Over the course of 2011 and 2012, then head coach (that shall not be named less I donate to the fund again) was repeatedly asked if that year's team was the best.
He repeatedly replied that he thought it would be the 2013 team, and boy was he right.
Thankfully, (have you seen the tire fire that is Arkansas & his coaching job this year) he isn't around to see it.
Yes, the Badgers aren't undefeated and heading to Indy for a third straight time, but this is the best overall team Wisconsin has put out in some time.
Just think about this: the best linebacker was out all game, the best wide receiver was injured in-game and the best running back had his worst day.
How many of those previous teams survive one of those things, let alone all three and come out with a dominate win?
That's what UW did on Saturday and they've done it more than once this season.
On Saturday, Marcus Trotter led the team in tackles for the second time in relief of the missing Borland.
Jacob Pedersen stepped up to take on more of a play maker role in the passing game, minus Jared Abbrederis.
James White found a way to hit a big gainer when Melvin Gordon wasn't getting it going much all game long.
All three combined to make sure the Badgers won big on the scoreboard and take home the Heartland Trophy once again.
It's a testament to the depth the Badgers have and to the coaching this group is doing from guy 1 to 85.
For the Badgers it is truly "next man up," and not some cliche, this season.
As much as some don't want to give the ex-head coach his due, at least we can see that he was a good recruiter of underrated talent.
You don't suddenly find depth because a new coach is there, you find it because the talent was there and the coaching picked up on it.
However, you have to wonder if said coach could've gotten this team, with those situations, to perform at the top of its game?
After re-watching yesterday's game, what impressed me most was the constant flow of information to players and adjustments happening on the fly.
That latter part has been a constant all season long and that has been a welcome change.
It's also the biggest reason why I say this team is the best we've seen in recent years.
Sure it doesn't have the "star" QB, or an amazing pass-rushing defensive end or shut-down corners on each side.
What does this team have that that ex-coach's teams didn't?
It's a sense of trust in a game plan drawn up by coaches who keenly understand their players' abilities, players who understand thoroughly what that game plan is, executes that game plan pretty damn well on Saturday's and coaches who better understand what to do in crunch time.
Gary Andersen and staff weren't left with a bare cupboard to work with at all and the marriage of those players already here with a new energy from the coaching staff makes this the best team Wisconsin has had in awhile—it just looks different.
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