by 25. Ranked 9 spots lower, fine.
2012 - lost to an unranked Wisconsin team by 39 points as the 14th ranked team, very bad.
2013 - lost to an unranked Minnesota team by 11 as the 25 ranked team, bad.
2013 - lost by 13 to 14th ranked MSU while unranked, fine.
2013 - lost to unranked Iowa by 21 at home, bad.
2014 - lost on road to 10th ranked MSU by 9, fine.
2014 - lost to 22nd ranked Wisconsin by 35, while giving up an NCAA record for rushing, while being ranked #11. Very bad.
2014 - lost to unranked Minnesota by 4 in Lincoln while ranked #22, bad.
10 losses, 3 I deem as fine. That is what actually was occuring, not your revisionist version of it. He lost a lot of games he shouldn't have.
Also, Wisconsin wasn't favored in any of those games.