The Badgers have seen some intriguing quarterback options come their way over the years.
With a quarterback battle still reportedly alive in Madison as we head into summer, I figured it was as good a time as any to look back and pick which Badger quarterbacks belong on Wisconsin Football’s QB Mt. Rushmore.
The list of challengers here is certainly not as robust as it would be for, say, running back or offensive line, but that’s what makes it fun.
My methodology is admittedly a bit esoteric. It’s based on a loosely defined amalgamation of stats and my gut feeling (NFL success is not a factor, but I will note it), but you’ll have to either trust me on this or give me your choices in the comments, below.
Darrell Bevell
Although the Northern Arizona transfer ran about as fast as I did after knee and hip replacements, Bevell was one of the chief architects of the early 90s Badger Renaissance, leading the team to a Rose Bowl win and No. 6 national ranking his sophomore season.
His next two seasons weren’t as magical, but he brought a steady, quiet leadership to the QB room, earned his status as one of the Badger greats ever to play the position, and sits as the all-time Wisconsin leader in passing touchdowns and second in passing yards.
Russell Wilson
My lean on these was not to favor one-year players, no matter how talented (such as Rose Bowl Hall of Famer Ron Vander Kellen), but when a guy has as magical a season as Russell Wilson did in 2011, it has to be recognized.
Simply stated, Wilson had, by a wide margin, the best and most dominant year of any Badger quarterback in history—33 touchdowns against 4 interceptions, with an additional 6 rushing touchdowns and an absurd 72.8 completion percentage.
If Wisconsin had a better defense that season, it would have been a national title contender. Although it wasn’t needed for Russ to win this, the fact that he’s had a largely dominant NFL career only validates what we all saw that special fall in Madison.
John Stocco
This one might be contentious for some people given the omission of beloved guys like Brooks Bollinger and Jim Sorgi from this esteemed mountain.
But the reality is that John Stocco was not only really talented, but also a great leader who didn’t shy away from big moments. His delivery might have been a bit glitchy, but his arm was strong and his aim was true.
His all-time Badger ranks of No. 3 in both yards and touchdowns is an objective testament to how great he was on the field, but his ability to pull close wins against good teams out of the fire (see Michigan, Arkansas) helps to set him apart.
Scott Tolzien
Perhaps this has some recency bias, but Scott Tolzein was talented, steady, and (most importantly) a winner, helming the 2010 Badgers, one of the best teams in school history. He sits No. 2 all-time on the completion percentage list for Badgers (as well as No. 7 for yards and No. 10 for touchdowns) and seemed to always come up with a big, chain-moving toss when it was needed.
Although he never established himself as a starter in the NFL, his heady brand of skill and leadership allowed him to stay in the league from 2013-2017, including a pair of starts for both the Packers and Colts.
Just Missed: Brooks Bollinger.
Special Mention: Ron Vander Kellen, Jim Sorgi, Randy Wright.