2022 Miscellaneous College News

[nate82]

It looks like the BIG Ten is getting ready to sign a new media deal that will pay them up to $1 billion per season.  That is not a typo.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-aims-to-have-new-media-rights-deal-worth-up-to-1-billion-in-place-around-memorial-day/#:~:text=Bowl Schedule-,Big Ten aims to have new media rights deal%2C worth,in place around Memorial Day&text=SCOTTSDALE%2C Ariz.,told CBS Sports on Monday.

According to the article above that is about $71 million per school.  I think that can cover any sports budget for the Badgers.  Even with the new deal for the Brewers I think that maybe more than what the Brewers are bringing in per season on their new TV deal.  

[Samurai Bucky]

Might a baseball team be in the future for the Badgers?

[patrickgpe]

13 hours ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Might a baseball team be in the future for the Badgers?

unlikely. they would have to add one or 2 woman's sports to fulfil title IX

[Samurai Bucky]

On 5/6/2022 at 12:15 PM, patrickgpe said:

unlikely. they would have to add one or 2 woman's sports to fulfil title IX

Field hockey and Gymnastics might be possibilities.

[Jimbo]

13 hours ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Field hockey and Gymnastics might be possibilities.

Gymnastics was dropped the same time as baseball.  Field Hockey hasn't been played by the Badgers since the 70's, although I do recall some talk of bringing it back.  Several B1G schools have it.  The one thing is it is not played in Wisconsin HS, so the players would be imports.

 

[igor67]

MN has a fair amount of field hockey at the high school level. My biggest thing is that I think the Big Ten is really underselling it's own sports by how little exposure they get on the Big Ten network. 

[nate82]

On 5/6/2022 at 10:15 AM, patrickgpe said:

unlikely. they would have to add one or 2 woman's sports to fulfil title IX

With the amount of money that is coming in from the new TV deal this shouldn’t be a problem.  

[nate82]

The Big Ten officially announces their 7-year $7 billion TV contract with Fox, CBS and NBC.  Deal starts in 2023.

This gives the Big Ten about $1 billion a year to share with its members.  I never want to hear about the Badgers not having money ever again.  It is about $62m a year the school will be receiving just from this deal.  I believe this is more than what the Brewers get from their TV contract.  
 

https://news.yahoo.com/b1g-deal-big-ten-lands-132722299.html

[homer]

But won't the Badgers just have the same increase in funds as the rest of the league?

[nate82]

5 hours ago, homer said:

But won't the Badgers just have the same increase in funds as the rest of the league?

Just saying they shouldn’t be crying poor.  Competitively it is the same but UW shouldn’t be crying poor anymore with this new TV deal when it comes to paying coaches or players.

[LouisEly]

2 hours ago, nate82 said:

Just saying they shouldn’t be crying poor.  Competitively it is the same but UW shouldn’t be crying poor anymore with this new TV deal when it comes to paying coaches or players.

When did they ever "cry poor"?  And when did the NCAA allow schools to pay players?

[nate82]

1 hour ago, LouisEly said:

When did they ever "cry poor"?  And when did the NCAA allow schools to pay players?

Let me rephrase as it was "poor" wording on my part on both points.  By crying poor I mean fans of the Badgers there shouldn't be any crying poor that the Badgers can't afford xyz coach because they don't have the money as they definitely have the money to do so.  

Players can be paid and this started in 2022.  Wisconsin is one of the 22 schools that pays its student athletes an academic bonus.  Hopefully this continues now that they have more funds.

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/33684066/only-21-130-ncaa-fbs-level-schools-say-plans-provide-allowed-academic-bonus-payments-athletes-year

 

[Samurai Bucky]

I think the real issue here is that Wisconsin can't complain they can't afford to reinstitute baseball.  Typical arguments:

• No interest -- for realz?
• Need to get the Title IX numbers to match -- you are smart, figure it out... not that hard (add gymnastics and field hockey for starters)
• Costs too much to startup -- um, I don't think so.

Chump change -- demolish the shell and put in a new indoor football facility for a cool $300MM!  https://madison.com/sports/college/football/a-300-million-indoor-football-practice-facility-at-wisconsin-is-closer-to-happening/article_7930114f-bdaf-538f-813c-9752798cd76d.html

RJ even added his thoughts:

 

[LouisEly]

CFP Board of Managers votes, allegedly unanimously, to 12-team playoff starting in 2026.  Trying to implement starting in 2024.

Personally not a fan, but until it's someone other than Alabama/Georgia/Ohio State/Clemson in the final four I don't think it matters. 

