Badger Bits: Be the Aggressors, Badgers

In last week's Penn State game, the Badgers scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the game before punting the ball EIGHT consecutive times. The lack of in-game adjustments -- something UW seems out-coached at all the time -- and conservative playcalling hurt the Badgers for the majority of the game, until they finally had a sense of urgency on the final two drives.

Tom Mulhern of the Wisconsin State Journal wrote an article about the great inconsistency of Wisconsin's offense this season.

Mulhern makes plenty of great points in this article. Personally, I get tired of Matt Canada playing to protect narrow leads or preserve the score of tight games to keep the Badgers competitive until the end.

As Herm Edwards said in the greatly overused by oh so true line from his NFL coaching days, "hello? You play to win the game!"

If the Badgers punt in eight consecutive drives -- most of which were three or four play drives -- Canada is simply not doing his job. When the Nittany Lions made defensive adjustments to slow the Badgers offensive attack, it's his job to counter those with some of his own adjustments. I'm tired of seeing a complacent and boring UW offense, because it has cost this team games all season and it can't afford to do the same this weekend.

Speaking of conservatism, I'm not exactly on board with what Bret Bielema said during his Monday press conference this week:

"Going back to last year, we had a couple of games that things were taken out of our hands when we weren't on the field with calls and overturns and all that goes into it," Bielema said. "You need a break here or there. I do think good things happen to good people, not that the people that we've been playing aren't good people. I want to make sure our guys understand that perseverance will prevail."

"Not to get overly religious, but I'm a big believer in those who have been humbled will be exalted, and those who have been exalted will be humbled. A little bit of just lying in the weeds and waiting for our opportunity."

Really Bret? Lying in the weeds and waiting for your opportunity? Just stop it. If you want a third consecutive Rose Bowl berth, you need to go and take it yourself. No karma or good guys prevail talk means anything. Waiting for breaks, luck or opportunities will not win you the Big Ten Championship game. Bielema and Canada need to flip the switch this weekend and take on the role of the aggressors.

Wednesday's Links:

An early week scouting report on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Bret Bielema is entering this week with a different perspective.

Brian Bennett writes about the Badgers opportunity to go to a third consecutive Rose Bowl after such a bizarre season.

Jared Abbrederis cleared to play in the Big Ten championship game.

Penn State's Bill O'Brien was named coach of the year in the Big Ten.

Brian Rosenthal of the Lincoln Journal Star writes why the Huskers are wary of playing the Badgers.

Montee Ball is named a first-team All-American for the second consecutive season by the coaches. Ball is the only first-team All-American from the Big Ten this year.