Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell and several player representatives — center Jake Renfro, cornerback Ricardo Hallman and quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. — were on hand at Big Ten media days on Wednesday, officially kickstarting preparation for the fast-approaching 2025 football season.
As is often the case, one major storyline surrounding the team is its quarterback situation. Wisconsin welcomed in experienced transfers in Tanner Mordecai and Tyler Van Dyke, respectively, before each of the last two seasons. However, the team never saw those plans through to completion, as both players battled significant injury. They combined for only 13 total starts, a number that drops to 11 when the two games during which they were injured during the first quarter aren’t considered.
Related: Big Ten football starting quarterback rankings: Where does Billy Edwards slot in?
Those injuries and resulting inconsistent play under center were a major reason for Wisconsin’s offensive struggles in 2023 and 2024 under now-former coordinator Phil Longo. With the team entering 2025 with a nearly identical plan as it did the last two years, this time with Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr. at quarterback and Jeff Grimes at OC, maybe the third time becomes the charm.
Edwards completed 65% of his passes for 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season, operating behind a Maryland offensive line that was among the worst in the Big Ten. Many are expecting a breakthrough 2025 campaign from the veteran signal-caller. Wisconsin’s supporting cast, from the offensive line to the skill positions, is far better suited to help its quarterback succeed.
Fickell’s tone from media days didn’t necessarily focus on the expectations surrounding Edwards’ play. Instead, it was on the veteran’s leadership — a quality seen by him representing the Badgers at conference media days after just seven months with the program.
“I think first and foremost, he’s a guy that has walked in knowing that the whole idea is that we’re going to hand over the keys to this new offense, but everything that we do is earned. ” Fickell began. “There’s a uniqueness to that that you have to be able to handle. He’s walked in, humbled himself in a lot of ways, earned and gained the respect of not just the locker room, but everybody within the coaching staff. In order to do that, it takes somebody that’s well in-tune to all the things around him. It started there, his voice has to grow from the time he came in in January to where he is now. It started there, his voice has to grow from the time he came in in January to where he is now. And I think he’s done it in an unbelievable way.”
Wisconsin enters the 2025 season looking to bounce back after a program-worst finish in 2024. While the Badgers face one of the sport’s toughest schedules, they are set to do so after an offseason full of notable roster improvements, headlined by Edwards’ addition.
The veteran quarterback’s play will go a long way toward deciding the team’s fate in 2025, which will directly affect the program’s overall trajectory under Fickell.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell comments on Billy Edwards’ leadership since winter transfer
Reporting by Ben Kenney, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
