Commentary

Wilson could struggle with Badgers

Metrics reveal why Wisconsin's new QB could have trouble succeeding in 2011

Updated: July 5, 2011, 2:16 PM ET

By KC Joyner | ESPN Insider

Russell Wilson's decision to transfer and play for the Wisconsin Badgers for the 2011 season has been met with a ton of hype. Many are seeing this as an addition that makes Wisconsin a favorite in the Big Ten and a contender for a spot in the BCS title game.

There are certainly many reasons why people believe Wilson will succeed with the Badgers. Wilson set the NCAA record for most consecutive passes thrown without an interception, he was the first true freshman to be named first-team All-ACC and was an All-ACC academic pick.

As positive as those achievements are, in some ways this move looks like it has the potential to end up being remembered as a college version of the infamous Herschel Walker trade.

For those not familiar, in 1989 the Minnesota Vikings traded a slew of draft picks and players to the Dallas Cowboys to acquire Walker. He was thought by some to be the last piece of the Super Bowl puzzle for the Purple and Gold, but it didn't turn out that way. The Vikings had a 21-23 record with no playoff wins with Walker in their backfield.

After looking at the metrics, it starts to become clear that the impact of a Wilson-Wisconsin pairing could be just as overhyped, and potentially as disappointing, as the Walker-Vikings pairing.

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