Brewers beat New York, claim third NL Central title
Milwaukee clinched its second NL Central title in the last four years and its third overall with an 8-4 win Sunday against the New York Mets.
Willy Adames drove in three runs for the Crew, including a two-run homer in the second inning to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead, one they would not relinquish. It was his 24th on the season, which is a career high for the short stop. Kolton Wong scored three times, while Lorenzo Cain went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
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Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta picked up the win by going 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and striking out five. Pitching for the first time in nearly a week, Devin Williams pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Josh Hader came on in the ninth to finish off the Mets.
https://twitter.com/Brewers/status/1442249569434230789
The Brewers, which have won 94 games (two short of the franchise record) needed the win to clinch because the Cardinals swept Chicago and has now won 15 straight. Milwaukee will look to end that streak when the two teams open a series in St. Louis on Tuesday.
(12) Notre Dame 41, (18) Wisconsin 13: 2-minute drill
CHICAGO -- Notre Dame scored 31 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including taking two interceptions back for touchdowns, to beat Wisconsin 41-13 on Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Wisconsin Game Balls
Offense: WR Kendric Pryor
Wisconsin didn’t have much success offensively, but Pryor stood out in his opportunities. He set career-highs with six catches and 69 yards, while also adding his first receiving touchdown since the 2018 Pinstripe Bowl. The Chicago area native was targeted a career-high 16 times by quarterback Graham Mertz and would have had quite a few catches and yards if the balls were catchable.
Defense: The front seven
Wisconsin’s front seven dominated once again, sacking Notre Dame quarterbacks six times, racking up 12 tackles for loss and limiting the Irish to three yards rushing. Ten different players had at least a ½ tackle for loss, including two each for Jack Sanborn, Matt Henningsen and Nick Herbig.
Through three games, Wisconsin’s defense has given up 36 points, while the offense and special teams have given the opponent 28 points.
Best Video
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What They Said
“No.”
-- Graham Mertz when asked if he was concerned about whether the Badgers could move on from him as their quarterback. The sophomore went 18-for-41 for 240 yards and four interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns. He also had a fumble in the fourth quarter that led to another Notre Dame score. Since throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions in his first two starts, Mertz had thrown three touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the next eight.
“The alumni, the guys that have laid this program out for us to what it is today, deserve better.”
-- Safety Collin Wilder talking about the way in which the Badgers lost. He said they apologized to alumni that were in the locker room, which included Eric Burrell and Jack Cichy. Wisconsin is 1-2 for the first time since 2001. That’s also the last time they finished with a sub .500 record and missed a bowl game.
In Case You Missed It
-- Cornerback Faion Hicks and running back Isaac Guerendo left the game with injuries and did not return.
-- Former Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan was knocked out of the game in the third quarter. He finished 15-for-29 for 158 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked five times.
-- Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal returned after missing the first two games following a positive COVID-19 test. He ended up leading the Badgers in tackles with eight. He also had a tackle for loss and a forced fumble.
Inside the Numbers
3 – That’s how many yards rushing Notre Dame had. It’s the fewest for the Irish in a game since 2007. Wisconsin is now allowing 23 yards rushing per game.
0-7 – That’s Wisconsin’s record in its last seven games against ranked teams. The offense is averaging 11.6 points per game in those losses. Overall, the Badgers are now 10-16 against top-25 teams in Paul Chryst's tenure.
4 – That’s how many pass breakups Faion Hicks had. It’s the most by a Wisconsin player since 2017.
What’s Next
Wisconsin (1-2, 0-1) will host Michigan (3-0) at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Brewers snap losing streak, drop magic number to clinch division to 2
Milwaukee snapped its five-game losing streak Friday night and moved one step closer to clinching the NL Central with a 5-1 win over the New York Mets.
Eric Lauer allowed a run in the first, but he stranded the bases loaded to get out of the inning and was lights out the rest of the way. The lefty ended up going 6 2/3 innings, allowing the one run on three hits and striking out nine. He dropped his ERA to 2.93 and improved to 7-5 on the season.
