Stat Pack: Jack Coan, passing game shines vs. Minnesota

While all the attention on Jonathan Taylor, the Wisconsin run game and the wintry conditions enveloping TCF Bank Stadium, Jack Coan and the aerial attack rose up and gashed Minnesota's defense in a 38-17 win on Saturday. Coan completed 15 of 22 passes for 280 yards with two touchdowns but zero interceptions.

"I mean, they were loading the box trying to stop 'JT,' obviously, so the passing game needed to step up," Coan said.

BadgerBlitz.com breaks down some key stats from the junior's big day, along with putting his season in perspective so far heading into the Big Ten Championship game.

According to StatBroadcast, Coan threw seven balls of 15 yards or more during the game (four in the first half, three in the second). Four completed throws went for 28 or more yards, and that included both of Coan's touchdown passes. He found Taylor down the right sideline for what became a 28-yard touchdown pass after the junior standout backed his way into the end zone.

Then in the third quarter -- after hitting Quintez Cephus for a 31-yard gain to start a series, Coan finished that particular drive by coming back to his redshirt junior wide out for a 47-yard strike in stride to the end zone.

On top of that, a 70-yard screen pass to redshirt junior Garrett Groshek in the series following a goal-line stand by the UW defense. That led to Taylor's first rushing score of the day from 11 yards out just one play later.

Not too shabby considering the frosty precipitation falling in the Twin Cities on Saturday afternoon.

"I honesty didn't think it was too bad," Coan said about throwing in the weather. "I had a good grip on the ball the whole game. I thought it was just like I was in my backyard playing football as a kid."

Coan's 280-yard day made it the fifth time he has gone over the 200-yard threshold through the air in 2019. It was the second consecutive game he has gone over that milestone and the second-most passing yards thrown this season in a single contest.

"The 'Long Island Laser' came to play today," Groshek said after the game. "And Jack was Jack. He was consistent, and that's what I think anyone should expect from him and that's what he expects from himself."

Through 12 regular season games and heading into Saturday's Big Ten Championship tilt against Ohio State, Coan averages 192.4 yards per contest.

Saturday, Coan's completion percentage finished at about 68.2 percent -- which was actually below his seasonal average heading into Minneapolis. With the big match-up in Indianapolis upcoming this Saturday, Coan ranks third in the nation in completion percentage at 72.3 percent.

Four Big Ten quarterbacks are in the Top 20 nationally in that category, and Coan leads the conference ahead of Indiana's Payton Ramsey (ninth, 69.2 percent), Ohio State's Justin Fields (12th, 68.2), and Minnesota's Tanner Morgan (20th, 66.1). Wisconsin contained Morgan to connecting on 20 of his 37 throws (54.5 percent) on Saturday.

Diving through the Wisconsin record books, here's where Coan's season currently ranks among other Badger signal callers who have etched their names in UW lore in terms of single-season marks:

*Passing yards: 2,309 (11th ... needs 397 to be in top 3 for single-season)

*Completion percentage: 72.3 (third ... Russell Wilson sits at No. 1 in this category at 72.9 percent with his 2011 performance)

*Completions: 196 (seventh ... Wilson and all-time winningest quarterback in program history, Joel Stave, each completed 225 passes in 2011 and 2015, respectively)

*Pass attempts: 271 (not ranked in top 10)

*Passing touchdowns: 17 (T-7th with John Stocco, Darrell Bevell, Jim Sorgi and Tyler Donovan)

*Pass efficiency: 161.64 (third ... behind Wilson's 191.8 in 2011 and Scott Tolzien's 165.9 in 2010)

Update, Dec. 4: Correctly updated Morgan's passing completions/attempts to 20-for-37