Player Previews: QB Deuce Adams Brings Intriguing Skills to Madison

Over the course of the summer leading up to Big Ten Media Days and fall camp, Badgers On SI will extensively preview Wisconsin football's roster with a write-up for each player expected to be remotely involved in 2026.

We continue the series with a prime candidate for the backup quarterback job, Deuce Adams.

2025 Stats

112 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions | 33 rushing yards | 71.4 percent completion (15-of-21)

Overview

Adams, who began his career with Louisville where he spent two seasons, signed with Wisconsin out of the portal as a Power Four transfer knowing he'd be relegated to a backup role. That's a rarity in this day and age of college football, especially for a quarterback like Adams who's already burned through two seasons of eligibility.

Still, listen to the Austin, Texas native talk and it makes more sense. There's a certain calmness and quiet confidence to how he carries himself, and according to offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, that's translated to his play.

"I like his poise. He’s a guy that doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. He’s a good all-around player, has some really nice touch on the ball," Grimes said this spring.

Adams was a backup at Louisville for two seasons. Last fall, he got his first career start against SMU, and played sparingly outside of that. Still, his arm talent and mobility both pop on tape — there's some serious upside for quarterbacks coach Kenny Guiton to mold.

Best-Case Scenario

Wisconsin quarterback Deuce Adams. | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin hopes Adams never has to start a game in 2026, of course. After a three-year stretch of horrendous injury luck at the quarterback position, the Badgers would love to see Colton Joseph start — and finish — every single game this fall.

Still, I'd imagine Adams sees the field at one point or another in 2026, whether it be due to injury or otherwise. Adams' best-case scenario starts with him holding off surging true freshman Ryan Hopkins for the starting quarterback job, and then getting a healthy amount of game reps as a redshirt sophomore.

In this scenario, Adams winning the QB2 gig does wonders for his development, as he's able to get some late-game work in a handful of blowouts or games where Wisconsin feels comfortable giving Joseph a breather in the fourth quarter. He flashes his tantalizing dual-threat ability, raising his stock should he elect to leave Wisconsin at the end of the season.

Worst-Case Scenario

In Adams' worst-case scenario, he never even sees the field in 2026. The aforementioned stud freshman Hopkins wins the job and Adams is relegated to the third-stringer role.

That would mean he's clinging to just two years of eligibility after the 2026 season, and he's essentially be forced to enter the portal. If he immediately gets surpassed by Hopkins, the writing is on the wall about his future in Madison.

Prediction for 2026

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Deuce Adams. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The QB2 battle at fall camp is going to be neck-and-neck. Thus, it's difficult to say with any kind of certainty what Adams' role will be this fall.

Nonetheless, with Joseph still holding two years of eligibility and Hopkins already impressing the coaching staff mightily as an early-enrollee true freshman, Adams appears to have a very limited window to make an impact. It's hard to envision him not taking a snap in 2026 with how volatile Wisconsin's quarterback situation has been, but that's a distinct possibility — especially if he can't crack the two-deep.

I'd imagine the staff gives Adams a drive or two against, say, FCS Western Illinois even if he is relegated to QB3, but I don't see the Louisville transfer making a big dent in the stat sheet.

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