The Brewers answered the Mets first inning run with a solo home run from Kolton Wong to lead off the game. It was one of three homers on the night for the Crew, as Willy Adames hit a two-run shot in the third inning and Christian Yelich knocked one out of the park in the next at-bat. It was one of two hits for Yelich on the night, his first multi-hit game since Sept. 7. Avisaíl Garcia capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
It was just the third win in Milwaukee's last 10 games, but it did lower the club's magic number to clinch the NL Central to two. The Cardinals won their 14th straight game to keep the Brewers lead at seven games with eight to go.
Milwaukee and New York will meet again Saturday night at American Family Field.
Packers: LT Elgton Jenkins is doubtful for Sunday
It's looking more and more like the Green Bay Packers will be without their top two options at left tackle in Sunday's game at San Francisco.
With All-Pro David Bakhtiari on injured reserve as he continues to rehab from a torn ACL, the Packers used Elgton Jenkins at left tackle in the first two games of the season and he held up quite nicely. But the third-year pro suffered an ankle injury against Detroit and did not practice this week. Coach Matt LaFleur said Friday Jenkins would be listed as doubtful for the game.
"There's definitely an outside shot (he can play)," LaFleur said. "If he can come around in the next 48 hours before we kickoff, then we'd let him go."
LaFleur said they "have a plan" if Jenkins cannot go but wouldn't divulge what it entails. However, the plan likely involves moving right tackle Billy Turner to the left side and putting veteran Dennis Kelly in Turner's spot. They could also leave Turner on the right side and put Kelly in at left tackle.
Green Bay has been forced to shuffle the line in the past and had success, though having to do it against the defensive front the 49ers will throw at them Sunday night with the likes of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and others is not ideal.
"Obviously, it's a credit to the players. Their ability to handle whatever is thrown at them regardless of the position," LaFleur said of the past success in moving guys around. "We've got a lot of young guys, but we've got a lot of veterans in there too that have played a decent amount in terms of a backup role. We feel like we've got the people to go in there and get the job done. Certainly, it's going to take our best effort because this is an elite defense. They've got all-pros really on every level, so we're going to have to be on point."
Preview: (12) Notre Dame vs (18) Wisconsin
THE BASICS
The teams: The No. 18 Wisconsin Badgers (1-1) vs the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0)
The time: 11 a.m. CDT, Saturday
The place: Soldier Field, Chicago, Ill.
The TV coverage: FOX with Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt in the booth and Jenny Taft on the sideline.
The last time: Notre Dame scored a 31-7 win in Madison in 1964.
The series: Notre Dame leads 8-6-2
The line: Wisconsin -6.5
Injury report:
QUESTIONABLE
TE Jack Eschenbach
CB Faion Hicks
S Tyler Mais
S Collin Wilder
THE BREAKDOWN: 5 THINGS TO WATCH
1) Hello again
Wisconsin will see a familiar face under center for the Irish come Saturday. Jack Coan, who started 18 games for the Badgers over two seasons, transferred to Notre Dame in January and earned the starting job. Coan, as well Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst and a number of his players, downplayed the drama around the game.
"Certainly, there's a story line, but it's important that it's Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame,'' Chryst said.
That is true but you can be sure Coan is fired up inside to show his old school what it is missing. The New York product has done a decent job of doing that already in the first three games by throwing eight touchdowns and just two interceptions, as the Notre Dame offense is averaging 33.3 points per game.
The competition does take a step up this week in the form of a Badgers’ defense that ranks second in the country in yards allowed and can get after the quarterback. And while Coan is familiar with the defense having gone against it so many times in practice, the reverse is true as well.
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2) Under a microscope
Coan is at Notre Dame because of Graham Mertz. After Coan broke his foot in preseason camp last year, Mertz took his starting job and proceeded to throw five touchdowns in his debut against Illinois, essentially sealing Coan’s fate even though the former 4-star recruit struggled for much of the rest of the season.
Those struggles carried over into the opener this year in an ugly 16-10 loss to Penn State and he has now thrown just one touchdown and four interceptions in his last six starts. That has left many to question whether he will reach the heights expected of him as the top-ranked quarterback recruit in Wisconsin history.
