Paul Chryst says Jack Coan will be Wisconsin’s No. 2 quarterback

At least one of the main position battles appears to be resolved.

During an appearance on the ESPN Madison radio show, “In the Trenches,” on Thursday afternoon, head coach Paul Chryst said true freshman Jack Coan will be Wisconsin’s No. 2 quarterback.

“I think we’ll end up with probably five or six,” Chryst said when asked about the incoming freshmen that have stood out, “including Adam Bay, our longsnapper, and Jack Coan will be our No. 2 quarterback, so we got a few.”

The 6’3, 202-pound Coan arrived in Madison a semester early in January 2017 as an midyear enrollee. That allowed him to participate and gain significant reps in spring practices in March and April.

During summer camp, Coan competed against redshirt freshman Karé Lyles for the back-up spot behind starter Alex Hornibrook. As of Aug. 12, offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph told reporters the competition was still on-going, but it appears a decision has now been made.

Coan is still young and inexperienced as a first-year student-athlete. Undoubtedly, he’ll have to continue to improve to reach the level that Hornibrook currently performs at with UW’s first-team offense.

In practices open to the media, however—especially the last one open to reporters on Aug. 12—Coan displayed a solid arm, intriguing mobility and the ability to throw the ball away when needed. The Big Ten Network’s Dave Revsine also called out the young quarterback last Friday during Wisconsin’s scrimmage as one of two “young guys who have stood out,” alongside fellow true freshman, wide receiver Danny Davis.

A four-star prospect by Rivals, Coan earned New York Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a senior while eclipsing two career Long Island, N.Y., records—those being passing yards (9,787) and touchdown passes (128).

Early next week, media should receive the official depth chart as Wisconsin heads into its 2017 regular season opener against Utah State on Sept. 1.