The Spartans, are 2-4 overall, 0-3 Big Ten with zero victories vs Power 5 opponents, and now comes the reenergized Wisconsin Badgers!
Wisconsin is just 3-3 overall, yet they appear to be recharged due to a recent coaching change (which we’ll review below) and their compass is pointed due north after they hammered Northwestern 42-7.
Clearly, these are two teams headed in opposite directions, and given the results of the Spartans last 4 games, it’s hard to think the Spartans are capable of keeping the score close even though Wisconsin is just an 8-point favorite.
Wisconsin through the years:
With your permission I would like to reprise what I perceive to be a model for building a championship football program outside the bright lights of Alabama, Clemson or Ohio State.
Ever since Barry Alvarez took the reins of Wisconsin Football in 1990, the Badgers have been one of the most consistent programs in the land, winning 9 Big Ten or Division Titles, posting eight (8) Top 10 finishes and playing in 7 Rose Bowls but we should note, Alvarez inherited a train wreck.
Of course, Wisconsin’s proud football history dates to the 1950’s.
In 1952, the Badgers led by legendary Running Back, Alan Ameche (later Baltimore Colts) posted a 4-1-1 Big Ten record, ranked #10 in the land and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl.
In 1959 the Badgers led by Running Back, Dale Hackbart (later Green Bay Packers), posted a 5-2 Big Ten record, ranked #6 in the land and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl.
In 1962, Wisconsin led by QB, Ron Vander Kelen and End, Pat Richter (later Washington Redskins) posted a 6-1 Big Ten record, ranked #2 in the land and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl.
So, between 1952 and 1962, Wisconsin posted six (6) Top 10 finishes, earned 3 Big Ten titles and 3 Rose Bowl appearances, but then the wheels came off.
From 1967 until 1989, Wisconsin had 5 different football coaches who posted 17 losing seasons in 22 years. Wisconsin Football was the butt of jokes and became everybody’s favorite homecoming appointment.
But, a transformational change was about to occur.
In 1988, Donna Shalala, former Secretary of Health and Human Services became Chancellor of University of Wisconsin (Madison) and she understood that Football was her calling card with potential donors and she also understood football paid a lot of bills as well as being a major contributor to Madison economy, so she set about to correct course.
Shalala hired Pat Richter as AD and jointly they developed a plan to turn around the fortunes of Wisconsin Football.
Richter had impeccable credentials. He was 9-time Wisconsin letterman in Football, Basketball and Baseball; 1st Round Draft pick of the Washington Redskins where he played 8 seasons; and became a top-level executive at Oscar Mayer.
Yet, the challenges of Wisconsin athletics were many and Richter had his hands full. The athletic department was bleeding money ($2.1 Million deficit in 1989 and essentially bankrupt) meanwhile Camp Randall Stadium sat virtually vacant on most gamedays.
Nevertheless, Richer developed a plan to update the football stadium, modernize the athletic complex, resurrected the entire athletic department, hired some of the most talented coaches in the land including Basketball coaches Dick Bennett and Bo Ryan and of course he hired Barry Alvarez to coach football.
The Alvarez era:
It took Barry Alvarez 3 years to stabilize the football program, yet from 1990 to 2005, Alvarez compiled a record of 118-73-4: he won 3 Rose Bowls and posted 3 Top 10 finishes.
Prized recruits were not attracted to Wisconsin’s cold climate, so Alvarez developed a recruiting formula for huge Offensive Linemen like Joe Thomas and ground pounding Running Backs like Ron Dayne and Jonathon Taylor.
Alvarez then took the baton from Pat Richter to become AD in 2004 and jointly held the title AD and Head Coach in 2004 and 2005.
In 2006, Alvarez retired as Head Coach and hired Bret Bielema yet Alvarez maintained a loud voice: Bielema posted a record of 68-25 (73%), winning a Big Ten title and a Big Ten Division title, played in two Rose Bowls and posted three Top 10 finishes.
Yet, Bielema departed the program in 2012 under curious circumstances and Alvarez hired Gary Andersen as Head Coach.
Andersen’s teams posted a record of 20-7 (74%), including a Big Ten West title in 2014, but Andersen also departed the program under curious circumstances and Alvarez hired Paul Chryst in 2015.
Yet, Alvarez was a demanding AD and there are many who believe Bielema and Andersen were forced out by Alvarez: Bielema for uncharacteristically losing 5 games and finishing 3rd in the Leaders Division in 2012, and Andersen for losing 59-0 to Ohio State in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game.
Regardless, Alvarez next choice as Head Coach was Paul Chryst who compiled a record of 69-29 (69%), won 3 Big Ten West Titles, played in 3 Rose Bowls (winning two) and earned two Top 10 finishes.
So, when all the victories were tallied during the Alvarez era, Wisconsin won 271 football games under 4 different coaches, played in 7 Rose Bowls, and posted eight (8) Top 10 finishes.
Given that Alvarez inherited a program that compiled 17 losing seasons over the previous 22 years, it was a remarkable feat.
Chris McIntosh takes the baton as AD and Jim Leonhard becomes Head Coach:
This is a new era for Wisconsin athletics yet remarkably familiar as Chris McIntosh takes the baton.
Chris McIntosh was a highly regarded Offensive Lineman and played for Barry Alvarez from 1996 to 1999.
He was team captain, All Big Ten and drafted first round by Seattle Seahawks. Yet, in 2014, McIntosh returned to Wisconsin athletics and in 2017 became Deputy Athletic Director. His rise was swift.