The Kansas native failed his first opportunity to prove himself in the loss to the Nittany Lions, turning the ball over three times, including twice inside the 5-yard line. He was better against Eastern Michigan, but that did not shut any of his critics up. Notre Dame, on the other hand, provides a perfect chance to silence them, especially with Coan standing on the opposite sideline. If Mertz plays well and wins, the hope for his career will be reignited among the fanbase. If Coan outplays Mertz and Wisconsin loses, the concern surrounding the quarterback and his future will only intensify.
3) Getting after the QB
Only four schools are giving up more sacks per game than Notre Dame’s 4.67. Coan has constantly been under pressure and sacked at least four times in each of the Irish’s first three games. That included six times against Toledo in which Coan lost a fumble and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. And it's not just keeping Coan upright where the Irish are struggling. They also rank 115th in the country in rushing and 122nd in yards per carry.
Those numbers are largely due to the once vaunted Notre Dame offensive line being a shell of itself to this point. Part of that is losing four guys to the NFL from last year and some of it is injuries, especially at left tackle where the group is down to its third-string option.
Now comes a Wisconsin front seven that has been dominant through two games, ranking first in the country against the rush, constantly getting pressure on the quarterback and producing four sacks.
This is one area the Badgers have a huge advantage, and it is one they must capitalize on.
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4) Welcome back
After missing the first two games of the season due to a positive COVID-19 test, linebacker Leo Chenal returns to the middle of Wisconsin’s defense. The second-leading tackler a season ago, Chenal combines with Jack Sanborn to form one of the better inside linebacking duos in the Big Ten.
He can also be a threat in the opponent’s backfield, racking up team highs in tackles for loss (6.0) and sacks (3.0) in six games last season. The emotion, physicality, and toughness he plays with also rubs off on the rest of the unit that is looking forward to getting him back.
“Leopold's just different presence when he's out there,” defensive Matt Henningsen said. “He plays a million miles per hour every play, there is no doubt about that. He will fly around the field; he will be crazy when he is out there. He will make plays, he will fly around, he will make big hits. It is great having him behind you because you know he is going to commit and those double teams are not going to be hanging on too long, because if they hang on too long, they are going to get blown up. That's something that we're really fortunate to have back when he's on the field.”
5) Making a statement
Wisconsin has lost its last six games to ranked teams dating back to the 2019 season. Not since the Badgers went on the road to beat Minnesota in the season finale that year have they come out of a game against a ranked team with a win. Notre Dame presents that opportunity, but it also allows for even more.
With the lack of marquee games on the college football schedule this weekend, all eyes will be on Chicago. ESPN’s College GameDay is in town, as is Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff. A win over a blueblood program like the Irish might allow the narrative that Wisconsin is only a perennial top-20 team because it plays in the Big Ten West to subside at least momentarily. It is the type of a win that the Badgers need to get if they want to compete for a berth in the College Football Playoff and it’s the kind of win that has eluded Chryst to this point in his career.
In the moment, the 2016 wins over a top-5 LSU team and a top-10 Michigan State team looked like program-defining victories. But those two teams combined to go 11-13 that season. Chryst has beaten the likes of USC, Miami (x2) and Michigan (x2), but the best win in his seven years may be that Big Ten West-clinching victory against the Gophers in 2019. That is not going to make many people turn their heads when he’s also 0-7 against Ohio State and Penn State, 5-11 against higher-ranked teams and 10-15 overall in ranked matchups.
A win Saturday will not change everyone’s opinion about Wisconsin’s ability to consistently play and beat the most talented teams in the country, but it would be a good start.
KEY MATCHUP
Notre Dame WRs and TEs vs Wisconsin secondary
Wisconsin’s defense has been lights out through the first two games save for three big plays by Penn State. The plays were not the result of physical mistakes. Instead, it was mental errors that allowed the Nittany Lions to beat the Badgers deep.
Eastern Michigan did not test Wisconsin two weeks ago, but the Irish definitely will. Coan has six completions of 30 or more yards and two hits of 50 or more yards this season. Notre Dame’s top two wide receivers – Kevin Austin Jr. and Avery Davis – are averaging 18.9 yards per reception on their 16 combined catches.
Tight end Michael Mayer was held in check against Purdue last week, but he put on a show in the first two games. The sophomore caught 16 passes and three touchdowns, including a 41-yarder in the opener against Florida State.
