Billy Edwards injury update: Report reveals hopeful outlook for Wisconsin QB's status

Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards isn’t believed to have suffered a long-term injury after he left Thursday night’s 17-0 win over Miami of Ohio, according to CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer. Edwards exited in the first half with a non-contact injury and was walked to the locker room, not to return to the field.

The final diagnosis revealing the true extent of his injury isn’t yet known. But is internal hope Edwards “could be back” in time to play Week 2’s game at No. 8 Alabama on Sept. 6, per Hummer.

Edwards started Thursday night’s game but left with less than 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter after completing 6-of-13 passes for 68 yards. Wisconsin backup Danny O’Neil replaced the injured Edwards and went 12-of-19 for 120 yards through the air with two total touchdowns, including a 1-yard rushing score to go ahead 17-0 with 6:45 remaining in the game.

Edwards transferred into Wisconsin after three seasons at Maryland. There, he threw for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions in 11 starts for the Terrapins.

Thursday’s game marked Edwards’ Wisconsin debut after he impressed the coaching staff in camp. His arrival came as the Badgers also brought in a new offensive coordinator in Jeff Grimes, who previously was at Kansas. Grimes spoke highly of Edwards as the season opener approached, pointing out his versatility and the way he carries himself every day.

“His preparation and his willingness to study and be ready for every single day is phenomenal, maybe the best I’ve been around,” Grimes said. “He allows us to be as multiple as we are. You watch us practice and you see the multiple formations and shifts and motions, and you see the quarterback directing things at the line of scrimmage. That takes a lot of work. We wouldn’t be able to do the things we’re doing, in terms of pure volume schematically, if we didn’t have a guy like him.”

In what’s shaping up to be a pivotal year for Luke Fickell after the coordinator change – not to mention a challenging schedule – analyst David Pollack picked Edwards as his player to watch in Madison this year. Success at quarterback would be key for Wisconsin to jumpstart an offense that struggled mightily in the “Dairy Raid” system under Phil Longo.

“I think when you’ve watched Luke Fickell’s reign so far,” Pollack said. “They haven’t had a quarterback — they’ve been under a 60 completion percentage. Under. That’s not crazy nowadays. That used to be a really, really high number. Billy Edwards Jr. He was over 65 percent at Maryland. Can he come in and give them some balance? They want to run the football. They’ve got a new OC. It’s a change of times for Wisconsin. Can they get this thing rocking and rolling? But it’s gotta start with the QB position.”

— On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.