For the past week and a half, Wisconsin football practices have been open to the media. In the digital age, that means fans are updated several times daily with detailed blog posts, tweets and even video reports from the sidelines at Camp Randall by reporters covering the team.
Most of those updates have focused on the competition for starting quarterback. In the race are senior Dustin Sherer, who started seven games in 2008; junior Scott Tolzien, who has yet to see anything but mop-up duty; and redshirt freshman Curt Phillips, a highly regarded recruit out of Tennessee.
A week ago, reports indicated that Phillips had the job all but wrapped up. He was taking a lot of snaps with the number-one offense and impressing onlookers with his quickness and speed. By Friday, head coach Bret Bielema was saying that Phillips and Tolzien had moved in front of Sherer.
Then Phillips went 3-for-11 with four interceptions (two weren't his fault) during a scrimmage Saturday. Tolzien went 1-for-5 with a pick of his own. Sherer turned in the most consistent performance, going 4-for-8.
There's a saying in football that goes: If you have two starting quarterbacks, you don't have one. I couldn't find a cliché that covers three starting quarterbacks.
The Badgers were scheduled to scrimmage again Wednesday night, minus the media, and Bielema plans to announce a starting quarterback for the Sept. 5 home opener on Thursday morning. Expect the second-guessing to begin immediately afterward.