Wisconsin football: Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke continue quarterback battle

MADISON – Tyler Van Dyke vs. Braedyn Locke.

That should be the No. 1 battle to watch during Wisconsin’s preseason camp, which opens July 30 at UW-Platteville, as the staff looks to find the team’s starting quarterback.

Freshman Mabrey Mettauer and redshirt freshman Cole LaCrue are the only other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster and neither player is ready to lead the offense.

Locke has only three starts and five games on his college resume, but all those games came under UW offensive coordinator Phil Longo.

Van Dyke gets the edge in overall experience.

The fifth-year senior, who will be working under his fourth coordinator in four seasons, started 28 games and played in 32 at Miami.

“The guy that wins the starting job is going to be really good,” Longo said, “because he is beating out some really good competition.”

Neither quarterback was the clear favorite after 15 spring practices, though Van Dyke appeared to grow more comfortable and confident as spring progressed.

“Both of them can make all the throws and do all the things they need to do,” Longo said.

Tyler Van Dyke's progress by end of spring put him in good position to win starting job

Despite the ability to make any throw Longo might want, Van Dyke understandably got off to a bit of a slow start in the spring.

Unlike Locke, Van Dyke was operating in a new offense and was also the new guy in the locker room trying to assimilate and win over his teammates.

Van Dyke still made a handful of head-scratching throws when he put the ball in harm’s way, but over the last few practices appeared to be more proficient running the offense. By the end of the spring it was clear Van Dyke was in position to win the starting job in camp.

“We wanted to get him as many reps as we could possibly get him,” Longo said, “so he gets used to playing in this system and making the decisions that are needed.”

Locke, who completed only 50% of his passes last season, can’t match Van Dyke’s arm strength. But he consistently made impressive throws – on both intermediate and deep routes – in the spring.

“Braedyn is a different player mentally because he’s got this system down,” Longo said. “He understands how to answer problems and take care of issues. The mental part of the game will always be a big advantage for Braedyn…

“They just have different challenges. But we’re not in a hurry. Don’t need to be. We’re happy that we have two very competent quarterbacks.”

Braedyn Locke discusses the lessons he learned in 2023

Locke started three games in place of Tanner Mordecai (hand) last season – at Illinois, home against Ohio State and at Indiana.

UW went 1-2 in those games and Locke completed 60 of 121 passes (49.6%) for an average of 215.7 yards per game, with five touchdowns and zero interceptions.

What did he learn from his first taste of college ball?

“I thought I did a good job at times of commanding the offense, showing that I can deliver the ball on time (and) execute what coach calls,” Locke said.

What could he have done to improve his efficiency?

“I just need to calm down a little bit out there,” he said, “to be able to play and think at the same time. Just being able – on a play-to-play basis – to execute at a high level and play calm.

“The game is always going to be different than practice and being able to control those nerves and being able to control your body throughout the course of 60, 70 or 80 plays in a game, that is what is going to win us games.”

Braedyn Locke anticipated there would be a legitimate quarterback battle heading into 2024

“It wasn’t earth-shattering news,” Locke said about learning the staff was bringing in another veteran transfer in Van Dyke. “You want to be a quarterback in big-time college football, you’re going to have to compete for it and you’re going to have to go after it and it’s not supposed to be easy.

“This isn’t for everybody, and I understand that completely. Whether they brought him in or brought in someone else…it is always going to be hard no matter where you’re at. If you want to be a starting quarterback in big-time college football, you’re going to have to go and take it.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin football: Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke continue quarterback battle