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PrintIn most ways, it was a typical Tuesday for the University of Wisconsin quarterbacks.
"Like I started our meeting and finished it, 'This is Tuesday of game week and here we go,' " offensive coordinator Paul Chryst said after practice.
But it was not just another day, as evidenced by UW coach Bret Bielema not allowing any of his quarterbacks to talk to the media on the day offensive players and coaches do interviews.
Whatever firestorm exists around the position is of Bielema's making, after he said at his Monday press conference that starter Allan Evridge needs to play better and hinted the starting job could be in the balance if he doesn't.
It's up to Chryst, who coaches the quarterbacks, to make it business as usual and that's what he was trying to do. Sure, there will be some extra scrutiny of Evridge on Saturday night against Penn State.
Still, Chryst said, "Not much more focus than the last three or four weeks, because that's what we're asking for is consistent play. You can take half of the cut-ups and say, 'This is winning football.' Then you've got some things you say, 'We're not going to win if we do these things.' "
Chryst did break down a couple of the issues affecting Evridge, namely a tendency to hold the ball too long in the pocket and periodic problems with accuracy.
The fumble on a scramble early in the second quarter against Ohio State was an example of the first problem. Evridge had a checkdown to P.J. Hill but moved up in the pocket, which created the pressure.
"He's creating some unnecessary pressure," Chryst said. "The one fumble, we've got a checkdown right there waiting. I told him, 'We spend a lot of time trying to get these backs the ball on the other side of the line.' "
Part of the problem has to do with footwork. If the quarterback's footwork is off, the timing of the route can be off, which might cause him to hold the ball.
"It's a poor job of coaching," Chryst said, "because his footwork is not clean. If you're off on it and you feel the timing is not there, then you're scooting up and creating some pressure that maybe isn't as strong as it (seems)."
When Evridge has missed open throws, he has missed high and low. At times when he is moving, he has thrown behind receivers.
"If you're always missing high, it's easier to fix," Chryst said. "That's been the struggle, when the breakdowns have occurred, they've been a number of different things."
Chryst made it clear nobody is placing all the blame on Evridge. In fact, the way Chryst tries to coach the position is everything's a collective effort. That helps in times like these because it's never about the individual.
"I told those guys," Chryst said, "'You guys have been around this enough to know there's going to be a lightning rod there. When you become the quarterback, you have to understand, it's not about you. You are a reflection of this group. That's the only way you need to be judged.' "
That may not be the way the outside world views it, but it helps to have a consistent approach in good times and bad.
Bielema and Chryst aren't telling the media AE needs to improve or get demoted just for the fun of it. Coaches always stick up for players more than they should, so when the head coach says the QB needs to step up his game that usually means changes are a coming.
