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Yes, the Wisconsin Badgers of today are an annual Big Ten contender and it seems as if history starts and stops with the 1990 season for some. However, the history of Badgers football is rich from the beginnings of the game through to today.
With that in mind, we’re going to look in to the top players at each and every position group for the Badgers…without the Rose Bowl colored glasses of the last 26 years tainting everything. That’s right, players from the 1800’s have just as much chance as those from 2016.
Today, we kick things off with a look at the top quarterbacks of all-time in the Cardinal and White.
5. Randy Wright (1981-1983)
Yes, there was life at Wisconsin before 1990 at quarterback. In fact, some may argue that Wright was indeed the best quarterback UW had prior to that era. I’ll say thins, had he played with the kind of talent Alvarez and others brought to Wisconsin he very well may be the player we all talk about at the top of the heap at quarterback.
As it stands, Wright still sees himself inside the top 10 of plenty of career and single season passing numbers. His 5,003 career passing yards are still sixth best all-time at UW, while his 38 career touchdowns are tied for fourth all-time. Just how do you put those numbers in perspective? He is eighth on the career passer efficiency rating board (118.7) as well.
Every other quarterback on that list is from 1992 and beyond, which should tell you a whole lot about quarterback play at Wisconsin before Alvarez came to town.
Wright was also a nice option in the running game, putting up 360 yards and 12 touchdowns in his three years at Wisconsin. In an era where the passing game wasn’t exactly the Big Ten’s strong suit, Wright stood out and also led UW to a win in the Independence bowl over Kansas State (14-3).
4. John Stocco (2003-06)
ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 01: Quarterback John Stocco #7 of the Wisconsin Badgers is is rushed by linebacker Matt Hewitt #31 of the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Capitol One Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2007 in Orlando, Florida. Wisconsin defeated Arkansas 17-14. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
Few quarterbacks in UW history have had the relationship with the fans and the record books at Wisconsin look completely different. Most of that stems from a rough first year under center in 2004, where Stocco completed just 52 percent of his passes and had just nine touchdown passes on the season.
However, the record book shows that Stocco was also the model of learning under fire, increasing his numbers on a yearly basis. Stocco would complete 60.1 percent of his passes as a junior and a consistent 59.0 percent in his senior season. It all led to him being the No. 3 passer on the career yards list (7,227) and just the second person to ever go over the 7,000 yard mark in UW history.
There’s also this endelible moment on Sept. 24, 2005 that will forever live in Wisconsin football history — Stocco’s game-winning quarterback sneak on 3rd and goal with under 30 seconds left.
Stocco’s touchdown gave UW its first win in the last seven tries following back-to-back wins in the 1993-94 seasons.
That combination of memorable moments and longevity helped the Badgers rise again in the mid-2000’s as a team to be on the lookout for in the Big Ten.
3. Darrell Bevell (1992-95)
1 JAN 1994: WISCONSIN QUARTERBACK DARRELL BEVELL CELEBRATES AFTER SCORING A CRITICAL TOUCHDOWN DURING THE BADGERS 21-16 VICTORY OVER THE UCLA BRUINS IN THE 1994 ROSE BOWL. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello/ALLSPORT
Few players are more synonymous with the Badgers’ first run to the Rose Bowl under Barry Alvarez than Bevell, and no player arguably changed the perception of his position at Wisconsin more than Bevell did either.
Bevell’s career passing total of 7,686 yards is still first in the record books and he also holds career records for attempts (1,052 ), completions (646), touchdowns (59) and is third in career completion percentage (.614) along with fifth in passer efficiency (133.9).
If there is a model of what it takes to be successful as a QB at Wisconsin in the modern era, Bevell is that model. He was fully capable of taking over a game and completely comfortable taking a back seat to a powerful running game as well.
Bevell could kill you with the deep ball once the run game had worn the defense down and also great at getting needed plays to continue drives as well. No game exemplified that more than his lone Rose Bowl appearance in 1994, where he threw for just 96 total yards but gave Wisconsin its first Rose Bowl victory in school history with an improbable scramble for a touchdown and a 21-10 lead that proved insurmountable.
His ability to simply find ways to win games no matter what has become a trademark of quarterbacks at Wisconsin following his time.
2. Scott Tolzien (2008-2010)
ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 20: Scott Tolzien #16 of the Wisconsin Badgers throws a second quarter pass to Lance Kendricks #84 in front of Courtney Avery #5 of the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
If Bevell is the model of what a Wisconsin Badgers quarterback is supposed to be about, Tolzien arguably perfected that model in just two years as the starter. He put up over 5,100 yards of passing offense and 32 touchdowns to 18 interceptions.
Add in the fact that he led the Badgers to the first two of three straight Rose Bowl and you can see why Tolzien rates ahead of the man who made the mold for the modern UW quarterback. Getting to those Rose Bowls also led to Tolzien taking on the best record of any quarterback in Badgers history, posting a 21-5 mark in his two seasons as a starter.
There’s also the fact that Tolzien holds a .681 career completion percentage and the single-season completion percentage record of .729. His 153.2 career passer efficiency rating is only trumped by the magical season of our No. 1 quarterback…
1. Russel Wilson (2011)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 03: Russell Wilson #16 of the Wisconsin Badgers celebrates with a rose after they won 42-39 against the Michigan State Spartans during the Big 10 Conference Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 3, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
How does a quarterback with just one season in a Badgers uniform end up on this list? Try setting all sorts of school records and managing to get in to the top 10 of many career categories in just that one season.
Wilson’s arrival in Madison solved a major need for Bret Bielema’s Badgers, but it wasn’t until he actually got on the field at Camp Randall that it was apparent something special was in front of most of us.
That 2011 season saw Russell Wilson throw for 3,175 yards, 33 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing a ridiculous 72.8 percent of his passes. It all led to Wisconsin winning the first ever Big Ten championship game and a return trip to the Rose Bowl.
As for the Wisconsin Record Books, Wilson is unmatched in the single-season category. He holds the record for most passing yards, completions and passing touchdowns. His 72.8 percent completion rate is second and just one-tenth of a point off the single season record of the man he replaced, Scott Tolzien.
The post Top 5 Wisconsin Badgers of All-Time: Quarterback appeared first on Madtown Badgers.
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