BuckAround: A Wisconsin Badgers Football Podcast

With Max away this week, Rich navigates the Maryland portion of the B1G Picture with only the help of Roman Stubbs, Maryland Football and Basketball beatwriter for the Washington Post. They discuss the Terrapin's first year in the B1G, how the program replaces some significant losses in the offseason, and the future of Randy Edsall as hard football coach. Rich is then joined by Andy Schaaf, creator of the not-so-famous JSComments twitter account, to do some listener Q&A surrounding recruiting, Jordan Stevenson's impact as a true freshman, and the finer points of automotive maintenance. SHOW NOTES 1:30 Max is a traveling man 2:45 Roman Stubbs of the Washington Post 3:15 Impressions of Terrapins first year in the B1G 6:30 The O Line and its young talent 12:00 Is there a primary RB? 14:30 Is Caleb Rowe the starting QB? 17:45 What type of QB does Edsall want long term? 19:15 Who is catching the ball? 22:45 How will the DC change impact the scheme? 26:30 Is the secondary the team's defensive strength? 29:15 Is the defense better suited for the B1G than in 2014? 32:45 What is Randy Edsall's job security? 37:30 Is the Maryland fan base embracing the move to the B1G? 43:00 Have you ordered your Buckaround shirt yet? Why not? 46:15 We have listener questions 47:00 Bigger, Stringer, Faster... Let's talk strength coach 51:45 What if Jordan Stevenson doesn't qualify academically? 56:45 Recruits and Twitter... Why? 1:00:15 Does UW win the B1G West? 1:05:15 Talk about James Franklin 1:11:15 Does an Ohio State University run the table? 1:14:15 Will the Badgers have a Top 25 signing class this year? 1:23:15 Scheduling theory 1:28:30 B1G East vs B1G West 1:30:15 Guess who's back? Back again. JS Comments. Tell your friends 1:37:30 Thanks everybody!

Marc Morehouse returns to the BuckAround to share his thoughts on the current state of the Hawkeyes. He discusses the disappointing 2014 campaign and the subsequent off season fallout, what to expect from CJ Beathard as quarterback, and who can fill the holes left by the loss of Carl Davis and Louis Trinca-Pasat on defense. Afterwards, Rich attacks Max's "Chryst revisionism" before contrasting the geographic distribution of offers between the Chyrst, Andersen, and Bielema regimes. 3:00 Max is the real MVP 5:20 Marc Morehouse was fooled into coming on the show again 6:45 Why are people so angry about Iowa's 2014? 10:00 What to make of Iowa's January press conference? 12:45 Why was the decision to start CJ Beathard at QB made so quick? 16:45 Thoughts on the change at OC 20:45 The OL and the running game 25:15 Who will play the "ball moving" positions? 30:45 What's the identity of the defense 35:30 Wins prediction? 40:00 Over/Under 47:45 Wisconsin Crootin 59:45 Rich's Research Corner 1:15:30 The hosts attempt to determine when they will pod again. Fail.

Making his 3rd appearance on the show, Logan Larson (a.k.a. Space Coyote) returns to the podcast to dissect the Badger spring game. He handicaps the backup quarterback race, evaluates the talent available at wide receiver, has high hopes for the defensive line and explains why Leon Jacobs is one of his breakout stars for 2015. All the while fending off Max's best efforts to turn this podcast into a preview of Illinois. Check out the soon to be released BuckAround Tees! 1:30 It's all Badgers tonight 6:00 Making his THIRD appearance... Logan Larson aka the Space Coyote 7:00 All B1G breakout team starting... Wait for it... Joel Stave 12:00 The competition for the backup QB 19:45 What's the Deal with Taiwan? 24:45 Some surprise standouts on the OL 30:15 Are UW WR's going to be awful? 32:10 TE's appear solid 33:45 Is the DL the most improved unit on the defense? 37:45 Let's talk about Leon Jacobs... A lot. 46:20 Will the defense perform better against top offenses? 55:00 Where for art thou Austin Kafentzis? (spoiler: it's Nevada)