With points likely to be at a premium for both sides, the Badgers can’t give up the same game-changing big plays they allowed against Penn State.
NUMBERS TO CONSIDER
-- Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton has three interceptions this season, tied for the most of anybody in the country. A second-team AP All American last year, Hamilton can turn a game on its head and Wisconsin coaches on both sides of the ball are very aware of it.
“Everything that he’s generating as far as buzz around him is earned,” UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “It’s fun to watch a guy like that play. Very instinctual on the back end, which is half of the battle. It is cool to watch. I hope he doesn’t make any plays this week, but there’s a high likelihood that he’s going to be somewhere around the football.”
-- Much of the focus this week has been on how Notre Dame will handle the Wisconsin pass rush, but the Irish are going to present problems of their own for the Badgers offensive line. Notre Dame ranks fifth in the country in sacks (13) and will be a big test for a Wisconsin line that struggled to protect Mertz against Penn State.
-- Coan starts for Notre Dame, but it is likely the Badgers will see Tyler Buchner in the backfield quite a bit, assuming he’s recovered from a hamstring injury that limited him last week. Buchner has the ability to throw the ball (3-for-4, 78 yards, one TD), but the Irish really like to use him in the run game (10 carries, 92 yards).
ZONE PREDICTIONS
Zach Heilprin's (1-1, 1-1 ATS) prediction: Notre Dame 24, Wisconsin 14
Ebo's (1-1, 1-1 ATS) prediction: Wisconsin 27, Notre Dame 17
Nelson Raisbeck's (1-1, 1-1 ATS) prediction: Wisconsin 31, Notre Dame 17
RJ Brachman's (1-1, 0-2 ATS) prediction: Wisconsin 24, Notre Dame 20
Ben Kenney's (1-1, 1-1 ATS) prediction: Wisconsin 21, Notre Dame 16
The Camp: Sept. 23, 2021
The Badgers are getting ready to head to Chicago to face Notre Dame. Zach and Jesse breakdown the game, talk about what a win would mean for Wisconsin's program, play some Fact or Fiction and give their game predictions.
Brewers blow 5-0 lead to St. Louis, lose 5th straight game
The Milwaukee Brewers late-season skid continued Thursday in an 8-5 loss to St. Louis as the Cardinals finished off a four-game sweep.
The Crew led 5-0 after four innings thanks to a pair of home runs from Tyrone Taylor. He hit a grand slam in the first inning off Adam Wainwright and added a solo shot of the St. Louis starter in the fourth inning. The lead was still 5-1 after six innings before things fell apart in the seventh.
After striking out the first batter, Jake Cousins gave up a single and then issued walks to the next two hitters. That was it for Cousins, who was replaced by Brad Boxberger. He allowed a run on a fielder’s choice to make it a 5-2 game and then gave up another run on an errant pickoff attempt at first. Paul Goldschmidt would follow with a two-run homer to tie the game.
Things did not get better in the eighth and ninth innings, with Aaron Ashby giving up three runs, including another Goldschmidt home run.
Milwaukee's offense produced some opportunities outside of Taylor's heroics, including loading the bases in the fifth inning with one out. But Eduardo Escobar flied out to right field and Luis Urias grounded out to third base, keeping the Brewers from adding any more runs to their lead.
The collapse was just the latest disaster since sweeping Cleveland 11 days ago. Since then, the Brewers have lost seven of their last nine games and been swept twice, while the Cardinals have won 12 in a row. Milwaukee's lead in the NL Central stands at 7.5 with nine games to play, including three more against St. Louis next week.
Milwaukee will welcome in the New York Mets for a weekend series starting Friday, while the Cardinals head to Chicago to face the Cubs.
Brewers skid continues in blowout loss to St. Louis
Milwaukee is almost certainly going to win the NL Central, but the Brewers are not even close to playing the best baseball of the teams that make up the division. That distinction belongs to St. Louis, which hammered the Crew 10-2 Wednesday night to earn its 11th straight win.
In his first game off the injured list, Brett Anderson got lit up by the Cardinals. He served up a two-run homer to Tyler O'Neill in the first inning and gave up four more in the second, though none of those were earned thanks to some shoddy defense. Anderson was pulled with two outs in the second, his shortest start in which he was not removed due to injury since May 6, 2017.
