The Wisconsin Badgers football staff made a questionable play call during the loss to the USC Trojans that has fans upset.
At the half-way mark of the game, Wisconsin held a 21-10 lead, capitalizing off of a muffed punt and great field position. However, the second-half of play was a different story as the Badgers recorded zero points and allowed the Trojans to score 28 points straight. The Trojans walked away with a 38-21 win that made the Badgers looked unprepared for four quarters of play.
While the game as a whole was not pretty to watch, there were specific moments that fans felt took things to a different level. One such incident occurred when the Badgers opted to run out of the shotgun formation on a 4th-and-one play. The Badgers were deep in USC territory and arguably could have went with the heavier, more run effective I formation instead, but opted for an inside handoff that was stuffed.
Shotgun on fourth and one should be an automatic firing.
— Carly (@carlyks) September 28, 2024
The Trojans proved to be a solid, talented team, but also proved that the Wisconsin Badgers currently are not playing four quarters of football. Wisconsin is either getting out to a lead, and then dropping off a cliff offensively, or putting together all of the offense for the game in one quarter.
Wisconsin needs to find ways to test defenses and kicked off the game against the Trojans by doing so. The Badgers tested a strong USC secondary and scored a 50-yard bomb of a touchdown through the air. However, Wisconsin never went back to that well the rest of the game and could not move the ball through the air.
Wisconsin Badgers Loss to USC Trojans Highlighted By Poor Playcall
While the Wisconsin Badgers staff and players are obviously upset, nobody was more upset than the fans, who felt the poor play-calling ruined the offensive momentum.
Running out of shotgun on 4th & 1 without a keeper will always make me shake my head.
Both edges just crash on the run. No chance that’s converting even with push up front.
Longo’s been cooking, but those calls will always baffle me. Need to involve the keeper option if you…
— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) September 28, 2024
shotgun runs on 4th and 1 are just nonsense.
— justin (@TheJustinLoyd) September 28, 2024
Shotgun on 4th and 1??? WTF Badgers. Just trying to give the game away. #OnWisconsin
— Kyle McNamee (@mcnamk21) September 28, 2024
4th &1 and a shotgun snap??? What are we even doing here!!!???!!
Good Lord, WHO are they trying to outsmart??
This is not fun….
Just pissing this game away.#Badgers #onwisconsin— seanu82766@gmail.com (@seanu82766) September 28, 2024
If you’re running on 4th and 1 out of shotgun, you’re doing it wrong.
— Matt (@MattchewMills) September 28, 2024
Other fans felt that the Wisconsin Badgers themselves killed the offensive momentum when Tyrell Henry fumbled and lost a punt, which was recovered by USC.
Don’t let Tyrell Henry do any more punt returns this year
— Elliott B (@Elliott_B1993) September 28, 2024
Two major turning points in this game:
– Tyrell Henry punt return fumble
– Phil Longo 4th & 1 callWe’ll see how much they end up hurting the #Badgers at the end of this one.
— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) September 28, 2024
The Wisconsin Badgers loss to the Trojans cannot be blamed on any single party, but the staff should be largely to blame. Regardless of the Henry mistake, the returner should not have been out there as it should have been a different player. Wisconsin continues to make both play-calling errors and personnel errors on the field, which both go back to the coaching staff.
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