How to evaluate Tanner Moredcai's performance leads our Wisconsin football post-game Q&A

MADISON - After each Wisconsin football game this season, we'll answer your questions about the game. Here is the review of the Badgers' 38-17 victory over Buffalo on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.

I know quarterbacks get a lot of attention, but it’s WAY too soon to evaluate the value of any player. Fans have mostly focused on Mordecai’s interceptions. The first pick was a bad throw – he threw it to the inside of his target, which led to the interception, instead of the outside – and on the second he didn't spot the linebacker coming underneath to cover the play. That said, I think the perception of Mordecai’s day changes if Skyler Bell catches what would have been a 60-yard touchdown. That drop came two plays before the first interception. Add that play and Mordecai’s stats go from 24 of 31 for 189 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions to 25 of 31 for 249 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. That looks a lot better and maybe makes you feel a little better.

There was no need to be creative to win that game. Why show your cards now? The Badgers were the more talented team Saturday and ultimately that talent was enough to produce a Week 1 win over a mid-major opponent. There was no need to get fancy. The time to show wrinkles and "creativiity" will be in October and November.

Defensive end Darian Varner, a junior who transferred from Temple, missed time during the spring practice and fall camp while recovering from a foot injury. Saturday Fickell said Varner is healthy and is one of the “seven or so guys” they want to rotate into games. Why didn’t he play? Fickell to chalked it up flow of the game. We’ll see how this plays out Saturday at Washington State. UW had zero sacks and five quarterback hurries against Buffalo, which threw 41 passes. Fickell attributed much of his team's inability to get heat to plays designed for the quarterback to get rid of the ball quickly, but Varner, an all-AAC player last season, might be able to help.

Neither are safe football plays, but illegal blindside blocks haven’t caused the firestorm of negative press for the sport that head injuries have. The targeting rules aim to protect players from helmet-to-helmet contact or players in defenseless positions. Linebacker Jordan Turner was flagged for targeting, ejected from the game and disqualified from the first half of play against Washington State. That’s a harsh penalty for hits that often aren’t intentional, but it's hard to argue against rules desigined to improve player safety.

Saturday, Fickell reiterated his long-held stance against throwing players out of games.

"If it's a blatant, complete shot where we have to make a point, then obviously we've got to be able to do things," he said. "But this is not the right thing to do. The NFL, we can't fine them. But we've got to have some other ways.

"They're not blatant. They're kind of bang, bang things. We've got to do a better job coaching and teaching, and we will. So there's other adversity we have to overcome, but it's a part of the game that we've got the rules we've got. I don't have to like them."

Wisconsin football insider: Badgers get the victory in Luke Fickell's debut, but performance shows there's work to do

More: Wisconsin faces several questions despite a 21-point victory over Buffalo

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin football post-game Q&A: Evaluating Tanner Moredcai leads