A bit of a surprise, but I guess they are committed to Mertz.
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Not a surprise at all. Coan is or has graduated. A lot like Hornibrook at this point- program is moving on.
@Music City posted:Not a surprise at all. Coan is or has graduated. A lot like Hornibrook at this point- program is moving on.
Coan threw 18 TDs and 5 interceptions last year for a 10-4 Badger team that ended up ranked 8th in the country because 3 of their losses were to 2 of the top 6 teams in the country (and 2 of the 4 losses were by 1 point).
Mertz ended the season losing 3 of 4 games and throwing 1 TD and 5 interceptions (and left the only game they won early). Wisconsin played Indiana, Iowa, and Northwestern in those games so it's not like he was playing Ohio State twice (which are two of Coan's losses last year). It seems they are giving up on a guy they know they can win a lot of games with in Coan to commit to Mertz who has a higher ceiling but also a lower floor.
They've obviously committed to Mertz, but if Coan would have played this year instead of Mertz the Badgers would have probably won another game or two. I'm sure if Coan would have been guaranteed to start next year, he's not transferring.
What the hell ever happened to be a man, come in and compete and win the chance to be the starter? Transfer is just a chicken shit way out. Boo Hoo, good riddance Jack, don't let the door hit your ass on your way out. And Iused to like him, thought he was unappreciated by many Badger fans.
I am in the minority on Coan I just was never truly impressed with him I thought he was good but wouldn't get much better. I think if Mertz has anyone to throw to besides Ferguson I think we will be very pleased with him. That and he is going to need a good RB to help keep the defense honest. Give those things to Mertz and he will be special.
Should the QB make those around him better or should the supporting cast make the QB better?
@ammo posted:What the hell ever happened to be a man, come in and compete and win the chance to be the starter? Transfer is just a chicken shit way out. Boo Hoo, good riddance Jack, don't let the door hit your ass on your way out. And Iused to like him, thought he was unappreciated by many Badger fans.
I like you think that is the proper way to go, compete for the position. I wonder tho if Coan was told he was not in the picture for next year.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Coan threw 18 TDs and 5 interceptions last year for a 10-4 Badger team that ended up ranked 8th in the country because 3 of their losses were to 2 of the top 6 teams in the country (and 2 of the 4 losses were by 1 point).
I am guessing that they’re ok with dealing with Mertz’s development (and this is a strength of Paul Chryst), and they were honest that playing with Coan is like throwing half the playbook out. Coan can’t throw the ball 30 yards on target- and if the Badgers want the glory of contending for a playoff berth they’re not going to get it going back to Jack Coan.
There is QB talent in the pipeline. If Mertz needs to be pushed, I think they’ll be able to do that. Plus Deacon Hill comes to UW next year- 6’3”, 230, big arm... I really want the days of the try-hard noodle-arm Badger QBs to be behind us. I thought they broke the cycle with Russ Wilson, but they went right back to it.
Coan had average physical skills. Very good intangibles but you saw him exposed against better teams. He was limited big time and you can see Mertz is a different player. Gets rid of the ball quickly and can throw it downfield. He just needs more experience and some more weapons.
No one benefitted more from JT than Jack Coan. If Taylor was on this team and played like he has in years past I’m not sure the Badgers lose a game this year.
@Tschmack posted:Coan had average physical skills. Very good intangibles but you saw him exposed against better teams. He was limited big time and you can see Mertz is a different player. Gets rid of the ball quickly and can throw it downfield. He just needs more experience and some more weapons.
No one benefitted more from JT than Jack Coan. If Taylor was on this team and played like he has in years past I’m not sure the Badgers lose a game this year.
I agree that Mertz gives you a better chance to beat teams like Ohio State, Notre Dame, and the SEC teams you would see if you ever made the playoffs. However, if you lose to teams like Indiana it doesn't matter if you have a better chance against OSU.
I also agree that Taylor would have made this a 5-1 team (I still think they would have lost to Iowa). There were 2-3 runs every game that Taylor breaks for big plays that the backs this year didn't because they don't make the last guy miss like JT did.
But I also would argue that if Coan played this year instead of Mertz, the Badgers might also be 5-1. I think they would have definitely beaten Indiana and might have beaten Northwestern.
As you said, Mertz has the potential to open up the offense in a way that no QB other than Wilson has since the dawn of the Alvarez era. However, if he plays like he did the last 4 games this year, he increases the chances of losing to the middle of the pack teams like Indiana. Coan would hit the easy throws and not make mistakes and is a "safer" guy to go with against those types of teams. Mertz has the skills to make the hard throws but missed a lot of easy ones.
Michigan, I think you are correct if UW had their typical running game it would have made the passing more effective with the play action. Groshek, is an ultimate effort guy who will do well against the MN of the world but he is not someone most teams will fear like Taylor.
