Tag: Greg Gard

The official verdict on Greg Gard

I wrote in September about the beginning of Greg Gard’s tenure as the head coach of the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team and why the jury should still be out on what his beginning years should mean in terms of him as a coach, and in …

I wrote in September about the beginning of Greg Gard’s tenure as the head coach of the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team and why the jury should still be out on what his beginning years should mean in terms of him as a coach, and in terms of the program as a whole.

In total, the article says that momentum in sports is a real thing, and much of the regular and postseason success Gard had through his first four years were due in large part to the momentum carried over from the Bo Ryan era, and to the players that stuck around despite the former coach announcing his retirement.

These players–Nigel Hayes, Zak Showalter, Vitto Brown, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ–helped to continue the success experienced under Ryan as they helped lead the new unit under Gard to consecutive Sweet Sixteens in his first two seasons at the helm. 

Though under entirely different circumstances, this pattern of success is similar in a way to what was seen with the Dallas Cowboys in the mid 1990s when legendary head coach Jimmy Johnson retired after winning consecutive Super Bowls in 1992 and 1993 and Barry Switzer took over. Switzer went on to take Johnson’s unit to the NFC Championship in his first season, win a Super Bowl his second season and eventually get fired after missing the playoffs in his fourth season.

Now, all that being said, the article merely pointed out that the program, like the 1995 Dallas Cowboys, was not yet free from the direct influence of Ryan’s legendary tenure as coach.

Well, after this past season and what the team was able to accomplish in winning the Big Ten regular season trophy after overcoming tragedy in the offseason, having an incoming transfer not be able to play for the first month of the season and having one of their best players leave the program, the jury has finally reached a verdict on Gard: and it’s time he gets the praise he deserves.

Yes, the Big Ten Coach of the Year is adequate praise, but there were signs seen in windows of school dorms early in the season calling for the coach’s job. That time is over.

The season started with the team getting off to a 5-5 start as they waited for incoming transfer Micah Potter to become eligible to play. The team then continued to tread water in a loaded Big Ten Conference after Potter’s arrival and found themselves 13-10 with eight games remaining on the schedule. 

After a 70-52 loss at the hands of Minnesota, the team peeled off eight straight victories and finished the season as co-Big Ten regular season champions.

What was most impressive from that eight-game run was that for the first time since Ryan’s players graduated the team had an identity, one which was leading the team to victories against more-than-formidable Big Ten opponents, and one nobody would doubt had primed them for success in the conference tournament and a deep run in March Madness.

This identity was due in large part to the individual improvements made by juniors D’Mitrik Trice and Aleem Ford. Gard put the offense in Trice’s hands, the team played excellent defense, and Gard was able lead the team to clutch late-game performances. The overall way he was able to maximize the talents of the players he had, as the Badgers became the first team in Big Ten history to win the regular season crown without a single All-Big Ten first or second team player, proved his ability to lead.

So, after Gard’s first two Sweet Sixteen runs were led by Koenig and Hayes and his other tournament appearance by Wisconsin great (yes, great) Ethan Happ, this run was led by Trice, Ford, Potter, Brad Davison and Nate Reuvers–all players who have joined the program since Gard took over as head coach.

And although the team was robbed of playing postseason basketball, Gard being able to lead his guys to the program’s first Big Ten regular season title since 2015 was an impressive feat, especially given the roadblocks they had to face along the way.

It makes sense, looking back, that this season was an important one in Gard’s career given the team’s lack of postseason success the previous two years. Additionally, the program is now finally made up of only players he brought in and developed. Now that it’s over, even without the postseason being played, it’s clear that the job Gard did this year was an amazing one and is a positive sign for the future of the program.

Looking forward now, Gard is in line to welcome a nationally ranked top-20 recruiting class next year and arguably an even better one in 2021. That, paired with Brevin Pritzl being the only notable departure, points towards a bright future for Gard and the Badgers.

Hoops Mount Rushmore: Who Are the Greatest Badgers in the Last 20 Years?

