As you wake up and try to get all jacked up for the Big Ten Championship game, make sure to see the best things Wisconsin Badgers Head Coach Bret Bielema had to say during the Friday press conference.
Highlights include the Colts locker room, injury updates, feelings on Nebraska players and some other random tidbits.
– On being the home team, “We’ve seen the layout of the stadium and obviously a new locker room. We’re excited to be a home team and be in the Colts locker room.”
– On a couple of key injured guys, “As far as my team, we’re a little bit healthier. We’ve got Jared Abbrederis who will be with us full go, as well as Chris Borland, who hasn’t been back with us the last two weeks. I know he’s excited to get out here.”
– On Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez, “In Taylor Martinez, the one thing that’s been apparent not only this year, but the growth of our first game to where we are, is his ability to be smart with the football. He makes a lot of really good throws. He’s a player that they’ve designed some concepts schematically that the receivers are doing a nice job of finding an open area for him. He can deliver it. He’s throwing the ball so much more efficiently, so it’s a tremendous task that we face.”
– On Staff Turnover and the Markuson Firing, “To come full circle as a head coach, I believe I’ve hired almost 25 coaches over the last seven years. I think I’ve gotten better at it each time. I made a mistake and I had to correct that situation as fast as I could to move forward. I’m probably even more confident now that if I hadn’t changed as fast as I could have, we’d never be here today.”
-When questioned about realigning the divisions in the Big Ten so that UW and NEB could play every year, “I get it. It makes a lot of sense. I’ll defer that one. I don’t want to get suspended before our game tomorrow night. I’ll leave that up to the league office and my AD. It’s been fun.”
Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini’s Quote of the Day
– On the Huskers and Badgers meeting for the second time, “I coached in the NFL for nine years, and you play your division opponents twice a year. So I have experience with it, and I think it’s a different time, different place. You’ve got to be prepared for whatever they throw at you. Both teams are going to have to make adjustments along the way. The players are going to have to make adjustments along the way, and it’s going to come down to who executes the best.”
What did you think of what Bielema had to say? Let me know by commenting below.
Don’t forget to check out The Sports Bank’s official preview and prediction for the Big Ten Championship.
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice and pretend to be a Golf expert from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best. If social media is not your thing, shoot him an email at grays@uwalumni.com.
Pictures obtained from Wisconsin Football’s official Facebook page.