It is only humble opinion but one thing to me that really hurt Mertz (and the whole team) was the starting and stopping of the season. I really think it hurt everyone when they start strong, then shut down, then played, and then stopped again. Football is a repetition game and if you disrupt that flow it will hurt them.
I think we are really underestimating the lack of offensive talent this year around Mertz. The only consistent threat all year was Ferguson. He’s solid, but he’s not a difference maker.
Berger and Dike look pretty good as true freshmen but this team never had a chance to get settled due to C19. For younger players that’s critical - you need reps and practice and real game experience and they didn’t really have it all season.
The Indiana and NW losses were really impacted by officiating and let’s say JT is on this team there’s no way they find a way to lose those games. Maybe they don’t beat Iowa, but Taylor feasted on Iowa in the past so who knows? That’s a very ordinary Hawkeyes team.
Taylor was good for at least 14 PPG no to mention 3-4 longer runs that either kept drives alive or set up scores.
SO what is the skill position talent looking like for the Mayo Bowl? Will Berger and any of the WRs be back?
@ammo posted:What the hell ever happened to be a man, come in and compete and win the chance to be the starter? Transfer is just a chicken shit way out. Boo Hoo, good riddance Jack, don't let the door hit your ass on your way out. And Iused to like him, thought he was unappreciated by many Badger fans.
This assumes he won't have to compete for playing time with his new team to earn the lofty title "man".
Both he and Wisconsin fulfilled their original commitment. 4 year scholarship for 4 years of football. Who claims to know the nature and severity of his injury? Who claims to know the Badgers offered him a graduate scholarship to continue?
Badgers already have 5 QBs for next year's team without Coan. Here's hoping he finds a program that hasn't already decided he'll ride the bench.
I’m certainly not a Jack Coan fanboy, but he’s playing within the rules in asking for a transfer. Hope he lands on his feet and gets to play.
Personally, I think it’s a win win for the Badgers. Mertz won’t have to look over his shoulder and Coan will get a shot elsewhere. I actually think this is good for Chryst and the program. Play the most talented guys and don’t pull an Alvarez and just go off seniority.
@Tschmack posted:I’m certainly not a Jack Coan fanboy, but he’s playing within the rules in asking for a transfer. Hope he lands on his feet and gets to play.
Personally, I think it’s a win win for the Badgers. Mertz won’t have to look over his shoulder and Coan will get a shot elsewhere. I actually think this is good for Chryst and the program. Play the most talented guys and don’t pull an Alvarez/Chryst and just go off seniority.
@Tschmack posted:Personally, I think it’s a win win for the Badgers. Mertz won’t have to look over his shoulder and Coan will get a shot elsewhere.
It’s more an advantage for the Badgers because it frees a scholarship.
Well Coan may transfer but Collin Wilder, Scott Nelson, Mike Maskalunas, Tyler Mais, Matt Henningsen, Jack Dunn, and maybe a few others will use the NCAA exemption and continue to play for the Badgers.
Probably a good move for Coan. Hope he does well wherever he goes
A fine young man, but not one that was going to win a BCF playoff game for the program.
@"We"-Ka-Bong posted:Probably a good move for Coan. Hope he does well wherever he goes
Northwestern? They need another scrap heap QB…
He won’t even be the backup next year. They’ve got a lot of talent coming in, and Julius Davis will be a redshirt Sophomore. Watson had a lot of trouble seeing the blocks, and that’s why he got passed on the depth chart. Berger has a really bright future.
Jack Sanborn coming back.
Edit: jake Ferguson has also announced he's coming back for his senior season.
@BadgerFootball let’s go! pic.twitter.com/2TvniXxdZ5
— Jake Ferguson (@jqfergy11) January 2, 2021
#OnWisconsin ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HCVhP3jeZo
— Faion Hicks (@Faion_Hicks) January 2, 2021
Why wouldn't running backs want to come to Wisconsin?
So Coan announces he is going to Notre Dame. And the Badgers play Notre Dame on Sept. 25, 2021at Soldier Field. In my best Flounder voice, "This is going to be so good!!"
Any chance of him starting there?
Several Badgers have mentioned they will return next year including Jack Sanborn and Kendrick Pryor and Jake Ferguson. Faion Hicks is also returning. Not sure yet on Danny Davis or Groshek but if one or both return that should help Mertz a bit.
Sanborn and Chenal may have been the best LB duo in the conference. This team is loaded at LB and Herbig is a stud already as a freshman. That doesn’t include it some of the highly touted incoming guys
@Maynard posted:Any chance of him starting there?
Most likely he had some assurance that he can compete for the spot
@Maynard posted:Any chance of him starting there?
Though three-year starter Ian Book is likely to leave South Bend behind to enter the NFL draft, Coan will enter a loaded quarterback room at Notre Dame. The team has two returning signal-callers in Drew Pyne and Brendon Clark, while 247Sports' No. 3-ranked dual-threat QB and No. 65 player in the class of 2021, Tyler Buchner, will join the team next year.