The bullpen was not much better, allowing the Cardinals to tack on four more runs. That included Hunter Strickland giving up a two-run homer in the eighth inning to Paul Goldschmidt.
As it has for much of Milwaukee's slump, the offense was nowhere to be found. Miles Mikolas was a big reason for that. He went seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out three. The righty improved to 2-2 on the season.
A double from Omar Narvaez and solo home run from Avisaíl Garcia proved to be the only offense the Brewers could muster. The top of their lineup -- Kolton Wong, Eduardo Escobar and Christian Yelich -- went a combined 0-for-11 as Milwaukee lost for a fourth straight time and its sixth loss in the last eight games.
The Brewers lead in the division stands at 8.5 over the Cardinals with 10 games to play, leaving the Crew's magic number at three.
The two teams will face each other four times over the final week and a half of the season, including the series finale Thursday afternoon at American Family Field.
Packers: LT Elgton Jenkins dealing with an injury, misses practice
The Green Bay Packers are dealing with a bit of a nightmare scenario along the offensive line.
Elgton Jenkins, the versatile third-year lineman that has filled the void at left tackle for the injured David Bakhtiari, is now dealing with an injury of his own. Jenkins was not at practice Wednesday afternoon as the Packers started preparing for this weekend's game at San Francisco.
"He's got an ankle (injury)," coach Matt LaFleur said after practice. "Just like we do, we're going to give him the full week to prove he can play. If he can go out there and feel confident playing on it, we'll let him go."
Jenkins was injured during Monday night's win over the Lions but was able to stay in the game and didn't miss a snap.
"Elgton's one of the toughest guys we have on our football team," LaFleur said. "He's so reliable. Does a great job no matter what we ask him to do. He never blinks, he doesn't flinch. Whether it's center, guard, tackle, he just goes out there and does a great job."
Jenkins has started the first two games of the season at left tackle for Bakhtiari, who is still recovering from a torn ACL and is on injured reserve for at least the first six weeks of the season. If Jenkins is unable to go against the 49ers, the Packers could move right tackle Billy Turner to the left side and insert veteran Dennis Kelly on the right. Or they could go with Kelly at left and leave Turner on the right side.
"We've got a couple different options," LaFleur said. "You guys (the media) know our roster pretty well, so I'll let you guys decipher what we may do and then we'll show you on Sunday."
Tight end Josiah Deguara did return to practice after missing last week with a concussion.
After months of anticipation, the Jack Coan-Wisconsin game is finally here
Wisconsin taking on Notre Dame in Chicago was always going to be a marquee event. Two perennial top-20 programs facing off for the first time since 1964 and doing so at an iconic venue like Soldier Field was guaranteed to put butts in the seats and draw strong TV ratings. But then a nine-word tweet on Jan.4 sent the hype and anticipation around the game soaring to new levels. It was on that day that former Badgers quarterback Jack Coan announced he would be transferring to play his senior year for the Irish, putting his former team on a collision course with his new team. After months of waiting, the end result of that decision will finally play out near the shores of Lake Michigan late Saturday morning.
https://twitter.com/jcoan17/status/1346274925561188354
"It's a little bit strange, nothing too crazy," defensive lineman Matt Henningsen said Monday when asked about facing his former teammate. "We knew this was going to happen when we found out he was going there. We're all friends with him. We understand and we're looking forward to the challenge. It's going to be fun."
Saturday will mark roughly 22 months since Coan took a snap for Wisconsin. It was the final offensive play of the 2019 season, an incomplete pass intended for Quintez Cephus in a Rose Bowl they would eventually lose to Oregon 28-27. It was not the ideal way to end the season, but no one could have predicted, especially Coan, it would also mark the end of his game action at Wisconsin.
After throwing for 19 touchdowns and being a team leader in the run to another Big Ten West title, Coan was poised to be under center last season. But a broken foot during fall camp threw a wrench into those plans and led to the highly touted Graham Mertz getting his chance to start. He took full advantage, throwing five touchdowns in his first start against Illinois.
