SB Nation Chicago: All Posts by Hilary Lee

The Off Tackle Empire Bracket Challenge

2013-03-19T19:36:44Z

It's back! While we've been a little bit late on getting this started this year, we've finally got the OTE pick'em group up for the NCAA Tournament. Join our pick'em group on Yahoo to test your mettle against OTE staff and other readers. And this year, the overall winner of the bracket challenge will get a t-shirt from the team of their choice from the SB Nation apparel store. I mean, that's even better than bragging rights.

The details for the group are below:

Site: Yahoo Tourney Pick'em

Group: OTE Bracket Challenge

password: sherman

link: http://y.ahoo.it/f0FyEfil

So who's your pick to win it all this year? Join up and add your thoughts down below!

Because we're good lawyers (and lawyer friends) over here at Off Tackle Empire, if you really want to, you can read the official contest rules here: OTE Bracket Challenge Official Rules

Wisconsin Needs to Capitalize Now, Or Risk Missing Out for Years

2013-01-01T01:29:16Z

I admit it. I've been avoiding it.

For the last two weeks, I've done all I can to avoid everything about the Rose Bowl. This became more difficult when I returned to Wisconsin for the holidays. I had to learn to avert my eyes while walking through the Wal-Mart, lest I spend too long pondering the collection of Bucky the Badger Rose Bowl merchandise. I didn't read the morning delivery of the paper, for fear of being exposed to Wisconsin coverage. I even pretended not to notice that the preferred brand of ice cream in this house is none other than "Badger Tracks."

Nope, no Rose Bowl coverage for me.

Now, I know some of you may think all of the above is, well, a little bit crazy. And I'm sure some of you (*cough*Nebraskafans*cough*) are more than a little jealous that I have this little problem to deal with in the first place. Of course, I should stress, it's not as though I'm avoiding ALL bowl coverage - no I've been gorging myself on the buffet of early bowl games pretty much every single day. But no Rose Bowl.

But why, you ask. Why, Hilary, have you been trying not to think about the fact that your team is going to the Grandaddy of ‘em All tomorrow?

Well..... you see.... The thing is...

I'm a little bit worried.

We came so close that first time. Against TCU. Just one stupid play call away from a bowl victory. But it was okay, because the next year we had Russell Wilson and it looked like maybe that would be enough to carry us even against the terrifying power of the Oregon offense.

Nope.

But, hey, I even got over that loss because the combination of the suspensions of OSU and PSU made it likely that the Badgers would be only one B1G CCG victory away from a third go at the Rose.

And, of course, that worked out. We smashed Nebraska (I thought of using "embarrassed" instead, but I didn't want to salt the wound too much), and earned another trip to the best of the BCS bowls. In my beer and nacho fueled haze that night, all seemed good. It didn't really hit me until a few days later...

This is probably it. For a while.

Wisconsin has gone out and, even after a disappointing season, earned a third chance. But, if the worst should happen, if the offensive line can't continue their resurgence, if Barry Alvarez can't resurrect that old magic, and we lose... when will we see the Rose Bowl again? I'm an optimist, but I look at a rebuilding Ohio State, and a Penn State that won't be down for long, and I see a division that's no longer ours for the taking. And while we managed two consecutive B1G CCG victories, it will always be a hurdle even if we somehow do capture the division again. It's quite possible that it will be a long time before Bucky sees Pasadena again.

So, the question remains. Can the Badgers do it? Can they take down Stanford?

I want to say, yes, I do. I want to say that the rankings don't really matter. That the Badgers can recreate their performance against Nebraska and stomp all over the Cardinal.

But to say that, I'd have to ignore the fact that Stanford and Nebraska have dramatically different run defenses. Nebraska's overall defense is ranked 56th. Stanford, meanwhile, has the 13th best in the country, allowing just 17.5 points / game. It's sort of like the difference between a corn field and a brick wall. Even though the Badgers have the 12th best rushing offense in the country, I'm not necessarily convinced that they'll tear up the turf against Stanford.

It's not all bad, of course. The Badgers do have a good defense themselves - ranked 19th overall this season. Since they lost to Nebraska in week five, the Badgers have allowed just over 18.3 points per game in their last eight games, while scoring an average of 35. More importantly, during that eight game span, Wisconsin lost just five turnovers total, while taking away twelve, for a margin of +7. This is in line with the Badgers overall performance over the last three seasons, in which they've lost a total of just 31 turnovers, the lowest rate in the country, even better than Alabama. Wisconsin's margin in that span is +33.

On the Stanford side, over their last eight games, they gave up an average of 14.5 points per game, while scoring an average of 35. During that span, Stanford turned the ball over twelve times, while taking it away fifteen times, a margin of +3.