With their second installment of the offseason, Rich and Max take the B1G Picture series to Ann Arbor where they are joined by Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. They discuss the failings of the Hoke regime, the excitement that Jim Harbaugh has brought to the Michigan program, and what to expect of the team in 2015. Rich and Max give their thoughts on Michigan as well and close the show with the major announcement: The BuckAround is in the apparel business! SHOW NOTES: 1:00 Rich has nothing to say1:55 Our guest tonight is Mark Snyder2:30 What went wrong with Brady Hoke?6:30 How do the Camp Harbaughs work?9:30 Is the secondary the best unit?11:45 The loss of Jake Ryan and the remaining LB's12:45 Talk about the DL14:15 What should we expect from the OL?16:45 Is the QB position Jake Ruddock's to lose?19:45 The depth at RB21:00 Jake Butt and the other pass catchers22:20 Who will kick the ball?23:45 How much of MSU's rise is because of UM being down?25:15 What to expect from UM this year26:30 How long will Harbaugh be at UM?31:00 Rich's bold prediction39:15 Rich reveals his bold prediction42:00 WISCY WEAR HAS BUCKAROUND TEES!!!47:30 Speakpipe question/endorsement50:45 That's a wrap.

Rich and Max officially kick off the B1G Picture series with a discussion of Rutgers football with Dan Duggan of NJ.com. Dan breaks down the quarterback battle, the depth concerns on defense, and what Rutgers can be as a football team in 2015 and beyond. Rich and Max close the show discussing the latest in Badgers recruiting, read some listener mail, and lament the loss of Jesse Temple on the Badger football beat. 1:15 Sargent Major Max2:45 The Revenge of Dan Duggan3:20 2014 Rutgers Recap4:30 The tale of Jeff Towers6:30 The Ralph Friedgen situation10:30 Who's gonna be the QB?13:00 And who will they throw to?15:00 The RB's will be a strength19:00 The OL has questions20:30 The DL has some stars and some issues.23:00 The LB's lack depth24:30 What's left in the secondary?26:00 2015 and beyond31:45 Rutgers place in the B1G34:45 Rich and Max talk about Rutgers behind Dan's back.38:30 The sky is falling 51:45 Breaking... Listeners love shoutouts53:15 Bold prediction feedback1:02:00 Jesse Temple is leaving Fox Sports Wisconsin

It may be May, but Rich and Max have no shortage of Badgers news thanks to the announcement of Austin Kafentzis' transfer out of the Wisconsin program. They discuss his rapid fall from favor, what this means for depth, and how this may in fact be a sign of health in the program. They also, with some help from some really strong listener submissions, tackle their bold predictions for 2015. They both feel like this is Stave's year while spending lots of time talking about - what else - punting. SHOW NOTES: 1:15 Rich has the constitution of a butterfly 2:30 The podcasting gods give the... The Austin Kafentzis saga 23:00 The Guy at the Top: The Joel Stave Story 25:00 Bold Prediction Time 25:15 QB Predictions 33:30 Punting Predictions 35:30 Alabama Game Predictions 38:30 Alex Erickson Predictions 41:15 Running Back Predictions 42:45 Tight End Predictions 45:00 Defense and ST Predictions (non punter division) 51:00 Bowl Predictions 54:00 Scheduling Predictions 56:30 Wrap Up

