The Wisconsin Badgers are full steam ahead into Week 3 after their 42-10 win over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, getting ready for a big matchup with the No. 19 Alabama Crimson Tide on the road.
Wisconsin had a rough first half in its Week 2 contest, leading only 14-10 at halftime before pouring on four straight touchdown drives in the second half en route to a blowout.
However, they face their biggest
challenge yet in Week 3, as they travel to Tuscaloosa to face an Alabama team that had an ugly Week 1 loss to Florida State, but bounced back for a 73-0 win over UL Monroe this past weekend.
Heading into the week, the biggest question continues to be the health of starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who missed Saturday’s game with the lower-body injury he suffered in Week 1.
What’s the latest on Wisconsin’s starter?
“I don’t know a whole lot about Billy,” head coach Luke Fickell said ahead of the week. “It’s a Monday, so we’ll see as we continue to push forward in the week. But, we’ll obviously get prepared either way.”
“He’s throwing the ball around. He is here constantly, getting treatments and things like that. I think it is really how he feels in terms of later in the week. We’re going to have to protect Billy from himself. I know that at some point in time, [he’ll return]. I don’t know when that is, but he’s a guy that’s going to be prepared [and] always wants to go.”
While Edwards continues to rehab, sophomore quarterback Danny O’Neil impressed in his first start this weekend, tossing for 283 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, while completing 23/27 passes. His 283 passing yards were the most by a Badgers quarterback in their first start with the team.
“I think Danny did a really good job,” Fickell said. “I think he only had a few incompletions, and those in particular might have been things that were rushed and were open for him. But, all in all, what we asked him to do, I think he did a really good job of. I was happy after evaluating the game film and watching and seeing the decisions he made, where he threw the football, how he threw the football, with an exception, like I said, to a few decisions.”
Edwards isn’t the only key starter facing an injury issue. Starting center Jake Renfro was a surprise addition to the injury report last week and did not play against Middle Tennessee. It’s not sure how long he’ll miss, but it wouldn’t be out of the question for Kerry Kodanko to start another week at center.
“We don’t know a whole lot about Jake [Renfro],” Fickell continued. “It’s Monday, so we’ll figure out some things as we get to Tuesday’s practice. As for Kerry [Kodanko], I think we said it after the game: we know there were some issues. There’s some things that stand out. Snaps are the very first thing. It was Kerry’s first time really playing, first time starting, for sure. Here’s a six-year guy that has been in the system. He’s been in the program, and I expect nothing but things to continue to get better for him. He actually battled a lot of injuries and missed a good amount of time in fall camp as well.
“And so, when Jake was down a little bit, he filled in there. Then he missed a little bit of time, which probably would have been something that would have been really, really good opportunities for him to be in there with the ones and playing a lot more. So he’s had to take some of those steps here, in particular in this past game. So I expect nothing but continued growth from Kerry. He’s a mature guy. He’s been here for a long time. He’s got incredible pride in things that he’s doing. And he knows that walking off the field last week, during the game, after the game, and the first thing he said, ‘Coach, I got to get a lot better. And I said, I have no doubt that, you will.’ But, we got our first [start] checked off the belt. Now, let’s move forward.”
Wisconsin will look to figure things out as the week goes along. But, getting their starters back would be huge as they travel to Tuscaloosa for a big matchup this weekend against Alabama.
