Wisconsin's Offense Still Lacking Identity, Explosiveness Under Phil Longo

As the Wisconsin Badgers prepare for Alabama, Phil Longo's offense faces mounting questions about its ability to produce big plays.

Phil Longo knew what he was walking into when he took over the reins of the Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator role: a passionate fan base, lofty expectations, and a program known for its physical, run-first identity. 

Now, as the Badgers prepare for a massive test against No. 4 Alabama, Longo finds himself navigating the delicate balance between fan expectations and the realities of building an offense that wins games.

“If we’re going to be a little less explosive or a little more conservative or a little more efficient to win a game, that’s what we’re going to do," Longo said. "Whatever it takes to win the next football game is our approach.”

“Fans love seeing points, and they love seeing big plays. I think any of them would trade those for wins just about any day of the week. And I’m here to please coach Fickell," Longo continued. "This staff is here to put an offense on the field that helps us win the games. You would hope that the fans enjoy winning more than anything else, and that’s the only goal that we have in preparation for each week.” 

Sitting at 2-0 is undoubtedly better than the alternative, but questions remain about how the Badgers got here and where things are headed in Year 2 of this spread-based system. Wisconsin struggled to put away both Western Michigan and South Dakota, with inconsistencies across the board on offense. In fact, it's hard to identify many elements on offense that this team is doing well enough to hang its hat on. 

The glass-half-full view on Longo's offense: they're currently 12th in the country in time of possession (35:18 per game) and 4th in the Big Ten in 3rd down conversions (17/30, 56.7%). They've also outscored opponents 22-7 in the fourth quarter.

But, truth be told, the other numbers don’t paint a pretty picture—the Badgers rank No. 75 in total offense (No. 51 in total rushing / No. 89 in total passing) and No. 87 in scoring offense. A major concern thus far? Explosive plays.

Longo acknowledged the need for more firepower on offense.