Wisconsin will turn to true freshman Ryan Hopkins at quarterback against Rutgers on Saturday after an ugly 30-0 loss to Iowa left the Badgers searching for answers on offense.
The change comes after a game in which Wisconsin rushed for just 52 yards and neither quarterback reached 100 passing yards. Colton Joseph was benched for Hopkins during that loss, and now the freshman gets the chance to start as Wisconsin tries to stop the slide and recover in a late-season matchup.
Wisconsin need a sharper response
The defeat to Iowa was the kind of performance that forces a reset. Wisconsin did not score, could not establish the run, and never found enough consistency through the air to stay in the game. For Luke Fickell, the decision to go with Hopkins is the clearest sign yet that the offense needs a different look.
That does not mean the situation is simple. Hopkins is being asked to step in against a Rutgers team that arrives with two wins and has lost its last two games, including a one-touchdown defeat to Michigan last weekend. Rutgers are not flying into the game in perfect form, but they have been competitive enough to make Wisconsin earn everything.
What Rutgers bring into Saturday
Rutgers enter Saturday at 2-6, with the pressure on both sides of the ball to hold up better than they did a week ago. Wisconsin, meanwhile, are trying to end a fifth straight loss and avoid letting the offensive problems from the Iowa game carry over again.
The Badgers have at least made one major change at the most important position on the field. Whether Hopkins can provide enough spark will go a long way toward deciding how competitive Wisconsin can be in this one.
