The Badger Backer "What If" Series - Ch. 4: The Caleb Williams Commitment That Almost Reset the Big Ten
Ten days in January 2022 nearly changed everything. Inside the alternate timeline where the Heisman winner chose Madison over L.A., saved Paul Chryst’s job, and took the Badgers to the Playoff.
In the winter of 2022, the college football transfer portal was dominated by one story: where would Caleb Williams play next? While the Oklahoma phenom eventually chose USC, for ten chaotic days in January, the smoke rising from Madison wasn’t from a grill during a pregame tailgate; it was a shocking rumor that gained steam: Caleb Williams to Wisconsin.
It was a legitimate ‘What If’ that nearly reset the Big Ten hierarchy and changed the future of Wisconsin football forever.”
The Scene: The Engram Connection
Wisconsin didn’t just “show interest”; they staged a tactical recruitment. Head coach Paul Chryst hired Bobby Engram—the Baltimore Ravens’ tight ends coach—as the new offensive coordinator. The subtext wasn’t subtle: Engram’s son, Dean, was Caleb’s high school teammate and friend at Gonzaga College High School.
For a moment, the “Russell Wilson 2.0” narrative was everywhere. Rumors swirled that Caleb wanted a pro-style system to prep for the NFL, and the Badgers offered one of the best offensive lines in the country and a 1,200-yard rusher in Braelon Allen.
The Sliding Door Moment: January 28, 2022
In our reality, Caleb chose the bright lights of L.A., won a Heisman, and became the #1 overall pick for the Chicago Bears. But in this timeline, the “business decision” leans toward the Midwest.
Caleb sees the path Russell Wilson took—one dominant year in Madison to prove he can lead a traditional powerhouse—and signs with the Badgers.
Catch up on the “What If” Series
Before we dive into the 2022-2023 Caleb era, see how other moments in Badger history could have shifted the universe:
Ch. 1: What If J.J. Watt Stayed for His Senior Year? – The 2011 season with Russ and a Hall of Fame defender.
Ch. 2: What If the Refs Saw Winslow Touched It? – Re-officiating the 2015 National Championship.
Ch. 3: What If the “Polar Bear” Never Fell? – The No. 1 team that was derailed by injury.
The Alternate Reality: 2022-2023
The 2022 “Jump Around” Season
Wisconsin doesn’t lose 17-14 to Washington State in Week 2. With Caleb under center, the Badgers’ stagnant offense (which averaged 26.3 PPG in reality) explodes. The “Lamar Jackson-lite” elements Bobby Engram brought from Baltimore actually work because he has the right player under center.
The Illinois Pivot
In reality, Wisconsin’s 34-10 loss to Illinois on October 2nd got Paul Chryst fired. In this reality? Caleb shreds the Illini defense. Chryst stays. The Badgers finish 11-1, win the Big Ten West, and give Michigan all they can handle in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indy, but fall to the Wolverines.
Wisconsin Makes the CFP in 2023:
Wisconsin builds off its wildly successful first season with Williams and runs the table in the 2023 regular season, including a win over No. 3 Ohio State at home, and is 12-0 heading into a rematch with Michigan in the Big Ten Championship.
Even with a loss to Michigan, the Badgers claim the 4th seed in the CFP over Alabama, making the first College Football Playoff appearance in program history.
The shockwaves of Caleb’s decision in this alternate reality didn’t stop in Madison. From a stalled dynasty in Los Angeles to a massive coaching carousel shift that leaves the SEC looking completely different, the ‘Caleb to Wisconsin’ timeline creates a ripple effect that touches every corner of the sport.
Unlock the full breakdown of the coaching dominos, the recruiting ‘Gold Rush’ that never was, and how Jim Leonhard’s career path was forever altered. Upgrade to a paid subscription to read the ripple effects of Caleb Williams’ decision to join the Badgers.
The Ripple Effects
The Lincoln Riley “West Coast” Stumble
In our world, Caleb Williams was the engine that made Lincoln Riley’s transition to USC look like an overnight success. Without him, Riley enters the 2022 season with Miller Moss or a lesser-tier portal grab.
The Reality: USC likely wins 7 or 8 games instead of 11. They lose the momentum that helped them land elite Southern California recruits.
The Impact: The “Riley is a QB Whisperer” narrative takes a massive hit. Without a Heisman in Year 1, the boosters are less patient with his defensive struggles. By 2024, Riley is on a much hotter seat, and the move to the Big Ten feels like a looming disaster rather than a triumphant arrival.
The “Dairy Raid” Never Happens
If Paul Chryst is winning 10+ games a year with Caleb Williams, there is no reason for AD Chris McIntosh to fire him.
The Luke Fickell Domino: Luke Fickell stays at Cincinnati for one more year, waiting for a “blue blood” opening. When the Texas A&M job opens up after the Jimbo Fisher era implodes, Fickell is the #1 candidate. He heads to College Station, taking his Big Ten toughness to the SEC.
Scheme Shift: Wisconsin stays a Pro-Style, under-center powerhouse. The “Air Raid” experiment under Phil Longo—which was a disaster in reality—never infects Madison. Wisconsin remains an identity program in the Midwest.
The 2023 Recruiting “Gold Rush”
Caleb Williams isn’t just a player; he’s a magnet.
The WR Revolution: Wisconsin has historically struggled to land 5-star wide receivers. But in 2022 and 2023, elite targets like Jordan Addison (who followed Caleb to USC in reality) or high-school phenoms look at Madison differently.
The Narrative: “Go to Wisconsin, run behind the best OL in the country, and catch passes from the #1 pick.” The Badgers land a top-10 recruiting class in 2023, breaking their glass ceiling and finally matching Ohio State and Michigan in raw talent.
Massive Donor Base: As we’ve seen with many of the recent successful college football programs, it’s easier to raise money from donors when the team is winning games. With the Badgers performing at a high level, the program starts making a lot more money and can afford to be ultra-aggressive in today’s NIL and pay-for-play model in the transfer portal, giving them a higher-caliber roster than we’ve seen in reality.
The Jim Leonhard Era Begins Early
In this timeline, Paul Chryst eventually retires on his own terms around 2025, not wanting to keep up with NIL and the transfer portal. Wisconsin AD hands the keys of a contending program to Jim Leonhard.
Succession: Instead of the messy 2022 coaching search and Leonhard’s eventual departure to the NFL/Illinois. The continuity keeps Wisconsin as a Big Ten contender for the next decade.
Ultimately, the Caleb Williams saga remains one of the greatest "sliding door" moments in the modern history of Wisconsin football that was probably never going to happen.
In our reality, the Badgers traded their traditional, ground-and-pound identity for the uncertain promise of the "Dairy Raid" and a defensive overhaul.
But in the timeline where Williams donned the Motion W, Madison didn't just survive the changing landscape of college football; it thrived in it. Instead of a messy divorce from Paul Chryst and the departure of Jim Leonhard, the program would have enjoyed a seamless transition fueled by a generational talent.
While Luke Fickell works to build a new foundation, fans can't help but look back at what is one of the first events that was, in reality, the beginning of the end of one of the most consistent football programs in the country, and how things may be different if Caleb Williams had shocked the world and joined the Badgers.
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