Wisconsin Badgers Bye Week Grades: Offense

As the Wisconsin Badgers get a chance to rest up, heal up and lick the wounds on the heels of its first loss of the 2016 season, it is also a time to reflect.

No doubt the coaching staff and players are taking this bye week to regroup following a 14-7 loss to Michigan and knowing it has to play better to beat a crazy-good Ohio State Buckeyes program. That reflection also happens for us, as we look back at the first five games of the season and asses the team.

So, let’s take a look at how each position group has fared so far this season — starting with the offense today.

Quarterback

It took just two and a half games, but the coaching staff finally made the right choice and got Alex Hornibrook in as the starter. Bart Houston was going to manage games, but with a running game stalling out and failing to live up to expectations, the Badgers offense needed more from its quarterback.

Hornibrook came in and took over the Georgia State game, then went out and did what was needed to win in his first ever start at Michigan State. But, facing a strong defense last week, Hornibrook looked the part of a freshman and threw three interceptions on 9 of 25 passing for the game.

With a defense allowing just 14 points to Michigan, more was needed out of the position. No doubt, the young quarterback has dynamic passing skills and can stretch the field unlike any quarterback we’ve seen in Madison since Russell Wilson. But, he still needs to find ways to let the game slow down for him and to feel pressure coming. That will all come with time or Hornibrook won’t adjust and someone else will the long-term answer in the future.

As for the play of the position overall, it has been barely good enough to get by. The two quarterbacks have combined to complete just 59 percent of their passes for 993 yards and just six touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Mediocre results at best.

Grade: C

Running Back

Injuries and a lack of production seem to be a systemic problem for the Badgers run game since head coach Paul Chryst took over the program. The hope for 2016 was that a return to health for star running back Corey Clement would mean a return to UW’s roots as a powerful run team.

That hasn’t happened, and it has a lot to do with injuries. Both Clement and backup Taiwan Deal have battled leg injuries early on this season and the duo has combined for just 413 yards so far on the season.

Further compounding the issue is that senior Dare Ogunbowale hasn’t been able to be a help in the run game and has pretty much become a pass-catching running back as we speak. He’s averaging just 37 yards per game and has only one touchdown in five games of action.

Hope sprung from the play of redshirt freshman Bradrick Shaw in the Georgia State contest, but he ended up hurt and hasn’t been on the field since then.

This group has some talent, but can’t stay on the field long enough to make teams pay against it. The bye week is going to be extremely helpful, but Deal’s nagging injury history and Clement’s inability to get a big game going in 2016 are troublesome against top level competition. With a new quarterback in tow, it is time for the running game to step up.

Grade: D –

Offensive Line

This group hasn’t been able to help much this season, despite a full 2015 season of experience for the majority of the starters on this group. Instead it is struggling to keep their new quarterback upright (4 sacks in last two games) and to open holes for the run game (9th in the conference).

Injuries have been part of the story here, but so has a lack of ready-depth to help with that situation (thank you Gary Andersen). To that point, with both left guards Jon Deitzen and Micah Kapoi out the last two weeks, it has meant Michael Deiter sliding from center and the guy backing up four positions on the depth chart, Brett Connors, becoming the center.

That combination hasn’t been as strong as the others, and speaks volumes of the lack of trusted options on this offensive line. With the coaching staff waiting to get names like David Moorman, Cole Van Lanen and others of its own choosing in to the group, this could be another harsh year for the offensive line.

Perhaps the biggest bright spot has been the play of Ryan Ramczyk at left tackle. Remarkable run from D3 to the Big Ten aside, he’s been a consistent performer for the group and may be the best overall linemen in the starting rotation.

Still, the lack of production in the run game and overall mediocre play up front is way below the expectations of offensive line groups that have come before at UW. Things simply have to start clicking up front or we’ll likely see this group continue to get dominated.

Grade: F

Wide Receiver/Tight End

This is perhaps the toughest group to grade, because some of its production issues have come thanks to a switch at quarterback. Still, there is a severe lack of a big threat in the pass catching game.

Wisconsin’s pass game has to be of the play-action variety if it is going to back teams off of eight-man fronts and the like.

Lately, with the insertion of Hornibrook at quarterback, the deep threats have become more meaningful. Jazz Peavy has been dependable and a big part of getting the offense to move the chains, while tight end Troy Fumagalli has become a first down-getting machine for the Cardinal and White.

Yet, drops and an inability to get open deep continue to plague this team. Only Rob Wheelwright, Peavy and Fumagalli have double digit receptions on the season so far, and that speaks volumes to who is and isn’t getting open.

However, the good news is that players like Wheelwright and Peavy have flashed big play ability in the 15-30 yard range and that can be just effective as hitting 60-yard bombs to help back off defenses. While this group needs so work, we’re also seeing it get better with Hornibrook at QB. So, let’s give this some time.

Perhaps we’ll continue to see more of Quintez Cephus and A.J. Taylor, two true freshmen, as the season continues to go on. It certainly can’t hurt to try to get them loose considering the results so far.

Grade: B –