#AskB5Q: Rhetorical questions for Wisconsin entering the 2014 season

I've got a bunch of questions rattling around in my head, and sometimes, there's a need for the questions to be loosed upon the world.

I've got questions; do I have answers? Yes. Let's get learned.

Is there any chance Melvin Gordon returns for his senior season?

Yes.

Oh, you want a reason and a percentage? Well, we can look at the fact that Montee Ball had the single most underrated season of college football in 2011 and he came back. His draft value was likely never going to be higher. But, he also had a chance to chase a record.

Melvin Gordon doesn't have that element. So, assuming that sports aren't the worst and he manages to stay healthy and scoring, how much of a chance does Wisconsin have to keep him for 2015?

Considering the Badgers are also losing three senior offensive linemen, on that pure, pragmatic, cold-hard-numbers level, the number feels like it's between 10 and 20 percent that Gordon returns.

Warren Herring moving to defensive end and Konrad Zagzebski moving positions a week before opening day seems weird, right? Right? RIGHT?

I can see how it does not bode well, confidence-wise. Even if it's just for certain scenarios, Zagzebski's smaller and would have to pull off nose tackle responsibilities, which involve things that make discerning humorists like friend of the commentariat RobocopBoners giggle.

But Zagzebski was always a run-stuffer. Herring can get into the backfield, and he's probably a better fit at end when the time comes when the defense has to make a play.

Who's the next football commit?

Three-star Florida linebacker Jordan Griffin will announce his decision on Sept. 28 and Wisconsin is the overwhelming favorite. That's the absolute firewall for the Badgers to get to 20 commits. If they get three-star Calofirnia defensive tackle Olive Sagapolu to join the official visitors on that weekend, we could see yet another run for the Badgers in terms of commitments. Otherwise, it seems as if the Badgers could well be in a valley.

Watch the visitors between now and Sept. 28. Good things could happen.

So the Badgers offered Alex Illikainen?

Yeah.

Well, what does that mean?

For one, it seems like a little bit of a hedge for the Badgers in regard to the fact that Henry Ellenson's recruitment has gone far afield. But that doesn't mean that Illikainen is a consolation prize. He does have that sort of stretch-4 game that's absolutely integral for Wisconsin's offense. The Badgers also do have a way in, as in the very least, he plays the AAU season with UW target and four-star point guard Jarvis Johnson. If you look at Illikainen's 247Sports profile, you will notice that Evan Flood has thrown a prediction for Illikanien to become a Badger commit.

All right, so why do the Badgers still only have one basketball commitment? Wasn't the Final Four supposed to be the thing that allowed their recruiting to advance a level?

Well, when you look at the targets, it often happens that they are going to have a long time before they officially decide. It happens that way. But there are two reasons not to despair. For one? The Badgers can be late at going after four-star prospects and still garner good interest. I mean, we have a real chance at Illkainen.

B5Q's Phil Mitten has the second reason why.

Per @Evan_Flood, UW makes 3* PF Jeremy Miller's final 5 w/o offering yet. That's your Final 4 recruiting bump right there.

— Phil Mitten (@hoopsmarinara) August 21, 2014

There's Jeremy Miller. There's Cody Schwartz. Add in Charlie Thomas and Khalil Iverson. All very good front-court prospects, all without offers from the Badgers, all willing to wait.

Don't panic. Suppose that's your Friday Message.