 

[Fear The Chorizo]

7 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

CFP Board of Managers votes, allegedly unanimously, to 12-team playoff starting in 2026.  Trying to implement starting in 2024.

Personally not a fan, but until it's someone other than Alabama/Georgia/Ohio State/Clemson in the final four I don't think it matters. 

 

So basically, the 6 major conference champs and the SEC West every year that Notre Dame doesn't wind up with 2 losses...hooray

[nate82]

Oregon had no chance against Georgia today.  I am not sure expanding the playoffs will change all that much.  It will still just be the usual teams winning.  Maybe one of the big 4 schools won’t win on an off year but I doubt it.

[owbc]

Yeah the new ceiling for Wisconsin is to get smoked in a quarterfinal which will be essentially a road game somewhere in the south. I would much rather see them play a competitive NY6 game, but I see the appeal of getting a shot against one of the top 4. It just won’t be any fun if they are always at bowl sites. 

I think they are going to regret doing this unless there is more competitive balance in CFB. 
 

 

[homer]

I don't think the Wisconsins of college football need to challenge for a title to make an expanded playoff worth it. In basketball there are plenty of incredible games and moments that happen in the first two round between teams that have little chance of winning it all. The bowl system is such an anomaly compared to every other sport (seriously is there any sport in high school or college that has a participation trophy game at the end of the season? I can't think of one). I'm glad they're doing something different 

[UpandIn]

1 hour ago, homer said:

I don't think the Wisconsins of college football need to challenge for a title to make an expanded playoff worth it. In basketball there are plenty of incredible games and moments that happen in the first two round between teams that have little chance of winning it all. The bowl system is such an anomaly compared to every other sport (seriously is there any sport in high school or college that has a participation trophy game at the end of the season? I can't think of one). I'm glad they're doing something different 

I see your point, but at least in Basketball, you're not just physically getting abused and you have a FAR greater chance at pulling an upset vs a blue blood, top 4 team than you do in CFB. 

Look at the talent UGA has and how many times they've lost to 'Bama. 

It's basically just 'Bama and whatever team is particularly loaded and set up just perfectly to maybe knock off the Tide from year to year. Usually just another former Alabama coach that's had a monster recruiting class with one Superstar QB.

I thought Graham Mertz could elevate the program. Show that we can be more than just a running team team with an elite front 7. Maybe other QBs see that, we get a couple more skill positions recruited, maybe knock off OSU and win the B1G and elevate the recruiting. A lot to put on a QB, but until we CAN recruit and develop that position, I don't see top tier WRers coming and until we can compete offensively, it's hard to get those blue chip DBs that we need to match up with the 4 OSU WRers that'll end up going in the top 2 rounds of the draft at some point like Wilson, Olave, Smith-Njigba and Marin Harison Jr who were on the team last year(not to mention a 3rd round pick at TE and a likely top 3 draft pick at QB). 

[nate82]

Just now, UpandIn said:

 

I thought Graham Mertz could elevate the program. Show that we can be more than just a running team team with an elite front 7. Maybe other QBs see that, we get a couple more skill positions recruited, maybe knock off OSU and win the B1G and elevate the recruiting. A lot to put on a QB, but until we CAN recruit and develop that position, I don't see top tier WRers coming and until we can compete offensively, it's hard to get those blue chip DBs that we need to match up with the 4 OSU WRers that'll end up going in the top 2 rounds of the draft at some point like Wilson, Olave, Smith-Njigba and Marin Harison Jr who were on the team last year(not to mention a 3rd round pick at TE and a likely top 3 draft pick at QB). 

 

What is weird is the Badgers have had success in the past recruiting and developing some good WR.  Chris Chambers, Nick Toon, Jonathan Orr, Brandon Williams, Jared Abbrederis, Lee Evans and Quintez Cephus have all played for Wisconsin.  Those may not be all pro players in the NFL but they were really good WR's in college.  Currently they haven't been able to recruit nor develop the players.  Some have developed better in the NFL and have shown more than  what they showed at Wisconsin.  Some of it is scheme related and some of it QB related and recently some of it can be blamed on the offensive line not allowing the QB enough time to read the field.  

The Badgers have been good at getting their TE's involved in the game and the offensive scheme seems to overly rely on the TE and when the defense takes the TE away the offensive completely collapses in the passing game.  It is like the coaches don't trust the WR's or don't trust the QB.  I think it is a little bit of both as evidence by the routes the Badgers run with their WR's and the lack of pre-snap movement.  

