Badgers fans blunt after Wisconsin fails to retake Axe from Minnesota
Columnist Jim Polzin took the pulse of Badgers fans on Twitter after Wisconsin's 23-16 loss to Minnesota Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. Here's what they are saying.
Buckle up for a bumpy ride
I sense we will be waiting a loooooong time for Wisconsin football to be nationally relevant again, no matter who the next head coach is. So much to fix and no silver bullet available (including Leonhard).
— Russ Evansen (@waunaruss) November 27, 2022
Bottom of the barrel
You can hand the baton to Jim Leonhard, but you need to tuck a sheet of paper w/enough caveats to guarantee that Bucky will never, EVER see an offense as dysfunctional as the one it saw throughout the fourth quarter Saturday. That was the culmination of a lot of deterioration. pic.twitter.com/PoGRH9QCNc
— Rob Hernandez (@RobHernandezGLF) November 27, 2022
All in good time
Well how would it be different ? Can’t get different players. The guys Chryst regime recruited just aren’t panning out . It’s going to take a few years no matter who the head coach is .
— pshizz (@smalltwnr) November 27, 2022
Next stop Motor City
Too many mistakes including three straight false starts. Add the fact Minnesota’s QB, a backup, was much better than Graham Mertz. The defense started out poorly for a quarter, then played better. The offense was terrible. Anyone like Detroit as a destination for a bowl game?
— Jeff Ostach☮️ (@jeff_ostach) November 27, 2022
Just shy of mad
Flecksters showed more fire/intensity, better conditioned/athletic & cohesive. Time for the portal for a QB or 2. Mac has to be rethinking HC job, but OC def has to be different next yr. Lack of discipline when it’s 1st & goal at the 5 is stunning. Sad, bad…not glad.
— Todd Allbaugh (@toddallbaugh) November 27, 2022
Season in a nutshell
The end was/is a microcosm.
— Dale Ryman (@DaleRyman_WSAW) November 27, 2022
All things considered
I think we have to remember what this team has been through this year, firing of a head coach, losing a former teammate to a tragic shooting, several key injuries (TE, RB, S,) and several portal transfers mid season. Plus you had several new coaches on this staff.
— Paul Rosowski Sr. (@Pantablo) November 27, 2022
Bitter pill to swallow
Minnesota is equal if not better than Bucky; hard to write that…And Minn played to win, pass pass pass, has not been their game all year, played to win big time…out coached and outplayed. And their RS Feosh qb with 3 starts is better than our RS Jr QB with 30 something starts
— Gary Stinson (@GStinson9) November 27, 2022
Crumbling under pressure
The program built on offensive line play has shown its biggest weakness over the past few years. Today at the end of the game should be what is looked at, not Mertz or other peripheral things.
— mike kerry (@BadgerMike) November 27, 2022
As bad as it gets
Doesn’t get any more disappointing than losing to the Gophers. We clearly need a new QB. Also, I’m a lot less enthusiastic about Leonard as head coach after this game.
— John Husmoe (@JohnHusmoe) November 27, 2022
All you need to know
Mertz owed his team a play. Scrambling on 3rd down, late 2nd Q and he slides…short…to avoid a hit. Took the easy out. That play is telling.
— Fred Melius MD (@fmelius) November 27, 2022
Needle in a haystack
Hope jim knows where to find an OC and QB
— Fred Ehle (@FredEhle) November 27, 2022
No laughing matter
The offensive line was comical at the end of the game. Big changes needed on the offensive side of the ball. IMO Wolf or Burkett should get the bowl game start.
— Erik Grinde (@egrinde) November 27, 2022
Difficult to digest
That was this season in a microcosm. Wildly inconsistent, determined to shoot themselves in the foot and always able to sink to the occasion. I hope Leonhard has a plan to shake up this program, because it is staler than my Thanksgiving stuffing right now.
— Craig Smith (@smithcp1) November 27, 2022
One step forward, three steps back
Anybody but Jim Leonhard. Hiring him is going to set the program back at least 3 years.
