'Sconnie Six Pack 12/5
Is Jim Leonhard staying at Wisconsin, the latest transfer portal news, and more.
What’s brewing:
Packers defeat Bears to become the winningest franchise in NFL history
Wisconsin women’s hockey players win weekly awards and Badgers hold steady in weekly top-15 poll
Topping-off the six pack: checking in on the Milwaukee Brewers off-season moves
Packers defeat Bears to become the winningest franchise in NFL history
No other franchise in the National Football League has won more games than the Green Bay Packers. That sentence became fact after the Packers (5-8) defeated the Chicago Bears (3-10) by a score of 28-19 yesterday. Chicago had held the all-time wins record before Green Bay overtook it.
Green Bay did not lead until the fourth quarter as the Packers fell behind 13-0 to open the game and trailed the Bears 19-10 at the end of the third quarter. The Bears, however, faltered down the stretch when they needed it most.
The Packers scored on their final three drives of the game including two touchdowns. The first of the final three drives was capped-off by a 21 yard touchdown run by running back AJ Dillon. Green Bay then executed a 13 play, 56 yard drive that ended in a field goal to give the Packers their first lead of the day at 20-19. Finally, the Packers ran a three play touchdown drive that ended with a 46 yard touchdown run by wide receiver Christian Watson on a jet sweep. Green Bay successfully completed a two-point conversion attempt off of an Aaron Rodgers pass to tight end Mercedes Lewis.
The Bears appeared to be the complete opposite of the Packers in the fourth quarter as Chicago failed to score on each of its final three drives. A blocked field goal by Packers defensive end Dean Lowry and interceptions by cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Keisean Nixon held the Bears scoreless in the fourth quarter. Green Bay outscored Chicago 18-0 in the fourth quarter.
The Packers will now have a bye week before playing the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football on December 19th.
Milwaukee Bucks travel to Orlando to take on the Magic
The Milwaukee Bucks (16-6) occupy second place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Tonight, they take on the Orlando Magic (5-19) - the last place team in the East. You can watch tonight’s game at 6:00PM CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.
The Bucks will be without MarJon Beauchamp and Serge Ibaka again as they are both still out with non-COVID illness. Milwaukee is also likely without Brook Lopez as he is listed as questionable to get rest. Grayson Allen is questionable with plantar fascia soreness of his right foot.
Khris Middleton, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday but was held out Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets, is probable.
Orlando will be without its starting shooting guard Jalen Suggs. Suggs is out with a foot injury that has kept him out of the Magic’s last five games.
This matchup between one of the best teams in the NBA, the Bucks, and one of the league’s most struggling offenses, the Magic, will be a challenge for Orlando. Orlando scores the second-fewest points per game and Milwaukee holds its opponents to the third-fewest points per game in the league. On the glass, the Magic grab the fifth-fewest rebounds per game and the Bucks grab the second-most per game.
The Badgers are set to play in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl - against an opponent Wisconsin has never played before, but who’s coaching?
Mark your calendar and remember to get some extra sleep the night before because the Wisconsin Badgers are headed to Phoenix, Arizona to play in the Guarantee Rate Bowl. The game will be played on December 27th with kickoff scheduled for 9:15PM CST against an opponent Wisconsin has never played in program history. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Wisconsin will play the Oklahoma State Cowboys in its upcoming bowl game. According to a Wisconsin press release, it is just the second time in program history that the Badgers will play an active Big 12 team.
Following Wisconsin’s announcement that it hired Luke Fickell as its next head football coach, many fans immediately asked who would be coaching the bowl game. Yesterday during media availability, Fickell appears to have answered that question by saying he “envisions” serving as head coach for the game. Fickell also said that the current staff of Wisconsin assistants would coach the bowl game rather than any new assistant coaches he hires.
While the Journal Sentinel has reported that Jim Leonhard will remain on Fickell’s staff at Wisconsin, Fickell said Leonhard has not accepted a position. Fickell said he offered the defensive coordinator position to Leonhard, but Leonhard has yet to accept or deny the offer.
Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz to transfer from Wisconsin
After an up-and-down tenure as the starting quarterback of the Wisconsin Badgers, Graham Mertz announced his intention to transfer from Wisconsin and play college football elsewhere. Mertz has two years of eligibility remaining.
