Ryan Hopkins’ first start for Wisconsin gave fans exactly what they had been waiting to see. Against Rutgers on Saturday, the true freshman looked comfortable enough to make the case that the offense has a different gear with him under center. The mistakes and missed reads are still part of the package, but the ball comes out with more zip, the operation looked cleaner, and he showed he can work all three levels.
That was the big topic after the game, and the answers came from all over the Wisconsin locker room.
Luke Fickell was first up, and his response was the most restrained of the bunch. “So, happy and proud of how he handled the situation today, and how he allowed the people around him to help him out. We got some good fortune on a few things as well, and I think that’s all a part of continuing to let it fly.”
Fickell stopped short of declaring Hopkins the full-time starter over Colton Joseph, but he made it clear the staff wanted to see what the freshman could do. Joseph was banged up early in the week, and that helped push the decision in Hopkins’ direction. Fickell said the timing felt right to make the move, and now the next step is seeing how the week unfolds.
Mason Posa sounded far less cautious. When Kate Fox asked him about Hopkins, he lit up.
“We saw the spark he could do in practices. Hop came in here ready to roll, no fear in his eyes.
He’s one of those quarterbacks who gets a little chippy... I knew Hop had that dog in him.
He performed very well; I’m very pleased and satisfied.”
Posa’s confidence went beyond the performance itself. He said the defense’s job is to keep getting Hopkins the ball and keep Rutgers off the field so the offense can keep creating chances. That perspective hits differently coming from a true freshman who knows what it’s like to walk in and immediately be handed responsibility, which is exactly what Posa experienced last year.
“All we have to do is just get him the ball.”
Jacob Harris added a little more personality to the mix. The star tight end’s biggest impression was the velocity on Hopkins’ throws.
“Hop throws the ball like a pitcher,” Harris said. “He looks like he’s going to absolutely throw a missile at you, regardless of what the throw is...
Makes you want to flinch.
Harris said he loves the way Hopkins spins it, adding that “he spins it really nice.” He had plenty of reason to be impressed, too, after catching two of Hopkins’ passes against Rutgers for 70 yards and a touchdown.
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Wisconsin Defenders Breakout Season Just Earned National Attention
Wisconsins win over Rutgers did more than lock in bowl eligibility. It also put a spotlight on the kind of defensive season Cooper Catalano has been putting together for the Badgers, with the linebacker turning in 14 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the victory while continuing to anchor a unit that has helped steady the teams push into the postseason picture.
Catalanos production has now earned national recognition, as Wisconsin announced he has been added to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watchlist, which honors the top defender in college football. He enters that conversation ranked seventh in the FBS with 89 tackles, a reminder that his breakout year has gone well beyond one strong afternoon and has become one of the defining developments of Wisconsins season. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Signals Wisconsin May Need A Backfield Change
Wisconsins offense has taken real steps forward this season in scoring and through the air, but the ground game still has not matched the rest of the unit. The Badgers have managed only a modest bump in rushing production from a year ago, and Luke Fickell has been open about the fact that the running back room has not found the kind of rhythm this offense needs.
Fickell pointed to a mix of injuries and a committee approach as part of the problem, and he made it clear he wants to tighten up how the carries are distributed. For a team trying to keep building on its offensive progress, the next question is whether Wisconsin sticks with the current rotation or leans harder toward a more defined lead back to help someone get rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Still Has Plenty Riding On Its Bowl Destination
Wisconsin has already done the first thing it needed to do by beating Rutgers and locking up bowl eligibility, but the destination still matters plenty as the regular season winds down. With three games left, the Badgers are not just playing for record and momentum anymore. They are also in the mix for a range of postseason landing spots, and the projections have already started to point them in different directions.
Some outlets have pegged Wisconsin for the Music City Bowl against Oklahoma, while others have sent the Badgers to the Pinstripe Bowl to face Pittsburgh, and nothing official has been announced yet. For a program that has spent the fall trying to steady itself, the final stretch now carries a little extra weight because those last three games could help shape where the season ends and how the next chapter begins. [Read more 🡒]