© NCSU Student Media 2011
Russell Wilson throws during spring practice in 2010. Wilson announced his decision to leave the Rockies minor league team and join the Wisconsin Badgers.
Madison’s reaction
Listen to Sports Editor Cory Smith’s interview with WSUM Radio out of Madison, Wisc., about Russell Wilson’s departure.
SOURCE: WSUM Radio
It’s official: Russell Wilson will remain in red and white next season — but for another team.
The long-awaited decision for Wolfpack football fans finally came on Monday: former quarterback Russell Wilson will play football for the Wisconsin Badgers.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema said he was excited about his offense with Wilson’s addition to the team.
“This is an unusual situation, especially for a program that prides itself on developing players throughout their careers, as we do here at Wisconsin,” Bielema said in the statement. “However, this is a special situation and Russell is the type of player and person that fits very well with our team.”
While most blog sites and social media indicates, fans in the Raleigh area still seem undecided on their opinion of the quarterback departing for Wisconsin, fans in Madison are excited about Wilson’s arrival.
Ashley Hearn, co-host of “The Sunday Huddle” on 91.7 WSUM, Madison’s student radio station, spoke about the addition of Wilson to the Badgers.
“The news about Russell Wilson has electrified the Madison campus,” Hearn said. “But there are very few fans around the campus who have actually seen him play.”A call to the University of Wisconsin athletics department Monday afternoon was not returned.
Coach Tom O’Brien cut ties with the quarterback in late April, opting to give the job to redshirt junior Mike Glennon in the fall.
“We appreciate all of Russell’s contributions to N.C. State, and we wish him nothing but the best in his future,” O’Brien said in a statement released by the University Monday afternoon.
Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations Annabelle Myers did not respond to a request for interviews with O’Brien and his players Monday afternoon.
After being selected 140th overall by the Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, Wilson remained with the organization officially until his announcement Monday, despite speculation that he was looking for a college quarterback position. Wilson visited with two schools, Wisconsin and Auburn, before making his decision to leave the Asheville Tourists, a minor league team with the Colorado Rockies, after hitting only .228 with the team.
Wilson’s baseball talents at State led him to a potential career path to the MLB had he chosen to follow that route, and baseball coach Elliott Avent spoke about his time with the second baseman.
“Russell Wilson was one of the most competitive and disciplined student-athletes I’ve ever had the pleasure to coach,” Avent said. “He was a first-class representative of our program and our university, both on and off the field. Our staff and players wish him nothing but the best at Wisconsin and in the future.”
In his three years at State, Wilson threw for 8,545 yards and compiled a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 76-26.
Bielema has three quarterbacks vying for the starting position in the fall and says Wilson may be the one most ready for the starting role.
“[The other three quarterbacks] aren’t anywhere where we need them to be for us to be a competitive team in the fall.” Bielema said in a statement.
Wilson will hang up his baseball cleats and don the red and white Adidas jersey for the Badgers in the fall and said he feels “blessed” to join a program with great coaching and is excited about the offense at Wisconsin.
“When you play in a great offense with great guys around you, you take it one play at a time,” Wilson said on College Football Live Monday afternoon. “On every single play I want to execute.”