The best path forward for Wisconsin to have the type of season all of its fanbase wants is to come out of Thursday night's Week 1 matchup vs. the Miami RedHawks with a quality victory. Head coach Luke Fickell already touched on how important playing clean and with some confidence is. Although Miami (OH) is in the Group of Five, this is a team that can win the MAC because of its star quarterback.
After spending last season at Baylor, former Toledo star Dequan Finn is back in the conference he used to dominate. Yes, Toledo may be the most well-resourced program in the MAC, but this guy was utterly captivating playing for Jason Candle not that long ago. It may not have worked out for him in Waco, but that might have more to do with Sawyer Robertson really looking the part for the Bears.
Regardless, Fickell is well aware of the type of player Finn is after having scouted him in the portal.
Luke Fickell respects Miami QB Dequan Finn's arm as much as his legs
Fickell was asked about what Finn brings to the table in the first few minutes of Monday's presser.
"There's a lot of things," he said. "I think you really kind of go back and look at him over history. Obviously at Toledo, he's done a phenomenal job. Some would say, obviously, a dual-threat guy. That doesn't take away from his ability to throw the football."
For as great as Finn was at Toledo, he really struggled at Baylor last year, but Fickell is okay with that.
"So I think more than anything, when you look at a quarterback that's been through a lot of different things, obviously, three or four years at Toledo, a year at Baylor, you see a maturity as they continue to grow," he said. "And sometimes, maybe things didn't go exactly the way you wanted them last year at Baylor. Sometimes that does nothing than but help you grow up than anything else. So I would expect nothing but the best. We've watched and know a little bit more about him."
Finally, Fickell touched on how much better of a fit he believes Finn is in Miami's system over Baylor's.
"I think he fits what they do in this system more like he did at Toledo than maybe he did at Baylor," Fickell said. "I would expect that you will see a guy that is pretty dynamic. And I just don't mean in running, but the ability to throw the ball down the field, the ability to create things with his feet. You know, he's played a lot of football."
Here is Fickell's entire press conference heading into the Miami (OH) game happening on Thursday.
With Wisconsin still trying to find its defensive identity under Fickell, Finn presents a real problem.
How can Wisconsin's defense limit Dequan Finn's overall effectiveness?
One of the biggest advantages Wisconsin has entering this non-conference matchup with Miami (OH) is that the Badgers play in a Power Four conference. They simply have better athletes man-for-man than what the RedHawks could ever hope to throw at them. No, Wisconsin does not have a roster like Ohio State or Penn State, but Miami (OH) does not have the players to go toe-to-toe in the Big Ten.
However, Chuck Martin is one of the most underrated head coaches in the Group of Five. In a league that often gets overlooked, Martin has found a way to cut through in recent years. Now that he is getting the best player in the MAC back in the league from two years ago in Finn, maybe the RedHawks can get to Detroit and win their league's championship? Wisconsin will be a litmus test.
As for the Badgers, they need to avoid having Finn run all over the defensive front-seven to extend drives. He may complete a few big passes down the field, but even if Fickell tried to hype up his all-round game, Finn is still more of a runner than a thrower. The other big thing is he really struggled going up against Big 12 defenses last year. Even in a down year, Wisconsin's is way better than that.
To tie a bow on this, Fickell needs to come out with a clear and consistent message for his team. The defense needs to play with poise and discipline. Otherwise, Finn could potentially run roughshod on a unit defined by inconsistency a year ago. As for his counterpart, this will be Billy Edwards Jr.'s first game with the Badgers, but he was never afraid to sling it when he was quarterbacking Maryland.
Wisconsin should be able to win this game easily, but Fickell cannot get out-coached by Martin here.