Wisconsin football loses starting quarterback to the transfer portal
Wisconsin Badgers starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has decided to enter the transfer portal after one season with the football program.
An unfortunate set of circumstances kept the Wisconsin football program’s one-year rental of transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke from being as mutually beneficial as the Badgers coaching staff envisioned.
After just one season in Madison, Van Dyke has officially decided to enter his name into the transfer portal and will have one year of eligibility remaining.
The move isn’t all that surprising, considering the challenging position both Wisconsin and Van Dyke were in. That said, it stands out because it sets the stage for the Badgers to start a fourth different quarterback in as many seasons.
The graduate transfer from Miami, who joined the Badgers last offseason, saw his 2024 season cut short after tearing his ACL in the first quarter of a home matchup against Alabama in Week 3.
Van Dyke’s injury forced redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke into action, giving him a chance to audition to become the team’s quarterback of the future. However, the Badgers went just 3-6 in Locke's starts and finished 5-7 overall, ending the program’s 22-year bowl streak.
Questions about Van Dyke’s future have loomed large this offseason, especially after the firing of offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who was instrumental in recruiting him to Wisconsin.
Speaking on National Signing Day, head coach Luke Fickell acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Van Dyke’s future. He was set to miss spring ball, and there was no certainty he’d be ready for fall camp or the start of the season.
“From what he’s told me, he wants to continue to play college football,” Fickell told reporters. “It is a tough situation for him and for all of us because there are just so many unknowns with how his injury is, how long of a recovery his injury is. But I do think that not knowing exactly where we are right now makes it pretty vague.”
Van Dyke, a native of Glastonbury, Connecticut, appeared in just three games for Wisconsin, completing 43-of-68 passes for 422 yards and one touchdown while adding 26 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
Now, Van Dyke will look for a new destination to finish his college career.
With Van Dyke’s departure, the Badgers now have four scholarship quarterbacks remaining on the roster for the 2025 season: Braedyn Locke, Mabrey Mettauer, Carter Smith, and Landyn Locke. Even so, Wisconsin is widely expected to pursue another signal caller through the transfer portal, a move that could be influenced by offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes or their impending hire of a quarterbacks coach.
Coach Fickell has made it quite clear that he wants five scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. With the Badgers far from settled at the position heading into 2025, they'll need to rely on the transfer portal for the third consecutive offseason to find another stopgap option.
Whether it’s an experienced starter who can execute coach Grimes’ offense from the jump or a capable backup to challenge Locke in camp and provide much-needed depth, or possibly both, Wisconsin's coaching staff understands the significance of solidifying its quarterback room to prevent another injury-plagued season from derailing their plans.
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