Sports are on pause and, although it’s only April 3, it feels like the dog days of summer are in full swing. So, what better to do while we go back and re-watch every notable Badger sport game from the last 20 years? How about a Mount Rushmore. …

Sports are on pause and, although it’s only April 3, it feels like the dog days of summer are in full swing. 

So, what better to do while we go back and re-watch every notable Badger sport game from the last 20 years? How about a Mount Rushmore.

Here, in no particular order, are the four greatest Badger basketball players since 2000.

 

Frank Kaminsky (2011-2015)

This one was an easy one. Although Kaminsky began his career playing sparingly, only starting two games in his first two seasons, his junior and senior seasons vaulted him into Badger basketball lure as he helped lead the team to two consecutive Final Four appearances including a National Championship defeat in 2015 at the hands of the Duke Blue Devils. What Kaminsky brought to the floor was a unique blend of size, inside skill and outside shooting, a combination which led him to be drafted ninth overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 2015. Kaminsky finished his career with the greatest single-season scoring performance in school history with 732 points as a senior in 2014-2015, No. 12 on the Badgers all-time scoring list, 1458 total points, the only Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy AND AP Player of the Year award winner in a single season and, again, helped lead the Badgers on their best two-year run in school history. Was he a much better player than guys like Jon Leuer and Sam Dekker? No. But his final two seasons vaulted him to one of the greatest Badgers since 2000 and into Badger lure.

 

Ethan Happ (2015-2019)

Ethan Happ finished his career in 2019 as Wisconsin’s all-time leader in rebounds, blocks and triple doubles and No. 3 on the school’s all-time scoring list. Happ was the model of consistency throughout his four years, averaging 12.4 points and 7.9 rebounds as a freshman, 14 and 9 as a sophomore, 17.9 and 8 as a junior and 17.3 and 10.1 as a senior, and finished his career with a final tally of 2130 points, 1217 rebounds and 154 blocks. While he was unable to lead the Badgers back to the Final Four after their consecutive appearances in 2013-14 and 2014-15, he was a pivotal cog in the team’s two Sweet Sixteen runs his freshman and sophomore year and he would’ve had the team in the Elite Eight in 2016-17 were it not for a miraculous three pointer by Florida’s Chris Chiozza at the overtime buzzer.

 

Nigel Hayes (2013-2017)

Like Kaminsky, Nigel Hayes gets a boost due to the team’s run of success during his time in Madison. Unlike Kaminsky, though, Hayes finished his Badger career near the top of seemingly every leaderboard. He is the only player in school history to finish inside the top-10 in all-time points, assists and rebounds, finished with the fourth-most points in school history (third but has since been passed by Happ), played in the most games in school history (150), was the second player in Big Ten History to top 1800 points, 700 rebounds and 300 assists and, again, was one of the main catalysts for the best four-year run of success in school history. He may have been overshadowed a bit by Sam Dekker and Kaminsky on the two Final Four teams, but his consistent production for four years, versatility and team success make it necessary to put him on this list.

 

Alando Tucker (2002-2007)

Finally, and no I did not forget about him, the school’s all-time leading scorer Alando Tucker. Tucker finished his Badger career with 2217 points, 769 rebounds and an impressive 134 games played. He was also the school’s first consensus 1st-team All-American since 1942, the Big Ten Player of the Year as a senior, helped lead Wisconsin to the Elite Eight in 2004-2005 and really ushered in the Bo Ryan era of Badger basketball, arguably the best run of success the school has had in its history. He came years before current students like myself even followed college sports but his greatness and impact on the program is undeniable.

Stats and accolades via UWBadgers.com.

Wisconsin basketball will have a fantastic depth problem next year

The 2020 Wisconsin basketball recruiting class is not only a top 20-class nationally and top-3 Big Ten class according to 247sports, but it also creates a really exciting problem for Greg Gard and Wisconsin’s staff. The only Badger leaving the …

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The 2020 Wisconsin basketball recruiting class is not only a top 20-class nationally and top-3 Big Ten class according to 247sports, but it also creates a really exciting problem for Greg Gard and Wisconsin’s staff.

