Wisconsin Football Coach Confident in QB Depth as Decision Looms

With the Wisconsin football team's extended stay at UW-Platteville to begin fall camp coming to a close, head coach Luke Fickell remains tight-lipped on who will emerge as the Badgers' starting quarterback.

However, one thing is clear: Fickell feels confident in the depth and ability of either Tyler Van Dyke or Braedyn Locke to get the job done.

"Everybody wants to ask about the quarterback situation and who's number one and who's number two, but where I feel as good as anything is we’ve got two really good, really capable QBs now," Fickell said . "I don't think anybody on this entire team would bat an eye at whoever is the QB, and I think that's a really good thing."

The competition between Van Dyke, a redshirt senior transfer from Miami, and Locke, a redshirt sophomore who transferred to Wisconsin from Mississippi State last year, has been one of the top storylines of fall camp.

Both signal callers have been given equal opportunities to prove themselves. The Wisconsin Badgers coaching staff ensured that first-team reps with the offense were evenly distributed between the two to evaluate each player's performance under similar conditions.

Van Dyke, with his 28 career starts, was brought in to bring experience and stability to the position group. Meanwhile, Locke has demonstrated a high football IQ and a strong understanding of Phil Longo’s offensive system, making this a true competition that has kept both players sharp.

“I haven't had that since I've been a head coach, so I feel good about that," Fickell added, underlining the luxury of having two quarterbacks capable of leading the team in 2024.

With the first game of the season against Western Michigan less than three weeks away, Fickell and his staff are expected to make a final decision soon. The continuity and preparation for the season opener will be critical, but Fickell's confidence in his quarterbacks suggests that Wisconsin is in a solid position regardless of who takes the first snap.

Related: Wisconsin Football Freshman RBs Turning Heads at Fall Camp

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