Lucas at Large: Badgers ready to bounce back for Orange Bowl
December 06, 2017 | Football, Mike Lucas, Varsity Magazine, Bowl Central
Team’s message is clear: ‘Season is not over’
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Wondering how long it will take to get rid of the hangover from the Ohio State loss?
"It won't last as long as people think," T. J. Edwards promised.
There's no flinch in Edwards, a gritty All-Big Ten linebacker. No sugar-coating, either.
"I've said this before and I'll say it again," Edwards volunteered Saturday night, "we're always around the top, but we're not at the top because we don't win these big-time games.
"It's something you have to do to be in those big-time conversations. But the season is not over and we'll have the same excitement (for the Orange Bowl) as we did for Ohio State.
"Our team leaders, our seniors, Conor Sheehy, Alec James and Jack Cichy were talking to everyone (in the locker room) and reminding them, 'We're not done yet.'"
Doubling-down on that promise, Ryan Connelly said, "We'll be hungry to play another game."
While Iowa was the "albatross" that seemingly kept Ohio State out of the College Football Playoff, there was no sense from Edwards or Connelly that Ohio State would be that same burden, that albatross around their neck against Miami.
This figure of speech should not to be confused with the actual Turnover Chain that 16 different Hurricanes players have worn around their neck on the sideline following a takeaway on the field.
Few would associate such bling with either head coach. Understated, if not underrated.
Wisconsin's Paul Chryst and Miami's Mark Richt have proven that you can go home again. Not only are they coaching at their alma maters, but they are both former quarterbacks.
It was one of the positions that Chryst played with little or no distinction (by his own admission) under three head coaches: Dave McClain, Jim Hilles and Don Morton. He was also a tight end.
Richt was a backup to Jim Kelly (a Pro Football Hall of Famer) under Howard Schnellenberger. He also briefly shared the QB meeting room with Bernie Kozar and Vinny Testaverde, a college Hall of Famer.
This season, Chryst, 52, was the Coach of the Year in the Big Ten and Richt, 57, in the ACC. As young assistants, they were mentored by Mike Riley and Bobby Bowden, respectively.
Both have defensive coordinators who have earned special recognition nationally for their work; Jim Leonhard with the Badgers and Manny Diaz with the Hurricanes.
Both have aggressive defenses.
Wisconsin has 39 sacks, 85 tackles for loss, 17 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries.
Miami has 43 sacks, 105 TFLs, 17 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries.
"The seniors mean too much to this team to let it go to waste" You don't have to worry about this group having any trouble finding motivation for one last game together. #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFB) December 3, 2017
Both will be going into the Orange Bowl off their worst defensive showings.
In a 38-3 loss to Clemson, the Hurricanes didn't have many answers for quarterback Kelly Bryant, who completed his first 15 passes, converted on 9 of 18 third downs and was 23-of-29 for 252 yards.
In a 27-21 loss to Ohio State, the Badgers gave up 449 yards, the brunt of which came on two J.K. Dobbins runs (53, 77) and two J.T. Barrett pass completions (54, 87) that went for scores.
"They did a good job of spreading us out and putting us in tough positions," said linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. "Once we figured it out, we had to gang tackle and come together as one."
The explosive Van Ginkel was the equivalent of a one-man gang with an interception return for a touchdown and a forced fumble and recovery.
"He empties the tank and puts it all out there," praised Edwards. "I'm not surprised that he made those plays. It's something that he does every day in practice."
?? Sunshine ?? Sandy Beaches ?? Palm Trees ?? Great Football Next Stop: Miami Varsity Magazine previews #6 @BadgerFootball's matchup against #10 Miami in the @OrangeBowl ???? http://go.wisc.edu/varsity-8-15
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) December 6, 2017
Defensively, the Badgers rallied in the second half to limit Ohio State to 140 yards and a couple of field goals, the last of which capped a 15-play, 72-yard drive that burned 7:19 off the clock.
Barrett appeared to be stopped on a fourth-and-1 gamble from the UW 13, but he was able to bounce the play outside and pick up the first down.
"It was a little frustrating," Connelly admitted, "because we pride ourselves on stopping the run. But they were finding ways to get those extra yards."
Not unlike Barrett, Miami quarterback Malik Rozier, a 6-foot-1, 216-pound redshirt junior, will also test the Badgers with his running ability. He has rushed for 427 yards and five touchdowns.
The Canes lost marquee tailback Mark Walton to a season-ending ankle injury. He was averaging 7.6 yards per carry through the first four games before going down. Picking up the slack has been Travis Homer, who needs just 93 yards to reach 1,000. He had 146 in the rout of Notre Dame. But he had little impact in back-to-back losses to Clemson and Pitt.
Rozier, a former QB apprentice under Brad Kaaya, really came into his own as a starter in 2017. He was responsible for 30 touchdowns, matching a mark set by Testaverde, the 1986 Heisman winner.
His favorite target has been 5-foot-9 Braxton Berrios, the ACC's top student-athlete. Berrios has become more of a focal point in the absence of tight end Christopher Herndon, who was injured at Pitt.
Herndon had 40 catches and four touchdowns. Replacing him in the starting lineup has been Michael Irvin II, the 6-3, 248-pound son of The Playmaker — Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.
Most of the Canes' playmakers reside on defense. Miami has averaged nearly nine TFLs and held opponents to under 4.5 yards per play, including Clemson (4.4, 1.9 per rush).
Notre Dame was averaging over 300 rushing yards and ended up with 109. Irish tailback Josh Adams was averaging 132 yards and was held to 40 on 16 carries.
Wisconsin's freshman Jonathan Taylor can relate. He was held to 41 yards on 15 carries against Ohio State. He was averaging 150.5. His longest run was 7.
Taking his cue from the upperclassmen, Taylor issued his own promise, "This team is resilient. I have no doubt in my mind that we will bounce back for this bowl game."
