Buried deep in an article about journeyman quarterbacks in college football— those going into their mid-20s still playing —is a nugget about Tyler Van Dyke. The former Badger quarterback who was injured playing for Wisconsin is now seeking his 7th year of college football. Yes, you read that right, he will be 25 and playing college football as he is finally almost ready to play again after his terrible injury.
This may not be fair, as he has spent the entire season on the SMU roster simply recovering, healing, and getting ready for next year. But still, it will be his seventh year on a roster for Van Dyke. His first season was the 2020 season. When he plays in 2026, that will be his seventh season.
We're in a peak moment for journeymen QBs across CFB. What's it like to go to 4 schools in 6 years?
— Max Olson (@max_olson) November 3, 2025
I caught up with 4 veteran QBs - Chandler Morris, Tyler Van Dyke, Drew Pyne and Robby Ashford - to talk about where they've been and what they've learned: https://t.co/BMVuqfLkXt
Tyler Van Dyke's injury was so severe he has been sidelined all season waiting for 2026
Related: Big Cat sends clear message on Luke Fickell's future at Wisconsin
According to ESPN's Max Olson, Van Dyke suffered a serious injury that took more than an entire year to recover from.
"Van Dyke didn't just tear the ACL in his right knee and his meniscus. He also damaged cartilage at the bottom of his femur, which required three allograft plugs. The injuries meant a more than 12-month recovery timeline."Max Olson
His journey started in Miami. His first season as a true freshman, he redshirted, only throwing two passes in all of 2020. He then got a bonus year due to COVID and played three years in Miami before losing his job to Cam Ward. He came to Wisconsin with a new start after potentially going to Alabama, but that all fell through. It was during the Alabama game that the serious injury happened, and he was sidelined for that season.
Going into his sixth year, he went to SMU to recover and prepare to play in 2026, his seventh season. Olson shares this quote from Van Dyke, "It's going to surprise a lot of people that I'm still in college. But everyone has a different story to tell."