Guess what? Wisconsin’s quarterback is healthy and good. Hard to believe these words are being typed, but it's true. Colton Joseph, the Old Dominion transfer, has risen to the occasion.
A 202 total yards performance propelled Wisconsin the entirety of the game against Notre Dame — Joseph’s dual threat capabilities gave the Badgers much needed versatility on offense.
Though he experienced struggles, missed passes, made the wrong reads and even threw a pick-6, he still looked like a quarterback that could lead this offense. His throwing ability, being able to find Eugene Hilton Jr. and Malachi Coleman consistently throughout the game, got the offense moving the chains multiple times.
“It was a great environment, I felt pretty good throughout the game. Obviously, I can't have that turnover,” Joseph said in the post game conference.
A debut performance against the No. 4 team in the nation with one of the best defenses in the country is never an easy task. Joseph looked composed throughout the game, especially off of inside routes from the slot receiver; finding them consistently for easy receptions.
What Badger fans have yet to see are Joseph’s true running capabilities. Known for his dual-threat playing style, his running performance against the Fighting Irish was way below what anyone expected. After finishing his first game with the Badgers racking up only three rushing yards, Joseph leaves a lot to hope for.
At Old Dominion University, Joseph finished with an outstanding 1,007 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Wisconsin hopes they can unlock that from Joseph, especially if the Badgers hope to bring back their traditional running play style.
One of Joseph’s game highlights came in the second quarter, where he was able to find a wide open Coleman for a 28-yard touchdown pass. With 12:36 still left to play in the first half, Wisconsin had tied it all up, 10-10.
Joseph couldn’t find the endzone anytime after, but demonstrated moments of potential. Multiple times he was able to move out of pressure and find an open target.
He showed that he is capable of bouncing back after a brutal interception. The Badgers continued to move the ball and kept the drive alive, even though they struggled in opposing territory.
Now, the last thing left for Fickell is to keep Joseph healthy.
Throughout Fickell's tenure, gruesome injuries have hindered the offense, especially in the quarterback position. Joseph is capable of running the Wisconsin offense and will be even more of a threat if he can start running the ball consistently.
“It’s not a one game season,” Joseph said. “We got a great team that’s gonna come out firing next week.”
Wisconsin will face the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Camp Randall on Sept. 12.
