The Wisconsin Badgers are expected currently to enter the 2025 season with two college-ready quarterbacks, and a massive question mark.
The 2024 season was absolutely not what the staff had expected out of themselves and the team heading into the year. Wisconsin was supposed to be a bounce-back team during the 2024 season, but instead the quarterback play arguably held the team back the most.
Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was injured just a few plays into the pivotal clash against the Alabama Crimson Tide that the Badgers went on to lose. With how the dust has settled, the Crimson Tide were a team that Wisconsin could have beat with a healthy starting caliber quarterback for all four quarters of play. Instead, Van Dyke went down with a very serious ligament injury that requires a lengthy timeline before returning to play, causing the 2025 season to feel in doubt for the quarterback.
With two signed quarterbacks in the 2025 recruiting class and three other currently rostered players in the room, Wisconsin is going to have to make some tough decisions moving forward.
Wisconsin Badgers Coach Luke Fickell Aiming to Solve Puzzling Quarterback Issues
Over the past two seasons the Wisconsin Badgers quarterback play has been nowhere near what it should be and coach Luke Fickell is the first person to admit that.
The past two seasons Wisconsin has unfortunately lost the starting quarterback to an injury before the team really entered the meat of the schedule. Tanner Mordecai played through his injury last season for the final few games, but was clearly a shell of himself.
Quarterback Braedyn Locke stepped up and started in place of the injured starter each time, but did not exactly perform up to the team standards. Whether it was due to his own struggles or the fact that the offense was not a fit for the quarterback, Wisconsin is committed to ensuring a change is made during the 2025 season.
Wisconsin Badgers QB Option #1: Either Braedyn Locke or Tyler Van Dyke
Perhaps the most interesting note coach Luke Fickell made during his media appearance recently involved the quarterback room. Fickell spoke about the idea of hiring two separate offense coaches, one as the coordinator and another as the quarterback coach. In addition to adding a coach for the quarterback room, Fickell also wants to add more talent to the room in a variety of ways.
The first way in which Wisconsin envisions building the quarterback room involves the return of injured starter Tyler Van Dyke. The quarterback played in handful of games for Wisconsin before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Alabama. Van Dyke reportedly has had “productive” conversations with Van Dyke but admits there are “a lot of unknowns” in terms of his recovery.
Should Van Dyke be healthy enough and willing to return to play for the Wisconsin Badgers next season, then the quarterback could blossom like some thought he would in 2024.
The other question, however, is what would happen if Van Dyke were to announce his official departure from the program. Likely, Braedyn Locke will remain a part of the program if there is still a chance at starting and the real test of that will come when an announcement regarding Van Dyke is made.
Wisconsin Badgers QB Option #2: Some Combination of Three Freshman Quarterbacks
The Wisconsin staff will have three freshman quarterbacks on the roster next season barring any major changes. Mabrey Mettauer (Redshirt), Carter Smith, and Landyn Locke will be on the roster next season for Wisconsin as developmental pieces.
Mettauer is someone the staff has had an excellent look at up to this point with a full year of time on campus now. Mettauer is someone who very well could take a step forward next season into the starting role, though it also depends on who else is on the roster. Should Van Dyke or Locke stay, then the quarterback will have a lot of competition for first and second team reps.
Both Smith and Locke have not hit campus yet and the staff has not yet had a real close look at either quarterback. It is possible that one of the two could impress the staff, but that likely will only involve receiving more reps with the elevated units. It would take a combination of very impressive play and shuffling within the quarterback room for either true freshman to hit the field.
Wisconsin Badgers QB Option #3: Snag Another Transfer Portal Quarterback (Or Two)
The transfer portal has largely been a wash at the quarterback position for Wisconsin as Locke has struggled, and Mordecai played through an injury. Realistically, Van Dyke counts but only played in low-level games for the Badgers this season besides his appearance against the Crimson Tide. If the quarterback opts to enter the transfer portal himself, then that will likely open the portal for the Wisconsin staff as well.
Fickell stated in his recent media appearance that they need “more than two” guys who are capable of playing in a game. Wisconsin is committed to development and throwing a young quarterback onto the field without preparation is not exactly an option. With this in mind, the transfer portal could produce not one, but perhaps two quarterbacks for the Badgers.
Many of the games the Wisconsin Badgers lost this season were beatings where the team looked arguably unprepared. It is safe to say that Wisconsin and Fickell will ensure that the same situation does not occur moving forward by loading the roster with players they feel are capable of making an impact.
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