According to a report from The Wisconsin Radio Network, junior quarterback Alex Hornibrook is in concussion protocol and his status for Saturday’s game against Northwestern is in jeopardy. Hornibrook was not listed on Thursday’s injury report.
If Hornibrook is unable to play, sophomore quarterback Jack Coan would be in line to start. The Sayville, New York native appeared in six games in mop-up duty in 2017, completing all five of his passes for 36 yards.
Coan’s mop-up duty was passed to freshman Danny Vanden Boom in 2018 as the Badgers plan on redshirting Coan this year. Even if he starts Saturday, Coan will still be eligible for a redshirt as the new NCAA rule allows players to appear in up to four games while still being eligible for a redshirt.
Head coach Paul Chryst was asked about Coan’s patience after practice Thursday, before the report.
“I think he's been great," Chryst said. "I think he's been energized by — we'll talk about it, even weekly — where we're at with it. I think he's been really purposeful in his work and preparation … Last year, when you're a freshman, you're going through a lot of stuff. All of them are firsts. So now he's been around, taken one lap around the track, and so I've been pleased and appreciate the way he's handled it.”