After a months-long courtship, the BuckAround is finally joined by Dave Heller, Digital Content Manager (and all around good guy) of Fox Sports Wisconsin and Fox Sports North. Dave breaks down the mechanics of covering the Badgers on a day to day basis. He outlines the mechanics of Athletics Communcations departments, where reporters get sources, and how reporters react to being lied to by team officials. Rich and Max close the show with a discussion of the popular "reuturn of the B1G" narrative and some viewer mail surrounding punters (of course) and Max's workout regimen. SHOW LINKS: Dave's Matt Canada Article GO BUY THE BOOK! SHOW NOTES: 1:15 Max's grandparents were married 75 years!!! 6:00 The Buckaround's Moby Dick... Dave Heller 9:15 Access to college athletes 15:00 Badger coverage compared to other teams 19:15 How UW administration is so good at controlling info. 24:45 How does a coach lying impact media relations? 27:30 How does a coach being familiar impact media relations? 33:30 Narrative arcs 35:30 have B1G coaches been upgraded? A retrospective 56:45 Listener emails including one on Hans, Franz and Max 1:03:00 Wrap up and call for predictions

With spring practice officially in the rear view mirror, Rich and Max pause to reflect on what's been learned about the team over the past 15 practices. They give their impressions on the offensive line, what they saw out of the backup quarterbacks, and what they thought about the inexperienced linebackers. They close the show with a larger discussion of Paul Chryst as a recruiter and what can be learned from his approach thus far. SHOW NOTES: 2:00 The exercise of making people uncomfortable 4:15 Kicking it off with a listener speak pipe 5:30 Wisconsin's top concern... The offensive line?!? 13:35 Rich wants to talk quarterbacks 17:15 WR's are better than we thought... Maybe? 24:00 Moving to the DL 28:45 TJ Edwards is a player 31:45 Another speak pipe message?!? Just kidding. 34:15 Dare vs Deal 37:30 Seriously, another speak pipe message. 42:00 Crootin with Chryst 55:00 Listener emails

Rich & Max are joined by Fox Sports Wisconsin's Jesse Temple to draw Wisconsin's 2015 spring to a close. Jesse gives insights on UW's offense and defense and what he saw from Paul Chryst's first spring practice at head coach. And of course, hair and men's fashion. SHOW LINKS: Gordon Motivated by not Becoming a 1st Round Bust SHOW NOTES: 1:20 Hobby talk 4:20 New Home Owner Jesse Temple 5:20 Back up QB battle 8:55 The RB situation and Deal vs Dare 11:30 Listener question and a discussion about the WRs. 17:30 Is the Wisconsin OL a concern? 20:20 Status of the DL 22:40 Are the LB's actually a strength? 24:40 Wisconsin Defense 2015: More Pressure and Stuff 26:20 Tanner Talk 28:30 The Best Question 31:45 Who will return the kicks? 33:15 The coaching staff and the media 38:50 Prop bets 46:30 MELVIN Gordon's honesty 52:15 Wrap up

After taking a week off (OK, a week and a half!) Rich and Max return to discuss the latest developments in spring practice. They look at the depth at running back, the questions at wide receiver, and the pronunciation of Alex Hornibrook's name. They close the show with Rich's theory on why the Badgers have had such a "quiet" spring. SHOW NOTES: 2:00 Maxwell Brusky: Podcast Superstar5:30 Spring practice... Just kidding. It's rambling. Mikey Dudek is the new Iowa.9:30 We are #TeamDare and other RB talk.16:15 Alex Hornibrook is strong out the gate.20:45 Weekly (semi-weekly) McEvoy talk and the WR's.26:00 Sojourn Shelton rebounds.29:10 Paul Chryst is NOT a quote machine.40:30 Good night.

Making his annual spring practice pilgrimage to the BuckAround, B5Q's Luke Mueller joins the podcast to give Rich and Max an update on what he's seeing with Paul Chryst's Badgers this spring. He breaks down the progression of the quarterbacks, if Dare Ogunbowale can be the #2 running back, and what the new faces at inside linebacker bring to the table. He even finds time to give some hot punter takes! SHOW NOTES 1:30 We are "The Giving Tree". 3:30 Can YOU help with the archives? 6:00 Return of the Jedi, Luke Mueller. 8:05 Quarterbacks: Bart Houston looks solid. Not at punter... At QB! 11:45 Compare and contrast Hornibrook and Kafentzis. 14:15 Let's talk Dare, Deal and Kinlaw. 18:55 Who will catch the ball? 23:30 New coaches getting Settled... Get it? 27:50 The Lines. 35:10 Inside Linebackers: what do we have here? 40:55 Trezy... I think, and the last line of defense. 46:50 Punting. It's not pretty folks. 50:15 Why the lack of storylines?