The only Badger leaving the 2019-20 team that played meaningful minutes was Brevin Pritzl at 27.1 minutes per game. In other words, the Badgers are returning approximately 88% of their minutes played from last season. Last year, the one man recruiting class of Tyler Wahl did not create any issues in terms of playing time. The freshman forward played just over 15 minutes in Gard’s rotation. A six-man 2020 recruiting class with multiple pieces that are ready to contribute right now creates a totally different issue.

NCAA Basketball: Minnesota at Wisconsin
Mar 1, 2020; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Trevor Wahl (5) grabs a loose ball from Minnesota Gophers forward Alihan Demir (left) during the first half at Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

This is an issue of having too much wealth, instead of not enough. It’s a perfect problem for Wisconsin to have, and there is still a lot of practice time, scrimmage time etc. to figure things out. When looking at the six-person class, you have to think that the top two prospects, Johnny Davis and Ben Carlson, will be rotation pieces next season. Micah Potter sliding into Pritzl’s starting role seems to be the most logical choice assuming the Badgers want to play big. If Walt Mcgrory continues to develop in his senior season, it would not be out of the question for him to get consistent time off the bench. The 6-3 guard saw action in 14 games last season, including a few games where he played meaningful minutes.

Lorne Bowman is one of the most interesting questions. Does the Detroit point guard take a redshirt in his freshman season, or will he work his way into the rotation as a primary ball handler? Even preferred walk-on Carter Gilmore looks like he can make an impact during his Badger career. The Hartland, Wisconsin native has the size and offensive game to play meaningful Badger minutes.

While the questions of who will fill Wisconsin’s rotation are up in the air, it’s fair to say that an eight-man rotation, as we saw this past season, is not likely for the 2020-21 Badger squad. This team should go ten or eleven deep, and there could even be players who see minutes only depending on matchup and feel. Expect there to be some experimenting with allocating minutes early in the season. No matter how Coach Gard decides to use the talent he has, the fact is that Wisconsin could have one of the deepest, most experienced rosters in the country next year. How the minutes will be divided is an exciting question to ponder.

Scouting Report: 2020 Badger signee Lorne Bowman

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report …

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report series, we are going to take a look at what each 2020 Badger signee will bring to Madison this fall and beyond.

According to both Rivals and 247sports, Lorne Bowman is a three-star prospect. The point guard out of Detroit, Michigan is also ranked as a top-5 player in the state. Bowman chose Wisconsin over offers from Buffalo, Iowa, and Nebraska among others. His St Mary’s Prep squad went 21-1, and finished the year number one in the state of Michigan according to MaxPreps. Bowman’s high school teammate Julian Roper is a Wisconsin class of 2021 target who fans should be watching out for.

Lorne Bowman in one word: Bowman is a crafty point guard. The 6-2, 180 point guard doesn’t jump out at you on film as someone with overpowering speed or athleticism. Instead, he has excellent footwork that opens up a ton on the offensive end.

Offense: Bowman relies on excellent footwork to get where he needs to go on the floor. He has the speed to beat his defender, and the point guard’s handle is tight. In film from this past summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, the Michigan product was under control when he got in the paint, and finished with solid floaters over shot blockers. His hesitation dribble is nasty, and was one of the main moves he used to create space. When given space, Bowman can certainly knock down open jumpers with relative consistency, but has room to improve. In nine games at the EYBL, the 6-2 guard shot 31% from three. With only 42 attempts from deep at the Nike EYBL, the sample size was small, but nonetheless Bowman has room to grow as a shooter.

As a passer, the St. Mary’s star made solid reads in the pick-and-roll to find open bigs at the rim or get to the cup himself. He certainly is not a turnover prone point guard, as he plays under control at his own pace.

 

Defense: Bowman will come into Madison this fall with excellent strength for his size. I don’t see him getting bullied by anybody in the size and physicality departments at the next level. Staying in front of lightning-quick guards could be an issue in the Big Ten, but expect Greg Gard and the coaching staff to teach him the Wisconsin way on defense.

