With the arrival of a new year, former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Mabrey Mettauer is set to join a new team. After entering the transfer portal on December 21, Mettauer has officially pledged to play for the Sam Houston Bearkats starting in the fall of 2025, as announced on his X account.
Mettauer, a four-star recruit from the class of 2024, will reunite with Phil Longo, the former offensive coordinator for the Badgers who became the head coach for the Bearkats on December 18 after being dismissed from his position at Wisconsin in November. Mettauer served as the primary backup for Wisconsin following an ACL injury to starter Tyler Van Dyke, maintaining his redshirt status by participating in only three games in 2024, during which he attempted just one pass for two yards. He will have four years of eligibility left with the Bearkats.
Hailing from The Woodlands, Texas, which is only 40 miles from Sam Houston State’s campus in Huntsville, this move marks a return home for Mettauer.
He will be joining a Sam Houston Bearkats team that is entering its third season as an FBS program. Last season, the Bearkats achieved a record of 10-3, finishing third in Conference USA and participating in their inaugural bowl game, the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, where they triumphed over the Georgia Southern Eagles. This success came despite the departure of head coach K.C. Keeler, who accepted a position at Temple University for 2025.
In a crowded quarterback room, Mettauer will compete with 2024 starter Hunter Watson, who started 12 games last season, and Central Michigan transfer Jase Bauer, who has entered the transfer portal again, although he has not yet committed to a new team. Watson threw for 1,811 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions with a completion rate of 62.3% in 12 games during the previous season. Additionally, sophomore DJ Bailey and incoming three-star recruit Jax Brown will also be in the mix for the quarterback position.
While it remains uncertain who will lead the Bearkats as the starting quarterback in 2025, Mettauer’s familiarity with head coach Phil Longo’s air raid offense may offer him an advantage over his competitors.
This transfer also brings Mettauer back together with Longo, who served as Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator during the 2023 and 2024 seasons before taking the helm at Sam Houston State in December 2024. After Longo’s dismissal, Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell explained the decision, emphasizing the need for a change to improve the team’s performance. Under Longo’s guidance in 2024, the Badgers averaged 23.9 points and 363.1 yards per game, finishing with a 5-7 record and failing to qualify for a bowl for the first time since 2001.
The Badgers, now faced with finding a new starting quarterback following the departures of both Mettauer and 2024 starter Braedyn Locke, are entering a competitive period of evaluation. Tyler Van Dyke, who has one year left of eligibility after his injury, has also entered the transfer portal but has yet to find a new team. Milos Spasojevic, a walk-on who did not see playtime in 2024, remains the only quarterback from last season who has not transferred.
To bolster their options, the Badgers have brought in former San Diego State quarterback Danny O’Neill and former Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., both expected to vie for the starting role in training camp. O’Neill threw for 2,181 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2024, while Edwards accumulated 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns during the same season for Maryland.
