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How Wisconsin Badgers' offense can find more balance in 2025 under new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes

Luke Fickell is already starting to see the Wisconsin Badgers offense find more balance at spring practices under new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.
Lorin Cox|
Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes is shown during spring football practice Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes is shown during spring football practice Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Wisconsin Badgers want to find more balance on offense in 2025.

Last year, the passing game struggled to find a rhythm on a weekly basis. They had games where running the ball wasn't working either.

Quarterback play is obviously a big part of that, but switching over to new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' more pro-style scheme should go a long way toward bringing more balance to the offense.

Head coach Luke Fickell already started to see that take shape during spring practices.

"We've got some skill on the outside, and we've got to make sure we can give them some opportunities," Fickell said at the end of spring practice. "Not just relying upon run, not just thinking that that's going to be the only way to create big plays, but still finding a way to make sure we have the balance."

Grimes' offense last year at Kansas finished with the same 5-7 record as the Badgers, and his quarterback Jalon Daniels led the Big 12 with 12 interceptions on the season.

And even still, they averaged almost 30 points per game (compared to Wisconsin's 22.6) and averaged over eight yards per pass attempt.

The Jayhawks had only one game with fewer than 150 passing yards in 2024. Wisconsin had four.

Grimes had even more success in the passing game at his previous stop with Baylor, all while maintaining a consistent rushing attack to even things out.

Those were different schools with different players, but it shows Grimes' ability to find the balance the Badgers have been missing.

Getting the most out of transfer quarterback Billy Edwards will be the biggest key, but Fickell has his new offense trending in the right direction to start 2025.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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