Tag: Tyler Van Dyke

Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke discusses being named Badgers starter entering 2024

Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke discusses being named Badgers starter entering 2024

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo named Tyler Van Dyke the Badgers’ starting quarterback on Wednesday.

Van Dyke, a former three-year starter at Miami, edged redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke. The news puts an end to what was, reportedly, a multi-week battle between the two players at fall training camp.

Related: Full previews for every Wisconsin football position group entering 2024 season

Longo’s comments were not much of a surprise after Van Dyke took all of the first-team reps at the start of the week. It was also not a difficult conclusion to predict given Van Dyke’s collegiate experience, past success and status as one of Wisconsin’s priority transfers last winter.

The veteran met with the media on Wednesday afternoon after being named the official starter entering 2024. He emphasized that the competition in the room will continue despite his new title.

“He named me the starter, but obviously we’re still competing,” Van Dyke said. “Still gotta go out there every day and do what I gotta do. It means the coaches believe in me, it means the players believe in me. I’m just glad they gave me this opportunity.”

Van Dyke’s starting experience goes back to his ACC Rookie of the Year breakout in 2021 at Miami. He has held the job since despite coaching turnover and now a team chance. The word ‘competition’ remains at the center of his collegiate path.

“Braedyn [Locke] has done a great job pushing me, I pushed him. You always have to keep competing, keep going through it,” Van Dyke continued. “I’ll be motivated even when sometimes you feel comfortable. So you can’t ever be complacent. Gotta just keep going, never stop.”

Van Dyke enters the 2024 season with 30 total games of experience, those including 63.7% completion, 7,469 yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Head coach Luke Fickell, Longo and Badgers fans all hope to see the 2021 version of the Miami transfer show up when the team begins its season on Aug. 30 against Western Michigan.

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

NEWS: Wisconsin OC Phil Longo officially names Badgers starting quarterback

Wisconsin OC Phil Longo put an end to the Badgers quarterback competition on Wednesday:

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo ended any question about the Badgers’ starting quarterback situation entering the 2024 season when meeting with the media on Wednesday.

He named veteran Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke the team’s prohibitive starter, with redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke the primary backup.

Related: Full previews for every Wisconsin football position group entering 2024 season

Longo’s comments to the media come after Van Dyke had recently captured the entirety of the unit’s first-team reps at training camp.

Van Dyke and Locke mostly split those reps during the Badgers’ two-week satellite camp at UW-Platteville. Since the team returned to campus on Monday, the sessions have seen the veteran emerge as the clear No. 1 option.

This news is no surprise given the context of both players’ situations.

Van Dyke was a priority transfer addition last December. He was a three-year starter at Miami, including a breakout 2021 season that finished in an ACC Rookie of the Year award.

The veteran brings 30 games, 912 pass attempts and nearly 7,500 yards of experience. Despite some recent struggles amid coaching turnover at Miami, many project Longo’s pass-friendly offense to be exactly what Van Dyke needs to boost his NFL draft stock.

Locke, meanwhile, transferred to Wisconsin as a redshirt freshman before last season. He was thrust into action when starter Tanner Mordecai went down. While he performed well in that limited action given the circumstances, he was a significant longshot to earn the starting job entering 2024.

Locke remains Wisconsin’s projected starter in 2025 and 2026. Longo was sure to enforce the program’s optimism about his future.

But when Wisconsin kicks off its 2024 season on Aug. 30 against Western Michigan, it will be Tyler Van Dyke taking the snaps under center.

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

Wisconsin’s starting quarterback battle continues to gain clarity, lean towards veteran

Tyler Van Dyke is reportedly earning every first-team rep at training camp

Wisconsin’s starting quarterback battle between Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke and redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke is reportedly nearing a conclusion.

At the least, Van Dyke has taken a significant lead in the battle to become the No. 1 option. That is according to reports from training camp on Tuesday where he handled every first-team rep for a second consecutive practice.

Related: Wisconsin’s 2024 football schedule includes collection of top teams in preseason AP Poll Top 25

Head coach Luke Fickell avoided naming Van Dyke the prohibitive starter when he met with the media on Sunday. But the Badgers head coach had previously stated that the depth chart would become clear as training camp continued and as snaps were divided.

That clarity, at least to this point, is Van Dyke receiving every first-team rep.

Wisconsin returned to campus from its two-week satellite camp at UW-Platteville on Monday. That means game preparation is beginning to increase, as only 17 days remain until the team opens the season at home against Western Michigan.

That timeline also means that the first game-week depth chart is due in less than two weeks.

The overwhelming evidence points to Van Dyke earning the No. 1 quarterback job when that depth chart is released.

