Luke Fickell plans to solidify Wisconsin Badgers QB issues in offseason: 'It's not fair'

The Wisconsin Badgers had plenty of issues holding them back this season, but the No. 1 problem started with the quarterback position, and it's a top priority for Luke Fickell this offseason.

After Saturday's loss to Minnesota, which saw both Carter Smith and Hunter Simmons take snaps under center, the head coach admitted his frustration with the injuries and inconsistency at the sport's most important position.

"It's been a battle," Fickell said. "I don't want to say struggle. It's been a battle all year, just the injuries in particular, and then trying to figure out, which direction do you go, hoping to get guys back and not getting guys back."

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It began with starter Billy Edwards going down with an injury in Week 1 against Miami (OH) and trying to come back against Maryland, but he missed a total of 10 games as he never could get fully healthy again.

Then backup Danny O'Neil was benched and brought back into the lineup before going down with a serious injury.

Third-stringer Hunter Simmons looked to be their best option for a short stretch, but he was eventually benched for true freshman Carter Smith, who played in a rotation with Simmons until the very end.

"Now you've got to bounce back and forth. It makes it difficult," Fickell said. "We've got to make sure that that room is solidified more than anything. We've said that since we came here, and it's been just an Achilles' heel."

If Wisconsin simply pays a good transfer QB they’ll actually be really good next year
— Chuck (@CFBChuckk) November 23, 2025

He noted that injuries are a major part of that, but he also expressed disappointment in the backups' inability to step in and keep the team rolling.

That has kept the offense as a whole from progressing and showing its full potential, placing an undue burden on offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and everyone around the QBs.

"In some ways, it's not fair. It's not fair to Coach Grimes, it's not fair to that group of guys," Fickell said. "We've got to address that."

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How he addresses that remains to be seen. The Badgers are expected to explore their options in the transfer portal once again, but the status of their own quarterbacks is still unclear.

Edwards could petition the NCAA for a medical redshirt, but it's unclear whether he would use that eligibility to return to Wisconsin or re-enter the portal.

O'Neil is just a sophomore, but depending on the severity of his injury, it could limit his participation in offseason practices to accelerate his development.

Then there's the true freshman Smith, who was a four-star recruit coming out of high school but hasn't shown enough to just hand him the starting job in 2026.

It will be a tough position for Fickell and his staff to sort through, but it will be some of the most important decisions they make all winter, with their future job security at stake.

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