Along the whole mistake vein, Wisconsin also has the fact that they are one of the least penalized teams in the country going for them. They draw flags an average of just 3.8 times per game. Stanford's average over this season is 5.7 flags per game.

Of course, I can't fail to mention that Wisconsin does have some potent weapons in Montee Ball and his backups James White and Melvin Gordon. And Curt Phillips has done an able job at quarterback lately -- which basically means hand the ball off, throw the ball a couple times a quarter, and don't commit any costly errors. But, the Badgers are evenly matched by the weapons that Stanford will deploy in outstanding back Stepfan Taylor and pleasant surprise Kevin Hogan. I consider the offenses for the Badgers and the Cardinal to basically be a push. That's why it may come down to elements such as turnovers and penalties.

These are small differences, to be sure. But while I'm not certain about the outcome of this game, I am absolutely convinced that it will be close, no matter which team emerges the victor. And it's possible, just maybe, that the upper hand that the Badgers have on turnovers and penalties will prove the key difference late in a close game.

I hope.

Say It Ain't So, Bro

2012-12-05T01:12:36Z

Bret Bielema is a douchebag.

There, I said it.

And yet, I think I'm going to miss him as head coach at Wisconsin.

I never really denied Bielema's douchiness. Every time that he was mentioned, I always flinched a little bit. I was in an odd position as a Wisconsin fan. I couldn't really defend some of what he did - I mean, the whole card said to go for 2 was kind of a dick move. And putting up more points on Indiana than the basketball team was capable of? Yeah, about that. Then, of course, there was the whole just... bro-iness of the man. I mean, I live near Wrigleyville in Chicago and yet pathologically avoid its bars exactly so I can have as little to do with that type of individual as possible.

But... well... Bret may have been a bro, but he was our bro. Our brah. Our broseph. Our head broach. (Okay, so I ran out of ideas on that last one...)

And the fact is, he doesn't leave a terrible legacy behind. I mean, it really could have been worse, couldn't it? Three Rose Bowls in as many years? Three conference championships? (Lalala I can't hear you OSU/PSU/MSU fans). It'd be the height of ungratefulness for me to be saying good riddance right about now.

Under Bret Bielema, we had a 68-24 record. We upset OSU when they were the No. 1 team in the country. We became a legitimate powerhouse in the conference. One of our running backs set the NCAA record in rushing touchdowns. After Barry Alvarez and Brett Bielema, I got used to the idea that Wisconsin would be a good football team, year in and year out. And as any longtime Badgers fan will tell you, that's saying something.

There are some, of course, who will point out the downsides. While this year is still undetermined, Bielema's record in the Rose Bowl is a dismal 0-2. And it's true that while Wisconsin has excelled at recruiting and developing running back and offensive line talent, complete recruiting classes have still eluded the program (see: quarterbacks). And maybe it is the case that with OSU off of sanctions next year the Badgers will have that much more difficult have a time getting a conference championship again.

Still... I don't know. Bielema's departure is a loss for the team. I would rather have him as our head coach than not. I'm not really sure that his departure is a black eye for the program, given how much more money he's going to get by going to Arkansas (I don't think that I could turn down a 50% raise if I got offered it...), but it's not good either. It is lucky that we have Barry Alvarez as our AD, since I have complete confidence in his ability to hire a good candidate. And who knows, maybe Wisconsin will end up with a great hire and this will all be much ado about nothing in a few years...

But, sigh, I can't deny it... I am a little bro-ken hearted tonight.

Big Ten Expansion Roundtable: Who's Next?

2012-11-21T19:11:53Z

A few short days ago, Maryland and Rutgers officially became the newest members of the Big Ten conference. The move was not universally well received, but one thing was clear: few people believed it was the end of expansion for the Big Ten. Unlike the last time around, when the conference seemed content to stay at twelve members after adding Nebraska, it's tough to believe that fourteen teams is where the Big Ten is going to stop. But were the additions appropriate? Should the conference expand more? And who is likely to be the next school invited to join the conference of Northern Aggression? We got the OTE writers together and, after raiding Jon's liquor and cigar cabinet, attempted to come up with answers to these burning questions.

Here we go...

1. Give me your instant reactions to the addition of Maryland and Rutgers. Limit it to twitter length since that's what all the kids are doing these days. And then get off Ted's lawn.

Ted: Not a big fan of this move, I must say. I don't know that it's a reaction to Notre Dame going to the ACC, but it's not the best that the conference could have done. This seems as half-assed and sloppy as the Nebraska addition was pure gold.

Chad: Really? I like it....particularly if it's a step towards landing Virginia and Virginia Tech.....

