Wisconsin has named Tyler Van Dyke its starting quarterback, Badgers offensive coordinator Phil Longo announced Wednesday. The former Miami signal-caller transferred into the program after four seasons with the Hurricanes and has one year of eligibility remaining to resurrect a once-promising career.
Van Dyke’s top competition for the job came from redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke, who started three games for the Badgers in 2023 during coach Luke Fickell’s first season. Longo cast it as a close race between the two signal-callers.
“We kind of see it as a 1A and 1B type situation right now, as opposed to a one and a two,” Longo said. “That’s how well Braedyn has done here in camp. But as of right now, Tyler Van Dyke is our starter.”
Van Dyke is the more seasoned of the two players as he brings three years of significant starting experience at Miami to the table. The Connecticut native thrived as a redshirt freshman with the Hurricanes in 2021, passing for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions while earning ACC Rookie of the Year under then-Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. However, Van Dyke struggled at times in 2022 and 2023 under a new coaching regime and in two different offensive systems.
Joining Longo’s high-octane attack should give Van Dyke a chance to play in a system more akin to the one he succeeded in at Miami in 2021. Van Dyke is the second consecutive former Lashlee pupil to be named the Badgers’ starting quarterback.
Last year Wisconsin turned to former SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai, who had thrown for 3,524 and 33 touchdowns with the Mustangs during the 2022 season. The results were mixed as the Badgers finished 7-6 and ranked 69th nationally in total offense during Fickell’s debut campaign.
However, the Badgers were derailed offensively in mid-October, when Mordecai suffered a hand injury during the team’s loss to Iowa. Locke, then a redshirt freshman with no experience, took over the top job and logged three starts before Mordecai returned in mid-November.
If Van Dyke goes down this season, Locke will be a seasoned backup with a year of experience in Longo’s system. Even if Van Dyke stays injury-free, building upon last season’s 7-6 record and middling offensive output will be difficult for the Badgers, who face a tough 2024 schedule. Games against Alabama and at USC highlight the September slate, while challenges against Penn State, Iowa and Oregon mark the season’s second half.
