Tag: Jeff Grimes

Wisconsin offensive coordinator has high praise for transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator has high praise for transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes called Billy Edwards Jr. ‘one of the top two or three’ transfer quarterbacks in the country in a recent Q&A with Matt Lepay and VC Connect.

“I love this kid,” Grimes said in a video clip posted on X. “We looked at a bunch of quarterbacks in the portal. And from the beginning, Billy was one of the top two or three guys in the country, in my estimation.”

Related: Recapping Wisconsin football’s winter transfer portal movement

Edwards committed to the Badgers on Dec. 16, just four days after initially entering the portal. 247Sports lists the former Maryland starter as a three-star transfer recruit, ranked as the No. 284 overall player in the portal and No. 27 quarterback.

Grimes is much higher on the Badgers’ new signal-caller than the broader consensus. He expanded on some of the reasons for that high evaluation.

“There were a lot of guys that some experts may have had rated higher. But I thought his combination of size, arm talent, intelligence, decision-making and athletic ability, combined with personality, toughness, energy that you can tell from watching the film. All of those things were important to me.”

Here is the full clip, courtesy of VC Connect:

Edwards is set to start for the Badgers in 2025 after one year as Maryland’s full-time starter. The veteran completed 65% of his passes for 2,881 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024 for the Terrapins. Those numbers include the context of Maryland finishing second-to-last in the conference (4-8 overall, 1-8 Big Ten). Edwards wasn’t surrounded by much talent or production on his side of the football, especially along the offensive line.

The Virginia native figures to be a near-perfect fit in Grimes’ pro-style offense. He’ll be aided by a terrific offensive line unit, talented running back room and strong wide receiving corps. Those convergent factors should lead to career numbers from the senior quarterback. He won’t have much trouble delivering Wisconsin’s best season from the position since 2019 (Jack Coan).

247Sports transfer quarterback rankings were led by Carson Beck (Georgia to Miami), John Mateer (Washington State to Oklahoma), Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State to Mississippi State), Fernando Mendoza (Cal to Indiana) and Jaron Kaewe Sagapolutele (Oregon to Cal).

According to Grimes, Edwards could surpass most of them.

Wisconsin fans know the first step toward that reality is Edwards staying healthy through an entire season. The team’s high-profile veteran transfer additions have combined to play just 13 combined games over the last two seasons — 10 from Tanner Mordecai in 2023 and three from Tyler Van Dyke in 2024. That dynamic hurt Phil Longo’s air raid attack.

Grimes will need better luck in that regard has he works to return the program to its classic pro-style roots.

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Wisconsin offensive coordinator explains what transfer QB Billy Edwards Jr. brings to the Badgers

Wisconsin offensive coordinator explains what transfer QB Billy Edwards Jr. brings to the Badgers

The word ‘unstable’ could be used to describe Wisconsin’s quarterback situation over the last three seasons.

Graham Mertz led the team in 2022. Tanner Mordecai and Braedyn Locke then split the duties in 2023, Locke seeing extended time after Mordecai broke his hand in October. Tyler Van Dyke transferred in to start in 2024, but he played in just two-plus games before a season-ending injury handed the job to Locke for the remainder of the season.

Related: A look at Wisconsin football’s full coaching staff for the 2025 season

Now, Wisconsin is set to enter the 2025 season with its fourth starting quarterback in as many seasons. That will be Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr., a top transfer recruit who joined the Badgers last month during the winter window.

Edwards committed to the program on Dec. 16, just eight days following Wisconsin’s hire of new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. An overhaul in the room was task No. 1 for Grimes after every Phil Longo-era quarterback either transferred out or decommitted.

Grimes met with the media on Tuesday and discussed what he saw from Edwards during his time as Maryland’s starter. One common theme: size, athleticism and playmaking ability.

“Billy Edwards is obviously somebody we’re expecting big things from,” Grimes began. “There were a number of things that impressed me with his film…I thought he had arm talent. I thought he had good athletic ability. I like his size…It was a combination of all those things at first. And then as I got to know him, I recognize that he’s got all the intangibles that you’d look for. He’s smart, he’s competitive. And he’s really driven to be great. We’re beginning to see his leadership skills emerge already.”