Tom: I'll say this. I think 14 is a horrible number to sit on.

Joe: Absolutely hate it. I'm a New Yorker and have lived in Maryland. Neither school fits historically or culturally. The only purely selfish reason I would like to see this happen, is that both Maryland and RU have DI varsity men's and women's lacrosse teams.

Cory: So everyone can lose to NU WLAX? Goooooooooood. Gooooood. Also, I hate this. It's dumb.

Jesse: I still don't get the timing on this...

Mike: Seriously, can you imagine people from New Jersey in Iowa and Nebraska? SO MANY JORTS.

Graham: What is the purpose of all this? Is this just a reaction against ND? If so, what are we trying to prove? Also - Are we diluting our brand somehow with this move? Or is this just the way of CFB?

Hilary: I'm just not sure how I feel about all of this... On the one hand, hooray increasing revenue. On the other, do Maryland and Rutgers really fit with us?

Jon: Unsatisfying in the short term, but smart in the long run. Instead of being a Midwestern conference, we'll soon be a Northern one, and that identity will allow us to maintain our academic and athletic standing. Don't get me wrong, Maryland (and especially) Rutgers, are nothing to write home about now, but give them two decades, and you might be surprised.

Jeff: Not a fan.

2. Should the Big Ten stay at 14 schools? Should we go to 16? If we go to 16, how soon should we do it?

Ted: I think 16 is going to be inevitable now. I thought 12 was perfect, but super-donferences are on the horizon.

Jesse: I think that 16 makes sense logically. I hate that it's going that way, though.

Cory: No, this is probably some end-game move to 16. It'd just be nice if we weren't left holding the bag with two shitty Big East schools or something when the next round of moves happens. I wish we wouldn't have done this. Ted's right: it seems just horribly thrown-together and sloppy. Now, I know Jim Delany probably has more up his sleeve than I want to give him credit for. But I just don't get it. I don't get how adding Rutgers and UMD really makes us that much better of a conference. It makes us richer? Oh, goody. I guess Northwestern wants to upgrade a whole bunch of shit on- and off-campus that the extra TV revenue will help with.

Joe: Since my opinion really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, go to 16 tomorrow. Heck the B1G could announce they were annexing Nova Scotia and Belize and I wouldn't be surprised anymore. More TV's for the B1G network.

Jon: Of course, we have to go to 16. How soon depends on how long it takes for this move to put a few blue chip prospects back on the board. If expansion stops at 14, with Maryland and Rutgers as our grand finale I'll agree with the masses that this was ill-advised. But this was never a one-step play. The Big 12 and Pac-12 are going to feel immediate pressure to keep up with the B1G and the SEC. Once they start cherry picking schools to get to 14 members themselves, all bets are off.

Jeff: I guess if we've got 14 teams, 16 is the next logical step. I would like to see 4 team quads instead of 8 team divisions, though.

Hilary: We have to go to 16. I didn't like it when the SEC went to 14, and I don't like us being there. Seven teams in each division is unwieldy, with the current number of in-conference games. At least a 16 teams we could explore quads or rotate more effectively.

Tom: If you've go 12, it works. If you have 16, you can innovate with quads. 14 is 6 division games, 1 permanent rival and 1 rotating game. That's Michigan playing Penn State once in a six year period. Not good.

3. Which two other schools would you add to take the Big Ten to 16 teams, and why?

Ted: As to who to add, if we're talking demographics they need to move south--Georgia Tech and Louisville. Or if the ACC starts getting raided by other conferences based on this move and their demise seems inevitable, try and get Carolina and Duke and lock up the best basketball rivalry. But honestly, those are just names I'm throwing on a wall to see what sticks at this point.

Jesse: I mentioned it somewhere, but I could see some form of Syracuse and Va. Tech as they seem to fit the bill, but I have not done enough research to say if that's a good idea. I'd love UNC-Duke because of the sports aspect, but is that really a great fit either? Maybe Canada? Who knows...

Joe: It seems like they'll be a discussion about Kansas/KSU and UVA/VT. But why not go Syracuse and either BC or UConn. BC would bring in another Hockey school. Since we have jersey, NY would act as the bridge to either CT or Mass.

Hilary: I'm a huge football fan, but I'd really also like to see us continue to improve at basketball. So I wouldn't mind if we got one of each. Georgia Tech feels a bit southern for my tastes, but I suppose I could stomach it. Cheating scandal aside, UNC could work. Or Virginia Tech. Or maybe Louisville.