Returning from a two week hiatus, Rich and Max give their thoughts on Spring Practice thus far. They discuss Chryst's handling of the quarterbacks, whether Tanner McEvoy will play wide receiver (Rich kinda whiffs on this part), what inside linebacker is going to look like, and the strange way the relationship between the athletic department and Badger football media works. They close out the show with a brand new segment that EVERYONE is going to be talking about! SHOW NOTES: 1:20 Max's article and Twitter handles4:00 And now for something new and exciting... Well not no, but later in the show7:05 Let's talk about spring practice and the lack of drama10:45 Stave is our quarterback15:30 recurring Tanner McEvoy talk, now with more WR18:25 Inside LB's, wherein Rich explains the sort feature to Max25:55 Austin Hudson's transfer and keeping things hush-hush.31:50 A listener question and advanced sorting.43:05 Return of the MAC (discussion).46:00 Max's Minute(s)1:04:40 One last question

Basketball? Who needs basketball! Rich and Max ring in the beginning of spring practice with their thoughts on what can be learned about the team over the next month. The look at the myriad of questions on offense, where there are concerns on defense and manage to talk about Iowa nine times over the course of the episode. Spring practive primers: "There are many like it, but this one is mine!" SHOW NOTES: 1:44 Iowa geography and outdated discussions of The Bachelor3:16 Buckaround's spring coverage is different5:36 Let's talk about Tanner McEvoy. He's fast enough, he's big enough and gosh darn it people like him (at other positions).12:46 Quarterbacks, a competition? Who's number 2?18:46 WR's development22:45 Who will step up on OL? Max sneaks in Iowa discussion.27:41 Let's talk defense. inside LB's, Jeremy Patterson and the secondary.34:20 PUNTERS!!!39:55 Slot WR Can Jazz Peavy be this year's Rob Wheelwright (have more than one catch)?41:30 Closing thoughts

Wrapping up what they started last week, Rich and Max take a stab at projecting the 2015 defense. They look at some of the new starters at defensive line and linebacker and agree that the secdonary looks very crowded with the potential additions of Tanner McEvoy and Natrell Jamerson, but first take time to examine the significance of how the John Settle hire was rolled out. SHOW NOTES: 1:30 A series of apologies 4:00 How the University introduced Coach Settle 12:10 The defensive line 22:20 The linebackers 33:00 The defensive backs 44:45 Kicking and punting and returning 50:00 Player acquisition, player development and player deployment... Boom. 56:30 That's a wrap

Buckle up people because it's officially here! The doldrums of the pre-spring practice off season has arrived and Rich and Max have officially set sail for conjecture land with their depth chart projections for the 2015 season. With a striking amount of agreement between them they are able to put together a consolidated depth chart for the two of them while still finding time to discuss killer whales, arm wrestling, and Billy Dee Williams

Returning from their post signing day hiatus, Rich and Max are joined by Travis Wilson of Wisconsin Sports Network on the podcast to learn more about the dynamics of football in the state of Wisconsin. Afterwards Rich and Max discuss the significance of the departure of Thomas Brown and what the potential hire of John Settle means for the future of Badger football. SHOW NOTES 2:40 Rich has some life advice 6:00 Max admits he was... WRONG 9:00 Welcome Travis Wilson 12:00 Wisconsin production of Power 5 players compared to other states 14:25 Are WI players under rated? 17:20 What HS programs are getting attention from out of state schools? 21:40 How much of a foothold does Mich St have? 23:30 How true is the "Wall around the state" story? 25:55 What went wrong between Andersen and the WI HS coaches? 30:15 How quickly can Chryst rebuild the relationship? 33:45 How do the academic requirements impact the relationship? 40:30 What will UW takeaway from the Andersen era? 41:40 Thomas Brown has caught the Midnight train to Georgia 49:00 Who will replace Brown as a recruiter? 1:02:30 That's all for now

