Wisconsin Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Ohio State in Week 9
By Dante Pryor
3. Jack Coan has had a career day
The knock on the Badger offense is inability to throw the ball down the field. The return of wide receiver Quintez Cephus was a key addition to the team this season, but he isn’t a downfield threat.
The larger question for the Badgers offense is whether or not it’s in their DNA to throw the ball downfield. Head coach Paul Chryst has a tendency to err on the side of conservatism when it comes to play-calling.
Who could blame him? He’s had the best running back in college football the last three years. You put together a strong, nasty offensive line, and pair that with a fullback John Chenal you get a recipe for a dominant running game in an era of spread offenses and RPOs.
Jack Coan is the perfect trigger man for how Chryst wants to attack defenses. He’s accurate, efficient, and he takes care of the ball. This is the primary reason he won the job in the summer over four-star recruit Graham Mertz. However, Wisconsin can’t win this game if Coan throws for 180 yards.
Ohio State is going to give Coan every opportunity in the world to push the ball down the field. They need to work some deep routes in for Kendrick Pryor. He’s the fastest receiver on the team, and is averaging 17.6 yards per reception. He’s the closest thing they have to a deep threat.
If they want to loosen that defense, they need to take shots and Coan needs to look like the second coming of Russell Wilson throwing the ball for the Badgers.