You’re right, a lot of that grade did rest on the offensive line. Heinzen really struggled, and while I’m high on Mandell’s long-term upside, he didn’t inspire much confidence either. For me, the “C” comes from a combination of those issues up front and the lack of explosive plays against an opponent Wisconsin should’ve had more success against. There was enough to feel okay about, but not nearly enough given the matchup. That said, I can acknowledge that losing your starting QB has a domino effect. Credit to them for finishing the job and getting Luke Fickell his first win in a game where the preferred starter went down.
I suspect the 'C' grade for the offense rests primarily on the OL.
You’re right, a lot of that grade did rest on the offensive line. Heinzen really struggled, and while I’m high on Mandell’s long-term upside, he didn’t inspire much confidence either. For me, the “C” comes from a combination of those issues up front and the lack of explosive plays against an opponent Wisconsin should’ve had more success against. There was enough to feel okay about, but not nearly enough given the matchup. That said, I can acknowledge that losing your starting QB has a domino effect. Credit to them for finishing the job and getting Luke Fickell his first win in a game where the preferred starter went down.