If you had been told that the Wisconsin Badgers would be making a quarterback change that wasn’t forced by a season-ending injury, you wouldn’t be wrong to assume that the Badgers were having a calamitous season; however, that backup quarterback who got the call ended up leading the Badgers toLuke Fickell’s second bowl game.
What Ryan Hopkins did well
241 yards and three touchdowns will never go without plaudits. Hopkins put together a 75% completion rate on 24 attempts. Hopkins averaged 10 yards per pass, which shows this wasn’t a checkdown-only offense.
Where Hopkins could improve
You can never truly slander numbers like Hopkins’ debut presented; that being said, the first year gave up a late fumble while also throwing a couple tight-window passes, including one that ended up being an interception,
and if it wasn’t for a roughing the passer, Hopkins would have finished his full debut with two turnovers.
Final grade: A
If Hopkins is given the call to start in future games, there will inevitably be ups and downs, but for a Wisconsin offense that has struggled immensely, a three-passing-touchdown day will go down as a memorable debut. For reference, ESPN graded Hopkins’ game at a 54.8, which is usually considered a bit above an average score of 50.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Grading true freshman Ryan Hopkins first career start at Wisconsin