Coan eventually recovered from the injury in time to dress for the final three games of the regular season, and even though Mertz had largely struggled after his remarkable debut, coach Paul Chryst never gave his former starting quarterback a chance to regain the job. Days after Wisconsin beat Minnesota in the regular season finale, Coan entered the transfer portal.
It has proven to be a wise decision for the New York native. He has thrown eight touchdowns and just two interceptions as the Irish have started the season 3-0 and are ranked No. 12 in the country. As you would expect, Wisconsin fans are keeping a watchful eye on his performance, especially after Mertz and the Badgers offense floundered in a season-opening loss against Penn State. For those in the stands, Saturday's biggest storyline will be about the quarterback matchup. Those involved, though, say it is not a big deal.
"I'm not lining up across the ball from (Coan) every play," Mertz said. "It's like coach (Paul Chryst) said, it's Wisconsin versus Notre Dame. I'm prepping for their defense. I'm not prepping the play him in a one-on-one basketball game, but obviously you know what it is. It's out there. But, for me, it's just Wisconsin versus Notre Dame, just another game."
Coan has never spoken publicly about his reason for leaving Wisconsin, though it seems obvious. By not playing him when he got healthy -- and even using backup Chase Wolf when Mertz went down against Minnesota in the regular season finale -- it was clear the Badgers had handed the keys to Mertz, and they were going to roll with him through the ups and downs. That had to be a gut punch for a guy that was such a huge part of the team's success and there is almost certainly a fire burning inside of him that wants to show Chryst and everyone else that it was a mistake to choose Mertz over him. Of course, you would never hear something like that from Coan.
"At the end of the day, it's just another football game and I'd like to think I don't get more excited for one game than the next," Coan said. "A lot of people ask me if I'm taking this game personally. Not really. There's no reason why I should take one game more personal than the next."
But it is personal, even if you throw out the Mertz vs Coan drama. Coan spent four years in Madison developing relationships that will last a lifetime, including with safety Scott Nelson. He said Coan was among the reasons he came to Wisconsin, was his roommate for a few years and was one of many teammates that helped the quarterback move out this past spring as he left for South Bend.
"Anytime you're with somebody for so long and you're so close with somebody and they leave and you're not going to see them as much, it's definitely emotional," Nelson said. "It was tough, but he had to make the best decision for him. We were just supportive of whatever he decided to do."
As familiar as Nelson is with Coan off the field, the two also know each other quite well on the field. It is the same case for the likes Matt Henningsen, Jack Sanborn, and Caesar Williams. All of them faced Coan on a daily basis in practice for four years. But Coan also went against Wisconsin's defense every day. So, does either side have an advantage?
"You could probably say both, I think," Nelson said. "Jack knows us and we know Jack and were both in two very different positions now. He's in a new offense, and we do a lot of different stuff on defense. So, I don't think it'll be as cookie cutter as it may have been when we were both going against each other in spring ball for 15 straight practices. But yeah, we're familiar with him, and he's familiar with us, so I wouldn't say there's a huge advantage either way."
Mertz has said in recent weeks that he feels prepared for almost anything he sees in a game because of the looks defensive coordinator gives him in practice. That would seemingly be the same for Coan.
"I wouldn't say he's seen everything," Henningsen said. "We've got a special type of defense that we throw different things out there every single play. Our defenses are complex enough so that it's difficult for people to figure out and help to make others understand it. So we're essentially taking that same approach. Just doing what we can to put their offense in uncomfortable situations. Throw things out that they're not necessarily expecting. Give them different looks every play so that they're always on their toes and not necessarily understanding what they're going to see each and every play."
Coan told reporters he will try to take his knowledge of Wisconsin's defense and apply it to Saturday, though he admitted he rarely went against them when they were game planning for an actual opponent. In the end, all believe it will be what happens on the field Saturday as opposed to what they know from the past.
"I think it's gonna come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes and who executes the best come Saturday," Sanborn said. "That team will win."
Wisconsin players and some of the coaches have enjoyed watching the success Coan has had this season. That includes Leonhard, who said he had a good relationship with the quarterback and the two routinely talked about football.
"He was a guy who could see it on tape, who could talk it and then apply it on the field. That's what I see," Leonhard said. "I'm excited for him. He's got to just have one bad game this year. Outside of that, I wish him all the best."