Jon: Any combination of Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Virginia, Virginia Tech, UNC, and Boston College, or any of the first six schools plus Georgia Tech or Syracuse. And what the hell, throw Florida in there as well. They're going to be majorly bummed when the SEC grabs Florida State, and they're much more similar to the B1G academically than they are the SEC.

Jeff: Louisville because they are nearby and solid at basketball and football. I can't think of another logical one right now.

Cory: I don't know who to go with now. These are East Coast teams we've just added. I know everyone gives me the "but but Penn State" argument--Penn State is, in my mind, more a Midwestern-feeling school than either of those teams. Maryland's fans on Testudo Times were worried about their lacrosse teams. Seriously. Give me a break. Does Rutgers have fans? Can you imagine a Northwestern-Rutgers showdown at Ryan Field? What is the sound of 10,000 people half-heartedly cheering? God, I can't wait for those fucking barnburners. What am I supposed to care about with these two schools? Money for the B1G? Oh, goody. If anything, I hope NU fans can pull off another Sailgate-style event at Rutgers. That's about it.

Oh, that's right, I was supposed to pick 2 teams. Ummm...

/picks name out of smart school hat

UVA!

/picks name out of ass

Louisville!

Now how did that get up there...?

Jeff: Have you been at an Italian restaurant with Rick Pitino recently?

Mike: Why would you keep names in your ass?

Cory: I plead the fifth on how Louisville got up there. Also, if UVA/VT is a package deal? I guess I can think of worse things. I like UVA/VT from the standpoint of continuing to drive a wedge into the ACC. It's a fun little fuck-you to ND, it draws TVs (if thats apparently what we care about), and the football's not awful at VT.

Chad: Hell, the football's not awful at UVA.....am I right Penn State? High five!

(Seriously, though, root for UVA to the B1G.....it would immediately top the roadtrip list for the conference....)

Graham: Charlottsville! And it's like a supersized Miami OH.

Joe: I'm not so sure how serious I am about this nor what it matters in the big picture.

Every member of MSU's first class enlisted in the Army to go suppress the rebellion. We just added a school that in effect honors those that committed treason in some of its uniform schemes.

What shameless affrontery! Harumph!

And there you have it, ladies and gentleman. Also, apparently the latest rumors circulating on the intertubes are suggesting a combination of Georgia Tech, UVA, UNC, and Boston College.

Notre Dame Against an SEC Team in the NCG? Not Like This. Please, Not Like This.

2012-11-18T05:51:35Z

There was a disturbance in the force on Saturday night. And no, I'm not talking about after shocks from the demise of Hostess. Rather, the top two teams in the country lost on the same night. Kansas State was caught napping by the Baylor Bears, and Oregon couldn't quite pull it out against perennial foe Stanford.

While seeing Baylor put up 50+ on K-State wasn't all that unexpected -- even after the departure of RGIII the Bears still have an electric offense -- it was odd to see Kansas State not keep the score close given the pretty much worst in the FBS defense the Bears had all season. I mean, if you can't score more than 3 TDs against a team that had been giving up an average of 500+ yards per game, do you really deserve to be in the NCG discussion? Maybe not.

And then we had Oregon falling to a scrappy Stanford team. A perfect example of what happens when you always go for it on 4th down -- and necessarily hold your field goal kicker to one try on the season before this game -- was showcased by Chip Kelly on Saturday night.

But, while Baylor and Stanford may have won, we all lost.

We lost because this now means that we are almost certain to see a NCG featuring Notre Dame and a contendor from the SEC. There is nothing worse.

Look at this:

Look at that and tell me how there is a way out for us. Because I don't see one. All I see are visions of a gloating Corso in a shiny gold helmet and legions of PAAAAAAAAAAAAAWL fans.

Because what, really, is the alternative? That we cheer for USC (really?) to take down TSISB next weekend? What exactly would that get us? Another SEC-SEC title game? Even with the abysmal ratings from last year's snooze fest, do you think the powers that be would skip over that many SEC teams to put Florida State or, excuse me while I laugh, Clemson in the title game?

No, the worst thing possible has already arrived. The four horseman are here. And we are powerless to stop it.

Player of the Week / Beer of the Week: Montee Ball and Serendipity

2012-11-15T21:51:59Z

Picking a player of the week on an all-conference blog is not the most easy of tasks. All of us writers have our loyalties, and often we like to see our school recognized above other conference members. In addition, when anywhere from five to twelve games are played on a single Saturday, there are bound to be quite a few awesome performances.

Still, someone has to be named POW for any given week, and this week's honors go to Montee Ball of Wisconsin. Ball's stat line on the day -- 198 yards on 27 carries, for an average of 7.3 yards per carry, along with 3 TDs -- is impressive, though not necessarily eye-popping for a running back from Wisconsin, given that teammate James White also rushed for 161 yards and 2 TDs.

