Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Visiting Miami (Ohio) ought to present a strong measuring stick for the Wisconsin Badgers and coach Luke Fickell, trying to bounce again from a disappointing season, within the nonconference opener for each groups Thursday evening in Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin dropped its ultimate 5 video games final season to complete 5-7 in Fickell’s second yr on the helm, snapping a streak of twenty-two consecutive profitable seasons.
Miami, 9-5 final season, has appeared within the final two MAC championship video games. The RedHawks misplaced to Ohio 38-3 within the convention title recreation final yr, then defeated Colorado State 43-17 within the Arizona Bowl.
Wisconsin, which averaged simply 22.6 factors per recreation final season, has some main modifications on offense. Jeff Grimes, offensive coordinator at Kansas final season, replaces Phil Longo in the identical position.
For the third consecutive season beneath Fickell, the Badgers may have a veteran switch beginning at quarterback. Billy Edwards Jr. threw for two,881 yards with 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for Maryland final season, finishing 65 % of his passes.
Redshirt freshman Dilin Jones has been tabbed the starter at working again, with returnees Darrion Dupree (317 yards) and Cade Yacamelli (274 yards) as back-ups.
The Badgers shall be with out injured tight finish Tucker Ashcraft vs. Miami.
“In the end, recreation one specifically, is about specializing in your self,” Fickell stated Monday. “For us, it is about us going on the market enjoying with some confidence and enjoying clear. We have got so much to show to ourselves.”
The RedHawks additionally will depend on a veteran switch at quarterback, seventh-year senior Dequan Finn, who was at Baylor final seasons after 5 years at MAC rival Toledo.
Finn began the primary two video games at Baylor final season earlier than struggling a shoulder damage. At Toledo, Finn handed for 7,074 yards and 63 touchdowns, whereas including 1,840 yards speeding with 25 scores and was the MAC’s Most Beneficial Participant in 2023.
The RedHawks are nonetheless attempting to determine their rotations, coach Chuck Martin stated final week.
“We have nonetheless received a hodgepodge mess of proficient youngsters which might be inconsistent,” Martin stated. “We’ll play a ton of Wisconsin on offense. I believe there’s undoubtedly some guys that we all know on protection, our elder statesmen on protection, which might be our guys.”
The Badgers face a troublesome problem to enhance beneath Fickell, 12-13 in his first two full seasons after going 53-10 in his ultimate 5 seasons at Cincinnati, together with one School Soccer Playoff look.
After house video games in opposition to Miami and Center Tennessee, the Badgers journey to eighth-ranked Alabama — the primary of six video games in opposition to groups within the preseason high 20, together with 4 on the highway.
It will likely be the primary assembly between Wisconsin and the RedHawks since 2015 when the Badgers rolled to a 58-0 victory at house.
–Area Degree Media
