Latest Tyler Van Dyke update makes it crystal clear why he left Wisconsin for the portal

The Wisconsin quarterback carousel has been full of twists and turns this offseason. Wisconsin has seen their quarterbacks from last season walk, and new ones have come in. One of the curious subtractions was that of Tyler Van Dyke. He was a big-time addition for Wisconsin's head coach, Luke Fickell, out of the University of Miami, who, due to injury, didn't get to play a full year. There was hope that after becoming healthy, he'd be the guy he was always supposed to be. However, this offseason, he moved along to SMU, and Wisconsin also moved on to two new quarterbacks in Danny O'Neil and Billy Edwards Jr.

Tyler Van Dyke's injury may keep him out of 2025.

SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee was asked about his new quarterback Van Dyke, and he said a comment that clarified why Wisconsin needed to move on, "We didn't bring him in to be the starter or the backup." That Van Dyke will probably use a medical redshirt, train, rehab, and get ready for 2026. This is an important detail for clarifying his future at Wisconsin.

Wisconsin and Luke Fickell are in a bit of a make-or-break year, and with Van Dyke's knee taking longer than expected, there's no way Fickell was going to do a "wait and see" approach. He doesn't have that luxury, which is why he brought in two starting quarterbacks from previous teams for next season. Either O'Neil or Edwards could start next year for Fickell and the insurance of having the other as the backup is huge. Van Dyke couldn't give that sort of insurance with the knee injury. There would have been no way that Fickell could project his ability to even start in 2026, which Van Dyke would be looking for in terms of his future.

It's a best-case scenario for all parties. Van Dyke found a school that will rehab him and give him time to heal, and Wisconsin can move on to a pair of quarterbacks that can help them in 2025.