(For those new to the site – every Sunday our editor Andy will take a look back at what went down the day before – giving everyone a chance to cool down from the emotion of game day in the feature we are calling "Sunday Morning Hangover." Photo courtesy – 247sports)
Well, that went about as well as it looked upon seeing it live. In fact, one could argue it went better than most expected coming into the game.
Sure, the Badgers had some struggles in the first half in the passing game, but credit the coaching staff and players because they came out of halftime and punched UMass square in the mouth and never took the foot off the gas from there.
That's a sign of a team supremely confident in what they can do on the field. It just took them a minute or 30 to show it. The offensive line came out and looked like a Badger O-Line should – punishing defenders downhill, opening up gapping holes in the run game, and providing their quarterback with all the time in the world.
In fact, their performance (upon further review of the game on DVR) was perhaps the biggest surprise and the most impressive of any group on the field for the Badgers—and yes, I'm including the first time in school history three running backs went for over 100 yards in a season opener.
How do you think those backs were able to do it?
The other bit of good news if you are a Badger fan? In no way will this be a repeat of last season.
You know what else is a sign of supreme confidence? Having Joel Stave and Curt Phillips team up to make sure that Bart Houston got into the game at quarterback.
How many other quarterbacks would pass up playing time in a game in favor of getting a freshman his first looks in a live game? I'd venture it's about 0.001 percent or so. Yet, that's exactly what Phillips did and that just shows the confidence he has in his abilities as well as the amazing leadership ability he has.
Defensively, the confidence of guys like Peniel Jean and Sojourn Shelton in one-on-one coverage was great to see. Both of them were more on point than off base in coverage and were about as sure of tacklers as you'd hope out there on the islands they were put on most of the game.
Finally, one also sense confidence from this team in the way it played the game. The offense played with a much higher tempo and energy. Getting to the line of scrimmage faster, running the clock to their advantage and not just running it down to slow the game down.
The offense saw what UMass was going to give them and they took it. Those are signs of a team confident in what they can do to anyone on any given Saturday this fall.
Does it mean the Badgers are going to be title contenders once again? Maybe, but it's UMass – I'll reserve judgment on this question until we do something similar against a better opponent like Arizona State in two weeks.
Until then, enjoy what was a fine performance by nearly the entire team and breathe a sigh of relief that the Gary Andersen era is off to a better start than what was the final season of the "coach that shall not be named" era.
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