Wisconsin will run the ball down your throat, then shove it even further down your throat some more and eventually continue doing it until you beg for mercy.
Those are the scenes painted in words and written about the Wisconsin Badgers offense, especially that of former offensive coordinator turned new head coach Paul Chryst. None of which should be surprising with the number of 1,000-yard rushers UW has put out, but Chryst’s offenses at Wisconsin were not as simple as the national media would like you to believe.
As we anticipate the official announcement of Chryst as UW’s next head football coach we’ve been taking a look at his time as the Badgers offensive coordinator and his time at the helm of the Pitt program. Yet, there’s one aspect of UW’s offense we haven’t really dived too deep in to…and that’s just how important the passing game was his last time around the program.
No doubt, the offense at Wisconsin under Chryst was built off a strong run game, but the national narrative makes it seem as if the Badgers were inept in the passing game as well. Yet, that’s the furthest thing from the truth though, as the passing game was perhaps the key to making the engine work.
It was the balance his passing attack gave to the run game that made everything more dangerous. But, don’t take our word for it, it’s the numbers during Chryst’s seven years as the offensive coordinator in Madison that tell the story for itself.
One glance at the Badgers record books tells us just how impressive the passing game was under Chryst. Quarterbacks during the Chryst OC era own at least 13 game, season and/or career passing records and five of his seven quarterbacks own spots in the top 10 of the individual season passing record book at UW.
Let’s dive a bit further though, showing you the quarterbacks from the Chryst era that dot the Badgers’ record book.
Chryst QB’s in Top 10 Single Season Passing:
1. Russell Wilson – 3,175 yards (2011)
2. John Stocco – 2,920 yards (2005)
3. Scott Tolzien – 2,705 yards (2009)
4. Tyler Donovan – 2,607 yards (2007)
6. Scott Tolzien – 2,459 yards (2010)
Oh, and let’s not forget that John Stocco is second in career passing yards and Tolzien is fourth on the Badgers career passing list.
How about those records that are still standing? Well, here is the full list of all 13 passing records held by quarterbacks from the Paul Chryst era.
Quarterback Records Set During Chryst Era (all that still stand today):
Passing Yards (Season) – Russell Wilson, 3,175 yards (2011)
Passing Attempts (Season) – Tyler Donovan, 333 (2007)
Passing Completions (Season) – Scott Tolzien, 211 (2009)
Comp. Percentage (Season) – Scott Tolzien, .729 (2010)
Comp. Percentage (Career) – Scott Tolzien, .681 (2008-10)
Passing TDs (Season) – Russell Wilson, 31 (2011)
Passer Efficiency (Game) – John Stocco, 296.68 (vs. Indiana, 2006)
Passer Efficiency (Season) – Russell Wilson, 191.8 (2011)
Passer Efficiency (Career) – Russell Wilson, 191.8 (2011)
Most 200-yard Passing Games:
– Season: John Stocco, 8 (2005)
– Career: John Stocco, 17 (2003-06)
– Consecutive: John Stocco, 7 (2005)
Most 300-yard Passing Games:
– Career: John Stocco, 4 (2003-06)
When you stop to think about just how impressive that list, it can truly make you think twice about what you may think you know or knew about Chryst’s offenses. However, consider this fact as well — only three running backs from the Chryst era are in the top 10 of individual rushing seasons at Wisconsin.
That’s five quarterbacks to three running backs on the biggest individual season lists one could look at on offense.
So, you may be asking how it can be true that the Badgers had the best of both the running backs and quarterbacks in UW history under Chryst? Well, the secret is in the balance and Chryst’s ability to keep defenses off balance.
It shows up in things like comparing percentages of plays to per game averages and look at efficiency in the passing game as well. Those numbers showcase the brilliance of Chryst’s play calling while at Wisconsin.
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Yes, the numbers show that under Chryst the Badgers offense ran the ball a lot, but it also was super efficient with its passing attack. I mean, in no year did the Badgers average more than 38 percent of the plays as passes, yet in four of the seven years the Badgers per game averages saw passing make up a larger part of the mix than the running game.
Interestingly enough, a deeper look in to the passing game reveals just how surgical the Badgers were with the opportunities they had in that aspect of the offense.
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Wisconsin also managed to rank in the top 40 nationally in yards per completion under Chryst, per teamrankings.com.
It all adds up to an offense that is as dangerous through the air as it was on the ground. Truthfully, it might have been more deadly through the air given the numbers we’ve seen.
We could ask anyone on the street where the Badgers would’ve ranked in any of those passing categories and I would strongly bet few would’ve guessed UW led the Big Ten in any single year, let alone four of the seven years Chryst was in charge of the offense.
So, when those in the national media tell you Wisconsin is going back to “ground and pound” football remember that is far from the truth. Instead, remember that Wisconsin’s true secret to its powerful offense was a deadly efficient passing game.
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