Remember how before last week, we were kicking around the idea that Indiana could somehow upset Wisconsin and sneak into the B1G CCG, and hilariously, the Rose Bowl, as a 5-7 team? I'm slightly ashamed to admit it, but after the loss of Joel Stave, I was legitimately nervous. My anxiety was a topic of conversation with an Indiana fan sitting next to me during my weekly euchre game (yes, I am just that Midwestern -- I play competitive euchre). In retrospect, I feel silly. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but I should have realized that when it comes to Indiana, the fact that Wisconsin barely had a functional quarterback really didn't matter. Over three previous games against the Hoosiers, Montee Ball rushed on average for 141.3 yards. Wisconsin really didn't need a quarterback to win this game -- which was good, considering that the Badgers threw for only 41 yards in the entire game.

Of course, more than the stat line or the continuation of a ridiculous average against Indiana, Ball is probably most deserving of Player of the Week honors for the other feat he accomplished on Saturday. With his touchdowns against Indiana, Ball moved into sole possession of second place on the NCAA's all time rushing touchdown list. Ball now has 77 rushing touchdowns, surpassing Ricky William's 75. He's just one behind the NCAA leader Travis Prentice of Miami (Ohio). I'm going to go out on a limb and say that before the season is over, Ball will be the leader (knockonwood).

Paired with Montee Ball, this week's beer of the week is New Glarus' Serendipity.

via www.beerfm.com

Serendipity is a limited edition brew from New Glarus. Replacing their traditional cherry brew in Belgian Red, Serendipity came about due to a highly unfortunate cherry shortage in Wisconsin. The apple crop in Wisconsin has also been less than ideal, but it was a bumper year for cranberries. So what did the folks at New Glarus do? They put all three into one beer!

I've now gone through two bottles of this beer (and keep in mind, each of these bottles is 750 ml) and it is perhaps the best fruit beer I've had in my life. It is legitimately good enough to drive up to Kenosha to get -- since it's only sold in the state of Wisconsin.

Should you find yourself in the Dairy State, I recommend picking up a bottle or two. Or, you know, asking someone who does live there to mail some to you. It's worth it.

Wisconsin Stunned By Michigan State, And I'm Not Surprised

2012-10-28T06:12:29Z

Yeah, that happened. Wisconsin's 2nd longest FBS home winning streak was snapped. By Michigan State. Of course it was the Spartans. Who else could it have been? The Badgers and MSU have developed a nice little rivalry in recent years, even though the result of today's game was essentially meaningless as far as title game aspirations are concerned. The Badgers are all but in the title game thanks to the ineligibility of two of the best teams in the conference. Meanwhile, MSU is out of the race in their division, and is just struggling to get to a halfway decent bowl game.

Still, ouch.

At least it went to overtime. I don't think I could have handled the psychic pain from another last second Hail Mary-esque victory that would have come from MSU somehow getting a 2-pt conversion to win the game at the end of regulation. But still.... Ouch.

The best way to deal with a loss like this is to process. So, what did we learn from this game?

On the Badger side, we know that Joel Stave is essential to the Badgers being able to do anything on offense. Danny O'Brien cannot complete a decent throw to save his life, and has an alarming propensity to simply make horrible decisions when it comes to ball security and giving up (or not) on broken down plays. It's like he's a deer in headlights. Something about the in-game situation is just too much for him.

And without a passing game, Wisconsin is way too easy to defend on the run. Montee Ball and James White might both be great backs, when the offensive line cooperates, but that's worth little when defenses can stack the box against Wisconsin, knowing that even on a play action call they have little to fear downfield from Danny O'Brien, and the result of such is almost certainly a handoff to Ball/White or SHEER PANIC from O'Brien.

About that offensive line. They've been improving all season, but as we saw today, they can be maddeningly inconsistent. Montee Ball barely saw daylight against the strong defensive front of MSU, and it seemed that both Stave and O'Brien had to deal with incredible shrinking pockets on an alarming basis. Forget the stout cheese-fed offensive lines of old... when it comes to stopping a pass rush, this line is about as porous as cheesecloth.

Even with the win, all is not well on the Michigan State side, however. I'm not exactly sure what change was made for the play calling in the last drive, but for most of the game it was the same old story on Spartan offense. Strange play calls. Bad passes from Andrew Maxwell. Drops from the receivers. And Le'Veon Bell trying to carry the team on his back but ultimately being unable to do it all by himself. Maxwell seemed to finally click with his receivers on that last drive, and on an admittedly very pretty throw in overtime for the win, but why can't he do that normally?