Overall: Bowman certainly has the ability, especially as a true ball handler that Wisconsin needs desperately, to contribute off the bench next year. Minutes will not be easy to come by as a freshman on such a deep roster, but look for him to potentially be an important piece off the bench next season.

 

 

Greg Gard’s ultimate achievement this past decade

More on Greg Gard

One can debate the foremost achievement of Wisconsin Badger head coach Greg Gard from the past decade of college basketball, which is actually a half-decade since Gard has been the head coach in Madison for roughly half a decade (just under five years, to be more precise). Badger fans could come at this question from different angles, and if you wanted to say that this 2020 Big Ten championship is his greatest achievement, I would not fight that. I would not put up an argument.

I will, however, offer a different answer to this question. I would submit — during this week of what would have been the Sweet 16 at the 2020 NCAA Tournament — that Gard’s greatest achievement so far at Wisconsin relates to the Sweet 16 itself.

You know that in 2014 and 2015, Wisconsin made the Final Four. The Badgers were an elite program in those two seasons. Yet, after Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky left the program, everyone wondered if the momentum of those two Final Four seasons would be sustained. Then came Bo Ryan’s abrupt and messy exit from the Wisconsin program. Greg Gard inherited a big mess at the end of 2015, midway through a complicated college basketball season. Who knew back then that the Badgers would find so much stability and continued success? It was not a sure thing at the time, and one could end the discussion right here by noting — correctly — that Gard’s ability to stabilize the Wisconsin program could be viewed as his ultimate accomplishment. That’s a very good answer, and I wouldn’t push back against it.

However, I think the answer ought to be a little more specific than that general assessment. I think Gard’s ultimate triumph over the past four-plus years in Madison is that he enabled Wisconsin to make four straight Sweet 16s, building on the two Final Fours Ryan made.

By getting to the Sweet 16 in each of his first two seasons — 2016 and 2017 — Gard forged a remarkable achievement which put Wisconsin alone in college basketball.

Know this: Because of what Gard did in 2016 and 2017, it became a fact that from 2014 through 2017, only ONE college basketball program made the Sweet 16 in all four seasons: Wisconsin. In those four seasons, no other program could make the same claim. Bo Ryan’s two dominant years, followed by Greg Gard’s two resourceful years, gave Wisconsin an unmatched place in major college basketball.

Greg Gard’s greatest feat as UW head coach is open for debate. Many fine answers exist. I will point to the Sweet 16 — on this Sweet 16 week in 2020 — as the source of Gard’s ultimate achievement.

We will see how the next several years change our perception of this (if at all).

Scouting Report: Wisconsin 2020 signee Johnny Davis

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report …

Wisconsin’s 2020 class is one of the most exciting in recent history for Badger basketball. The five signees are all likely going to be valuable pieces for UW as Greg Gard continues to move the program forward. In this BadgersWire scouting report series, we are going to take a look at what each 2020 Badger signee will bring to Madison this fall and beyond.

Johnny Davis in one word: Johnny Davis is smooth. Silky smooth. There may not be a better way to describe the 6-4, 185 combo guard. Davis is a certified bucket-getter that can score at all three levels. His La Crosse Central squad finished the year 20-5, and ended on a win in the Wisconsin state tournament before the tourney was cut short due to coronavirus concerns.

Offense: The scoring guard finished the year averaging 27.2 points per contest, good for ninth best in the state of Wisconsin. It wasn’t so much the amount of scoring that impressed me most, but rather how he got his buckets. Whether it was a set three, off the dribble mid-range jumper, or his floater/layup package, Davis found a way to put the ball in the basket. On film, specifically in transition, the 2020 signees change of pace and direction caught defenders off-guard for easy layups. He is certainly comfortable in transition, but never seems to be in a hurry.

As a passer, Davis made multiple difficult touch passes and solid reads out of the high-pick-and roll to find rolling bigs at the rim. Also, do not give him a runway because he will make you pay at the rim.

