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Luke Fickell admits mistake in how Wisconsin Badgers handled transfer quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke, Tanner Mordecai

In an interview with ESPN, Fickell said making Tyler Van Dyke and Tanner Mordecai compete for the starting QB role made it harder for them to establish themselves as leaders in the locker room.
Lorin Cox|
Sep 7, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (10) looks to throw a pass during the third quarter against the South Dakota Coyotes at Camp Randall Stadium.
Sep 7, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (10) looks to throw a pass during the third quarter against the South Dakota Coyotes at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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The NIL and transfer portal era of college football has been tough for all of us to navigate.

That includes Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell, who looks back at his last two years of quarterbacking and wishes he could do it over.

He hasn't been critical of either Tyler Van Dyke or Tanner Mordecai, but in a new interview with ESPN, Fickell admitted he would have handled both of them differently.

"When a new guy came in, it was more like, 'Hey, let's compete,' knowing what you expected. Whether it was Tanner Mordecai or Tyler Van Dyke," Fickell said. "But I thought that was a mistake from us in those two years. It didn't allow them to insert themselves as a leader, as they had to earn and kind win the job."

He's trying to avoid the same mistake with new transfer quarterback Billy Edwards from Maryland.

Fickell has made it clear from the start that Edwards is QB1, and he is the new leader of the offense.

"From day one when he walked in, it was like, ;This is the guy.' He'll go compete, but he's asserted himself," Fickell said. "He's done a phenomenal job at the little things that really matter when you're a guy walking into a program knowing you're only going to be there for nine or 10 months."

It's nice to see Fickell recognize what wasn't working in the past and adapt to keep up with changing times.

It made sense on paper than when a new quarterback comes to Madison in the transfer portal, he should have to compete for the starting spot with everyone else.

But given how Mordecai and Van Dyke struggled at times, Fickell sees the importance in establishing a quarterback early to build that leadership role and confidence with his teammates.

The hope is that helps Edwards have more success than the last two transfer QBs and helps the Wisconsin offense reach new heights in 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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