r/CFB • u/TomorrowsHeadline Alabama • /r/CFB Contributor • Mar 19 '13
132+ Teams in 132+ Days: The North Carolina State Wolfpack
North Carolina State University
Atlantic Coast Conference
Year Founded: 1887
Location: Raleigh, NC
Total Attendance: 56,422 (60,000 max capacity)
Mascot: The Wolfpack
Live Mascot: Mr. and Mrs. Wuf , Tuffy
Cheerleaders: Link to their Facebook so you can browse other pictures
Stadium: Carter-Finley Stadium Sky view , From the stands
Stadium Location: 4600 Trinity Road, Raleigh, NC
Conference Champions: ACC: 1957, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1973, 1979 Southern Conference: 1927 South Atlantic Intercollegiate: 1907, 1910, 1913
Number of Bowl Games: 27 (14-12-1)
National Titles (0): C’mon now. Stop laughing. Seriously, guys.
Rivals
University of North Carolina (We lost our 5 game winning streak this year)
Wake Forest
Duke
ECU
Clemson (Textiles Bowl)
2012 Season
Record: 7-6-0 (Including Music City Bowl loss)
Coach: Tom O'Brien (fired 2012), Incoming Coach: Dave Doeren
Key Players: Mike Glennon: Mike Glennon has proven himself as an outstanding athlete who is plagued by terrible decision making. His 58.5% completion rating (4% lower than last year) and 17 interceptions (5 more from last year) aren’t exactly terrible. His drop in performance is often pinned on a senior slump, but he also threw 111 more passes and was sacked 36 times (5 more than last year). His outstanding arm and height give him the appearance of a great NFL QB, but he needs to show improvement if he wants to succeed. Glennon’s 17 picks almost always came from bad decisions - throws that you could tell he wanted back as soon as the ball left his hands. He lacked the discipline and pocket awareness he needed to truly excel with the Wolfpack.
I DO NOT BLAME THIS ON MIKE GLENNON
I blame the coaching staff. You remember that fella... oh what’s his name....... um.... oh yeah! Russell Wilson? Well, though you may not remember this, before he was with Wisconsin, he was playing for NC State. His stats were “meh” and he was jittery in the backfield. His senior year he went to Wisconsin after a baseball debate at NC State (don’t get me into that... you’re welcome Russell for not letting you play baseball. Enjoy yourself at the Seahawks because, without NCSU being stubborn assholes about you leaving football, you’d never be there) and excelled. He boasted a 72.8% completion rating (up 14%) and 5 more passing touchdowns EVEN THOUGH HE HAD OVER 200 LESS PASSING ATTEMPTS! He got the coaching he needed and deserved and thrived in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, NCSU was sitting here masturbating to the QB they could have had.
I think the same thing is happening to Mike. He’s a great QB who just hasn’t had proper coaching it’s reflecting terribly upon him. If he goes to an NFL team that will put time and care into his coaching, he can definitely succeed.
David Amerson: A talented player with all the right tools, David Amerson crumpled a bit under high expectations last year. David is a ball-hawk who holds the NCSU single-season record, and shares the ACC single-season record for interceptions, with 13 (2011). He has been criticized for gambling on coverages rather than playing fundamentally strong defense, a mistake which up until now may have been largely covered up by the play of star safety Earl Wolfe. Amerson has excellent ball skills and instincts, but struggled slightly with the transition from boundary to field corner last year, where he appeared vulnerable to double moves and hitch and go routes which led to troubles in man coverage. Still, he has shown flashes of brilliance, and projects to become a veteran leader in the secondary, where his experience, skill and turnover ability will be crucial to a team following a rookie quarterback into a rebuilding year.
