With a 6-point effort in Saturday’s loss to Indiana, the Wisconsin Badgers have now scored a total of 13 points in their last two games, that obviously coming after 45 and 49-point efforts to start the season.
There’s been talk online and in the Badger sporting world that running more jet sweeps, including creativity and handing the ball off more to Jalen Berger will be the things to lead the unit back to their early-season form.
While those factors may help, the notion that the lack of jet sweeps and touches by backs not named Berger have been the things holding this offense back is completely false.
Related: Five keys to a Wisconsin victory over Iowa on Saturday
Here’s why (which will also answer the question at hand of what truly will fix the Badger offense).
Last year we saw Jack Coan, Jonathan Taylor and the offense find consistent success all season. A part of that success was more than 450 rushing yards by wide receivers–180 of which coming from Kendric Pryor alone. What those plays did back then was take pressure off Taylor in the run game and help to spread the defense.
When you have somebody like Jonathan Taylor in the backfield those plays are able to work and the offense doesn’t normally struggle to move the football. With JT gone to the NFL, this year and the future of the offense is completely different.
While true freshman Jalen Berger is clearly the best back the team has and should be receiving more touches, he is not the single catalyst of the offense like Taylor was for three years. The catalyst of the offense also won’t be “creative” plays or jet sweeps and screens.
Right now (and all season) the catalyst has been the play of Graham Mertz at quarterback.
Maybe when Berger develops and becomes an upperclassman he can have a Taylor-like effect.
But if you’re looking for something to change in order for the offense to return to their early-season success and start connecting on big plays again the answer can be found in the play of the man under center.
In his first two starts: 32/43 passing, 375 yards, 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
In his second two starts: 43/75 passing, 432 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 interceptions and 2 fumbles.
It must be said that both Indiana and Northwestern have stellar defenses and the same can’t be said for Illinois and Michigan.
But, as I outlined earlier this week, Mertz has struggled with timing, decision-making and ball placement recently and, as a result, the offense has failed to put many points on the board.
He is a redshirt freshman and has plenty of time to mature and develop as a passer–which I believe he will do. This is just purely an analysis of the main factor that has led to the team only scoring 13 points in two games.
Again, Berger touching the ball more and improved play calling are part of the story. But those two things alone aren’t going to help this offense score more points.
Mertz will need to play better. It’s that simple.