How Danny O’Neil can Ignite the Badgers Offense Despite Injury Concerns

Danny O’Neil earned the outright backup role in camp after defeating fellow transfer Hunter Simmons for the job. O’Neil looked solid during his first outing with Wisconsin after playing nearly three quarters of football against Miami (OH). The quarterback was thrown into the game quickly after Edwards Jr. went down with a non-contact injury, and considering the circumstances O’Neil played rather well.

Now, the Wisconsin Badgers will be relying upon O’Neil and as is the public with the Badgers still being a near 29 point favorite over Middle Tennessee. Most programs may be uncomfortable throwing the backup quarterback into the starting role regardless of the situation, but the Badgers feel comfortable with having someone as confident as O’Neil to take over.

Energy will Become the Difference-maker for the Dynamic Wisconsin Badgers Quarterback

The big issue for O’Neil against the RedHawks was that he only had limited experience with the group that was on the field. The quarterback made virtually one read each play and had to get the ball out quickly due to some struggles along the offensive line.

O’Neil threw a rough interception in the end zone that was a result of both acting on his first read and trying to rush the play before pressure reached him. With a full week of practice with the first-team and the Wisconsin Badgers staff committed to finding solutions along the line, O’Neil should have a much improved showing against Middle Tennessee.

Perhaps the biggest factor that may set O’Neil apart during the clash is the unique mindset the quarterback possesses that combines both confidence and swagger on the field. O’Neil quickly forgets about mistakes and moves forward which is what occurred after his interception against the RedHawks. The quarterback responded with multiple controlled, focus drives afterwards where he limited mistakes.

Middle Tennessee is a deflated team currently after suffering an awful loss to an FCS program and being ranked as the worst FBS program in the country. Additionally, the Blue Raiders also struggled to consistently develop some sort of pressure on the quarterback, and giving O’Neil time is a dangerous thing. The energy, preparation, and mindset that O’Neil is going to provide the Badgers may very well be something the Blue Raiders cannot stop.