Badgers lose to Penn State

[TW]

I thought the Badgers defense played extremely well. It was the offense that totally let the team down. How the Badgers held up as well as they did on defense is a testament to darned good coaching, discipline, and stamina. They spent way too much time on the field against PSU, and the offense was not helping to give the a break.

No matter how hard I try, I will never believe Locke is someone we should be moving forward with at QB, under any circumstances. He doesn't read what's developing on the field in front of him, he either sees receivers open, or covered, and can't evaluate what happens next.

He has this thing about throwing to someone who's open at the time of the throw, but will be blanketed by the time the ball gets there. That is not good decision making.

Repeatedly, he tried throwing balls that weren't able to be caught. Then, when crunch time rolled around, he threw one of the dumbest pick sixes I think I've ever seen. A sixth grade football player would have never thrown that ball into the location he did. His focus just isn't there like it should be for a QB at a level of play that they are at.

It's obvious that the Badgers are going to need to start looking for a real QB to transfer to Madison, because Locke just ain't gonna cut it, if they want to be taken seriously around the league.

 

[GBP4EVER]

I thought UW should have tried to score before half. Shows a lack of killer instinct that they just choose to go to halftime. Longo is not a good OC.

Locke should be told after the season it is probably best for him to enter the portal as he won't be anything more then the #3 QB next year.

 

[GBP4EVER]

Saw that under Fickell the Badgers are now 0-vs ranked teams. Figure once they play Oregon that moves to 0-6.

 

[Keg Man]

I agree with TW.

Another year of bad quarterbacking. I doubt Van Dyke would have been much better.

BUT, our recivers are more disappointing. It's 60/40 whether they will catch the ball. I'm so used to them not catching the ball that I'm surprised when they do. Bucky recievers dropped way to many balls yesterday - way to many. If they caught the damn balk, it would have been different. But, if is a mighty big word.

As much as I want it to be different, Bucky is second tier and barely there.

 

[57packer]

Locke is not a good enough QB for a team that is at least trying to be in the top-25. He understands the offense but doesn't seem to see the field paticularly well. He's got a "meh" arm with just so-so accuracy. Then on top of all that he has nearly zero athleticism. He can't do anything when the play breaks down. He's a nice guy to have in the room as your #3. Can run your scout team and provide valuable depth.

All that said, there was no run game at all, especially in the second half. That really puts your mediocre QB in a tough spot. The o-line has to take a big chunk of the blame for yesterday. PSU totally controlled the line of scrimmage and was able to get pressure as well.

The WRs aren't great, but they'd be OK if they'd just catch the ball. Lots of fans talking up Kekehuna but he dropped both passes that were thrown to him so you can't really argue for him to get more snaps. Topping it off, there was little in the way of help in the '24 class other than an undersized slot guy. There are a couple of decent guys in the '25 class but they likely won't contibute much for a couple more years. They need to focus more recruiting efforts on the position. You need to get at least 3 every cycle.

 

[Keg Man]

I'm amazed and always have been amazed that Wisconsin can't get better quarterbacks. And, our receivers - they must have caught passes in high school and must do it in practice. Why can't they catch in game? WHY?

The horrible truth is that when our receivers and quarterbacks get in game they don't play at even an average D 1 College level - not a B1G level

 

[realitybytes]

Another year of bad quarterbacking. I doubt Van Dyke would have been much better.

you know who would've been better? mertz. of course fans ran him outta town on a rail. the guy excelled in florida (until an injury derailed his career. but you can't know that he would have had that injury if he stayed with the badgers. anyway, the badgers are stuck with what they have now. for all the hype behind fickell, i expected more. and with all the transfers available in the portal, it is difficult for me to believe that we couldn't have been better.

 

[TW]

I think we'll see them do good in finding someone this coming off season. It won't be Mettauer under center next year. The jury will be out on him for another year, at least. This is a red shirt year for him.

A good QB would help the receivers boost those numbers with fewer drops. A lot of them are due to when he throws the ball. Throwing behind a guy, or leading them into big hits, doesn't tend to give you good completion stats.

I don't think Locke is a bad QB, but at the same time, I don't believe he's talented enough to overcome the fact that he's slow in making decisions out there. If our offensive line could give him another half second or so, on most pass plays, I think we'd see the drops go down and the effectiveness go way up. But, that's not happening with what we have.

How does Fickell and his group convince WRs and a QB that their road to the NFL is through Madison? That's the ticket, along with a healthy dose of NIL money for them.

But, rest assured, if and when he does start getting the blue chippers, and they do rise, it's going to be easier finding them, and the NIL money will be several times more than they have to work with now.

 

[GBP4EVER]

you know who would've been better? mertz. of course fans ran him outta town on a rail. the guy excelled in florida (until an injury derailed his career. but you can't know that he would have had that injury if he stayed with the badgers. anyway, the badgers are stuck with what they have now. for all the hype behind fickell, i expected more. and with all the transfers available in the portal, i is difficult for me to believe that we couldn't have been better.

Mertz was a PC guy. Soon as PC was gone Mertz followed suit.

 

[TW]

Mertz was a PC guy. Soon as PC was gone Mertz followed suit.

I don't think Fickell wanted Mertz as his QB to be honest. I think he's looking to groom one, and at this point, Mettauer is the only one in house who can be considered in that mold.