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

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses significant update to Badgers quarterback competition

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses significant update to Badgers quarterback competition

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell avoided naming veteran transfer Tyler Van Dyke the Badgers’ prohibitive starting quarterback on Sunday evening when he met with the media.

His comments came after the team finished its satellite camp at UW-Platteville, as it now prepares to return to campus in Madison for the final two weeks of preparation before beginning the season on Aug. 30.

Related: Full previews for every Wisconsin football position group entering 2024 season

Fickell’s comments also came after Sunday’s practice saw a notable development in the ongoing quarterback competition between Van Dyke and redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke: Van Dyke handled all of the reps with the first-team offense.

Fickell had previously noted that the position’s depth chart would become clear through camp reps, as opposed to him outwardly announcing a starter. Connecting those pieces together, Van Dyke appears to have emerged as the Badgers clear starter entering the season.

Wisconsin’s head coach, however, carefully avoided calling the race.

“I just said as we head back to campus, the human element is what starts to creep in to everybody’s program,” Fickell said. “As you get closer to games, you start to solidify who’s in what spot. That’s the tough thing. At some point in time we will have a ‘1’ quarterback and a ‘1b.'”

Fickell went on to note that the Badgers have “two really good, really capable quarterbacks.” Again, avoiding officially naming a starter despite the practice reps leaning toward the veteran.

Van Dyke taking the Badgers’ first offensive snap of the season would be no surprise. The former ACC Rookie of the Year has three years of starting experience, 30 starts, 7,469 career passing yards and 54 career touchdown passes.

While his 2023 season at Miami was a struggle, the Badgers prioritized him in the transfer portal this winter. Adding an established veteran in today’s age of college football usually means that player starts Week 1, while the younger recruits in the room continue to develop.

All indications are that will be the case with the Badgers in Week 1, whether or not Fickell officially calls the race before that date.

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

A significant update to Wisconsin’s quarterback battle entering 2024

Wisconsin quarterback takes edge in position battle at open practice

The Wisconsin Badgers football team held their 10th and final practice of their fall camp at UW-Platteville on Sunday. The team is now returning to campus in Madison for two final weeks of preparation before opening the season on Aug. 30 against Western Michigan.

The program will have its third starting quarterback in three years this season and to this point, it’s been a battle between graduate transfer Tyler Van Dyke (transfer, Miami) and redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke.

Van Dyke may have taken official command as the favorite to handle the starting role on Sunday, as he handled all of the first-team snaps in the final practice of the team’s satellite camp.

The veteran quarterback previously spent three seasons as the starting quarterback for the Hurricanes, compiling 7,469 total passing yards and 54 touchdowns over 30 games. He showed regression in 2023, tossing a career-high 12 interceptions while being benched for freshman Emory Williams at one point.

Now under offensive coordinator Phil Longo and his air raid offense scheme, Van Dyke will look to put together a resurgent final collegiate season.

Despite the clear step toward Van Dyke taking the No. 1 job, Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell was not ready to officially name him the starter on Sunday. That may have to wait until the first game-week depth chart is released in two weeks.

Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke gives reason he chose to transfer to the Badgers

Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke gives reason he chose to transfer to the Badgers

Wisconsin enters the 2024 season with a similar situation at quarterback to what it had entering 2023 — an established veteran transfer starting under center while younger recruits continue to develop in Phil Longo’s system.

In 2023, that veteran starter was former Oklahoma and SMU QB Tanner Mordecai. In 2024, it is former Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke.

Related: Position battles to follow as Wisconsin Badgers begin 2024 fall training camp

Van Dyke committed to the Badgers back on Dec. 12 after entering the transfer portal at the end of the Hurricanes’ 2023 regular season. He joins the program with three years of starting experience, including totals of 7,469 passing yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

His best season came as a redshirt freshman in 2021 under former Miami head coach Manny Diaz. Van Dyke completed 62.3% of his passes that season for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions, numbers strong enough for him to be named ACC Rookie of the Year.

Mild struggles followed in 2022 and 2023, somewhat due to constant turnover on Miami’s offensive coaching staff.

The veteran enters 2024 looking for a fresh start and a stable situation to help him rekindle his 2021 form. He believes he found that in Phil Longo’s air raid offense.

When asked why he chose the Badgers, Van Dyke referenced Miami’s matchup with Phil Longo’s North Carolina Tar Heels during his true freshman season in 2020.

Miami was 8-1 entering the last-season contest, ranked No. 9 in the nation. But North Carolina won the game 62-26 thanks to 778 total yards from Longo’s offense (554 rushing, 224 passing).

Longo’s strong impression mattered when Van Dyke was weighing his transfer options.

The veteran quarterback needs a resurgent season to establish his NFL draft stock. Wisconsin, meanwhile, needs strong quarterback play to experience a resurgent season of its own. This quarterback-program relationship has a chance to be mutually beneficial.