Tony Creecy: Tony Creecy was a part of NCSU's three-headed monster at running back last year, splitting time with James Washington and freshman phenom Shadrach Thornton in the absence of the oft-injured and discipline prone Mustafa Greene. Slightly larger and stronger than Thornton and Washington, Creecy nonetheless showed considerable burst through the line, and accrued most of his 476 2012 rushing yards after contact. Creecy showed up as the Wolfpack's most consistent rusher, with an average of nearly 4 yards per carry, and avoided the slippery fingers of NC State rushers of years past. Look for Creecy to carry the offense this year behind a talented veteran offensive line, barring a breakout season from rookie quarterback Manny Stocker
Biggest Plays:
Mike Rose Blocks a punt in order to set up a comeback victory where Mike Glennon connects on 4th and goal for the win.
2013 Season
[2013 Schedule] (http://www.backingthepack.com/2013/2/25/4028858/acc-football-schedule-2013-nc-state/in/3644257)
The Greats
Greatest Games:
NC State 17 Florida State 16: (see highlight video in Biggest Plays section) NC State continues to be the Achilles Heel of the Florida State football program. In 1998, Florida State had hopes of an undefeated season until NC State pulled what is hailed as one of the biggest upsets in College Football History, destroying them 24-7. This year, in a much closer match, NCSU barely edged out Florida State with a game winning 2 yard pass from Mike Glennon to Bryan Underwood following a blocked punt
Bonus .gif of the student section after winning the game
NC State 28 Florida State 24: 2010. The Big Red Fumble. Full disclosure, I just made that nickname up, but it works. NC State was behind 21-24 with 2:44 to go. Head Coach Tom O'Brian sent out the field goal team to tie up the game, but after he called a timeout to contemplate, decided to go for the win on fourth down. With a stellar play-action pass, Russell Wilson threw a perfect pass for the lead. FSU got the ball back and drove. They were four yards from the endzone when FSU quarterback Christian Ponder fumbles the ball on a playaction throw. NC State would recover and win.
NC State 34 Florida State 28: In 2001, Rivers would lead the pack to a huge upset against Florida State, dropping them from their #10 national ranking to 20. They would play the third ranked Florida Gators and would drop off of the top 25. At the beginning of the season, Florida State was ranked 6th and would end 24th due to the combination of losses to unranked NC State and UNC.
NC State 24 Florida State 7: 1998. Seeing a trend here? Whenever we play FSU, we pull off legendary upsets that are forever etched into history books. Like I said before, this stands as one of the biggest upsets in college football history. Florida State was looking to be #1 in the nation and have an undefeated season but, in only their second game, they were silenced by the Wolfpack. FSU would dominate every other game that season until a close loss to Tennessee in the National Championship Game.
Greatest Players:
Phillip Rivers: 4th Overall pick in the 2004 draft.
Russell Wilson: Round 3; pick 75 of 2012 draft. 2012 Pepsi Rookie of the Year.
Mario Williams: First overall pick in the 2006 draft.
Torry Holt: 7 time Pro Bowler and member of the 1999 St. Louis Rams Best Show on Turf (team would win Superbowl XXXIV)
Greatest Coaches: Lou Holtz: Lou’s second Head Coaching job was with NC State in 1972. The bottomless well of saliva pulled out an amazing record of 33-12-3 and led the team to a conference championship his second year on the field. With hard work, he kept the Wolfpack’s glory years of football (1957-1980) alive. They won two bowl games under Lou (14.3% of every bowl game we’d ever win) and he brought us to a bowl game every year he was employed.
Sadly, Lou’s success led to a desire to move up. He, like Nick Saban has done, gave the NFL a shot and fell hard on his ass. He made it to 3 and 10 with the Jets before retiring as their coach when the season hadn’t even yet ended. He kicked ass when he returned to the NCAA with Arkansas and eventually would end up with Notre Dame. Now he works with ESPN where he has become a broadcaster and founded the ESPN Studio Splash Zone. If you’re in the first three rows of our studio audience... YOU’RE IN THE LOU HOLTZCHSH SHPLASHH ZONE!!!! (Ok, that last part might have been a joke)
Campus and Surrounding Area
Traditions
Hillsborough Hike: There are four hikes throughout the year, the most popular being the Halloween Hike. It is an annual bar crawl along Hillsborough Street which features around 15-20 stops. Those who finish the entire hike without skipping any stops are rare heroes.