A single flash of competency won't be enough to carry this Spartan team to bowl eligibility and a post-season win. They've got to figure out why they can't produce drives like this on a regular basis.

You know, it's strange, in a way. Typically after a loss, especially after a game that was essentially thrown away, I'd be gnashing my teeth and writing from a place of frustration. But I'm not this time. It's like I've had a vision of where this season is going, and I'm resigned to it already. Wisconsin will head to the Big Ten Championship game. If they meet the Wolverines or the Huskers there, they will likely lose. They'd probably lose to Northwestern too, but as I'm also a ‘Cats fan, I know better than to guarantee anything from that team.

So that means a bowl, likely in Florida. Can the Badgers come out of a bowl game with a win? Maybe. Depends entirely on the matchup. I really don't know with this squad. The only thing I know is that this isn't last year. And I think I've finally gotten used to that.

Oh well.

Northwestern Season Expectations Revisited

2012-10-10T19:26:02Z

After the Northwestern Wildcats saw their undefeated season go up in flames in Happy Valley, Chad, Cory, and Hilary engaged in a little group therapy to break down Saturday's game and re-assess the season prospects for the 'Cats.

Hilary:

Soooo. Thoughts on Saturday's game.

I'll start. What exactly happened there on offense? It seemed like all of the cool stuff we were doing against Indiana we decided to just chuck out the window. And was our defense really that messed up by Penn State's constant decision to go for it on 4th down? Could they not adjust to that?

Chad:

I put this loss all on Mick McCall and his offensive playcalling. Venric Mark and Kain Colter only got 18 rushes combined....and ran for 96 yards together. Penn State had no answer for stopping Venric and Kain, and after the 1st quarter we should have been running the option with them all day until PSU stopped it. McCall somehow missed what was apparent to every Northwestern fan after the 1st quarter -- today was not Siemian's day, and we should be running it with Mark/Colter until they find a way to stop us (at which point we should be passing with Colter since they're unprepared for it, and Colter is still a damn good passer). As for the defense, they did their job all day, but were out on the field too long because the offense struggled (PSU Time of Possession: 39:17. Yikes.)

Keep in mind -- PSU's longest play from scrimmage was 19 yards. The defense forced PSU to earn every yard, and to PSU's credit, they did. Had we had fresher legs and/or better field position, or had our offense done SOMETHING in the game, Northwestern would be undefeated today.

So I'm disappointed in McCall....but otherwise, I actually have MORE faith in this team than before. We're talented on both sides (see again -- our defense making tackles, preventing big plays all day, having good coverage overall), great at special teams, and have a good/great running attack if McCall sticks with it. It's disappointing we lost, but now I really feel like NU can matchup against any team left on its schedule and, with a good effort, have a chance to win each game.

Cory:

Well, first off: Hilary, ranking Northwestern #2 in the Power Poll? That takes some balls. Well done.

I don't know what happened on offense. Was Kain hurt? Was Venric's jawing a factor in keeping him out? Did Mike Trumpy tell the coaches he ate his Wheaties that morning? The drive with about 4 or 5 minutes to go in the game, where we went Trumpy run, Trumpy run, Siemian crappy pass...possibly the most predictable and worst executed run-run-pass series ever--and I watched Brad Childress' kick-ass offense for how many years.

Either way, the play-calling was atrocious. Against a Penn State-esque defense, I wanted to see Colter at QB and Mark at RB, especially after the optionhad some success in the 2nd half. When Siemian is ineffective and their front seven are getting good pressure, why not put in a QB who can run when things go to hell? The second half in Northwestern drives:

(3rd quarter)

4 plays, 18 yds, 2:20, punt -- 2 touches for Mark, 0 for Colter

11 plays, 71 yds, 4:05, TD -- 4 touches for Mark, 3 for Colter (TD)

Punt return TD -- Mark

(4th quarter)

3 plays, 4 yds, 1:34, punt -- 0 touches for Mark, 0 for Colter

4 plays, 3 yds, :49, downs -- 0 for Mark, 1 incomplete to Colter

5 plays, 16 yds, :52, fumble -- 1 pass to Colter

Yep. After Mark/Colter took 63% of the touches on an 11-play scoring drive and Mark returned a punt for a touchdown, they touched the ball a total of 2 times on the last 12 NU plays of the game. That's unacceptable.

Chad hit the nail on the head with regards to TOP and playcalling--I won't rehash that. I don't feel better about this team, though. I said on Friday that our defense has to pressure Matt McGloin and stop the run, and our tackling was weak on first contact, our secondary was Northwestern'd, and we didn't contain McGloin when it mattered. Nebraska fans, is this nausea of knowing that we could've won the game and just couldn't get a stop when it counted how it felt last year? Ugh.

