The basics: The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s new starting quarterback is 23 years old, six-foot-four and weighs 225 pounds. Tyler Van Dyke grew up in Glastonbury, Connecticut and went to Suffield Academy High School. He led Suffield Academy to an undefeated season and a state championship in 2019 and was named the New England prep player that same year.
During the college recruitment process, ESPN rated Van Dyke the number two pro-style quarterback nationally, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He became a University of Miami Hurricane in 2021 and voted the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year after replacing Emory Williams as starting quarterback. Van Dyke struggled with injuries and inconsistency in his first two seasons but still completed 63.7% of his passes for 7,469 yards with 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in three years.
Last season, he completed 65.8% of his attempts for 2,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Van Dyke is fourth on the list of returning passers in terms of yards in college football this season. The improvement over his first two seasons to last year shows how Van Dyke’s passing experience will greatly change the current passing game for Wisconsin.
Offensive coordinator Phil Longo named Van Dyke the starting quarterback for Wisconsin in the middle of August, beating out Braedyn Locke who started three games last season in place of injured Tanner Mordecai. But the gap between Van Dyke and Locke is much closer than last season, when Mordecai was clearly number one.
“As Fick says, we kind of see it as a 1A and a 1B type of situation right now as opposed to a 1 and a 2,” Longo said.
Wisconsin hosted their home opener Aug. 30 against Western Michigan, bouncing back in the fourth quarter to win. The Badgers were trailing early when their only punt of the game became the biggest play. Atticus Bertrams' punt bounced sideways, hitting a Western Michigan player who was trying to run away from the ball. Wisconsin’s Austin Brown quickly bounced the ball at the Western Michigan’s 20 yard line. This play resulted in a six-yard touchdown run by Tawee Walker, putting Wisconsin up for good in a 28-14 victory.
Van Dyke completed 21 of his 36 passes for 192 yards and had eight carries for 21 yards in his Wisconsin opener against Western Michigan. But he also fumbled the ball, allowing Western Michigan to take the lead with 14 minutes left in the game.
In his first game back, “Tyler Van Dime,” a nickname he’s trademarked, has shown he can move the ball incredibly well with two 16 yard drives as well as two 14 yard drives. Van Dyke and the Badgers have to work on more explosive plays, as their longest drive was only 17 yards from the line of scrimmage.
“Van Dime’s” multiple years of experience and determination indicate his ability to lead this Wisconsin Badgers team to a successful season.
