Colton Joseph arrives at Wisconsin with the kind of trait the Badgers have been missing under center: a quarterback who can turn broken plays into gains and keep an offense alive when the first read disappears.
That’s the core of what makes the Old Dominion transfer so appealing. Wisconsin spent this offseason chasing a fix for a quarterback room that has been undone by injuries and inconsistency over the past couple years, and Joseph was one of the most coveted names in the portal. A two-year starter, he comes in with the reputation of being as dangerous with his legs as he is capable through the air.
Asked whether his dual-threat ability is his superpower, Joseph didn’t hesitate.
"I'd say so," Joseph said. "Being able to escape and find ways to create plays and to get out helps me and it helps play callers keep confidence that we can make something happen out of nothing."
That “something happen out of nothing” part is exactly what jumps off the page with Joseph. The dual-threat label gets tossed around constantly these days, but in his case the production backs it up. He ran for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
And this wasn’t just a stat line built on dominating lighter competition. Joseph showed he could hold up against higher-end opponents, too.
Against eventual national champion Indiana, he ripped off 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, including a 78-yard score on the opening snap. The passing game was rough in that one - just 96 yards and three interceptions - but that was hardly a clean night for anyone facing Indiana.
His other Power Four test told a different story. Against Virginia Tech, Joseph still did damage on the ground with 63 rushing yards and a touchdown, but he also put it together as a passer, throwing for 276 yards and two scores. That game showed the full package: a quarterback who can hurt defenses in more than one way, even at the highest level.
One of the most striking numbers from his season is how rarely he was brought down behind the line. Joseph was sacked only 16 times last year, nearly 10 fewer than No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
For Wisconsin, that matters. The Badgers haven’t had enough quarterback play that changes the shape of a defense. Joseph’s legs give them a different kind of threat - actual playmaking at the position - and that’s the part Wisconsin fans have been waiting to see.
In Other News...
AJ Storrs Next Move Just Got Much More Complicated
AJ Storrs college path has already taken enough twists to make him one of the more familiar names in the transfer conversation, and now the former Wisconsin guard is back in the portal again after recent NCAA rulings opened the door for another move. It is a reminder of how quickly the modern roster market can change, even for a player who has shown he can produce at a high level in college.
For Storr, the timing makes this next step especially tricky. A lot of programs, including Ole Miss, have already mostly finished building their rosters, which leaves fewer obvious landing spots than a player of his rsum might usually expect. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has pointed to how complicated these situations can be for players trying to navigate multiple moves and, in some cases, a return to a previous team, and Storr now finds himself right in the middle of that uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Secondary Battle Gets Interesting After Freshman Turns Heads
At Wisconsins local media day, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel sounded comfortable with the idea of rebuilding the secondary on the fly, even with only one returning starter in the mix. He pointed to the groups depth and talent as reasons for optimism, and the first day of defensive camp offered an early glimpse of why the staff feels that way, with the back end limiting big plays and showing the kind of competition Tressel wants heading into the 2026 season.
One of the names that stood out was redshirt freshman Jaimier Scott, who made an interception on opening day and immediately added some intrigue to a position battle that already had a lot of moving parts. Tressel stressed how important that competition will be, and he also made clear the secondary still has room to grow in one area that matters most: turning more of those chances into takeaways. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Taylor Just Added Another Huge Milestone For Badgers Fans
Jonathan Taylor keeps stacking up milestones, and Badgers fans have every reason to keep watching his NFL climb. The former Wisconsin star has become one of the leagues most reliable runners since joining the Colts as a 2020 second-round pick, turning that early draft investment into a long stretch of production and recognition. He is already a three-time Pro Bowler and is closing in on the franchises all-time rushing record, which says plenty about how quickly he has taken hold in Indianapolis.
Now there is another marker on the ledger, even if the full financial picture remains part of the intrigue. Taylors latest agreement ensures he will stay with the Colts deeper into the decade, a reminder that his value stretches well beyond individual Sundays. For Wisconsin, it is one more chance to point to a homegrown success story who has gone from Madison to the center of an NFL offense and kept adding to the rsum along the way. [Read more 🡒]