What do I want to see against Minnesota? A win, for starters. After that, I want to see us put our foot down on the gas and not let up the entire game. Keep calm and run Kain/Venric. Just do it. Do it some more. Keep doing, ad nauseam, until the game is over and the 'Cats win. Furthermore, I want to see us contain MarQueis Gray if he plays. It's crucial. If Shortell goes, he can't McGloin us. I will not stand by as the 'Cats lose to another immobile ginger. I just won't.

Hilary/Chad: does this game change anything in how you view Northwestern in regards to the rest of the Legends Division?

Hilary:

Well first of all, I voted Northwestern #2 because, honestly, nobody in the conference felt right to vote at #2. If I could have put MSU, Nebraska, Northwestern, Michigan, and Wisconsin all at #4 I totally would have. But somebody had to go there. So I might as well have homered it.

Anyway, I don't know if this changes my impression of them in the division. Before this game, I was on the fence as to whether they were "real" enough to actually be able to make it to the CCG, and I'm still there. Yeah, they lost. But they didn't lose so in a way that made me think they were a "fraud" who is incapable of actually living up to winning the division. This wasn't a Minnesota vs. Iowa performance. And, as both Chad and Cory have pointed out, we know what went wrong. The play calling.

The question is, are we confident in Fitz/McCall to recognize and fix that going forward?

Chad:

You're going to just look at the 2nd half? My first tweet in the 1st quarter of the game: https://twitter.com/RevDJEsq/status/254622755553693696

Look, Trevor Siemian is a good QB....young, but good, and could be VERY good one day. But that day wasn't Saturday. Ignoring the 1st drive of the game (where were backed up on our own goalline, and went ultra conservative), this is how often Kain Colter or Venric Mark touched the ball on 1st half drives:

1st Quarter:

Drive 2: Mark (2 touches: 1 reception for 2 yards, 1 carry for 5 yards), Colter (zero touches): 3-and-out punt

2nd Quarter:

Drive 3: Mark (1 touch, rush for 3 yards), Colter (zero touches, one target on incomplete pass): 3-and-out-punt

Drive 4: Mark (1 touch, rush for -1 yard), Colter (zero touches): 3-and-out-punt

Drive 5: Mark (2 touches, rush for 4 yards), Colter (zero touches, one target on incomplete pass): 9 plays, 32 yards, punt (which was muffed)

Drive 6: Mark (2 touches, rush for 5 yards and TD), Colter (in at QB so touched ball every play, one carry for 12 yards): 3 plays, 17 yards, TD

Drive 7: Mark (1 touch, reception for 4 yards), Colter (zero touches): 3-and-out punt

Drive 8: Mark (0 touches), Colter (0 touches, 1 target on incomplete pass): 8 plays, 66 yards, TD pass by Siemian.

Only one drive with Colter as QB with Mark, and it results in an easy TD. 6 drives with Siemian in at QB, 4 three-and-outs, one 9-play 32 yard drive resulting in a punt, and one 8 play 66 yard TD drive.

The obvious solution, and it should have been obvious after Drive 3 above, was that Colter and Mark should have been in the backfield together the rest of the afternoon until Penn State stopped them, at which point Colter would turn to the air (thereby keeping PSU honest).

As for our defense, you're right -- we needed to pressure McGloin. But we did -- he escaped a couple would-be sacks, and even recovered a fumble we forced. Maybe less tired legs (thanks to the offense staying on the field?) might have meant we got a few more sacks. And our secondary was decidedly NOT Northwestern'd -- to me, that means poor coverage on deep balls leading to huge gains or pass interference penalties. We had 1 pass interference penalty, and gave up no plays period longer than 19 yards. Our defense wasn't great, but we did make Penn State earn every yard and score.

As for Northwestern versus the rest of the Legends division, I'm still positive on our team, particularly if McCall fixes the gameplan. It's not like any team in the Legends is looking great right now, and to beat us, you need a lot of ingredients: a front 4 that can get pressure while LBs and secondary play tight zone coverage on passing routes; fast/smart linebackers that can make tackles in space against the option attack; an accurate QB that can sustain drives and is willing to be patient. Does Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, or Minnesota scream out to you in all of those regards? I mean, we're gnashing our teeth over a loss....on the road...in a game we led with 3 minutes left in the game....despite having our worst offensive performance of arguably the past two seasons. I'd say we're in GREAT shape compared to Michigan State's offense, Nebraska's defense, or Iowa/Minnesota.....

