Published Jan 23, 2025
Notes: Quarterbacks coach Kenny Guiton talks new QBs, intangibles, more
Donnie Slusher  •  BadgerBlitz
Staff Writer
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@DonnieSlusher_

Madison, Wis. — Tuesday, the media was able to speak with the Badgers’ newest assistant coaches for the first time.

Present was offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, safeties coach Jack Cooper and receivers coach Jordan Reid.

The other speaker on Tuesday, quarterbacks coach Kenny Guiton, isn’t new to the staff, but is simply in a new position group.

After spending 2024 coaching receivers, Guiton made the full switch this past offseason after the departure of former offensive coordinator Phil Longo.

“I grew up playing the position, played the position my entire life. It’s obviously been a goal of mine since the beginning of coaching. I’ve always wanted to get in that room and be able to affect some quarterbacks,” Guiton told the media.

“When the opportunity presented itself and I was able to stand up in front of the staff and talk about a lot of my quarterback philosophies and things of that nature, it was very, very, very fulfilling.”

Here are our notes from Guiton’s Tuesday availability.

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What took so long?

Guiton was asked why, if he was so passionate about coaching quarterbacks, he was a receivers coach for so long.

“It was my chance to get into coaching. I always knew I wanted to coach. When I first got a chance to be a graduate assistant, it was to help the wide receivers. I dibbled and dabbled in helping the quarterbacks.

“I dove into the intricate details of how to teach wide receiver play. And for a while you fall into, ‘Hey, this is it.’”

Guiton began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Houston in 2015 before becoming the receivers coach in 2017. He went on to fill that role at three other schools prior to coming to Madison.

“I loved every bit of it. But once the opportunity arose, I just knew that this is really what I wanted. It was a dream of mine.”

Intangibles

Early on, Guiton was simply asked about his philosophy for coaching the quarterback position. He focused on something he would go on to reference multiple times throughout the availability — intangibles.

“The biggest thing for me, it’s the intangibles of a quarterback. The leadership, the toughness of a guy because I feel like a team can rally around that. When you have that kind of guy behind the center, the team has no choice but to fall into that, into being tough guys.

“We obviously know who Coach [Luke] Fick[ell] is. If you got the guy behind the center doing those same things he’s preaching, it just exudes throughout the team.”

He was later asked about the specific intangibles he values in a quarterback.

“The number one thing is decision-making. We play a position where we touch the ball every snap. We have to get the ball in the right places. No matter [if] it’s the run game, RPO, pass game. Whether it’s us pulling the ball and taking a run. The decision-making process is where you see teams take the next step, see teams be great on offense, where you got a guy behind the center that can do that.

“A leader is gonna get the ball in the right spots at the right time to the right people.”

New quarterback room

In his first year on the job, Guiton will have a full plate.

All three of Wisconsin’s scholarship quarterbacks — redshirt senior Billy Edwards Jr., sophomore Danny O’Neil and true freshman Carter Smith — are brand new to the roster.

When asked what has impressed him about the new quarterbacks, Guiton cited their leadership.

“Those guys stepped in and understand that they don’t have the time to kind of just ease their way into things. They have to jump in.

“You’re the leader of the team. So right now, you jump in and you show the guys that nothing’s too big for you. You jump in and lead those guys to understand that they can lean on you in a time when we’re all learning a new offense at the same time.”

Later on, Guiton was asked more specifically what he likes about his three quarterbacks’ skill sets.

“I do think these guys bring a certain level of athleticism to the QB room. I think they all have a chance to do different things with their legs. I’m not meaning 50-yard runs or things of that nature, and they may be able to do that.”

A more athletic quarterback, Guiton reasoned, could do a better job of extending plays and giving his playmakers opportunities to get open.

“You watch Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, a lot of that stuff is off schedule. A lot of stuff in the NFL is off schedule. You have to be able to do that.”

Recruiting in high school vs. the portal

One of the most important tasks for Guiton, as is the case with any position coach, will be recruiting.

The quarterback position is the most important in the sport, yet it will always be one of the smallest rooms on the team. Meaning the margin for error is razor thin.

Guiton was asked about the difference between recruiting quarterbacks out of high school compared to the transfer portal.

“To me, it’s a big difference because if you’re looking in the portal, you’re looking for someone who can come and affect the team right now. That guy is probably not the guy you’re trying to develop much, unless you’ve lost a lot and you gotta get players.

“When you’re looking at high school, you’re kinda looking at the projection of that guy. How much can you develop that guy? How well can you make him a passer? How much better can you make him mentally?

"You want to make sure you have a guy with years of experience. What have you heard about his leadership? Because he’s coming in to be the guy, the leader."

All scholarship quarterbacks were acquired or joined the roster before Guiton was named coach. So we don’t really know how he is as a recruiter yet. But, given the spotlight on the position, his performance in this area will be quite consequential.

Improving the passing game

Near the end of his availability, after discussing all of his new quarterbacks and his philosophy for the position, Guiton was asked a simple yet crucial question — how will the passing game actually improve?

“Continuity. You want a good passing game? You better make sure your quarterbacks have great continuity with their skill players, right? Everybody has the saying ‘KYP’, know your personnel. Only way that’s gonna happen is if you get out there. You get out there and have a chance to throw many different routes to many different people.”

Ahead of this past season, there was an open competition for the QB1 position between Braedyn Locke and Tyler Van Dyke. They essentially split starter snaps until September.

At the time, the coaches boasted about how confident they felt in having two quality starting quarterbacks. But when the season actually began, it didn’t look like either of them had played much with the starters.

“That all goes back to that decision making and leadership style [in] a quarterback. Understanding who you’re throwing the ball to and how you gotta get it to that person in order for that person to be able to create more out of the play rather than what’s just called. So, if you want a good passing game, these guys really have to get together and really build that chemistry on the field.”

Wisconsin’s quarterbacks will have the opportunity to begin developing chemistry with their weapons starting in the spring.

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