Let's be honest. You aren't reading this. You don't even care what's here. What you care about is what's INSIDE this podcast. It's the pure buttery goodness of Evan Flood's recruiting knowledge. And there is a LOT of it in this epsiode. Enjoy! 1:30 Rich is a Phoenix rising from Arizona 6:00 Talkin Crootin with Evan Flood 7:00 What position was addressed best? 9:45 Why is DB always such a challenge? 13:00 How has Arranda's role changed? 16:30 The recruitment of Arrington Farrar 20:30 How did the RB musical chairs "really" play out? 25:30 UW is recruiting RB's at an elite level. Why not OL or TE? 27:30 Who are the players who can contribute right away? 32:30 What happened with the defensive directions? 37:35 What about the WR position? 40:15 Impressions on in state recruiting 43:15 Lets talk Northern Illinois recruiting!!! 45:30 Will Andersen's lasting legacy be recruiting? 50:00 How will Chryst balance in state and out of state? 53:15 What are the strengths of new staff regarding recruiting? 1:00:20 Can Kafentzis start from Day 1? 1:02:30 Listener questions 1:23:20 Let's call it a night

With Signing Day just around the corner, Rich and Max take a look at Chryst's first few weeks as a recruiter in Madison, what Gary Andersen and Sam Madden's comments about Wisconsin academic standards mean in the bigger picture, and finally - FINALLY - close out the 2014 season with the 2014 Golden Bucky awards. SHOW LINKS: Sam Madden Article on Maize N Brew Gary Andersen Discusses Wisconsin's Academic Standards

The long promised interview is finally here! Rich and Max are joined by Paul Zeise, sports writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and father of Pitt wide receiver Elijah Zeise, to disect Paul Chryst's tenure at Pitt. Paul explains the situation on the team when Chryst arrived in Pittsburgh, where he excelled, where he needs to improve in Madison, and what the coach was like during the recruitment of his son. Paul brings a unqiue perspective to the new man in charge that is a must listen for any Badger fan. 3:15 Welcoming Paul Zeise 4:15 Paul's background 5:20 What did Chryst walk into at Pitt? (Spoiler... A disaster) 16:15 The Rushel Shell saga 19:30 How did Pitt's QB's develop under Chryst? 27:00 How did the defense evolve under Chryst? 32:30 Is Chryst plugged in networking wise? 35:30 How much freedom will Arranda have? 38:15 First hand experience regarding Chryst's recruiting 44:40 What role will Joe Rudolph play? 49:00 How did Chryst leave things at Pitt?

With the dust finally starting to settle surrounding the coaching change, Rich and Max catch up with official Friend of the Show (his words, not ours) Jesse Temple to reflect on the 2014 season. Jesse gives his thoughts on the staff's handling of the quarterback situation, why Rich was so wrong about Marcus Trotter place in Dave Aranda's defense, and of course no visit from Jesse is complete without some fashion talk. There is something for everyone! SHOW NOTES 2:20 What do we call Jesse Temple? 4:50 Please welcome the incomparable Jesse Temple 5:30 Melvin Gordon is an honest guy 9:00 Who surprised? 13:10 Who underachieved? 15:00 Did this year have more weird storylines than usual? 18:35 Did the handling of the QB set the team back? 25:30 What allowed Trotter to thrive in Arranda's system? 27:15 What happened to the freshmen WR's? 30:00 Was the staff surprised by the scrutiny? 31:45 Did the coach and media dynamic change after the LSU game? 34:20 In hindsight did you see red flags prior to Andersen's exit? 36:45 Summing up the 2014 season and the Andersen era 41:00 Is there a difference in the media coverage of Paul Chryst? 43:40 Listener question... Yep, just one 48:45 Recapping Jesse's predictions 55:00 Good night everybody

