MADISON, Wis. — The Badgers were back inside the McClain center for their eighth practice of the spring.
BadgerBlitz.com was on the scene. Here are my three biggest takeaways from Tuesday’s action.
O’Neil has best day yet
The backup quarterback position has had an outsized role on recent Badger teams.
In each of the past two seasons, Wisconsin’s expected starter struggled with injuries, which is why we saw so much of Braedyn Locke. That’s also why Badger fans may be more anxious to learn about their backup quarterback than most other fanbases.
The Badgers were rather lucky in the quarterback sweepstakes. They acquired Danny O’Neil in the portal after a solid freshman season at San Diego State, where he threw for 2,181 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in 11 games. Even though the Aztecs went 3-9 with a Mountain West schedule, the Badgers getting a backup quarterback with experience is a tremendous luxury. Locke’s performance likely had an effect on their level of monetary commitment.
Yet, despite his experience, O’Neil struggled during the first several practices. The transition process seemed tougher for him than it was for starter Billy Edwards Jr. or even true freshman Carter Smith. He simply didn’t look confident and thus didn’t attempt many difficult throws.
Tuesday was the first time he seemed truly comfortable. He took more chances downfield and often succeeded, highlighted by his touchdown throw to fellow transfer Jayden Ballard.
The lowlights of his day were the several passes batted down by defensive linemen. His height is a definite concern (6-foot-0), but many of those linemen were essentially unblocked. Wisconsin’s backup offensive line hasn’t helped him out much this spring. O’Neil helps make up for his lack of height with sidearm talent and sheer speed, which becomes obvious on any designed running play.
He also played more on Tuesday than any other day of practice, which surely had an effect on his comfort. Coach Luke Fickell last week stressed the importance of giving his first-teamers as many reps as possible. That seemed to help Edwards and hurt O’Neil.
The sophomore has now put together a few solid practices in a row. The Badger coaches want anything but another season defined by backup quarterback play, but O’Neil provides optimism.
