2023 Badger Football Thread
- Thread starter Mark87
- Start date
There corrected it for you GBP.
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I think the best description as to how they've been playing is that they are "going through the motions," but not putting the effort forth to play their best. I've listened to all the "Mic'd up" bits along the way, and even when they've been whipped the previous game, they're loose, and seem nonchalant about practices. It's more like getting a cameo every time the camera is around.
Fickell better get control of this program "now," or it's going to get worse. Players who actually do want to play hard, and win, are going to jump ship and go somewhere that the priority is to play as hard as possible on every play.
He's ultimately responsible, but what are his assistant coaches doing to promote a positive, energized direction, to their players? Obviously there's a breakdown in discipline. Sometimes, even when it appears a guy is screwing up, it's happening because the guy next to him isn't doing his job, so your best effort is wasted.
As Fickell and Mordecai indicated. Either get with it, and give your maximum effort, or you're going to be out of the program. That should have been the way this thing played out since day one.
At this point, I'm not impressed with the coaching staff. They need to get their act together, and motivate these players into finding their niche in the system they're using. It seems like a lot of guys who had conference honors in the future written all over them, are not going out there and giving their all.
Fickell better get control of this program "now," or it's going to get worse. Players who actually do want to play hard, and win, are going to jump ship and go somewhere that the priority is to play as hard as possible on every play.
He's ultimately responsible, but what are his assistant coaches doing to promote a positive, energized direction, to their players? Obviously there's a breakdown in discipline. Sometimes, even when it appears a guy is screwing up, it's happening because the guy next to him isn't doing his job, so your best effort is wasted.
As Fickell and Mordecai indicated. Either get with it, and give your maximum effort, or you're going to be out of the program. That should have been the way this thing played out since day one.
At this point, I'm not impressed with the coaching staff. They need to get their act together, and motivate these players into finding their niche in the system they're using. It seems like a lot of guys who had conference honors in the future written all over them, are not going out there and giving their all.
I think Fickell unfortunately bought into the Wisconsin football culture of being tough, smart and prepared even if you are less talented. That Badger culture had been fading for several years under Paul Chryst. He had been letting the program slide. Fickell basically put those same players who looked like crap for long stretches last year back in their starting spots and "praised" what he saw from them the entire last off-season. He was being the good guy.
I think he now realizes it's time to be the demanding a-hole boss and stop blowing smoke up the backsides of these guys who continually are making the same mistakes and not playing with 100% effort and focus. Time to give younger guys more snaps. Doing that likely won't make you better right now, but at least you will learn more about players who will be playing next year and you'll go down fighting rather than rolling over.
I think he will also start conversations with players about their futures. Be frank with guys who aren't fits and tell them you plan to move on and suggest they do so as well. Guys like Jack Nelson and Alexander Smith are clearly not fits for the schemes being run, and they should find teams where they are better fits and won't keep making the same mistakes over and over and over.
I think Fickell will also need to hit the portal hard, one more time. He needs another o-lineman or two and one of them needs to be an OC. He need one more cornerback. He needs a running back with some quickness and speed unless he thinks his 3 recruits for next year will be ready right away. He needs a WR. He could use a LB with some speed. He might even need another senior QB because that QB room is going to be really young and inexperienced next year.
FIckell's energy spilled over onto the team in those early weeks and months, but eventually the players reverted back to who they were. (Yesterday's first half was a carbon copy of last years Illinois game - soft, sloppy and slow.) Clearly they don't have the guys yet. If the depth was any good, a guy like Nelson would have been benched weeks ago. He commits 2-3 silly drive killing penalties seemingly every game and isn't that good when he's not being penalized. How bad must the depth be at o-line that there is no other option.. You've got a guy like Bortolini playing center and he's still making bad snaps multiple times a game. How bad is the depth that there isn't another lineman on the roster who can take over at center and allow Bortolini to move over to guard where he would be a better fit.
I think he now realizes it's time to be the demanding a-hole boss and stop blowing smoke up the backsides of these guys who continually are making the same mistakes and not playing with 100% effort and focus. Time to give younger guys more snaps. Doing that likely won't make you better right now, but at least you will learn more about players who will be playing next year and you'll go down fighting rather than rolling over.
I think he will also start conversations with players about their futures. Be frank with guys who aren't fits and tell them you plan to move on and suggest they do so as well. Guys like Jack Nelson and Alexander Smith are clearly not fits for the schemes being run, and they should find teams where they are better fits and won't keep making the same mistakes over and over and over.
I think Fickell will also need to hit the portal hard, one more time. He needs another o-lineman or two and one of them needs to be an OC. He need one more cornerback. He needs a running back with some quickness and speed unless he thinks his 3 recruits for next year will be ready right away. He needs a WR. He could use a LB with some speed. He might even need another senior QB because that QB room is going to be really young and inexperienced next year.
FIckell's energy spilled over onto the team in those early weeks and months, but eventually the players reverted back to who they were. (Yesterday's first half was a carbon copy of last years Illinois game - soft, sloppy and slow.) Clearly they don't have the guys yet. If the depth was any good, a guy like Nelson would have been benched weeks ago. He commits 2-3 silly drive killing penalties seemingly every game and isn't that good when he's not being penalized. How bad must the depth be at o-line that there is no other option.. You've got a guy like Bortolini playing center and he's still making bad snaps multiple times a game. How bad is the depth that there isn't another lineman on the roster who can take over at center and allow Bortolini to move over to guard where he would be a better fit.
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This says it all. Nice work 57. I'm very surprised by this year as Fick was known for his discipline and attention to detail at UC. As 57 stated above, and with some of the post game comments from the players and HC, it's time to make some hard choices and get this thing headed back in the right direction. I have faith Fickell will get it done but he's had a wake up call so to speak.