Tag: Quarterbacks

Former Wisconsin quarterback shines for UConn in big Week 4 win

Former Wisconsin quarterback shines for UConn in big Week 4 win

Former Wisconsin quarterback Nick Evers tallied three total touchdowns for the UConn Huskies on Saturday.

Following a pair of subpar performances against the Maryland Terrapins and Duke Blue Devils, Evers notched nine completions for 88 passing yards and a passing touchdown. He also rushed a staggering 19 times for 78 yards and two rushing scores to secure a 48-14 win over Florida Atlantic.

The Flower Mound, Texas, native’s most dynamic passing play arrived on a second-down sequence in the first quarter. Pinned at his team’s 22-yard line, Evers dropped back, rolled to his right and launched to wide receiver Skyler Bell. Bell played at UW with Evers in 2023 — to further the Wisconsin connection.

Here’s the full clip:


While he did play well on Saturday, Evers did not look fantastic in his first two games as a Husky. He accounted for just 21 completions, 208 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and a 44.7 QBR before Week 4.

Evers elected to transfer to UConn after a 2023 after playing third fiddle to Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke on Wisconsin’s depth chart. He will receive his next opportunity against Buffalo, who just took down No. 23 Northern Illinois, on Sept. 28.

Luke Fickell shares season outlook for Wisconsin true freshman quarterback

Luke Fickell shares season outlook for Wisconsin true freshman quarterback

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell shared a clear forecast for true freshman Mabrey Mettauer for the remainder of the season.

When asked about whether Badger fans would see Mettauer in 2024, Fickell shared a short update with reporters.

“He’s gonna have to be ready,” Fickell said.

The need for Mattauer arises following a season-ending ACL injury to starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. The former Miami Hurricane went down in Wisconsin’s first series against No. 4 Alabama on Saturday.

In response, Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo now turn to redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke. Locke threw for 125 yards and a touchdown in Van Dyke’s absence on Saturday.

Simply put: Locke didn’t look ready for Alabama’s defense. UW’s overall offensive schemes appeared inconsistent as well.

The chatter surrounding Mattauer, then, may be warranted.

During his tenure at The Woodlands High School, the 6’4” prospect earned Texas District 13-6A Overall MVP as a sophomore and Texas District 13-6A Co-Offensive MVP as a junior. He also holds the program record for career passing yardage and single-season passing yardage.

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While all signs indicate that Fickell and company will roll with Locke, Mattauer’s success in such a competitive recruiting field could elevate him into playing opportunities sooner rather than later.

After all, he earned offers from the likes of Ole Miss, LSU, Miami (Florida), Baylor, Colorado and Louisville. He was also considered a four-star by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports coming out of high school.

If Locke struggles or is forced to miss time, Wisconsin will turn to Mattauer as the clear next option.

UW will return to the field on Sept. 28 for its Week 5 game against USC in Los Angeles.

Steelers planning to start Justin Fields over Badger legend for third straight week

Steelers planning to start Justin Fields over Badger icon for third straight week

All signs out of Pittsburgh point to Justin Fields suiting up as the Steelers’ starting quarterback for the third straight game when the team hosts the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

ESPN’s Brook Pryor noted that head coach Mike Tomlin informed the media of his organization’s plans to start Fields on Tuesday. The decision isn’t much of a surprise considering Wilson’s calf recovery and Fields’ 2-0 start to the season under center.

In wins over the Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos, Fields has tallied 30 completions for 273 passing yards and one passing touchdown. He’s also rushed 22 times for 84 rushing yards and six first downs.

Wilson’s journey in Pittsburgh has been somewhat of a rollercoaster thus far. Following two disappointing seasons with the Denver Broncos, Wilson arrived in Pittsburgh this March in search of a career revival. This offseason, he was named starting quarterback and team captain. But a calf strain during trailing camp in July has held him out to start the season.

The Steelers will host Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday for the team’s first home contest of 2024. It appears as if the dynamic Fields will take snaps once more.

Wisconsin starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke out for season with knee injury

Wisconsin starter Tyler Van Dyke out for season with knee injury

Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will miss the remainder of the 2024 season with a significant knee injury, per multiple reports.

BadgerExtra’s Colten Bartholomew was first on the news that Van Dyke suffered a torn ACL in his right leg. ESPN’s Pete Thamel and others have confirmed the report.

This news arrives two days after Wisconsin fell, 42-10, to No. 4 Alabama at Camp Randall Stadium. Van Dyke, three games into his first year as a Badger, suffered the injury while being tackled on a third-down play during UW’s opening offensive drive.

Shortly thereafter, Van Dyke departed for the locker room and returned to the field equipped with crutches and a brace.

