Badgers Mailbag: QB Competition, RB Depth, Area of Concern and More
Readers submitted a few Badgers football-related questions.
Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program still have a few questions to sort out as they prepare for their August 30 home opener against Western Michigan. But before they finalize the two-deep, the Badgers have a little more than a week of practice to shore things up in Madison.
So, without further adieu, let's dive into your Badgers mailbag questions.
As expected, Tyler Van Dyke won the quarterback competition. What, in your opinion, separated Van Dyke from Braedyn Locke, and do you think this could have future implications?
In my eyes, the answer to what separated Tyler Van Dyke from Braedyn Locke is rather simple: he has all three traits this coaching staff is looking for at quarterback. Those traits are decision-making, a big arm, plus some mobility to extend plays when the pocket collapses.
In the limited amount of times I saw Van Dyke practice in the spring and fall, I'll admit his mobility far exceeded my expectations. In many ways, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound transfer being a viable threat to run is one of the most encouraging stories coming out of camp for Wisconsin's offense.
I want to make it clear that Van Dyke isn't going to be running all over the yard like Tanner McEvoy did, but his mobility will keep defenses honest and, in all likelihood, lead to a few chunk runs on read options.
“I think Tyler probably is pretty close mentally [to Locke],” Longo told reporters. “He’s where we would like him to be. You always want to be better. I don’t like any mistakes, ever, every day. That’s our goal is to be perfect mentally because it’s hard to be perfect physically.
“I think probably the big separator right now, bigger arm. He probably wins and drives the ball better in the smaller holes," Longo continued. "Both can throw the deep ball well, there’s probably a greater range with Tyler, and then he has done an absolute hell of a job running the football and extending plays when he needs to.”
The Badgers ceiling is much higher with Van Dyke under center. However, Locke took a noticeable step forward in his development and is a far more capable backup, which is good for Wisconsin in the here and now.
That said, Coach Fickell and second-year offensive coordinator Phil Longo are in a win-now business, and to me, it's not even a discussion of who gives Wisconsin the best chance to win against this brutal schedule. If they feel the same way, and I think they do, then starting Van Dyke is the right call no matter what — because this is a results-driven industry.
Nevertheless, the future implications you're referring to with Locke are tied to both his long-term future with the program and his younger brother, Landyn, who is the Wisconsin Badgers 2025 quarterback commit.
It's too early to tell what anyone in the Locke camp might be thinking, and it would be reckless on my end to speculate on what Braedyn might do at season's end — but I do believe the two are a package deal of sorts.
As it stands, Braedyn Locke is in the best spot of any internal candidates to start at QB in 2025, and we know this staff wants to stop relying on the portal for stop-gap options to lead the team. We'll have to see how the season pans out for him, but the Wisconsin coaching staff gave him a legit chance to go out and claim the job; he just wasn't the answer for 2024.
Give me your take on the Badgers running back room. Do you think it's as loaded as everyone believe
Considering the totality of the Wisconsin football team's running back room, I do think it's as 'loaded' as people are saying. Regardless, most of that buzz comes in the form of how many players could make an impact rather than because there are a bunch of proven stars in the room.
You have to feel pretty confident with Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker as your 1A and 1B options. That might be one of the few spots on the depth chart where there will presumably be no drop-off in production or quality from one player to the next. They're going to make for a strong paring out of the backfield and will be a focal point of the offense in 2024.
Behind them, you have Jackson Acker, a bit of a forgotten man in this RB room, but he's absolutely going to play a role for the Badgers. Acker, who put on weight and is up to 245 pounds, should see the field in short-yardage and blocking situations while serving in a hybrid H-back role.
Then, you've got a pair of true freshmen, Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones, who showed during fall camp why they were so highly regarded coming out of high school and can contribute from the jump. Both bring a little something extra to the table and are too talented to redshirt. How many carries will they get? That's anyone's guess, but as the season wears on, Jones and Dupree will likely start to eat into the veteran's snaps a bit.
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