— BG43 (@bgillett43) November 27, 2022
Outside looking in
Offense needs a complete overhaul. Two runs and a five yard pass isn’t going to beat the better teams. This team is miles away from the top 3 teams in the East Division let alone a few teams in the West. Bench Mertz and find out if you have a QB for the future.
— Jeff Seaman (@JeffSeaman2) November 27, 2022
Sounds familiar
The Wisconsin offense needs an overhaul, top to bottom. Honestly, it probably did years ago. The presence of Jonathan Taylor & then Braelon Allen may have camouflaged multiple weakness: in the offensive line, WRs, QBs, scheme. Leonhard or no Leonhard, this must happen.
— Joseph Britt (@Zathras3) November 27, 2022
Shaken, not stirred
Leonhard still have the PJ "swagger" you wrote about today?!
— Shawn W. Pfaff (@FitchburgShawn) November 27, 2022
No easy feat
It’s amazing how that final sequence was even more embarrassing than the rest of the game
— Matt Hoffman (@mattyjimbob) November 27, 2022
Stalled out
I was one of those who thought Mertz would come of age and be very good. But he’s just not any better than he was at the beginning. Sorry, but it’s true. The Badgers are a .500 team next year unless they get a QB who can run and a OC who has vision.
— rick brown (@rickbrown35) November 27, 2022
The show's over folks
All of my words are in your tweet
— Rob Finley (@finleyr27) November 27, 2022
Question of culture
People can rightfully be annoyed by PJ Fleck but there's a charisma there that attracts recruits. With Fleck, resurgent programs at Purdue and Illinois, Nebraska's hire of Matt Rhule, not sure this hyper-conservative approach by the Children of Barry is going to hack it anymore.
— Ryan Gruber (@ryangruber) November 27, 2022
Join the club
Engram is overrated. The secondary is mediocre. The offensive line is certainly the worst it’s been in 20 years and still a backup QB who took almost no snaps almost tied the game. I don’t know if I should be optimistic or pessimistic but this feeling has me frustrated.
— David Koller (@DavidBKoller) November 27, 2022
Pick from the pros
Leonhard will, and prob should, still get the job. But he’s got to gut that staff. Bring in a few NFL friends/coaches, and start fresh.
— Dale Ryman (@DaleRyman_WSAW) November 27, 2022
Going out with a whimper
I have watched a lot of football. I mean, a lot. Every weekend for years in the fall and winter.
— Jeremy Wojtecki (@jwojPAC) November 27, 2022
I've never seen anything as pathetic as what ensued from 1st and goal to 0:00 on the clock.
At a crossroads
I'm on the fence... but my other buddies are "all-in". Needless to say, I'm nervous for the program.
— Mark E. Daspit (@Deerslyr) November 27, 2022
How low can they go?
Is this the relative bottom? And how long are they there? If recruiting has fallen off its at least two years? The offense has to get back to peak Paul Chryst. I missed the wrinkles and creativity. Doesn’t have to be spread but there has to be something different.
— Robert Duckworth (@RobDuckworthBU) November 27, 2022
To say the least
Embarrassing for the offensive line on that last drive….wow
— Tyler Chesmore (@TylerChesmore) November 27, 2022
Ready to spice it up
Up 16-13 and then offense gets vanilla, 3 straight 3 and outs and then a pick. Minnesota played aggressive and to win, Bucky played not to lose.
— Joel Schneider (@joelschneider25) November 27, 2022
Bottom drops out
Take a 16-13 lead on arguably the best drive of the season and from that point on it was one disappointment after another until it turned into complete humiliation in the last 40 seconds.
— Bill Pfeiffer (@billt209) November 27, 2022
Enough said
— Quin Smith (@QuinSmith25) November 27, 2022
Poor play in the secondary and a bit of underestimation doomed the Badgers in a 23-16 loss to their border rivals, Minnesota.
The Badgers were outscored by 10 points in the fourth quarter and still had a shot to tie it late.
The Badgers' regular-season finale saw the offense stall late, a dominant defensive lineman and an area of the field the passing attack couldn't exploit.