Wisconsin will turn to redshirt sophomore quarterback Braedyn Locke for the rest of the 2024 campaign. Locke played the remainder of Saturday’s contest against Alabama after Van Dyke’s injury, completing 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

Van Dyke transferred to Wisconsin from Miami following the 2023 campaign. He won the 2021 ACC Rookie of the Year as a redshirt freshman with the Hurricanes. Many hoped his transition to Phil Longo’s Wisconsin offense would return the veteran to that top-end form. Unfortunately for everybody involved, that will not come to fruition this season.

Wisconsin moves into its bye week needing to prepare Locke for the full-time job. His first full game of action this season will come Sept. 28 at No. 11 USC.

Wisconsin icon receives game ball while sidelined with calf issue

Wisconsin icon receives game ball while sidelined with calf issue

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson received a game ball after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 13-6 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Ironically, Wilson did not play a single snap during the triumph. Former Chicago Bear Justin Fields filled in for the 2013 Super Bowl champion for the second consecutive week.

Wilson, who has been hampered with a calf injury dating back to the first days of the Steelers’ 2024 training camp, received the nod because of his connection to the Broncos. The nine-time Pro Bowler played for Denver from 2022-23 and amassed an 11-19 mark as the team’s starting quarterback.

The headlines surrounding Wilson’s tenure in Denver weren’t the greatest either. He and former Saints head coach Sean Payton butted heads on several occasions which ultimately morphed into national headlines relatively quickly afterward.

Nonetheless, Wilson’s career numbers speak for themselves. Fields thinks so as well.

“Russ kinda got did dirty last year,” Fields said after the win. “I know he wishes he could have played in this game. It’s awesome to get this win for him.”

The Steelers will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 22. With Fields at 2-0, it would be a surprise if head coach Mike Tomlin made any move at the position. Barring any major breakthrough, Fields should start next week for Pittsburgh.

Wisconsin class of 2025 quarterback commit suffers season-ending injury

Wisconsin class of 2025 quarterback commit suffers season-ending injury

Wisconsin football class of 2025 quarterback commit Landyn Locke suffered a season-ending ACL injury, per a report from the Dallas Morning News.

Locke, who offered his pledge to Luke Fickell’s program in June of 2023, went down in Rockwall High School’s match against Lake Travis this past weekend. He later shared a heartfelt post via X thanking his teammates and the program.

The 6’3”, 180-pound quarterback played just two games of his senior year at Rockwall, a shame for Badger fans hoping to witness his progression before he arrives on campus. Nonetheless, he threw 30 completions for 334 yards and three touchdowns to begin his senior slate.

Most Badger fans recognize the last name. His brother Braedyn Locke started three games under center for UW in 2023 after transferring from Mississippi State ahead of his second year of college eligibility. The elder Locke currently serves as Wisconsin’s No. 2 quarterback behind veteran Tyler Van Dyke.

Prior to his commitment to UW, Locke held offers from Miami (Florida), SMU, and Tulsa. Duke, East Carolina and North Texas reached out afterwards.

On3’s industry ranking considers Locke the No. 1035 overall recruit, No. 61 quarterback and No. 160 recruit from Texas in the class of 2025. He remains the only quarterback to commit to the Badgers’ program in his class.

While Locke’s ACL injury is devastating, he will likely avoid missing any reps when he arrives in Madison. He will join his older brother and 2024 freshman Mabrey Mettauer in the quarterback room in less than a year.

Steelers planning to start Justin Fields in Week 2 over former Badger legend

Steelers planning to start Justin Fields in Week 2 over former Badger legend

The Pittsburgh Steelers are planning to start Justin Fields over former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson for the second straight week, per head coach Mike Tomlin.

The news arrives two days after Fields made his Steeler debut against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Wilson, who earned starting responsibilities in late August, is currently dealing with persisting calf tightness.

Wilson first encountered the calf ailments during the first days of Pittsburgh’s 2024 training camp window in July. About a month later, he self-reported his calf injury two days before Sunday’s season opener against the Falcons.

In Wilson’s absence, Fields registered 17 completions for 156 passing yards and a passer rating of 91.9. He also rushed 14 times for 57 yards in the 18-10 win.

Notably, Fields failed to lead his offensive group to a single touchdown drive on the day. Kicker Chris Boswell scored all 18 points for Pittsburgh, and defensive star T.J. Watt helped quell Kirk Cousins-led Falcons offense throughout the entire afternoon.

Unfortunately for Wilson, he will not see the field in his first game against the Denver Broncos since his departure. In two years with Denver, Wilson went 11-19 as the team’s starting quarterback.

Tomlin did note, however, that Wilson is progressing. It could be a bit of coach speak, but any positive update to Wilson’s health would increase the likelihood of playing in Week 3 and beyond.

For now, it’ll be Fields taking snaps under center. Denver hosts Pittsburgh at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sept. 15.

