Wisconsin Football 2022- The Jim Leonhard Show ends, the Luke Fickell era begins

[Jim French Stepstool]

7 hours ago, JosephC said:

 

Early last year I was all for the idea that the supporting cast is weak, but after watching this guy start nearly 30 games, it is completely obvious at this point that Mertz is below average Big 10 starting QB material who has more than good enough physical skills but can't read a defense, makes too many boneheaded decisions, and is a big and complete total zero when it comes to elevating the performance of the people around him.

Time for Leonhard to start giving Myles Burkett some series during the ballgames and see if he can provide a spark.  Worst thing that could happen is Mertz jumps into the transfer portal, which I would consider a blessing to Badger fans at this point.  To think that Chryst just handed this guy the starting QB job...pretty much explains why Chryst is unemployed.

The supporting cast last year WAS weak. This year it's, if anything, weaker. It doesn't make him worse than he is, but it puts more on him to hoist the team on his back, which he isn't capable of. Agreed the reading of progressions & decision-making are clearly lacking. 

I think the only QB they had in recent memory who could elevate the performance of others was Russell Wilson, and he seldom needed to. It's always been more about consistency & the pieces working together, which has worked more often than not. When those other pieces falter, it doesn't.

IMO the current issues wouldn't come close to being solved by Burkett, at least not the 2022 Burkett. And I think Burkett has some potential. 

The reasons why Chryst was let go have become pretty apparent. Giving the starting job to Mertz over Burkett doesn't make the list.

[wildcat83]

Markus Allen is entering the transfer portal.

[yourout]

5 minutes ago, wildcat83 said:

Markus Allen is entering the transfer portal.

I am guessing there are more to come in the near future.

 

[CheezWizHed]

On 10/15/2022 at 7:30 PM, Brewcrew82 said:

Clearly, you didn't watch Alex Hornibrook in 2018, or Joel Stave, or Curt Phillips, etc..

To be honest, Mertz was striking me as a very similar player to Stave.  Nice arm, clearly athletic, very inconsistent, poor on touch passes, thought he was going to be better than he turned out. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

38 minutes ago, yourout said:

I am guessing there are more to come in the near future.

 

Everyone knows this has had a huge effect on college FB. Didn't know exactly how big until I took a look. During the most recent cycle the raw # averages out to about 20 players per FBS team. That's astounding.

So I guess on average yeah, we should have a lot more coming.

[yourout]

2 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Everyone knows this has had a huge effect on college FB. Didn't know exactly how big until I took a look. During the most recent cycle the raw # averages out to about 20 players per FBS team. That's astounding.

So I guess on average yeah, we should have a lot more coming.

It sucks but it's a fact of life now so they better learn how to make the most of it.

[Jim French Stepstool]

6 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

To be honest, Mertz was striking me as a very similar player to Stave.  Nice arm, clearly athletic, very inconsistent, poor on touch passes, thought he was going to be better than he turned out. 

He put one in a great spot to tie the game in the 4th quarter yesterday, and had great touch on a TD the previous week. But the throws that require touch are few & far between, so yeah, very inconsistent.

As a runner I'd give him an edge over Stave. Other than that the tools of the two do have a lot of similarity.

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 minute ago, yourout said:

It sucks but it's a fact of life now so they better learn how to make the most of it.

It's a big part of the reason for the shocking move McIntosh pulled off after Illinois.

[CheezWizHed]

5 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

He put one in a great spot to tie the game in the 4th quarter yesterday, and had great touch on a TD the previous week. But the throws that require touch are few & far between, so yeah, very inconsistent.

As a runner I'd give him an edge over Stave. Other than that the tools of the two do have a lot of similarity.

I remember a couple Stave throws that I thought were rather Favre-esque the way he zipped them in.  Mertz probably has a better touch than Stave as he was pretty much all gun all the time, but neither was great at it.

