Wisconsin brought in Colton Joseph expecting a quarterback who could juice Jeff Grimes’ offense with his legs and his arm. Through two weeks, though, the transfer has looked more ordinary than explosive, and Joseph knows it.
After a rough showing against Western Illinois, Joseph didn’t hide from the critique. He called his play “mediocre” and told Evan Flood and other reporters, “I'm not playing to the extent that I know I can play at, and I want to be playing at.” He said he plans to get back to work this week and show a better version of himself against Eastern Michigan.
The frustration is easy to understand. Against Western Illinois, Joseph was missing open receivers and rarely looked willing to take off and run. He wasn’t comfortable in the pocket, and the performance had enough ugly stretches to raise eyebrows.
Joseph’s first two games haven’t given Wisconsin fans much to hang onto, but the start hasn’t been a total disaster. In the opener against Notre Dame, he had some solid moments, and it’s hard to pin that loss on him alone.
He actually posted a higher QBR than CJ Carr, 70.5 to 70.2. Still, one play stands out: an interception that was returned for a touchdown and may have been the backbreaker for Wisconsin.
The Western Illinois game was even rougher. Joseph was still working through recovery after Notre Dame had “beat him up a little,” and he wasn’t fully throwing or running. Even so, the stat line was hard to ignore: 12 of 22 for 173 yards and one touchdown, with a final QBR of 28.7.
Now the attention turns to Week 3 and a third impression with Badger fans. Joseph doesn’t need to turn into a superhero, but Wisconsin needs him to settle in, move the offense, and keep drives alive. If he can pair his running ability with a productive day through the air, that would go a long way toward changing the conversation.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Could Lose A Key Commit As Pressure Builds On Fickell
The pressure around Wisconsins recruiting class has picked up in a hurry, and one of the more important names in the group is now getting attention from some familiar heavyweights. James Trey Roberson, a three-star safety committed to the Badgers, has drawn a new offer from Alabama while also hearing from Mississippi State and UCF, a sign that his pledge is being tested by a wider market than the one Wisconsin first had to navigate.
Roberson has not shut the door on a flip, and Alabama is expected to use a game-day visit to keep pressing its case. For Luke Fickell, holding onto the safety matters not just because Roberson is part of Wisconsins top-25 class, but because keeping committed players from being pulled away late has become part of the broader recruiting fight the Badgers are trying to win. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Basketball Just Caught A Big Ten Break At The Right Time
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There is still work to do, of course, but the draw also gives Wisconsin repeated chances against Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa, three programs it has handled well lately. Add in a stretch during the student break and a West Coast trip that appears manageable, and the schedule sets up as the kind of break that can help a team build momentum before the Big Ten race gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Has An Early 2027 Recruiting Problem
Wisconsins 2027 recruiting class is still very much in the early stages, but one of its commits is already drawing outside attention. Three-star safety Trey Roberson, who is committed to the Badgers, recently picked up an offer from Alabama, and he is lined up to visit Tuscaloosa in two weeks for a game day event.
For Wisconsin, that adds a familiar early-cycle wrinkle to a class that is years away from signing day but not immune to pressure. The Badgers know how quickly a commit can become a target once bigger programs start pushing, and Robersons situation gives the staff another reason to make sure the on-field product this season helps reinforce the message around the future they are trying to sell. [Read more 🡒]