After a 17-0 season opening win over Miami (Ohio) Thursday night, Wisconsin has officially turned the page on a new season. Wisconsin’s ugly 2024 season is now history, and while Thursday’s sloppy victory was not nearly enough to put the Badgers’ doubts to rest, it was nonetheless a step in the right direction, however small.
The 2024 Wisconsin football season was, without a doubt, a disappointment. After losing five straight games to close out the season, Wisconsin finished 5-7, missing a bowl game for the first time since 200. As that losing streak developed, it became obvious Wisconsin lacked a sense of purpose — outscored by 86 points in painful losses to Penn State, Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska and Minnesota. Changes needed to be made.
“Last year was not the standard,” Fickell said at Big Ten Media Day. “But I’m not here to dwell upon last year, either. What last year does is it gives us an opportunity to be able to self reflect. It gives an opportunity to recognize things that we can continue to be able to change.”
The flurry of moves made within the program point toward Fickell's words being more than just coach-talk jargon.
Offensive coordinator Phil Longo was let go following a heartbreaking 16-13 November home loss to No. 1 Oregon.
Longo ran a personalized version of the ‘air raid’ offense in Madison, a modern scheme characterized by fast-tempo and a pass-heavy attack designed to exploit opposing defenses’ weaknesses. However, predictable playcalling, poor execution and a mismatch with the team’s strengths ultimately led to Longo’s offense falling flat. The decision to move on symbolizes a willingness from Fickell to adopt a different approach.
Over the offseason, Wisconsin hired Jeff Grimes as their new offensive coordinator after his success at Kansas last season, where the Jayhawks offense averaged 420.8 yards per game — seventh-best in the Big 12. Grimes will be tasked with rejuvenating an offense that has looked lifeless in back-to-back seasons.
Grimes’ offense models an NFL-style blueprint, built on a physical run game complemented by play-action passes to create explosive opportunities when defenses overcommit. The biggest difference from Longo’s scheme is tempo. Grimes’ offense is built for sustained, methodical drives that wear down opposing defenses. If executed well, this approach could unlock a level of offensive efficiency that the Badgers haven’t seen in years.
The success of that shift was primed to hinge largely on the play of the new man under center in 2025. Braedyn Locke, last year’s primary starting quarterback, transferred to Arizona in December, paving the way for redshirt senior transfer Billy Edwards Jr. from Maryland.
But Edwards went down with an apparent non-contact knee sprain in Thursday’s second quarter and did not return to the game.
The Badgers look to have dodged a bullet, with ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reporting Edwards had a clean MRI and his status is week-to-week, eliminating the fears of a potential long-term injury. He will miss this week’s matchup against Middle Tennessee State, but CBS’s Chris Hummer reports there’s hope Edwards could be back in time for Wisconsin’s matchup against Alabama on Sept. 13.
Sophomore transfer Danny O’Neill took the reins the rest of the way Thursday, completing 12-of-19 passes for 120 passing yards with one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown, 13 rushing yards and one interception. O’Neill played well enough to beat Miami (Ohio), but showed flashes of an erratic young QB, traits not primed well for the gauntlet of a schedule that remains for Wisconsin.
Edwards finished fifth in passing yards in the Big Ten last season, and was recruited to bring stability to a position that has been unreliable and inconsistent throughout Fickell’s tenure thus far. Without Edwards, Wisconsin will have to adjust to life with a back-up quarterback for the third time in as many seasons.
With those changes in mind, here are the three biggest questions that loom over Wisconsin as they prepare for the rest of the season.
Will Wisconsin rediscover its identity?
Wisconsin’s historical identity in football has been about winning the war in the trenches. But even as pounding the rock has long been Wisconsin’s m.o., it has been anything but in the Luke Fickell era.
In 2021, Paul Chryst’s last full season as head coach, the Badgers averaged 210.9 rushing yards per game, second-best in the Big Ten that season. Under Fickell, that number fell to 161.2 in 2023 and 153.7 in 2024. The lack of a reliable run game made Wisconsin’s offense one dimensional, and the overall production suffered noticeably.