[Jim French Stepstool]

8 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

I remember a couple Stave throws that I thought were rather Favre-esque the way he zipped them in.  Mertz probably has a better touch than Stave as he was pretty much all gun all the time, but neither was great at it.

I think that's accurate.

People should remember that Stave walked on originally. For an FBS QB that's pretty rare. He deserves accolades for that despite the shortcomings.

[Brewcrew82]

23 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

To be honest, Mertz was striking me as a very similar player to Stave.  Nice arm, clearly athletic, very inconsistent, poor on touch passes, thought he was going to be better than he turned out. 

Joel Stave didn't have anywhere near the arm talent of Graham Mertz, which is why Mertz was so highly rated in the first place. He also had a much better team around him, and we largely won games in spite of him. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Joel Stave didn't have anywhere near the arm talent of Graham Mertz, which is why Mertz was so highly rated in the first place. He also had a much better team around him, and we largely won games in spite of him. 

His "feel" for the game and handle IMO was lacking, & cost us dearly in a couple losses.

He definitely had the benefit of better talent around him.

[CheezWizHed]

@Brewcrew82 How do you define arm talent?  Stave could throw the ball as hard/far as any Badger QB I can think of.  He was far more raw coming into the game also.  Mertz supposedly came in being able to "make all the throws" but that seems to be not exactly the truth. 

I'm not trying to turn this into the Stave love-fest show.  I think Mertz is better overall (and would've fared better if they had traded spots).  Just that it felt like both had more physical talent that they couldn't utilize on the field due to lack of development - both were exciting when they were young but never developed into their potential.  

[Jim French Stepstool]

22 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

@Brewcrew82 How do you define arm talent?  Stave could throw the ball as hard/far as any Badger QB I can think of.  He was far more raw coming into the game also.  Mertz supposedly came in being able to "make all the throws" but that seems to be not exactly the truth. 

I'm not trying to turn this into the Stave love-fest show.  I think Mertz is better overall (and would've fared better if they had traded spots).  Just that it felt like both had more physical talent that they couldn't utilize on the field due to lack of development - both were exciting when they were young but never developed into their potential.  

I won't speak for Brewcrew82. But yeah, Stave had a very strong arm. Sorry to go back to the stone age, but in the late 70s they had a kid named Mike Kalasmiki who supposedly once threw a ball over the seating rim & out of Camp Randall Stadium. He had a few big moments, and more less-than-big ones.

I guess the point is, some develop; some don't. In the case of Stave, he wasn't inundated with high-level offers out of HS. He walked on. All things considered, with the odds against a walkon QB at a major school I think he did well to see the field. The things that the position demands other than arm strength just weren't there consistently.

The good news is the final chapters haven't been written yet for Mertz. 

[yourout]

Both of them are/we're flawed. Mertz is the more accurate passer but more likely to throw it to the wrong colored uniform.

I will give Stave a credit for being a pretty tough kid. Staying in the bowl game after getting cleated on the nose and leading them to a win with his nose gashed was probably his best moment.

[CheezWizHed]

4 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I won't speak for Brewcrew82. But yeah, Stave had a very strong arm. Sorry to go back to the stone age, but in the late 70s they had a kid named Mike Kalasmiki who supposedly once threw a ball over the seating rim & out of Camp Randall Stadium. He had a few big moments, and more less-than-big ones.

I guess the point is, some develop; some don't. In the case of Stave, he wasn't inundated with high-level offers out of HS. He walked on. All things considered, with the odds against a walkon QB at a major school I think he did well to see the field. The things that the position demands other than arm strength just weren't there consistently.

The good news is the final chapters haven't been written yet for Mertz. 

Late 70s... well, I was thinking then... just not thinking of football.  ?

[yourout]

4 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

Late 70s... well, I was thinking then... just not thinking of football.  ?

S,D, and RR in no particular order.

 

Booze sex and fun .. We were the class of 81

[CheezWizHed]

Well in the 70s for me it was sandboxes, climbing trees, and riding bikes, too.  I was the class of '92.  

