Tyler Van Dyke has officially been announced as Wisconsin’s starting quarterback, winning the position over Braedyn Locke, who had filled in for the injured Tanner Mordecai in three games last season. Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, earned the starting role according to offensive coordinator Phil Longo following a recent practice session. The Badgers, under the coaching of Luke Fickell, will start their season against Western Michigan on August 30 in a Friday night game, aiming to improve on their 7-6 record from the previous season.

Van Dyke, who was named the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year in 2021, faced challenges with injuries and inconsistencies during his time at Miami. Despite losing his starting position to Emory Williams, he reclaimed it after Williams suffered an arm injury. In his three years with the Hurricanes, Van Dyke completed 63.7% of his passes for 7,469 yards, throwing 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. Last season, he completed 65.8% of his passes for 2,703 yards, adding 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

While acknowledging the progress made by Locke, Longo highlighted that the competition between Wisconsin’s top two quarterbacks was much closer this year compared to previous seasons. He emphasized that the team sees the situation more as a 1-A and 1-B scenario rather than a clear No. 1 and No. 2. Longo stated, “That’s how well Braedyn has done here in camp. But as of right now, Tyler Van Dyke is our starter.”