Edwards, listed at 6’4”, 220 pounds, excelled as Maryland’s starting quarterback in 2024, completing 65% of his passes for 2,881 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Terrapins finished the season with ESPN SP+’s No. 97-ranked offense. That wasn’t due to any struggles under center — Edwards was arguably the unit’s single bright spot.

Grimes emphasized the veteran’s ability to excel in those adverse circumstances, specifically behind one of the worst offensive lines in the conference.

“I saw [on film] a guy that had toughness, that was able to stand in there and take a lot of hits,” Grimes continued. “And not [have them] impact how he played the game. Threw a lot of balls with people right in his face as he’s letting it go. A lot of times he had to short-arm the ball because he couldn’t even step up throw the way that he would like to. None of that impacted him. None of the hits, playing that position you’re going to get banged up probably. None of that seemed to impact how he played the game.”

Edwards figures to fit well as the leader of Grimes’ offensive scheme in its first year with the program, a scheme that will return the Badgers closer to their pro-style roots. The strength of that unit projects to be the offensive line and running game. Given Grimes’ sentiment, more stability should only help the veteran succeed.

New quarterbacks coach Kenny Guiton echoed some of Grimes’ comments. While he was asked what Wisconsin’s trio of scholarship quarterbacks in Edwards, Danny O’Neil and Carter Smith bring to the room, he focused on more than just the on-schedule play-call.

“These guys bring a certain level of athleticism to the quarterback room. I think they all have a chance to do different things with their legs, not 50-yard runs, but creating that second play,” Guiton said. “They all have the athleticism to be able to work a pocket and really give our guys chances to create that second level of, you know, kind of playing around, backyard football. We watch Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, a lot of their stuff is off-schedule. A lot of stuff in the NFL is off-schedule. I’m not saying we’re at the NFL level, but you have to be able to do that when maybe the defense has won on the line and with what they’re calling. You have to have a guy back there that can be an eraser. I do see that in all three.”

Guiton, Wisconsin’s wide receivers coach last season, was moved to quarterbacks coach after Grimes’ hire. The move was made after Edwards and O’Neil each transferred in. While the new position coach didn’t lead the charge in recruiting the two transfers, his eye is now trained on their offseason development.

The Badgers take the field for spring practice in the coming months. That time will see a first official glimpse at Edwards under center, as well as Grimes’ new offensive scheme. It’s reasonable to have high expectations for what the two can bring to the field next fall. After all, Wisconsin won’t need much from Edwards to get its best quarterback season since 2022, if not longer.

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Wisconsin offers one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the class of 2026

Wisconsin offers one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the class of 2026

Wisconsin football extended an offer to class of 2026 quarterback Bowe Bentley on Tuesday.

The offer was sent on the same day that three-star quarterback Jarin Mock decommitted from the program, a move that returned the position to a top need in the cycle.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, visits and commitments

247Sports ranks Bentley as the No. 180 player in the class, No. 11 quarterback and No. 28 recruit from his home state of Texas. Wisconsin is one of the top programs currently in pursuit of the Celina, Texas native. His other top offers include Boston College, California, Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech and Tulane.

Wisconsin is looking to continue a strong stretch of recruiting the position since the firing of former offensive coordinator Phil Longo in November. As the Badgers hired new coordinator Jeff Grimes, they also added top-ranked QB Carter Smith to its class of 2025 and landed commitments from highly-coveted transfers Danny O’Neil and Billy Edwards Jr.

A potential commitment from Bentley would continue a top-down overhaul of the position since Longo’s departure.

Mock’s departure from the room coinciding with the offer to Bentley shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Every Longo quarterback commit or signee now plays elsewhere, that once Mock pledges elsewhere. Tyler Van Dyke transferred to SMU, Braedyn Locke transferred to Arizona, Mabrey Mettauer transferred to Sam Houston State and 2025 signee Landyn Locke walked back his NLI and flipped to Sam Houston State. Those final two both followed Longo to his new program.

In-state interior offensive lineman Benjamin Novak is Wisconsin’s only commitment in the class of 2026. Bentley should be one of the program’s many pursuits at the position.

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BREAKING: Wisconsin lands commitment from top transfer portal tight end

Wisconsin gets a major transfer commitment

Wisconsin landed a commitment from Ball State transfer tight end Tanner Koziol on Saturday.