Hot on the heels of the official announcement of the balance of Paul Chryst's first staff as Wisconsin head coach, Rich and Max give their thoughts on the confirmed hires to date, examine the larger implications of the national title game for the B1G, and announce the winners of the 2013 Prop Bet Competition. Hint: the most handsome host of the BuckAround wins! SHOW NOTES: 2:45 Impressions of the coaches the Badgers have introduced 6:15 Who did the Badgers get? 15:45 What the Badgers lost? 23:00 Who is the hardest outgoing coach to replace? 28:00 Max is impressed with Ohio St (and other NCG observations) 34:00 How long will Urban Meyer stay at OSU? 40:00 Over/Under recap 1:07:00 Future episode previews 1:10:00 Until next time

The Badgers won their first bowl game in the last five tries, and Rich and Max couldn't be happier. They wax poetically on the final performance of Melvin Gordon in a Badger uniform, the strong showing from the offensive line, the not so strong showing by Joel Stave, and finish out the season with a tiebreaking Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel comments contest. Oh, and it looks like the original show title was taken; hopefully this one will suffice. SHOW NOTES 1:15 The BuckAround curse is lifted! The Badgers won a bowl game 4:15 Compare/Contrast Max and Rich's New Years Day 10:15 Let's talk the Badgers bowl game and under appreciating Melvin 14:55 Offensive line's best game of the year? 15:30 Rich's concerns about and during the Outback Bowl 26:00 A vintage Stave performance 31:45 Where does this game fit in the 2014 season? 39:30 Was this an all time Badger game? 45:00 The JS Comments finale 53:00 That's it for the Outback Bowl 57:00 Future episode previews 59:30 It's been fun

With Bowl Season upon us, Rich and Max take some time to focus on the Badgers' opponent in the Outback Bowl, the Auburn Tigers. Rich learns about the bowl from an Auburn perspective with Brandon Marcello of Al.com before they both discuss the perceived general disinterest in the bowl game from the Wisconsin fan base. The guys also respond to a great listener voicemail, read email from some international Badger fans, and close the show with a request for support (no, they don't want your money, promise!).

With the hiring of Paul Chryst made all but official, Rich and Max give - for the first time in a while - differing opinions on the hiring of the Pitt head coach with deep Wisconsin roots. Max has overcome some of his skepticism in the hire, but Rich lays out why he still has significant reservations.

In a special EMERGENCY podcast, Rich and Max dive into the breaking news of Gary Andersen's unexpected departure to Oregon State. We aren't going to write anything else here because you probably aren't reading it anyways

Because they are gluttons for punishment (and you are too for listening), Rich and Max spend way too much time breaking Wisconsin's stunning 59-0 defeat at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the B1G Championship Game. They look at why the defense was basically powerless to stop Ohio State's spread attack, why the offense couldn't move the ball on the ground or through the air, and finally devote some time to the Outback Steakhouse menu. Cheer up people, there is one game left!

The Badgers can't go to the B1G Championship game without a preview show, can they? Rich and Max are joined by Matt Brown of Land Grant Holy Land to break down the Badgers' opponent in Indianapolis - the Ohio State Buckeyes. They talk about the Buckeyes offense in a post-J.T. Barrett world, what OSU needs to do to stop Melvin Gordon, and the path to victory for both teams in Saturday's competition. They wrap things up talking about the coaching search at Nebraska.

Off a 34-24 come from behind victory over arch-rival Minnesota, Rich and Max analyze what the 10th victory of the season means for the Badgers. They examine the team's ability to come back from an early 17-3 deficit, the adjustments made on both sides of the ball in the 2nd half, deal with a very challenging Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel comment contest, and cautiously deal with the thoughts of, shall we say, a very devoted fan.

