Wisconsin football's 'biggest improvements are needed on offense'

The Badgers will need to have a better offense in 2024.

Wisconsin wide receiver Will Pauling (6) talks back to Minnesota fans after scoring. Touchdown during the second quarter of their game Saturday, November 25, 2023 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wisconsin beat Minnesota 28-14. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

We are only five days away from Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis and Wisconsin will be one of six programs on the stand on Day 1, July 23. Fox Sports' Michael Cohen previewed the Badgers' 2024 outlook highlighting the movement on the coaching staff, which has seen co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler head for Alabama, wide receivers coach Mike Brown go to Notre Dame, offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. moved to an off-field role with the program and defensive line coach Gregg Scruggs was hired by Michigan but later resigned.

"The biggest improvements are needed on offense, where the Badgers tied for 70th overall (381.2 yards per game) and tied for 92nd in scoring (23.5 points per game) thanks in large part to injuries and shoddy quarterback play," Cohen wrote.

The growing consensus amongst the talking heads and media is that Wisconsin will need to make major improvements on the offensive side of the ball if they want to take a big step overall in 2024.

Miami (FL) transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has shown the ability to perform at a high level in a major conference, but he has also shown the potential to be inconsistent, struggling with interceptions last season. From Oct. 7 to Nov. 11, he threw at least one interception in every game for the Hurricanes and had 11 total in a five-game period.

When Luke Fickell lured offensive coordinator Phil Longo away from North Carolina last offseason, many expected Wisconsin's offense to have a high-powered look. Longo developed Sam Howell and Drake Maye into two of college football's best quarterbacks in the last five years, and there is pressure on him in 2024 to do the same with Van Dyke.

With one of the better offensive lines in the conference, a backfield of Chez Mellusi and Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker alongside a wide receiver room led by Will Pauling and Bryson Green, there is no reason why the Badgers shouldn't have a better offense this season.