He is the program’s second transfer commitment of the cycle, joining Louisville edge rusher Mason Reiger.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

247Sports ranks the talented tight end as a four-star transfer recruit, the No. 48 overall player in the portal and the No. 3 player at his position.

His commitment is significant news for a Wisconsin team that saw starters Riley Nowakowski and Tucker Ashcraft combine for just 23 catches, 156 yards and a touchdown in 2024. The position never played a big role during Phil Longo’s tenure as offensive coordinator. With new hire Jeff Grimes reshaping the unit, Koziol should immediately fill a primary role in the receiving game.

The multi-year starter totaled 94 catches, a team-high 839 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2024. His career-long numbers are an impressive 163 catches, 1,507 yards and 18 total touchdowns.

Koziol fits the mold of Grimes’ pro-style offense and immediately gives the program its best receiving threat at the position since Jake Ferguson.

Wisconsin now continues its transfer recruiting with a major position checked off. Defensive line, quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback, safety and linebacker remain some of the team’s biggest needs.

Bookmark our transfer offer, visit and commitment tracker for the latest updates.

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Wisconsin quarterback enters NCAA transfer portal

Wisconsin will have a new starting quarterback in 2025

Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is entering the transfer portal, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The veteran played in just three games with the Badgers after transferring in last offseason. He suffered a torn ACL during the first drive of the team’s Week 3 loss to Alabama and missed the remainder of the season.

Related: Major takeaways from Wisconsin hiring Kansas’ Jeff Grimes as its new offensive coordinator

The move comes as the portal officially opens on Dec. 9. Van Dyke is the 14th Wisconsin scholarship player to enter, the 16th overall.

His potential return was a significant point of conversation after Wisconsin’s 2024 season concluded with a Week 14 loss to Minnesota. He has one year of eligibility remaining, but may not be fully ready for the 2025 season as he recovers from the ACL injury.

Luke Fickell addressed that status last week, saying ‘We just don’t know. From what he’s told me, he wants to continue to play college football. It is a tough situation for him and for all of us because there’s just so many unknowns with his injury and how long of a recovery his injury is…I love Tyler, Tyler’s done nothing than be dedicated to what we’ve asked him to do. He’s been at every game, he’s been at every practice. That does mean something. We’re going to have to figure out where the progress is and what the prognosis looks like for him. It’s a position and situation that we can’t end up like we did this year…There’s a lot of unknowns.’

Those comments came as the program was set to hire a new offensive coordinator, which was recently revealed to be Kansas’ Jeff Grimes. A new leader at the helm of the offense and Van Dyke’s unknown health appear to be significant factors in this move.

The veteran quarterback started for three seasons at Miami before transferring to Wisconsin. He totaled 7,469 passing yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions during that time, including an ACC Rookie of the Year breakout season as a redshirt freshman in 2021.

Injuries and inconsistency has plagued Van Dyke since that breakout 2021 season. He threw for just 422 yards and one touchdown in the first two-plus games of the 2024 season with the Badgers.

His departure means Wisconsin is almost guaranteed to have a new starting quarterback in 2025. Grimes and Wisconsin’s potential upcoming quarterbacks coach hire will likely want to reshape the room to fit the new system.

Wisconsin’s current quarterbacks entering 2025 are Braedyn Locke, Mabrey Mettauer, three-star freshman Landyn Locke and four-star freshman Carter Smith. Expect that group to see names added over the next few weeks.

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BREAKING: Another Wisconsin starting offensive lineman announces return for 2025

BREAKING: Another Wisconsin starting offensive lineman announces return for 2025

Wisconsin center Jake Renfro announced on Saturday he would be returning to the Badgers for his final year of eligibility in 2025.

He is the second veteran member of Wisconsin’s starting offensive line to announce his intention to return, joining right tackle Riley Mahlman.

Related: Ranking Wisconsin football’s updated transfer portal needs after a busy first week of movement

Renfro joined the program in 2023 after three seasons under Luke Fickell at Cincinnati. He was a first-team all-AAC member in 2021 after starting 13 games for a Bearcats team that made the College Football Playoff.