Then on June 2, 2021, McIntosh was appointed AD and took the baton from Barry Alvarez, but just 16 months later, McIntosh fired Paul Chryst and appointed Jim Leonhard interim head coach.
It was a controversial decision, yet Wisconsin fans demand “winning football” and McIntosh acted accordingly.
For all his good qualities and contributions, Wisconsin Football declined under Paul Chryst in the past 3 seasons: no Big Ten Division titles, no Top 10 finishes, an uninspiring 15-10 record and a dismal 2-3 record this season.
That didn’t sit well with Chris McIntosh or Wisconsin fans who are accustomed to winning. Of course, Chris McIntosh is an disciple of Barry Alvarez and if he learned anything from Alvarez, he understood that Football is Big Business and success waits for no one.
So, Chris McIntosh made a tough but prudent business decision and named dynamic Defensive Coordinator, Jim Leonhard to become interim Head Coach.
Of course, Leonhard is a son of Wisconsin and played for Barry Alvarez from 2002 to 2004 and enjoyed a decorated career as a 3 time “walk on” All American Safety.
Leonhard was also “undrafted” but played 10 seasons in the NFL yet he returned to Wisconsin in 2016 to become an assistant coach.
In 2017, Jim Leonhard was promoted to Wisconsin Defensive Coordinator whereby he compiled some of the most impressive Defensive stats in the land, and that made him a prime Head Coaching candidate.
In fact, from 2017 until 2021, Leonhard’s Defenses were ranked in the Top 10 each year in 3 “key” categories (with the exception of 2018), including Rush Defense, Total Defense and Scoring Defense.
And last season (2021) Jim Leonhard oversaw the #1 Rush Defense in the land (65 YPG) …and #1 Total Defense yielding just 16 PPG, so we have to ask, what awaits the Spartans at the hands of one of the best Defensive minds in the land?
At the bottom line (Jim Leonhard is set to make a statement):
While Jim Leonhard is a favorite son of Wisconsin, nevertheless he inherited a difficult scenario whereby he replaced Paul Chryst the man who hired him.
But, this is football and making tough decisions is emblematic of championship teams so Jim Leonhard was essentially given a 7-game audition to become Wisconsin’s next Head Football Coach.
Of course, the first game vs Northwestern went according to plan.
In that game, Jim Leonhard dusted off the well-worn pages of Wisconsin’s storied playbook which was scripted by Barry Alvarez some 30 years ago, and in that game plan, Wisconsin dominated both sides of the Line of Scrimmage.
Offensively, Wisconsin posted 193 Yards Rushing, 322 Yards Passing and scored 42 points, while Defensively, Wisconsin yielded a meager 79 Yards Rushing at less than 3 yards per carry, stole 2 Interceptions and yielded just 7 points.
At the end of the day, Wisconsin pounded Northwestern into submission 42-7.
Although Wisconsin is renowned for its ground pounding Rushing Offense, it went to the air to complete 21 of 30 passes (70%) at 15 Yards per completion with zero Interceptions.
So, look out Spartan Pass Defense!!!
For two years, the Spartans Pass Defense has been unspeakably dysfunctional and Wisconsin will be abundantly prepared to take advantage.
After all, the Spartans Pass Defense yielded an “eye glazing” average of 339 Yards Passing to Power 5 teams such as Washington, Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio State, so it is highly unlikely Wisconsin will shy from the opportunity to pass at will.
And given Jim Leonhard’s historically impressive Defensive credentials, it is highly unlikely the Spartan Offense will reach minimum thresholds of 100 Yards Rushing and/or 200 Yards Passing and if that’s the case, it will be another long afternoon for Spartan Football.
If you think I am suggesting Spartan Football could learn an abundance of lessons from Wisconsin Football, well you would be correct.
But in closing, let’s ask a few questions:
Given lack of championships amongst Spartans cadre of assistant coaches, did Mel Tucker “oversell” Championship aspirations with exotic cars and cigars in the offseason?
This season the Spartans are on the short side of a 37-17 losing differential to Washington, Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio State (-20 points) so how will Spartan players emotionally survive a gauntlet whereby remaining opponents boast a cumulative record of 22-7, including Michigan (6-0), Illinois (5-1) and Penn State (5-0)?
Spartan players sound demoralized and emotionally deflated, what happens if the Spartans go winless and finish 2-10 and miss a bowl game for the second time in three years? How many players will “opt” for the Transfer Portal?
What happens to recruiting? Several recruits have already reneged on their commitment as losses mount. How many prize recruits will renounce their commitment?
Given 11-2 record last year with 4 victories by just 15 points, was 11-2 simply a case of “catching lightning in a bottle” or, was 11-2 “real” and Spartan players and coaches s are simply “underperforming” this season? It has to be one or the other, doesn’t it?
After inheriting a train wreck which posted 17 losing seasons in the prior 22 years, Barry Alvarez improved each year and in his 4th year won a Big Ten Championship, beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl and finished in the Top 5. By that measurement, Mel Tucker is behind the curve, yet can he win a Big Ten title next year? Or how long must Spartan fans wait?
I’m just asking.
As a closing comment, Mel Tucker’s Coaching credentials and 2-4 record are being scrutinized across the land, meanwhile Jim Leonhard is auditioning for a Head Coaching job and let’s make this clear, there will be an avalanche of criticism regarding Mel Tucker and his coaching credentials if he loses to an interim coach!
Thank you for reading and I always welcome your comments and opinions!