[UpandIn]

1 hour ago, nate82 said:

What is weird is the Badgers have had success in the past recruiting and developing some good WR.  Chris Chambers, Nick Toon, Jonathan Orr, Brandon Williams, Jared Abbrederis, Lee Evans and Quintez Cephus have all played for Wisconsin.  Those may not be all pro players in the NFL but they were really good WR's in college.  Currently they haven't been able to recruit nor develop the players.  Some have developed better in the NFL and have shown more than  what they showed at Wisconsin.  Some of it is scheme related and some of it QB related and recently some of it can be blamed on the offensive line not allowing the QB enough time to read the field.  

The Badgers have been good at getting their TE's involved in the game and the offensive scheme seems to overly rely on the TE and when the defense takes the TE away the offensive completely collapses in the passing game.  It is like the coaches don't trust the WR's or don't trust the QB.  I think it is a little bit of both as evidence by the routes the Badgers run with their WR's and the lack of pre-snap movement.  

Yeah...I like Danny Davis and Kendrick Pryor as well, but you ARE going back a looong way to start that list and the two best, Chambers and Lee were around 2000.

It feels to me like it all starts with the OL. It's been, in my opinion, overrated the last 5-6 years. Taylor made them look better than they were, now Allen. But more than that, they don't seem particularly adept at pass blocking. It's like they start the best run blockers and hope they're good in pass pro(and certainly some are, but not to the degree that you expect that 4-5 star recruits).  And I view Mertz as a bit of a victim of that pass pro. 

 

I also understand the complaining about the Badgers is kinda like the complaining about the Packers, the Bucks(coach Bud's adjustments or lack thereof) or even the Brewers who are in the best run since 1982. But it's also natural to want to see you team keep getting better and not plateau. Not to say the lack of pre-snap motion isn't warranted, but I also remember Paul Chryst had this team 12-0 heading into the B1G Title Game they lost by 6 point with Alex Hornibrook and ended up 13-1. 

They need to find that playmaker who's a threat in the open field. Maybe it's Allen, maybe it's Lewis, maybe they run some pre-snap motion with Mellusi. Something. They have to be more creative. I do think today was a good start, but...moving the TE from one side of the formation to the other doesn't do a whole lot. It's not really making the defense show you anything. 

So it's all post-snap reads vs teams who are running a lot of run blitzes...which turn into just blitzes without great pass pro and without ELITE WRers. I agree, we've been solid at WRer, but we haven't had an Olave type since Lee Evans. 

 

Hopefully these next two years will lead to something. The front 7 talent is really impressive, the OL is young and highly touted. The WRers looked like they had a little elusiveness to them and were pretty smooth and I really liked how Engram started this season off. Giving Mertz easy completions, I liked the route combos. But I really hope they still have BIG chunks of the offense to put in or at least show. 

I also think...despite of the abject failure Mertz's career has been thus far, he still has the talent to succeed.

Edit-And we've seen that pure talent. They just need to help him a little more, help his confident grow and hopefully...he'll take off. 

Also, hopefully Engram can help recruit the QB position. 

[LouisEly]

16 hours ago, owbc said:

I think they are going to regret doing this unless there is more competitive balance in CFB.

Yeah, it will be fun for a couple of years - and by "couple" I literally mean two.  After two (more) years of the same four teams making the final four the newness will wear off.

The only chance this has of being successful is if the projected first round draft picks on Alabama/Georgia/Ohio State/Clemson decide they don't want to risk injury in having to play an extra game and opt out of the playoffs.  But I'm sure those schools will pay for injury insurance for those kids so it's unlikely to happen.

[homer]

I guess I don't see how a bowl game is a bigger carrot than a playoff game other than maybe to alums who like to plan their travel in advance.

[areacodes]

The Badgers would have made it in 3 of the last 6 years if it had been in place - I’d take that.

There will also be plenty of chances for teams other than Alabama/Georgia/OSU/Clemson to win games and make it to the semis/finals/win it all.  Those teams are definitely at the top of the list but it’s not like they are unbeatable.

The Badgers have had games against OSU where they have been competitive and should have won a few years ago in the B1G Championship Game. OSU has lost multiple games in 3 of the last 6 years.

Last year, Bama squeaked by a 6-7 Florida team and lost to a 8-4 Texas A&M team. They didn’t even make the playoffs in 2019.

Georgia has lost multiple games every season for the last 10+ years except last year and that include multiple 5 loss seasons.

Clemson was in the Cheez-It Bowl last year with 3 losses.

[HarryDoyle]

Ho hum, another Big Ten overhyped matchup, another comfortable Ohio State win.