He then missed the entire 2022 season with an injury before transferring to the Badgers after Fickell got the job. The veteran center remained out for most of the 2023 season, only seeing game action in Wisconsin’s ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU.

Renfro stepped into the starting job in 2024 after 2023 starter Tanor Bortolini left for the NFL. He led an offensive line that was arguably the strength of the team, and was far from the reason the offense finished outside the nation’s top 100 in scoring.

His return means three members of the 2024 offensive line will be back — Renfro, Mahlman and left guard Joe Brunner.

Big questions will surround Wisconsin’s left tackle position entering the season. Top freshman Kevin Heywood could win the job if the program does not land a top veteran in the transfer portal.

Wisconsin officially hired Kansas’ Jeff Grimes to its vacant offensive coordinator role on Saturday. While he has significant work to do to rebuild a struggling unit, the team’s returning talent and experience up front should provide a significant help. Renfro’s return is big news in that regard.

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Report: Wisconsin officially hires Jeff Grimes to fill offensive coordinator vacancy

Report: Wisconsin, Jeff Grimes in agreement on deal as Badgers’ new offensive coordinator

Wisconsin is officially in agreement to hire Kansas’ Jeff Grimes as its new offensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.

The Badgers were first reported to be pursuing Grimes on Friday. Just one day later, the deal appears to have been finalized. The specific terms are yet to be announced.

Related: Ranking Wisconsin football’s updated transfer portal needs after a busy first week of movement

Grimes is set to fill a position that became vacant when Wisconsin fired Phil Longo in mid-November. Luke Fickell and the Badgers closed the season with a coordinator-by-committee approach, which was a sub-story to closing losses to rivals Nebraska and Minnesota.

The veteran coordinator is making a lateral move to Wisconsin after spending one year as Kansas’ offensive coordinator. He’s previously held the same position at Baylor (2021-23) and BYU (2018-20). Prior, Grimes was an offensive line coach for numerous top programs, highlighted by time at LSU (2014-17), Virginia Tech (2013) and Auburn (2009-12).

There is still no official word from the Wisconsin program. But Rittenberg’s report, paired with Kansas hiring a new coordinator, enforces its reality.

Grimes will be tasked with fixing a Wisconsin offense that averaged just 22.6 points per game in 2024 (No. 108 in the nation) and 23.5 points per game (No. 93) in 2023. He figures to bring a more classic old-school Wisconsin approach, a departure from the previous two years of Phil Longo’s air raid system.

The next step for the veteran coordinator is recrafting the team’s quarterback room. Kansas star QB Jalon Daniels is staying put with the Jayhawks, so the Badgers may be forced into the larger transfer market. Veteran Tyler Van Dyke may return, though questions surround his health after a September ACL injury.

Grimes’ job will be critical to Luke Fickell’s tenure as he works to improve the team from its 12-13 combined record over the last two seasons.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Kansas star quarterback will not be following Jeff Grimes to Wisconsin

Kansas star quarterback will not be following Jeff Grimes to Wisconsin

Wisconsin is reportedly closing in on hiring Kansas’ Jeff Grimes as its new offensive coordinator. All signs point toward the hire becoming a reality, signs such as Kansas hiring Grimes’ replacement.

The next storyline to follow is what the program does at quarterback. Veteran Tyler Van Dyke’s return is up in the air as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in mid-September. It’s likely that Wisconsin will enter the third consecutive season with a new veteran transfer under center.

Related: Ranking Wisconsin football’s updated transfer portal needs after a busy first week of movement

That veteran will not be Kansas star quarterback Jalon Daniels, who recently announced on X his intention to return to the Jayhawks for his final season of eligibility.

“Kansas has been my home, my family, and my foundation,” Daniels wrote. “The work continues, and the best is still ahead. I’m ready to lead the Kansas Jayhawks into the 2025 season and fully focused on becoming the best QB possible.”

The update is noteworthy given the mentioned context. Wisconsin likely needs a quarterback, and just hired Daniels’ offensive coordinator to the same position. Kansas, meanwhile, promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski to its vacant OC position.

Thamel specifically reported that ‘Daniels has agreed to a new deal to stay with the Jayhawks for 2025.’ NIL can be added to the coaching continuity as reasons for his decision to remain with the Jayhawks.

