The Wisconsin Badgers were blown out in a 38-14 defeat to the No. 19 Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend, getting outplayed on all fronts in their first big test of the season.
Wisconsin had to be without starting quarterback Billy Edwards, and sophomore Danny O’Neil struggled behind a makeshift offensive line, throwing for 117 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in the loss.
Edwards, who suffered a knee sprain in the season opener in a handoff, missed Wisconsin’s Week 2 and Week 3 matchups.
In his place, O’Neil had a strong first start with the Badgers, throwing for 283 yards and three scores while completing 23 of 27 passes.
But, he had a couple of untimely interceptions in Wisconsin’s loss to Alabama, and still needs some development in the pocket, making it understandable why the Badgers also got Edwards in the portal.
What is the starter’s status ahead of Week 4?
“Billy, he is going to be day to day [this week],” head coach Luke Fickell said on Saturday. “I think he warmed up Saturday and has continued to do things for us. It’s just, at some point, we are going to have to save Billy from Billy, but we’ve also got to make some decisions as we move along. Right now, we wouldn’t know.”
If Edwards can return for the Badgers this week, it would be a big moment for the senior, as he’d be playing against his former team. Edwards started for the Maryland Terrapins last season, throwing for 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
Are there any extra feelings for the quarterback ahead of Saturday’s game?
“I think that whenever guys take on their former team, it’s an emotional thing,” Fickell said. “It’s a difficult thing. I’ve had it with our guys several times, going back all the way to even five years ago. So, it was always something that: we’re not gonna overlook this. We’ll make sure to talk about this. But, it’s not going to go away either.
“Billy is mature. He’s an older guy that has been through a lot of things. So, it’s not something that we would just have be the elephant in the room, and let’s not talk about it. There are a lot of other things on his plate, which is maybe a good thing, so that he is distracted, and can just focus on: ‘Hey, am I gonna be good enough? Am I gonna be ready? There are still a lot of things to be had.”
If Edwards can start, that would be a good sign for the Badgers, who need to bounce back in a big way after their loss this weekend. If not, it will be Danny O’Neil earning his third straight start.
