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Latest QB to enter transfer portal has ties to Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator

Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes has a strong familial connection to the latest quarterback who entered the transfer portal, which could give the team a leg up in recruiting him.
Lorin Cox|
Utah Utes quarterback Isaac Wilson (11) has familial ties to Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, who previously recruited and coached his older brother.
Utah Utes quarterback Isaac Wilson (11) has familial ties to Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, who previously recruited and coached his older brother. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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The Wisconsin Badgers are going to be tied to plenty of quarterbacks in the transfer portal, but the latest name added to the list has some familial ties to offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.

This week, Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson declared his intentions to enter the portal.

If that name in that region sounds familiar at all, it's because he is the younger of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson who played at BYU.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers fans are lusting over the wrong quarterback in the transfer portal

When the older Wilson was the Cougars' quarterback from 2018 to 2020, his offensive coordinator was Grimes.

The coach and quarterback were very close during their time together at BYU, and Wilson credited Grimes with the development that saw him become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft.

Wisconsin's offensive coordinator is certainly well known in the Wilson family as the younger brother enters the portal.

Isaac Wilson struggled across seven starts for Utah in 2024, and he spent this season as backup who almost never saw the field.

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He's not going to be a quarterback that the Badgers prioritize to be their starter in 2026, but he has three years of eligibility left could feel more comfortable trusting Grimes with his development.

Fickell brought in three transfer portal quarterbacks last year, and he indicated that Wisconsin could add multiple passers again this winter.

A quarterback like Wilson could be this year's version of Danny O'Neil, who chooses to come to Madison knowing he won't start right away.

The challenge is, the Badgers still have O'Neil and freshman Carter Smith on the roster, so there will be competition for developmental opportunities as well.

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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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