The Wisconsin Badgers football program is doing everything within its power to climb the Big Ten standings again after a dreadful shutout loss against Iowa last week. While the matchup against Rutgers offers some level of reprieve, the challenge of starting true freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins comes with its own set of issues.
That's no indictment of the 6-foot-3 Southern California native, whose 2,410-yard,19-touchdown senior high school campaign impressed Wisconsin enough to give him a shot at their backup quarterback role. With the normal starter, Colton Joseph, dealing with injuries, head coach Luke Fickell doesn't have a better time than the present to see what he's got in Hopkins.
Hopkins entered the game in relief of Joseph late in the Iowa loss, throwing for 93 passing yards with a 61.5% completion rate and one pick. Through three quarters of that same contest, the struggling and reportedly ailing incumbent starter, Joseph, completed only five of his 14 passes for 90 yards.
With stats like those, there's a case that Fickell isn't just resting Joseph so the senior can tend to his injuries, but soft-launching a potential change at the starting quarterback position as Wisconsin looks down the road to future seasons. Giving Hopkins reps now against a 2-6 Rutgers squad should put him in a better position next year and moving forward, when there's a significant chance he'll be assuming the starting role on a full-time basis.
To salvage its season, Wisconsin needs to win games — regardless of which Badgers quarterback is throwing the football.
Two weeks ago, we were talking about this as a ranked Wisconsin Badgers team with the potential to sneak into the College Football Playoffs. One bad loss later, and we're wondering if it's time to reorient the season around a build for the future. But in life and in college sports, the show must go on, and Luke Fickell isn't afraid to get his hands dirty if it's what the team needs most.
Joseph has had his moments in the starting role, but has overall been a middling quarterback in a highly competitive conference. His raw stats look solid, with 1,346 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games this season.
On the other hand, his 55.6% completion rate leaves some to be desired, and his passing vision isn't always up to par. So if he's too banged up to continue making an impact on the ground, it might be wise to look in the direction of someone like Hopkins, who could assume that role.
Nothing is determined just yet, but if this goes well, it'll be hard to imagine Fickell handing the starting quarterback role back to Joseph, even when he is healthy.
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