[brooks_quichenick]

16 hours ago, wildcat83 said:

Markus Allen is entering the transfer portal.

WR Stephan Bracey also entering the transfer portal.

[JosephC]

I really thought Bracey's 32+ kickoff return average from last year would at least have gotten him on the field for some more kick return opportunities this year...but I guess not.

Speaking of special teams, can we go to Dean Engram's punt returns?  Granted, he isn't a complete disaster back there like he was last year, but his 4.0 yard per return average...is he really the best guy Wisconsin has for that job?  Last year it took them forever to finally put his butt on the bench and stick Jack Dunn out there and it was completely obvious that Dunn was far better at it.

Markus Allen, another guy they were really talking up in bowl practices last year and fall practice this year.  Can't really fault the coaching staff on this one because the guy has been seeing the field.  Sure seems like he was given an opportunity.  Looks like the other schools that recruited him were Pittsburgh, Michigan State and Georgia Tech.  Have to wonder if any of them will want him now since it looks like he is no better than #4 on a Wisconsin depth chart after 1.5 years in the program.  Last year's version of this, Devin Chandler, wound up at Virginia but is not on their two-deep.  Have to wonder if he is injured, couldn't find anything about that after doing a quick internet search?  But have to wonder if most of these guys are better staying put where at least they can accumulate experience in the system which may help them see the field more in the future.   

[CheezWizHed]

The grass is rarely greener unless you become a big fish in a small pond and even then individual returns may vary.  

That is all the adages I could fit into one sentance.

[LouisEly]

On 10/15/2022 at 8:26 PM, SomewhereInTime said:

Badger homers are absolutely priceless.  There are many large problems right now but to act like they're fine at QB is nuts.  How many inaccurate passes and balls thrown right to defenders does it take?

Graham Mertz is currently 26th in FBS in passer rating at 157.7.  For reference, Caleb Williams is 17th at 162.3 and pre-season Heisman favorite Bryce Young is 13th at 167.2.  And those guys have a helluva lot more talent at WR and OL around them.

You would be surprised how many inaccurate passes other QBs throw.

[LouisEly]

10 hours ago, yourout said:

Both of them are/we're flawed. Mertz is the more accurate passer but more likely to throw it to the wrong colored uniform.

I will give Stave a credit for being a pretty tough kid. Staying in the bowl game after getting cleated on the nose and leading them to a win with his nose gashed was probably his best moment.

For their careers, Mertz currently has 34 TDs to 22 INTs on 654 career attempts - 3.34% INT probability.

Stave had 48 TDs to 37 INTs (1.30 TDs/INT) on 1,031 career attempts - 3.59% INT probability.

Stave literally was more likely to throw it to the wrong colored uniform.

Mertz played with an injured shoulder all last season.

[SomewhereInTime]

4 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Graham Mertz is currently 26th in FBS in passer rating at 157.7.  For reference, Caleb Williams is 17th at 162.3 and pre-season Heisman favorite Bryce Young is 13th at 167.2.  And those guys have a helluva lot more talent at WR and OL around them.

You would be surprised how many inaccurate passes other QBs throw.

Yeah how much of that is due to northwestern, illinois st, and new mexico st?  Lets see where he ranks by the end of the year.

[MrTPlush]

4 hours ago, SomewhereInTime said:

Yeah how much of that is due to northwestern, illinois st, and new mexico st?  Lets see where he ranks by the end of the year.

IL ST - 223.1

NMSU - 273.2

NU - 212.5

All other games - Rough estimate would be about 110.0

 

Three wins - 9 TDs / 1 INT

Four losses - 6 TDs / 5 INTs

 

Yah, to some extent you usually pad stats big time against the cupcakes and are less impressive against stiffer competition. Outside of OSU though...he really isn't facing that great of teams. I guess one shall see how he does to end the year.