Florida to start former Wisconsin quarterback, have DJ Lagway come off the bench

Florida to start former Wisconsin quarterback, have DJ Lagway come off the bench

Florida head coach Billy Napier cleared the air on the Florida Gators’ quarterback situation on Monday.

While true freshman D.J. Lagway, the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2024, turned heads with his 456-yard, three-touchdown output in Florida’s 45-7 Week 2 triumph over the Samford Bulldogs, Napier confirmed that former Wisconsin Badgers QB Graham Mertz will start upon his return from injury. Napier clarified that Lagway will also continue to see playing time.

“It’s a blessing to have two really good quarterbacks and certainly one with a ton of experience and one without,” Napier told reporters on Monday. “But there’s no doubt both of these guys will make us harder to defend. We intend to use both of them.”

On the surface, the news comes as somewhat of a surprise given the latest developments in Florida’s quarterback room.

Mertz started the Gators’ first contest of the season against the Miami Hurricanes but suffered a concussion in the third quarter of the bout. He finished with 91 passing yards and an interception, opening the window for Lagway to step in for his first action on the college stage.

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Lagway showed flashes during the Gators’ blowout loss to Miami. He then followed that up with an eye-opening performance in the win over Samford.

The two quarterbacks bring different experience and skillsets to the table.

Mertz entered his sixth and final season of eligibility this fall after logging a career-high 261 completions, 2,903 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes with Florida in 2023.

Lagway, meanwhile, was named Mr. Texas Football before his 19th birthday in August. With a rocket for an arm and a 225-pound frame as a freshman, he has a much higher ceiling than the veteran. With Mertz, fans know what to expect.

Florida has yet to square off against No. 7 Tennessee, No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Texas, No. 16 LSU and No. 5 Ole Miss this fall. Given Napier’s recent statement, expect to see both Mertz and Lagway slinging it for the Gators against an SEC schedule littered with juggernauts.

Former Badger legend sidelined with calf issue, opens door for Justin Fields

Former Badger legend sidelined with calf issue, opens door for Justin Fields

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson missed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 1 contest with a calf injury against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Despite being named the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback over former Chicago Bear Justin Fields in late August, Wilson experienced some issues with his calf throughout his team’s preseason window.

Those ailments began during the opening days of July’s training camp before being reaggravated on Friday.

Wilson self-reported his calf injury just two days before Sunday’s season opener and was visibly limited in the tune-ups before the Steelers made the trek to Georgia. At Friday’s practice, the former Badger watched on as former Chicago Bear Justin Fields launched throws to receivers.

The Super Bowl champion tested his calf before the game, but he ultimately aired on the side of caution and opted to sit out in the season opener. That decision allowed Fields, a dynamic talent under center, to suit up as Mike Tomlin’s starter for Week 1.

In Wilson’s absence, Fields recorded 17 completions for 156 passing yards and a passer rating of 91.9. He also rushed 14 times for 57 yards on the day.

The Steelers failed to score a touchdown on 10 offensive possessions. Kicker Chris Boswell netted six field goals, four of those coming from 50 or more yards.

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Yes, Fields can certainly rush with the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but his efficiency as a passer is still questionable. He never quite reached his potential as a Chicago Bear, but he did sprinkle in a few impressive throws to wide receiver George Pickens in traffic.

Fields could serve as the starter next week against the Broncos if Wilson’s calf continues to plague him. Given the dominance of Pittsburgh’s defense, all he needs to do is paint by the numbers.

Wilson donned a full uniform, eye black and a head set throughout the entire contest while overseeing Fields and the Steelers’ offense. His status for Week 2 is one worth monitoring.

Wisconsin legend Russell Wilson’s status for Week 1 in doubt

Wisconsin legend Russell Wilson’s status for Week 1 in doubt

Former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson added a bit more doubt on his availability for Sunday’s Week 1 conteest vs. the Atlanta Falcons.

During the Steelers’ individual period at Friday’s practice, Wilson watched on as former Chicago Bear Justin Fields launched throws to receivers. He exited Thursday’s practice after self-reporting a calf issue and appears to have engaged in individual stretching away from the team, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

Following the practice window, Wilson also addressed his status for Sunday with the local media. Here’s what Wilson said, as captured by The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo.

“If I can go, I’m going to go and try to do everything I can to help us win… if not, I’m going to do everything I can to help us win in that way, too…I’m trying to get my body ready to go and rock and roll. So we’re doing everything that we can.”

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Wilson earned the starting job in late August over Fields, who is a dynamic rushing weapon when performing at full capacity.

At this point, the signs suggest Fields could see the field on Sept. 8 in Atlanta. Given Wilson’s age and decline in play over the past few seasons, it may serve as a blessing in disguise for a Steelers team in search for a franchise quarterback.