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

2024 Preseason Previews

Big Ten Team Previews: Indiana Hoosiers — Purdue Boilermakers — Illinois Fighting Illini — Northwestern Wildcats — Minnesota Golden Gophers — Nebraska Cornhuskers — Iowa Hawkeyes — Rutgers Scarlet Knights — Maryland Terrapins — Michigan State Spartans — USC Trojans — UCLA Bruins — Washington Huskies — Michigan Wolverines — Penn State Nittany Lions — Ohio State Buckeyes — Oregon Ducks — Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten Position Previews: Quarterbacks — Running Backs — Wide Receivers — Offensive Lines — Tight Ends — Defensive Line — Linebackers — Cornerbacks — Safeties

Wisconsin Position Previews: Quarterback — Running Back

Luke Fickell talks about Wisconsin’s quarterback competition at Big Ten Media Days

Luke Fickell talks about Wisconsin’s quarterback competition at Big Ten Media Days

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is entering 2024 training camp without having named a prohibitive starting quarterback.

The Badgers officially open camp on Monday, July 29 on location at UW-Platteville. The program will practice there until Aug. 12, when it travels back to Madison for the final two weeks of preparation before its Aug. 30 season opener against Western Michigan.

Related: These 13 Badgers can become household names as the 2024 football season goes on

All signs and logic point toward Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke starting under center in Week 1. The veteran was one of the Badgers’ prized transfer additions this offseason after starting for the last three years at Miami.

Van Dyke doesn’t join the Badgers’ program without questions — mainly around his slight regression after a breakout 2021 season. But he is far more experienced than top competitor Braedyn Locke — who is only a redshirt sophomore with five games of collegiate experience. The veteran was likely brought as another bridge quarterback while Locke continues to develop.

But despite it making sense for Van Dyke to be the clear No. 1 entering training camp, Fickell is adamant that there will be a full competition during the period. He joked to the assembled media at Big Ten media days that he “probably will never truly announce” a starter at the position.

Here is that full comment, courtesy of WISC-TV’s Andrew Bandstra:

 

Fickell’s reflection definitely leans toward Van Dyke emerging as the No. 1 during training camp. But in his words, nothing has been or will be officially announced. We will instead have to wait until this time next week after the team completes its first week of fall camp in preparation for the 2024 season.

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

Big Ten Team Previews: Indiana Hoosiers — Purdue Boilermakers — Illinois Fighting Illini — Northwestern Wildcats — Minnesota Golden Gophers — Nebraska Cornhuskers — Iowa Hawkeyes — Rutgers Scarlet Knights — Maryland Terrapins — Michigan State Spartans — USC Trojans — UCLA Bruins — Washington Huskies — Michigan Wolverines — Penn State Nittany Lions — Ohio State Buckeyes — Oregon Ducks — Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten Position Previews: Quarterbacks — Running Backs — Wide Receivers — Offensive Lines — Tight Ends — Defensive Line — Linebackers — Cornerbacks — Safeties

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell: QB Tyler Van Dyke’s adversity at Miami ‘has made him who he is’

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell: QB Tyler Van Dyke’s adversity at Miami ‘has made him who he is’

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell knows what former Miami transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke brings to the table.

Van Dyke was Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s prized transfer addition this offseason as the two coaches worked to recraft the Badgers roster with the goal of a resurgent 2024 season. He joins the program with years of starting experience and plenty of accolades. His collegiate career, however, has been anything but a linear path.

Related: These 13 Badgers can become household names as the 2024 football season goes on

The Glastonbury, Connecticut native first joined the Hurricanes program as a four-star recruit in the class of 2020. He spent little time before a breakout redshirt freshman season in 2021 that included a 62.3 completion percentage, 2,931 passing yards, 9.0 yards per attempt, 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

That season earned him ACC Rookie of the Year honors and the billing of one of the best young quarterbacks in the sport. Then the path got rocky.

Miami fired head coach Manny Diaz after the 2021 season and hired former Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal. That turnover eventually led to three offensive systems in as many years for Van Dyke. His efficiency plummeted as a result. Instead of a progression after a strong debut, the veteran quarterback regressed over the next two seasons as Miami went just 12-13. A 2,703-yard, 19-touchdown, 12-interception 2023 campaign was Van Dyke’s last at Miami before he entered the transfer portal this offseason and committed to Fickell and the Badgers.

The Badgers head coach joined CBS Sports HQ during Big Ten media days this week and discussed Van Dyke’s arrival in Madison, and specifically how his experience at Miami will help him grow and adapt in the Badgers’ offensive system.

