Big Ten Daily (Dec. 13): Wisconsin Makes Splash By Adding Ex-Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke

Wisconsin added a significant piece to its offense on Tuesday, landing a commitment from former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. What does it mean for the Badgers' offense in 2024?

Luke Fickell and Phil Longo wanted an experienced quarterback to run Wisconsin's offense next season. That's exactly what the Badgers are getting in former Miami gunslinger Tyler Van Dyke.

Tuesday, Van Dyke announced his commitment to Wisconsin with a simple post on X. He heads to Madison with one season of eligibility remaining.

#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/sCV3VjUUiJ

— Tyler Van Dyke (@Tyler_Van_Dyke) December 12, 2023

Are we ready to anoint Van Dyke as the savior of Wisconsin's offense? Not yet. Commitments from the transfer portal always garner a lot of hype and attention. The Badgers landing a veteran quarterback is, without question, a significant addition.

There was also a lot of optimism surrounding Tanner Mordecai upon his transfer from SMU to Wisconsin last season. And while he proved to be a solid quarterback for the Badgers in 2023, we didn't exactly see the transformation from ground-and-pound offense to an air-raid attack.

Mordecai threw for 1,688 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions during Wisconsin's 7-5 campaign. He missed three games due to injury, pushing Braedyn Locke under center for a handful of contests.

At the end of the season, Wisconsin ranked seventh in the Big Ten in passing offense (207 yards per game), and 90th nationally. There's still a long way to go before the Badgers earn the classification of "air-raid offense."

The addition of Van Dyke is certainly a step in the right direction, but the quarterback has endured a roller-coaster career. He was named the ACC's Rookie of the Year in 2021, throwing for 2,931 yards and 25 touchdowns while completing 62.3% of his passes. Miami finished with a 7-5 record.

Van Dyke has struggled to find that same success since the 2021 campaign. Prior to Miami's meeting with Florida State this season, the Hurricanes opted to bench the quarterback and give Emory Williams a shot.

When the year ended, Van Dyke put up solid numbers, throwing for 2,703 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also tossed a career-high 12 interceptions.

Yes, Van Dyke is a significant addition for Wisconsin. He has the ability to elevate the offense in 2024. It's just not a foregone conclusion that it will happen.

Jack Sawyer Blasts Cotton Bowl Narrative

Don't tell Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer that bowl games don't matter. Even though the Buckeyes aren't competing for a national championship this season, there's still a lot at stake for the program.

Sawyer is one of several Buckeyes with an NFL future who decided to play in the Cotton Bowl Classic against Missouri. In an era when opt-outs are commonplace for bowl games, it's refreshing to see big-time players decide to suit up for the postseason.

The defensive end explained why he wants to play in the Cotton Bowl.

"We gotta go out the right way," Sawyer said. "We need to go out with a good win, a good performance, and send guys out the right way."

As for those who say the Cotton Bowl doesn't matter, Sawyer had a strong message.

"Pardon my French, but I think that’s bulls***," he said. It’s an opportunity to put our best foot forward to show who we really are.”

Ohio State plays Missouri in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, Dec. 29 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET.

Jake Butt Talks Alabama-Michigan

There's still several weeks until Alabama and Michigan go head-to-head in the Rose Bowl Game, but breakdowns and analysis of the highly-anticipated matchup can be found just about everywhere.

It's what we do, right?!

Former Michigan tight end and current college football analyst Jake Butt recently joined McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning to talk about the College Football Playoff showdown. He highlighted the matchup he's most interested in watching.

“It’s gotta be Michigan’s defense versus (Alabama quarterback) Jalen Milroe. What I’m really excited about is when you go back and watch that Ohio State game, what you see with Michigan is an extremely intelligent and mature defense. … Of course, it’s gonna be a different game stopping Jalen Milroe and trying to contain him,” said Butt. 

“The point I’m trying to make is that whatever (Michigan defensive coordinator) Jesse Minter wants to dream up to try and contain Jalen Milroe, they’re gonna be able to execute it because the defense is so experienced.”

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