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Notebook: Jack Coan, Jake Ferguson help lift up Wisconsin's offense

MADISON -- Michigan State came into Saturday's matchup against Wisconsin allowing just 100.3 rushing yards per game. If the Spartans bottled up a Badgers' ground attack that averaged 254 yards per contest, quarterback Jack Coan would need to step up to keep that unit rolling.

He certainly did.

Coan completed 18-of-21 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown, making key throws and helping Wisconsin's offense achieve a multi-dimensional balance in a 38-0 win over Michigan State on Saturday inside Camp Randall Stadium.

"That's a good day," wide receiver A.J. Taylor said after the game. "Really what it came down to was just executing his plays. We've been practicing these plays all week, like I keep saying, and he came up there and he just nailed it. He's really just nailing it."

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Overall, UW's offense gained 402 yards and contributed to the 31 of the 38 points against MSU. Junior running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Jonathan Taylor still gained 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the day, but he was held below the century mark for the first time all season on just over three yards per carry.

The passing game stepped up in a significant manner when it needed to. Coan found eight different receivers on the day, including Taylor, who he found out of the backfield with success (three catches, 22 yards -- two of which were on first downs).

As Coan explained, however, he feels that area of the offense has to be an important factor -- regardless of whether Taylor and the rushing attack are having a good day.

“I mean, my mindset coming into every game is that the pass game has always got to play a big role in the game for us to win," Coan said. "Nothing really changes with that.”

According to StatBroadcast, Wisconsin completed four chunk of plays of 15 yards or more against Michigan State. Coan threw two of those into the hands of tight end Jake Ferguson that led to the offense lining up at the one-yard line each time. Both resulted in ensuing touchdowns.

Coan also threw his eighth touchdown pass of the season with the help of a trusty wide receiver known to make plays. On the first play of the second quarter, Coan concluded an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Quintez Cephus. That allowed Wisconsin some breathing room and a 14-0 lead.

"Yeah. I tried to put it in a spot where only he could get it," Coansaid. "He’s a guy that you just put it in his area, he’s got a good chance of coming down with it.”

Against a typically physical Michigan State defense, Coan made them pay through the air. Jonathan Taylor pointed to the quarterback's poise and leadership that made the offense so effective.

“Just every time Jack goes in the huddle, understanding, he knows the play call that’s been called and he understands," Taylor said. "He knows what he has to do. He knows that we have to execute as well, so he just trusts us and we trust him. He’s really calm in the pocket and just understanding, ‘I know what I have to do,’ and we trust in Jack.”

Looking broadly through the first half of the 2019, Coan has completed 103-of-135 passes (76.3 percent) for 1,119 yards with eight touchdown passes to just one interception. His performance and effectiveness has helped Wisconsin achieve that semblance of balance, even with the talent and explosiveness in the backfield.

“Jack can step back and make them big time throws, and our receivers can make the big time catches," inside linebacker Chris Orr said. "You can’t look at us as a one-dimensional offense. We’re a dynamic offense, and we’re showing that. It’s just going to help us out even more.”

During postgame availability, members of the offensive line -- including center Tyler Biadasz and David Moorman -- wore "Jacky Heisman" shirts. Though Coan thought the shirts were funny, one could tell the signal caller does not like the focus to be on him.

"I don't like a lot of attention," Coan said.

JAKE FERGUSON SWALLOWED BY TURF MONSTER, STILL HAS BIG GAME

Through Wisconsin's first five games, tight end Jake Ferguson reeled in just 11 passes. Against Michigan State in the dominant win, however, the redshirt sophomore hauled in four catches for a team-high 62 yards. That included making two key receptions on 20-yard plus catches that led the Badgers to points on the board the very next plays later.

Ferguson's first catch is the most memorable. On a 4th-and-2 from the MSU 28-yard line, Coan found Ferguson wide open. After the catching the ball, the tight end appeared to have clear space to cross the end zone untouched.

However, an invisible banana peel and potential "Turf Monster" appeared to make Ferguson fall just a yard short of the goal line for what officially became a 27-yard reception.

"Just practicing all week, we knew who was open," Ferguson said. "If he didn't cover me on the first one, whenever I fell, he was hitting 'JT.' If he covered 'JT,' he was hitting me -- and he just ended up going to 'JT.'"

According to Coan, he did not give him any slack for the missed opportunity.

“He was giving himself enough grief so it was a lot of fun," Coan said.

Ferguson worked to justify it all, as Taylor crossed the end zone on the next snap for the game's opening score.

"Also, I'm just trying to help 'JT' out," Ferguson said with a laugh. "If I stayed up, I probably would have kneed it at the one just to get him another touchdown."

Later in the game during the fourth quarter, Ferguson also caught a 21-yard pass that placed Wisconsin at the MSU one-yard line. Yet again, Taylor drove it across the goal line the very next play to make it 24-0.

After the win, the tight end now is tied for second on the team with four other Badgers -- Taylor included -- in receptions with 15.

MORE NOTES

*Attendance for Saturday's game: 80,470

*Personnel from the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens were in attendance for the game.

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