“Tyler Van Dyke is a guy that’s been in three systems. He’s had three different offensive coordinators at Miami. He’s had to battle through a lot of ups and downs,” Fickell explained. “To me, that’s made him who he is. That’s given him the humility to get back up and continue to grow. He’s had to handle some of those adversities, and it showed when he walked in the door at our place. Because he was really humble, he was really embracing to all things and understood that this is going to be a competition.”

 

Fickell sells the quarterback battle as at true competition between Van Dyke and redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke. That is unlikely to be the complete truth given Van Dyke’s pedigree and the program’s decision to bring him in this offseason.

The rest of the comment should carry weight. Wisconsin enters 2024 after an adversity-filled 2023 campaign.  The program is in desperate need of a resurgence, a sentence that can also be applied to Van Dyke’s current situation and career path to this point.

There is an undercurrent of optimism that the Badgers’ stable offensive system with a strong offensive line, good rushing attack and terrific cast of weapons will allow the veteran quarterback to refind his 2021 form. If that happens, 2024 could be a turning point for both Van Dyke and for the Wisconsin program.

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

Big Ten Team Previews: Indiana Hoosiers — Purdue Boilermakers — Illinois Fighting Illini — Northwestern Wildcats — Minnesota Golden Gophers — Nebraska Cornhuskers — Iowa Hawkeyes — Rutgers Scarlet Knights — Maryland Terrapins — Michigan State Spartans — USC Trojans — UCLA Bruins — Washington Huskies — Michigan Wolverines — Penn State Nittany Lions — Ohio State Buckeyes — Oregon Ducks — Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten Position Previews: Quarterbacks — Running Backs — Wide Receivers — Offensive Lines — Tight Ends — Defensive Line — Linebackers — Cornerbacks — Safeties

14 Wisconsin Badgers crack Shrine Bowl preseason watch list

14 Wisconsin Badgers crack Shrine Bowl preseason watch list

14 Wisconsin Badgers cracked the Shrine Bowl preseason watch list entering the 2024 football season.

With roughly one month remaining until Wisconsin begins its 2024 campaign, college football outlets have begun to craft preseason rankings and hierarchies for the fall slate.

One of those projections, the East-West Shrine Bowl watch list, includes hundreds of the most promising players across the nation.

The college all-star game allows the next generation of professional athletes to display their skill sets before all 32 NFL teams’ coaches, scouts and executives.

The 14 Wisconsin Badgers who cracked the watch list were: RB Jackson Acker, CB Ricardo Hallman, OL Joe Huber, OL Riley Mailman, RB Chez Mellusi, OL Jack Nelson, WR Will Pauling, OLB Darryl Peterson, OLB John Pius, OL Jake Renfro, LB Jaheim Thomas, DL James Thompson Jr., QB Tyler Van Dyke and S Hunter Wohler.

Since 1925, the East-West Shrine Bowl has helped support Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in its efforts to care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.

Staged in Dallas, Texas, January’s Shrine Bowl game will be the 100th installment of the event.

Wisconsin cracks top 30 of Pro Football Focus 2024 college football power rankings

Wisconsin in the top 30 of latest Pro Football Focus power rankings

Pro Football Focus released their latest power rankings for the upcoming 2024 college football season this week. Wisconsin fell at No. 30 in the service’s ranking.

PFF’s metrics specifically give the Badgers a projected win total of 7.5, an 81.74% chance to make a bowl game, a 5.72% chance to win the Big Ten and a 1.22% chance to win the national championship.

2024 will be Wisconsin’s second season under the guidance of head coach Luke Fickell and his staff in Madison after the program went 7-6 in his first season in 2023, capped off with a loss in the ReliaQuest Bowl to LSU.

Notable departures from the team following the season included running back Braelon Allen (New York Jets), interior offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini (Indianapolis Colts), as well as quarterback Tanner Mordecai (San Francisco 49ers), wide receiver Chimere Dike (Florida Gators) and linebacker Maema Njongmeta (Cincinnati Bengals).

[lawrence-related id=78567]

With transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (Miami-FL) joining the Badgers ahead of his final season of eligibility and familiar faces like running back Chez Mellusi and wide receiver Will Pauling returning, Phil Longo’s offense is expected to take a step forward in 2024.

On the defensive side of the ball, Mike Tressel’s unit struggled to get to the quarterback in 2023. Its rate should improve in 2024 with the additions of Leon Lowery (Syracuse) and John Pius (William & Mary). Returning stars Hunter Wohler and Ricardo Hallman, then, are expected to hold down the secondary.

[lawrence-related id=78704]

Luke Fickell’s squad will have a particularly difficult schedule in 2024, including a non-conference matchup with Alabama (home) and contests with new Big Ten foes USC (road) and Oregon (home). If the Badgers can pull off some notable wins, they could easily outperform their position PFF’s current power rankings.