An up-and-down 2026 season for Wisconsin Badgers football has often left fans with questions about the future and wanting immediate change. Some fans begged for a change at head coach, believing Luke Fickell isn't the guy for the future — a sentiment that many still carry. While others wanted smaller-scale changes at positions and within coaching groups.
That said, almost all Badgers fans finally got what they wanted against Rutgers, as true freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins stepped in and showed out. Hopkins threw for 241 yards and three touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes. It was a breath of fresh air to a QB room that had likely forced Colton Joseph up a level he wasn't ready for.
Ryan Hopkins to Eugene Hilton
— Carter Lowe (@carterl0we) November 7, 2026
Touchdown #Badgers! pic.twitter.com/xqUhedlzNH
Now, looking forward, Fickell has officially declared Hopkins to be his guy for the remainder of the season, making this a bit more delicate of a situation than many would like to admit. Freshman quarterbacks have growing pains and learning moments, no matter how talented, meaning Fickell will have a handful of important things to do if he wishes to see him succeed.
1. Lean but don't rely on the run game
There has been a fine line this season between going to the run game to supplement drives on offense and relying on it to be the sole ignition. There were plenty of gripes with how the offense was run with Joseph at the reins, with many complaining about the overreliance on the quarterback's legs and a lack of touches amid the running backs.
Rolling the highlights from today’s win against Rutgers 👐 pic.twitter.com/qSCWnbqP8y
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 8, 2026
A large part of that was likely due to the fact that Jeff Grimes couldn't trust Joseph to consistently make throws, meaning that, in order to present him as a threat, he had to let him use his legs. Now, with Hopkins at the helm, that same approach cannot happen.
Instead, the coaching staff should let the running backs do the running, allowing them to wear down defensive fronts and pick up chunk yards, utilizing all three of Abu Sama, Darrion Dupree and Bryan Jackson. Which, in turn, should create a much lighter burden for Hopkins to carry as a playmaker.
2. Keep his leash long
It may seem silly to say that a freshman quarterback has to experience mistakes and, most importantly, learn how to bounce back from them, but it couldn't be more true. So many times, coaches will be short-sighted with their young QBs, ripping the playbook away from them after small-scale mistakes and being quick to bench them when things go wrong.
Making an impact 👏@RyanHopkins07 has been named the @B1Gfootball Freshman of the Week! pic.twitter.com/hsPAx5vUVf
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 9, 2026
In Hopkins' case, however, Fickell will have to be patient. Odds are, in the remaining three games of the regular season, plus any kind of postseason action the Badgers get, Hopkins is going to make a mistake or two. Letting him learn from the mistake, bounce back and adjust in real time is where the growth is going to come from.
3. Prioritize the offseason
Maybe looking ahead a bit too much here, but it's important nonetheless. Wisconsin absolutely has to knock it out of the park this coming offseason. For the first time in seemingly forever, the Badgers are going to have the luxury of entering spring practices with a QB who they know can produce in the system.
Now, they have to go about finding a nasty offensive line group that can protect him and supplement a rushing attack that could be led by one of the more talented freshmen in the country next year (Kingston Allen). Along with that, finding a No. 1 wide receiver who Hopkins can rely on to consistently create separation and win his reps will make it all the easier for him to produce in the future.
A lot on Fickell's slate, for sure. But nothing too overbearing given the talent he has at football's most important position.
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