Bringing Grimes in is a deliberate effort to get Wisconsin football back to its roots. His Jayhawks averaged 212.1 rushing yards per game last season, third-best in the Big 12. Grimes’ scheme emphasizes downhill running complemented by the play-action, a formula that could fit the Badgers’ personnel far better than the ‘air raid’ scheme that sputtered the past two seasons.
On Thursday, signs of this shift could be seen. Wisconsin carried the ball 43 times, compared to 32 passing attempts. And while Wisconsin only gained 165 rushing yards, Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree did show that they could cause some trouble for opposing teams as a backfield duo.
Signs of offensive improvement will be critical for the Badgers to regain momentum. If Wisconsin wants to get better in 2025, re-establishing a run-heavy identity is non-negotiable.
Can Billy Edwards Jr. steer the ship?
Wisconsin’s quarterbacks have traditionally thrived as steady game managers rather than offensive superstars. Outside of Russell Wilson’s incredible 2011 season, the program’s most successful teams have featured efficient, reliable quarterbacks that fit the scheme and can steer the ship.
That reliability has been sorely missing the past two seasons. Tanner Mordecai and Tyler Van Dyke — who tore his ACL in just his third game last season — were capable players, but they were forced into an ‘air-raid’ system that leaned heavily on quarterback production. As injuries got the best of Mordecai and Van Dyke, an already unnatural quarterback fit became nearly incompatible, and it showed on the field.
The Badgers’ offense finished with a turnover margin of -6 in 2024, third-worst in the Big Ten, and the offense consistently looked out of rhythm. This was not the standard of Wisconsin football, and things had to change.
Like his predecessors, Edwards Jr. isn’t the kind of quarterback who thrives in a pass-heavy system. The difference in 2025 is that his responsibilities match his skill set.
With Jeff Grimes installing a run-first approach, Edwards Jr. won’t be asked to put the offense on his back. Instead, he’s simply being asked to steer the ship. If he can be efficient on third-down, limit turnovers and complement the run game, Wisconsin’s offense has a chance to rediscover its rhythm.
Of course, after Edwards Jr.’s Week 1 injury, much of Wisconsin preseason quarterback plans have hit a minor setback. However, this time around, in an offense that puts less responsibility on its QB, Wisconsin looks to be better suited with a backup until their starter is ready to return.
When Edwards Jr. is back under center, Wisconsin doesn’t need him to be the next Russell Wilson. They just need him to be the right quarterback in the right system — something they haven’t had in the Fickell-era.
Can the Badgers compete with the toughest schedule in college football?
The unfortunate reality for the 2025 Wisconsin Badgers is that they’re being dealt the worst hand in the nation when it comes to strength of schedule. Paul Myerberg of USA Today rates the Badgers’ schedule as the most difficult in the NCAA. Six of Wisconsin’s opponents are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25: No. 3 Ohio State, No. 7 Oregon, No. 8 Alabama, No. 12 Illinois, No. 14 Michigan and No. 20 Indiana. In addition to those ranked opponents, the Badgers will also face Maryland, Iowa, Washington and Minnesota.
Last season, Wisconsin collapsed down the stretch and shockingly missed out on playing in a bowl game. Under this season’s circumstances, a bowl game appearance would be a resounding success.
The Badgers have yet to win a game against a ranked opponent in the Luke Fickell era, despite coming painstakingly close. Against ranked teams, five of their six losses have been within one score entering the fourth quarter. Closing out those tight contests will be a key indicator of whether this team is ready to turn the corner or if there are bigger issues on hand.
Thursday night at Camp Randall offered the first glimpse of whether the Badgers are truly on a new path. With their starting quarterback going down and a scuffling offensive performance reminiscent of years past, the opener was not as smooth as they would have liked, but in winning, Wisconsin allows their season trajectory to stay on the rails, giving the Badgers a chance to right the wrongs of their 2024 season.