Daniels has played in 37 career games for Kansas dating back to 2020. He’s completed 61.3% of his passes for totals of 6,751 yards, 45 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, in addition to 303 carries for 1,041 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.

The dual-threat quarterback had his best season in 2022 under former OC Andy Kotelnicki, who has since moved over to Penn State. He finished that year with a 66.1 completion percentage, 2,014 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions.

His one year under Grimes (2024) was a minor step back. The veteran completed just 57% of his passes for 2,454 yards, 14 touchdowns and a league-leading 12 interceptions.

Grimes will not get a further chance to help Daniels back to his top-end 2022 form, as Wisconsin will have to look elsewhere for its starting quarterback in 2025.

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Kansas hires replacement for Wisconsin’s reported new offensive coordinator

Kansas hires replacement for Wisconsin’s reported new offensive coordinator

More and more signs point toward Wisconsin officially hiring Kansas’ Jeff Grimes for its vacant offensive coordinator position.

First, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Friday that Wisconsin was ‘targeting’ Grimes, with talks ‘expected to intensify in the near future.’ Now, Kansas has officially promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski to its offensive coordinator position, further signaling Grimes’ move to the Badgers.

Related: Ranking Wisconsin football’s updated transfer portal needs after a busy first week of movement

Kansas officially announced Zebrowski’s promotion on Saturday afternoon. He has previously served as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2021-24, and co-offensive coordinator in 2023 and 2024. He’s previously coached quarterbacks at Southern Illinois (1999), D-III Millikin (2000-02), UW-Whitewater (2007-09), Northern Illinois (2010), Minnesota (2011-15), D-III Hamline (2016) and Buffalo (2017-20).

It was also announced on Friday that Kansas QB Jalon Daniels would remain with the program for his final collegiate season.

Wisconsin has apparently closed in on Grimes as its next offensive coordinator. The veteran assistant was Kansas’ offensive coordinator in 2024, after holding the same position at Baylor (2021-23) and BYU (2018-20). His hire indicates Wisconsin’s movement back to a pro-style, power-run-centric offense, a move that head coach Luke Fickell has hinted toward in recent press conferences.

We now await official word on Wisconsin’s hire of Grimes. After that, it’s all systems go as he works to rebuild a struggling offensive unit.

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Report: Wisconsin closing in on offensive coordinator hire

Report: Wisconsin close to hiring Kansas offensive coordinator as its next OC

Wisconsin is closing in on hiring Kansas offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes as its next OC, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

“A deal is not complete,” Thamel wrote on X. “But the sides are talking and those talks are expected to intensify in the near future.”

Related: Ranking Wisconsin football’s updated transfer portal needs after a busy first week of movement

Wisconsin is looking to fill a position that became vacant when the program fired Phil Longo in November. Grimes is an experienced assistant with extensive roots coaching the offensive line and a power-run scheme.

The veteran assistant has coached offense at the college level since 1998. His notable stops include Arizona State (OL, 2001-03), BYU (OL, 2004-06), Colorado (OL, 2007-08), Auburn (OL, 2009-12), Virginia Tech (OL, 2013), LSU (OL, 2014-17), BYU (OC, 2018-20), Baylor (OC/TEs coach, 2021-23), Kansas (OC, 2024).

He does not have any prior connection to either Luke Fickell or the Wisconsin program — aside from coaching the BYU team that upset the Badgers in 2018.

Grimes’ Kansas offense finished the 2024 regular season ranked No. 53 in scoring offense (29.7 points per game), No. 13 in rush offense (211.4 yards per game) and No. 88 in pass offense (208.8 yards per game).

His potential hire reflects Luke Fickell’s recent comments about the Badgers returning to a more pro-style offense. At the least, Fickell has expressed a desire to build an offensive identity around the program’s classic calling card — the offensive line and the run game. Grimes fits that mold directly.

He also has extensive experience as an offensive coordinator, though hasn’t risen far since starting as BYU’s OC in 2018. That lack of trajectory could be good news for the Badgers, as Grimes may be more likely to stay around if he finds success. It does also signal the difference between him and some of the other top coordinator candidates.

We now await confirmation on if the reported ‘talks’ reach a deal.

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