As a recruit, Mertz came into Wisconsin as its highest-rated quarterback ever. Unfortunately, he was unable to live up to the lofty expectations that rating came with. Mertz finished his final season with 19 touchdown passes - good for fifth-most in the Big Ten - but also ten interceptions - the third-most in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin was unable to surround Mertz with consistent coaching during his three years as its starting quarterback. Mertz had three different offensive coordinators in his three seasons running the offense.
Wisconsin’s inconsistent offense is one of the main reasons it failed to reach the Big Ten championship game in each of Mertz’ three seasons as starting quarterback. Before Mertz took the starting job, Wisconsin had reached the Big Ten title game in three of the previous four and four of the previous six seasons (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019).
Wisconsin has also now lost its three most-recent starting quarterbacks to transfer. Jack Coan transferred to Notre Dame following the 2020 season and Alex Hornibrook transferred to Florida State following the 2018 season.
The window to officially enter the NCAA’s transfer portal began today. Tomorrow’s edition of the ‘Sconnie Six Pack will include a recap of all current Wisconsin players who have entered the transfer portal.
Wisconsin women’s hockey players win weekly awards and Badgers hold steady in weekly top-15 poll
Following Wisconsin’s sweep of the Bemidji State Beavers, two Badgers earned weekly conference awards announced today.
Redshirt senior Britta Curl took home WCHA Forward of the Week honors for the first time in her career. Curl recorded five points in the Badgers’ 13-1 victory over Bemidji State on Friday including her first collegiate hat trick. She scored twice again on Saturday, including the game-winner, in Wisconsin’s 4-1 victory.
Freshman defender Vivian Jungles also captured her first WCHA Rookie of the Week award. Jungled recorded a goal and an assist in each of Wisconsin’s two games this past weekend. Jungles is the fourth different Badger to be named the conference’s Rookie of the Week this season.
In the latest top-15 poll, Wisconsin (13-2-1, 10-1-1 WCHA) remained at #2, but inched closer to #1 Ohio State (14-2-2, 13-2-1 WCHA). Ohio State split a pair of games against Minnesota-Duluth this past weekend winning on Friday, but losing in overtime on Saturday. By consequence, Wisconsin gained four additional first-place votes to close the gap on Ohio State.
Notably, Quinnipiac climbed from fourth to third in this week’s poll. Wisconsin will travel to play at Quinnipiac in a upcoming non-conference series on December 31st and January 1st. Wisconsin also plays #7 Minnesota-Duluth and #1 Ohio State in January.
Topping-off the six pack: checking in on the Milwaukee Brewers off-season moves
Following the Milwaukee Brewers trade that sent outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the Los Angeles Angels and the signing of OF Blake Perkins, the Brewers made another notable move on Friday when they traded second baseman Kolten Wong to the Seattle Mariners.
Wong had the third-highest batting average and second-highest OPS+ (on base percentage plus slugging, adjusted for ballpark effects) on the Brewers this past season. The only Brewer with a higher OPS+ was Renfroe.
Wong will become a free agent at the end of next season. In return for Wong, the Brewers got OF/designated hitter Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro. Winker has one year remaining on his contract. Toro will become a free agent after the 2026 season.
Winker just finished a down-season in his one year with the Mariners. Prior to that, he was an all-star selection in 2021 with the Cincinnati Reds. If Winker can bounce back to that level, he will be an upgrade from Wong offensively. Winker had knee and neck surgeries this off-season.
Toro is an addition for his defense more than his offense. He is able to play multiple positions around the diamond. While most of his time has been played at second and third base, he also played in the DH position, and one game each at first base and right field. He fits the mold of the utility player that the Brewers like to have one of on their roster.
Overall, I see upside for this trade, but I am concerned about trading Wong, a good hitter who just hit a career-high home run total, who amassed 3.1 wins above replacement this season. Winker and Toro had -0.3 and -0.8 WAR respectively according to Baseball Reference.
News reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today on Friday indicates that new Brewers GM does plan to keep some key pieces of the roster. Nightengale reported that pitchers Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff and shortstop Willy Adames will not be available in trades. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported that Arnold would not talk about specific players, but said “those are guys that are very core to our franchise and we intend to build around that group to do the best we can here in 2023.”
With Renfroe and Wong traded, and the remaining gems of Milwaukee’s roster seemingly unavailable, it seems Milwaukee may not be involved in the trade market much more this offseason. If the Brewers are involved in the trade market, that movement will likely come in the form of moving prospects. Milwaukee’s top prospects are mostly outfielders with a couple of pitchers.
On, Wisconsin.