Colton Joseph walked into Saturday with a chance to quiet the noise. Instead, he left it louder.
Wisconsin still handled Western Illinois 36-9, but the score did little to soften the mood around the quarterback. For a fan base hoping to see Joseph settle in and take command, the performance only fed the doubts that have been building since spring camp. By the end of it, plenty of Badger fans were already looking toward Ryan Hopkins.
The biggest issue was simple: Joseph kept missing throws he should have made. The short game was a mess.
Open receivers were there, the windows were there, and the completions just weren’t. He finished 12 of 22 passing against an FCS opponent, and that number matched what the eye test said all night - it was rough.
He also didn’t offer much with his legs. Joseph carried the ball four times for 33 yards, which works out to 8.3 yards per carry, but even that line undersells how much more he seemed to leave on the field.
There were chances to tuck it and go, yet he largely stayed put. At times, fans were left wondering whether he was still the mobile quarterback they expected.
Then came the decisions. That has been a concern around Joseph since spring ball, and his 10 interceptions last season for Old Dominion are part of why.
He has that gunslinger edge, the willingness to force throws into tight spots, but there are also moments when the choice itself just goes bad. Against Western Illinois, he never really found a rhythm and the mistakes kept piling up.
As one observer put it on social media, “There’s not another way to say it, but Colton Joseph has been a disappointment through a game and a half. We really haven’t seen his explosiveness yet and he’s wildly inaccurate passing the ball. #Badgers”
Another added, “Unfortunately I am not impressed by Colton Joseph. He’s missing a lot of throws that should be easy.
Fortunately our FG kicker looks awesome”
And another note from the game summed up the passing struggles: “Colton Joseph not sharp. Risky decision on deep post to Coleman, DPI saved him. Poor throw to Harris on short curl to his right.
Saw this and wrote about it in camp -- too many easy throws missed by Joseph.”
After the game, Luke Fickell pointed to Joseph being “a little bit dinged up.” Fickell told reporters, “Obviously nothing was ever really said.
He wasn’t able to ready himself to go on Tuesday.” He also said the staff took big throws downfield “off his plate” this last week.
That explanation only opened more questions. If Joseph wasn’t healthy, why was he out there in a game Wisconsin could have handled with QB2 or QB3?
And once it was clear he was laboring, why keep him in? The larger question hangs over all of it: was Fickell protecting his quarterback, or protecting the story around him?
In Other News...
Wisconsins Coaching Reset Is Back In Focus After Long-Awaited Comments
Nearly four years after Wisconsin moved on from Paul Chryst and hired Luke Fickell instead of interim coach Jim Leonhard, the coaching reset that changed the programs direction is back in view. Chryst and Leonhard have now both spoken publicly about the abrupt transition, offering the clearest look yet at how each man viewed one of the biggest decisions Wisconsin has made in recent years.
Chryst said he did not agree with being fired, but he still backed Leonhard as the right successor. Leonhard, meanwhile, said he expected to remain at Wisconsin and was surprised when the school went with Fickell instead. Since then, Leonhard has moved into NFL coaching and was recently hired as the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator, while Chryst has stayed largely out of the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Just Gave Badgers Fans A Telling Personnel Read
Luke Fickell used a recent press conference to give Wisconsin fans a better sense of where the program stands behind the scenes, and the picture was broader than any one injury report or depth-chart note. He pointed to the positive impact Bradie Ewing has made around the program, crediting him for helping connect with former players while continuing to grow his own role in the building.
Fickell also touched on the development of a defensive player, calling out the physical progress that has come with more time in the system, and he offered an update on Colton Josephs health heading into the weekend. The offensive line came up too, with Fickell giving his assessment of that group as the Badgers continue sorting out personnel and availability across both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Defense Has An Early Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Through two games, Wisconsins defense has looked like a unit still searching for its edge under fourth-year coordinator Mike Tressel. There were encouraging stretches, especially in the first half against Notre Dame, but the group also showed signs of fading after halftime and had trouble containing the mobile quarterback from Western Illinois. For a defense that spent the offseason emphasizing turnovers, the early returns have been more about effort than payoff.
The bigger concern is what has not happened yet. Wisconsin still has not come away with an interception or a forced fumble, and coaches and players have acknowledged the need to bring more physicality and pressure if they want to change that trend. In a conference race where hidden yardage and sudden momentum swings can matter, those takeaway chances are the sort of detail the Badgers cannot afford to keep leaving on the field. [Read more 🡒]