Major QB Breaks Silence On Future Plans After Awful Season, Faces Swift Backlash

Is Braedyn Locke's time with the Wisconsin Badgers over?

The Badgers finished the regular season a pathetic 5-7 after a Black Friday loss to Minnesota. It's the team's worst season in more than two decades.

Fans are beyond livid and frustrated, and for good reason. The Luke Fickell era was supposed to usher in new energy and success. Instead, it's been a disaster through two seasons.

There's absolutely no way to sugarcoat it and anyone who does is an idiot.

Braedyn Locke discusses future plans

One of the biggest problems with the team is just horrible QB play. Braedyn Locke became QB1 after Tyler Van Dyke went down with a season-ending injury against Alabama. He started the team's final nine games to finish the season with the following stats:

  • 1,936 passing yards
  • 13 passing touchdowns
  • 10 interceptions
  • 48.1 QBR
  • Completed 55.4% of his passes

Obviously, those stats aren't going to get you very far, and much more is expected. Does he plan on leaving? Sounds like he doesn't want to, but it might not be his choice.

"I love being a Badger…I absolutely love being here. I want to be here. It's been an absolute pleasure to take the field, you know, nine Saturdays this fall.  It's something I'll never forget, regardless of the outcome. It's been very very special for me and I want to continue to do that," Locke told the media after the team's humiliating loss when asked about if he'll remain with the team.

His body language really indicated he might not have had much confidence in the idea he's sticking around, but you can determine that for yourself. 

You can watch his comments in the video below, and hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

While Locke made it clear he loves Wisconsin, the reaction from fans to his comments wasn't very inspiring.

The unfortunate reality for Locke is that he might not have much say in the situation. Third-ranked dual-threat QB Carter Smith is coming to the Badgers, Mabrey Mettauer redshirted this season and there's always the chance Fickell gets a QB in the portal.

Fickell's seat is warming up, and that means he has zero room to play things safe or maintain the status quo. Huge changes are needed. Quarterback is right at the top of the list.

How can Fickell justify starting Locke over a younger option with a higher ceiling or a transfer QB? It simply can't be done.

By all accounts, Braedyn Locke is an awesome young man. He's incredibly intelligent, a great leader and a great representation of what it means to be a Wisconsin athlete. However, he got a nine game audition in the Big Ten to prove he can be a winning QB and it didn't go well. I fully expect him to hit the portal and land with a G5 team. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Written by
David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.