I for one think McCall and Fitz can and will fix this going forward. I mean, has McCall EVER called two horrible games in the same season? I'm really asking, because I'm not sure I remember it happening...most NU losses were directly on the defense, so McCall has rarely gotten criticism, largely because he's one of the B1G's best offensive coordinators (even if he didn't prove it against PSU).

Cory:

Chad, I agree 100% regarding McCall. I don't remember a time when I've been upset two games in a row at his playcalling, especially on a situation like this, where he kept the ball out of two players' hands. And yes, you're right--they had to keep running the ball, but what baffles me about the second half was the fact that you have an 11-point lead in the 4th quarter. Put your horses on the field, on the road, against a decent team, and run them into the ground.

And what I meant by Northwestern's secondary being "Northwestern'd" is not that they played like Northwestern secondaries of old. We were dinked, dunked, and generally murdered by 1000 papercuts--many of the complaints we have heard from teams like Iowa and Nebraska in years past. Penn State flipped the classic Northwestern gameplan on the 'Cats. And it sucked.

Finally, none of the teams you referred to "scare" me defensively. Sure, Michigan State has shown they can be good...but they didn't look it against Indiana. I don't buy Iowa yet. But it rests on McCall and Fitz to keep the gameplan going and keep their foot on the gas the whole game. We still need to outscore teams, because our defense still is not a world-beating unit. And that's generally how you win football games.

Chad:

OHHHHHH, you mean PSU "Northwestern'd" our secondary by killing us with accurate, ball-control passing that moves the chains?

Yes. Definitely. Ouch....I can't believe how painful it is, now that I'm on the other side of things.

My final thought -- I think we were all thinking 6-6 or 7-5 for this years' Cats team, based on who we were losing and our questions about talent of new players, etc. Now? 8-4 or even 9-3 seem to be in the conversation/possibilities, and reasonably so given the problems/inconsistencies of our future opponents. If the Cats and the coaches can focus on continual improvement each week and play some complete games in all phases, this season will still end up being a huge plus for the Cats, even though they lost their undefeated mojo on Saturday in Happy Valley.

Cory:

The shitty part? They didn't just Northwestern our secondary. They did it to our entire defense: dominating TOP, pounding away with the run once they wore us down, and just keeping our offense off the field. AND I DIDN'T LIKE IT.

Regarding the ceiling of this team? I look at the schedule, and honestly? The ceiling is 11-1. We'll be underdogs at both Michigans and probably at home against Nebraska. The reality is probably 8-4, losing those three games. But I'm not ruling out 7-5. I don't want to play Iowa. There. I said it. I don't want Vandenberg to McGloin us, and I don't want Weisman to barrel through our shitty arm tackles.

Though I suppose, if I may wax poetic for a moment, isn't that life as a Northwestern fan? The in-game margin for error, even when we're 5-1, is so razor-thin that anything from 6-6 to 11-1 is totally within the realm of possibility, and we're just along for that roller-coaster ride. Living in fear of falling flat on our face isn't fun, but knowing that we have the potential to stun a good team year-in, year-out, and make noise? That's fucking fun, right there. Go 'Cats, beat the Gophers!

Hilary:

It is life as a Northwestern fan. But it's a good life. And the weird part about the Mitten games and Nebraska... I'm not worried. I don't mean that as in I'm totally confident, but after seeing the extremely uneven performances those three teams have turned in so far, I'm not expecting to be totally dominated by them. You guys?

Cory:

Ditto. We'll be in them. I'm not guaranteeing a win or anything, but I wouldn't dare us count of out of any game left, as of today.

Chad:

Agreed on all counts. No team scares me to the point where I think we have no chance (then again, I felt we had no chance of beating Nebraska in Lincoln last year....and look how that turned out). Will we win all of our games from here on out? No, of course not. But barring one of those "everything falls apart" type games, we'll be okay and competitive throughout the rest of our schedule, so long as our coaches and players continue to focus, work hard, and play smart.

And you know what else is great? Looking at our roster/depth chart, and seeing how few seniors there are. We lose Demetrius Fields (WR), a couple good O-linemen (Ward and Mulroe), Arnfelt and Quentin Williams on the D-line, Nwabuisi at LB, Quinn Evans/Demetrius Dugar at CB, and Jared Carpenter at safety. A few big names there (particular the O-linemen, Arnfelt, and Nwabuisi).....but NU will have a lot of key contributors and skill position talent returning in 2013.

Poll

Now that Northwestern's undefeated season is over with, what's the most likely season outcome for the 'Cats?

11-1, trip to the CCG

2 votes

10-2, trip to the CCG

14 votes

9-3

37 votes

8-4

57 votes

7-5

14 votes

6-6

2 votes

5-7

5 votes

131 votes | Poll has closed