Rich and Max examine the Badgers 26-24 victory at Iowa this past week. They discuss the importance of putting Joel Stave's performance in full context, if Melvin Gordon had a "Heisman Moment", and why the defense struggled in the 2nd half. They also celebrate the show's growing popularity while reviewing how not to sound like a stalker when sending the show audio feedback.

Despite an historic, record breaking performance from Melvin Gordon - and a lively discussion of Gordon's place in Badger history - Rich and Max come away from the Badger win with almost as many questions as they went into the game with. While the defense seemed to answer most questions, what looked to be an underwhelming performance by Nebraska left everyone a little unsure of just how much could be taken from the Badger win. After looking ahead to the Badgers' oppenents in the home stretch of the West division race, Max and Rich speculate on what it would be like to date Bo Pelini's daughter.

Rich and Max try not to take too much from the Badgers' 34-16 victory over Purdue, but just can't help it, especially when it come to the quarterbacks and the salty defense. They also offer their thoughts on "Freedom" and roll out the latest from JSComments. This week's show went a little long, but it wraps up with an intriguing suprise at the end. Everyone likes surprises, right?

Returning from a wet and miserable day in Piscataway, Rich gives his take as a visiting fan to High Point Solutions Stadium. Continuing on the misery theme, Rich and Max talk about the Badgers quarterback play as well but balance that out with some big complements for the defense and special teams. The show is rounded out with a short preview of the Purdue game in the coming week.

Rich and Max relive the glory that was the Badgers' 52-7 trouncing of Maryland. They look at the multitudes of positives in all three phases of play while still finding time to discuss moving, Max's odd use of the word certain verbiage, and Rich's big plans for the Rutgers game this coming week. It's a LONG show, but tons to talk about!

With Rich rolling solo this week, Logan Larson - better known as the Space Coyote - makes his long awaited second appearance on the BuckAround to examine the Badgers on the defensive side of the ball. He focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of a youthful but athletic defensive line, how the Badgers compensate for a lot of smaller bodies playing at linebacker, and whether or not we are being fair in saying Sojourn Shelton has had a disappointing year thus far. Logan's first visit over the summer was one of the most popular and his return will not disappoint.

Despite rebounding with a solid 38-24 win over the Illini, Rich and Max delve into what was a far from perfect performance from the Badgers. They examine the use of Tanner McEvoy and Joel Stave at quarterback, Sojourn Shelton's rough afternoon, and the breakout performance of Leon Jacobs. Despite all this they even find time to have an impromptu business meeting before closing out the show.

Given the upheaval at quarterback following the Northwestern loss, a 2nd episode of the BuckAround was inevitable this week. Rich and Max dive headfirst into the controversy, trying to discern where the choaches are looking to take the program through the remainder of the '14 season and into the future. They look at McEvoy's future in the offense, if Bart Houston is a viable option as a replacement, and finish the show examining how the Badgers ended up with such a shortage of talent at wide receiver and quarterback. Controversy always makes for a good podcast!

Rich and Max sift through the still smoldering embers of the Northwestern game and try to answer the burning questions surrounding UW's offense, specifically a seeming QB controversy and just what's with this offensive line. Also, was the defense really THAT bad? Also, the first winners of the @JSComments message board trivia contest are revealed!

In a special bonus episode of the BuckAround, Rich and Max are joined by former Badger quarterback and University of Pittsburgh assistant coach Brooks Bollinger to get his perspective on the current team through the eyes of a former player and coach. Brooks talks about the development of Tanner McEvoy, how players handle criticism from fans, and compares the offensive scheme of Andy Ludwig to that of Paul Chryst and coordinators under Barry Alvarez. To put is simply: this is a really worthwhile listen.

Dissecting the Badgers final game on the non-conference slate, Rich and Max break down Wisconsin's 27-10 win over South Florida. They look at how Melvin Gordon largely look over the game in the 2nd half, how the offensive line took a step back this week, and compare Tanner McEvoy to Badger quarterbacks since the beginning of the Alvarez Era in Madison. They even find time to reveal the identity behind the @JSComments twitter feed.

