Sunday Morning Hangover: Badgers Offensive Turnaround Has Been Remarkable

I don't know about you, but that was sure a joy to watch yesterday. It finally felt like the Wisconsin teams we've seen over the past 4 seasons or so was back. Was it a perfect offensive performance? Not even close, but I'm not sure we've ever seen a perfect offensive performance and I'm sure we'll never see one in our lifetimes.

The two turnovers aside, this offense finally showed it's full potential with an offensive line clicking and a running game taking things over.

If you really think back to the start of the Joel Stave era this season the game against Purdue was arguably the first time he hasn't had to win the game for the Badgers. He came on down 14-3 against Utah State and won the game for the Badgers. If it weren't for his passing attack against UTEP they don't win that game. Same for sticking close against Nebraska and it was his passing that really kept the Badgers in the game last week until a late fourth quarter surge from Montee Ball finally saw the running game take over for a change.

But, the question some are asking after the performance on Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium is if we can truly say the Badgers offense is back and I'd argue you can say that. The evidence wasn't just on the field yesterday it's been building up over the past four weeks as a whole. Just look at where the Badgers were and where they are now inside the conference stats for all the evidence that you need. Heck, over the past 4 games the Badgers are averaging 33.2 points per game for starters.

Entering Big Ten play the Badgers were either dead last or next to last in just about every offensive statistical category in the conference. They were dead last in scoring, rushing yards per game, etc. Simply put it wasn't pretty by any measure. 

Now just three weeks later the picture has become much brighter on the offensive side of the ball. Wisconsin has gone from dead last in points scored per game to 8th place (26.0 average), from last in total offense to 10th at 374 yards a game (just 4 yards a game away from 8th place), from last in rushing yards per game to 5th (181.1ypg).

I think you get the point, no? However, the most amazing part of this transition to Stave at QB has been the amazingly efficient rate for the QB position. Stave has been so good that the Badgers as a team rank 3rd in QB efficiency in the Big Ten and rank 49th nationally. Honestly, I don't know anyone that would've thought those numbers were true. It just goes to show you how much Stave has really added to this offense if you ask me. If he qualified for the official NCAA stats (which he will starting next week) his QB efficiency rating of 149.6 would put him 2nd in the conference and tied for 26th nationally. Bet you didn't think that was where he'd rank, huh?

Then there's the ascendency of Montee Ball as of late as well. His performance on Saturday was more a matter of time than anything else for me. It was a build up of his work over the previous three weeks. Against UTEP he only had 40 yards, but he also only had 9 carries (4.4avg), then against Nebraska he nearly had 100 yards and there were so many opportunities to break one that were just missed, then we finally saw it all put together in an amazing performance in the 4th quarter against Illinois (119 yards, 2TD's),  and of course the record setting performance just yesterday (career high 247 yards rushing, setting all-time UW and Big Ten TD record at 72 w/ 3TD's).

In the conference Ball ranks 3rd overall in rushing with 816 yards on the season and is behind only Le'Veon Bell in terms of running backs (916yds) and is 4th in per game average at 116.6. He is tied for the lead in the Big Ten for TD's with Northwestern's Venric Mark with 11TD's total this season. Ball is tied with Mark for 2nd in overall scoring in the conference behind Nebraska's kicker – Brett Maher. The most interesting part of all of that is he's got all of those TD's in the running game only. He's 3rd nationally in TD's by running backs as well.

All of those stats point directly to the Badgers being back, but the one point of caution in regards to this offense being back is the defenses faced in the last three weeks – the 9th, 11th, and 10th ranked scoring defenses in the conference. Those aren't great defenses by any stretch, but the Badgers have clearly begun to find a rhythm and it all coincides with the moves made by Bret Bielema before and during week three of the season.

Personally, I'm buying into the offense being back to what we expect for one final reason we haven't explored yet – Matt Canada's play calling. After a completely pedestrian start to his play calling through the first three weeks the Badgers offense has really become much more imaginative. We've seen the same plays from different formations, play action passing to open up the running game, running jet sweeps, screen passes, empty backfield sets, deep throws, wide receiver screens, tight end rushes, and so much more. It's really been night and day in terms of play calling and perhaps it goes back to the original point – Stave starting and Markuson gone.

No matter what happens down the stretch this is now a team capable of winning games with it's offense and not leaning on it's defense to be perfect anymore and that's a huge boost towards the ultimate goals: getting to the Big Ten Championship game, winning it, and going to the Rose Bowl.