In his press conference on Monday, head coach Luke Fickell gave some insight into the plans for quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. The senior transfer from Miami was named the starter for the season, but tore his ACL in the Badgers' third game against Alabama. Van Dyke still has another year of eligibility, but there were questions on whether he would use it or not.
"His mindset is he thinks he would like to have another year, but he still doesn’t know how well he’s going to heal, how fast he’s going to heal," Fickell said. "He’s obviously feeling better and he’s moving around. But there’s still a long way to go."
Luke Fickell on QB Tyler Van Dyke's future: "His mindset is he thinks he would like to have another year but he still doesn’t know how well he’s going to heal, how fast he’s going to heal. He’s obviously feeling better and he’s moving around. But there’s still a long way to go."
— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) November 25, 2024
It looks like Van Dyke wants to give it another go before testing his hand in the pros, but there are still a lot of hurdles to clear. His recovery is well underway, but whether he would be ready in time to start the season is another question. ACL recoveries can range anywhere from nine to 12 months, so how Van Dyke progresses will be something to monitor.
The other big question is -- will Wisconsin want him back? After offensive coordinator Phil Longo's firing, the team will be looking for his replacement in 2025, and there's a chance he may want to get his own guy at quarterback. The other dilemma has to do with the recent commitment of four-star quarterback Carter Smith. Could he be ready to go as a true freshman and take over the starting role? Van Dyke's future at Wisconsin may not totally be up to him, but he does bring experience and arm talent, both of which had him as a potential Heisman candidate a few years ago.
There's a lot of scenarios that still need to play out, but for now Luke Fickell is keeping Van Dyke in his plans for the future.