After a record shattering performance against Bowling Green, Rich and Max breakdown the highlights - and significant lowlights - of the blowout victory. They talk about Melvin Gordon's triumphant day, the importance of Dare Ogunbowale's emergence at running back, the impressive showing by the defense, and even find time to dissect Max's drunken tweets, play some message board trivia, and discuss the finer points of knitting a purse during a football game. As always, it's an action packed and informative show.

Coming off the bye week (and into Bowling Green game week) Rich and Max address their past criticisms of Marcus Trotter and Alex Erickson (aka #Abbrederickson). They also discuss the Badgers frightening lack of depth at running back, the future of Joel Stave, what the larger meaning of a convincing win against Bowling Green would be, and even find time to indulge Max's MAC fetish for a solid eight minutes.

Coming off a solid performance against the Western Illinois Leathernecks, Rich and Max delve into the finer points of the Badgers' 37-3 victory. They gauge the progress Tanner McEvoy has made as a passer, evaluate Alex Erickson as a receiver, and even sing the praises of the defense. They even find time for listener mail and play some user submitted feedback from a very special listener!

While it's no doubt been a crazy 48 hours of fallout since the LSU loss, Rich and Max definitely believe it's time for Badger fans to tone down the hyperbolic hysteria. After putting the LSU game and the rest of the season in proper perspective, they wade into what can only be described as the Joel Stave mess.

Coming off the Badgers' disappointing 28-24 defeat to LSU, Rich and Max discuss what shifted the balance of the contest despite Wisconsin amassing a 24-7 lead early in the 3rd quarter and find a few encouraging signs in an otherwise heartbreaking loss. NOTE: Connor Sheehy was incorrectly credited with a sack on the show; it was in fact Jake Keefer

The roundtable discussion continues as the group debates how the Badgers will look in 2014 and Rich makes a MAJOR retraction following part 1.

Rich and Max decide it's time to bring some new voices onto the podcast and are joined by 3 friends of the show. BuckAround contributor Andy Schaaf, Badger highlight video maker Arman Belding, and BuckAround co-founder Sahil Shah join the podcast to give their takes on the upocming season. Rather than a traditional discussion, the panel (and hosts!) give their take on what the season will be like by offering their thoughts on a dozen prop bets crafted by the group. A very different format for the show and a lot of fun!

As the season approaches the shows get more dense! Rich and Max are joined by Ross Dellenger of The Advocate to discuss the Badgers season opener with LSU. As if previewing the Badgers biggest opponent of the season wasn't enough, they also get a visit from Dave Bartoo of the College Football Matrix. It's almost like two shows in one. Plus make sure to listen all the way through as an all new format for next week's show is discussed!

Jesse Temple makes his long awaited return to the BuckAround to break down the details oost f fall camp. Rich and Max ask about the emergence of the freshmen at wide receiver, depth at the linebacker position, bask in Rich's brilliant and unwavering support of Reggie Love as a viable receiving option for the Badgers (guess who writes this), and even learn Jesse's secrets to being the most well dressed writer on the Wisconsin football beat.

Wrapping up the Badgers' conference opponents, Rich and Max are joined by Mike Carmin to break down the Purdue Boilermakers. Mike explains the reasons behind the dreadful 2013 campaign, handicaps the race at quarterback, and offers realistic expectations in the midst of a major rebuild. Rich and Max wrap up the show discussing how much a 1-11 Purdue team hurts national perception of the B1G and Max's passion for talking all things Bowling Green.

After a lesson on the pronunciation of his name from freshman kicker Rafael Gaglianone, Rich and Max analyze the Badgers as they approach the midpoint of fall camp. They discuss the lack of the depth on the offensive line, the changing cast at safety, and Rich's "Marquis Mason," the emerging Reggie Love. Oh yes, they say a little something about the quarterbacks, too. SHOW LINKS: The Forgotten Man - Zach Heilprin interviews Reggie Love