Defense/Rebounding: While most packages of Davis do not focus on defensive highlights or on-ball defense, his physical makeup should give Badger fans the feeling that he has a chance to be a solid college defender. The La Crosse native’s length and athleticism certainly jump out when he plays against high-school competition, but those factors translate at the next level as well. The length and athleticism also made him a force on the boards in high school.

Overall: Davis is a player with an NBA future. His length and leaping ability creates problems for opponents at both ends of the floor. As a scorer, he has the unique ability to get buckets in a wide variety of ways whether it be from the perimeter or with his floater package at the rim. His improvement will come in the weight room and in the natural learning curve of adjusting to Wisconsin’s system. Nobody in the Wisconsin 2020 class has a higher ceiling than Johnny Davis.

 

 

 

Greg Gard named NABC District 7 Coach of the Year

Despite having no Badger players on the District 7 first team or second team, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard has been named the Coach of the Year in District 7. The honor comes from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and can be added to …

Despite having no Badger players on the District 7 first team or second team, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard has been named the Coach of the Year in District 7.

The honor comes from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and can be added to an already illustrious award season for Wisconsin’s head coach. Gard took home the Big Ten Coach of the Year award earlier this month, once again despite having any Badgers on the all-Big Ten first or second team.

Gard led the Badgers to eight-straight victories to end the year, and a share of the Big Ten regular-season title. A Wisconsin team that in the preseason was picked to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten Conference ended up with a 14-6 conference record, and a 21-10 record overall.

Per the NABC website, here are the first and second team’s for District 7:

First Team

Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Lamar Stevens, Penn State

Luke Garza, Iowa

Anthony Cowan Jr., Maryland

Daniel Oturu, Minnesota

Second Team

Jalen Smith, Maryland

Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois

Joe Wieskamp, Iowa

Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State

Zavier Simpson, Michigan

Aleem Ford could be next season’s x-factor

Wisconsin was defined by their balance in 2019-20. Nate Reuvers, UW’s leading scorer, averaged just 13.1 points per game. If you round up, four Badgers, not including Kobe King, averaged double-figure scoring. This team has even more depth coming …

Wisconsin was defined by their balance in 2019-20. Nate Reuvers, UW’s leading scorer, averaged just 13.1 points per game. If you round up, four Badgers, not including Kobe King, averaged double-figure scoring. This team has even more depth coming next year to Madison, with a recruiting class that features five solid pieces. The 2020-2021 Badgers are going to be projected to finish near the top of the Big Ten Conference, and will certainly have much higher expectations at the start of the season than this year’s team did.

On a team where there will potentially be little separating the first guy from the tenth guy in terms of the depth chart, Aleem Ford could be a difference maker. The Georgia native had a career year this season, and his best work came during the back half of the Big Ten Conference schedule as the Badgers hit their stride. The redshirt-junior averaged career-highs with 8.6 points per contest and 4.4 boards per game. Ford also had the most efficient year during his time in Madison, as he shot the ball at a 43.2% clip from the field.

The 6-8 forward came to campus knowing that he needed to put in work in the weight room. Wisconsin took a chance on him out of IMG Academy, where he was an unranked recruit according to ESPN. Since 2016-17, Ford has added over 20 pounds of muscle and as a result became a more well-rounded player. Last season, he had a tendency to lack confidence at times, especially with his outside shot. During Ford’s redshirt-freshman year, he shot the ball at a 41% clip from downtown. That number dove down to just 28.7% in the 2018-19 season. This year, the Georgia native restored order from beyond the arc by shooting a solid 34% from distance. Shooting is extremely mental, and Ford had his head in the right place heading into the home stretch of the year. A stat that provides hope for Badger fans is that through Ford’s final 10 games of the season, that number was back up at 40% from three. There was no hesitation, even with a hand in his face:

Wisconsin went 9-1 in the final ten games, and Ford was a massive reason as to why.

There was also an added level of confidence in terms of putting the ball on the deck later in the year. Ford attacked the rim with purpose and finished with better consistency as the season wore on.

NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin at Michigan
Feb 27, 2020; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford (2) shoots on Michigan Wolverines forward Brandon Johns Jr. (23) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The 6-8 forward also possesses the length to create problems on the defensive end of the floor. It was an end of the court that even for the first few months of this season was a work in progress for the redshirt-junior. As the Badgers team defense improved in February and March, so did Ford’s individual defense. His pick-and-roll awareness looked noticeably different from December to February. Certainly give credit to Greg Gard and the staff for much of the improvement on that end both for Ford and for the team as whole.

Arguably no Badger improved more than Ford in terms of where they were in November and where they were in March. When he balled out on both ends, Wisconsin won games. That was no coincidence. That type of improvement bodes well for a player that has added strength and consistency. All signs point towards the redshirt-senior taking another step forward next year.

Ten Badger Moments: A Big Ten Championship Moment we did not see on TV

In this series, I want to look back on the memorable moments that defined the 2019-20 Badgers. This will not be a top-10 ranking of the best moments of the season from 10-1. Instead, I will go chronologically through the year and find ten moments …

In this series, I want to look back on the memorable moments that defined the 2019-20 Badgers. This will not be a top-10 ranking of the best moments of the season from 10-1. Instead, I will go chronologically through the year and find ten moments that made 2019-20 unforgettable for Wisconsin basketball. Each moment will be accompanied by a word that describes this 2019-20 Badger basketball team, and in this installment, that word is leadership.

If you went by what Badger Twitter said, 2019-20 was an absolute roller-coaster ride for Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard. With all the events that took place both on and even more significantly off the court, how could it not have been a topsy-turvy year?

What Gard did in February, and what was left of March, was calm the storm that had been brewing all season. At the right time, he settled this team down and the Badgers found their identity behind balanced offense and poised defense. The locker room celebration after the Badgers defeated Indiana to win the Big Ten regular season championship was the party that this group deserved.

An unseen moment from right after the final horn sounded at Assembly Hall recently went viral on Twitter thanks to Zach Heilprin, the sports director at The Zone Madison. Gard takes the time to give massive hugs out to each player as they make their way to the locker room for the postgame celebration. This is what leadership is all about:

Ten Badger Moments: Aleem Ford finds his rhythm

In this series, I want to look back on the memorable moments that defined the 2019-20 Badgers. This will not be a top-10 ranking of the best moments of the season from 10-1. Instead, I will go chronologically through the year and find ten moments …

In this series, I want to look back on the memorable moments that defined the 2019-20 Badgers. This will not be a top-10 ranking of the best moments of the season from 10-1. Instead, I will go chronologically through the year and find ten moments that made 2019-20 unforgettable for Wisconsin basketball. Each moment will be accompanied by a word that describes this 2019-20 Badger basketball team, and in this fourth installment, that word is balance.

Wisconsin’s offense was as balanced as you could find throughout the entire country. The stat that always impresses me most about the Badger February win streak is that through the first five wins, five different Badgers led the team in scoring; and none of those five players were UW’s leading scorer Nate Reuvers.

On February 18th against Purdue, that leading scorer was none other than Aleem Ford. There were no doubt some dark times, especially early in the year, for the junior swingman. The first time Wisconsin met Michigan State in mid-January, Ford played a total of six minutes and only attempted one shot. Fast forward about a month? The Georgia native is playing the most confident basketball of his career. The Badgers used that confidence to get redemption on a Purdue team that beat the doors off of UW at Mackey Arena.

NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Wisconsin
Feb 18, 2020; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Purdue Boilermakers center Matt Haarms (32) defends a shot from Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford (2) during the first half at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Ford had a career-high 19 points against the Boilermakers, and shot 5-8 from distance. UW was able to hold off a late Purdue run and win it 69-65 to mark their third-straight victory at the time. Thanks to Ford’s shooting, balanced offense, and excellent free-throw shooting down the stretch Wisconsin closed it out at the Kohl Center. Throughout February and into March, Aleem Ford was a brand new player offensively. The 6-8 sharpshooter had found his range. Badger fans will certainly look forward to seeing what he brings in his senior campaign.