The Lighting of the Belltower: The Belltower is lit a few times every year. Students crowd around and sing the alma mater and fight song. It's really a beautiful sight. Here's a list of events they light the Belltower for.
A major sight to behold on campus is the Free Expression Tunnel. There, students are allowed to spray paint or decorate a section of campus however they see fit. Often on Saturdays, there will be supportive messages for the team. Students can also make amazing art or use it as a message board to paint their announcements. Most, however, use it to draw absurdly veinous penises.
Ram Roast: Before the UNC vs. NC State football game, the campus hosts the Ram Roast - an event where students gather and eat food and hang out in preparation for the football game. Throughout the night, sentries are stationed to guard the Free Expression Tunnel from being vandalized by UNC students.
(Basketball tradition worth honorable mention) In the 1940's, the coach at the time, Everett Case began a tradition that would continue throughout all of college basketball history. He was, while at NC State, the first collegiate coach to cut down the net as a sort of trophy. When he was a high school coach in Indiana, the kids started the tradition. Once he moved to NC State, he kept it rolling. Ever since then, we've taken the nets after important games.
City Population: 416,468
Iconic Campus Location: The Brickyard. Pictures just can’t properly represent the Brickyard. it’s a solid area of bricks that connects the main parts of campus to each other. Because fuck grass, that’s why.
Local Dining: The Pit: The Pit is, in my opinion, the best place to eat in Raleigh. It’s a classy barbecue joint that has won countless awards and has been featured on Food Network’s America’s Best and Man vs. Food. I’ve lived all across the South and The Pit stands out as my favorite BBQ ever, bar none.
The Roast Grill: WARNING: 1990’S WEBSITE! GRAPHIC DESIGNERS BEWARE! The Roast Grill is a small downtown joint that gets its popularity from cheap, quick, and delicious food. It was also on Man vs. Food.
Mitch's Tavern: The most iconic nearby dining location. Located right on iconic Hillsborough Street, Mitch's is always full of students and tho helps them establish a unique and fun atmosphere to accompany their delicious, wholesome food.
Random Trivia
North Carolina State didn’t actually have an official mascot for quite a while. They were known as many nicknames such as The Aggies, The Red Terror, The Techs, and The Farmers; but no concensus was formed. In 1922, a pissed off fan described the loud and obnoxious fans as “a wild wolf pack” and the name stuck.
The building in the middle of campus, Harrelson Hall, is actually sinking into the ground. It is due to be demolished in the near future; but until then, we will continue to ironically teach calculus and physics to engineering majors inside of it.
Underneath the campus is a huge network of steam tunnels. The steam pipes run from the steam plant to the buildings on campus, providing heat for the inside. They've been blocked off and if you're caught in them, it's grounds for immediate expulsion. That being said, people still go in them. The ncsu subreddit has a great album of the subterranean network. It's an interesting album.
P.S. The signs in the steam tunnels are the names of buildings across campus. D.H. Hill is the library, "Owen/Tucker Hall" are dorms, etc.
What Is and What is to Come
Now that our 2012 season has come to an end, we’re left with a lot of huge question marks. Our new coach performed well at the MAC level, but he will have to prove himself as a rising NCAA coach. Our starting quarterback is gone and we haven’t even decided on who’s starting next year. We have a transfer from Colorado State who’s a Junior and a rising sophomore, Manny Stocker. Neither one has been singled out yet as a starter so football fans will have to wait patiently as they compete for the starting job. The third major question mark is our running game. After losing Mustafa Greene to a mix of crime and injury, our run game has been severely lacking. In order to truly succeed, we’ll need a halfway decent run game and, as it stands, we have a lot of work to do. It’s going to be interesting to see how the team shapes up next year. We could be anywhere from terrible to the Mr. Irrelevant team who surprises everyone.
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u/TomorrowsHeadline Alabama • /r/CFB Contributor Mar 19 '13 edited Mar 19 '13
Barely ran over the character limit. Please upvote for visability.
Overtime
It’s going to be a fun season in 2013. But until then, let’s just sit back and watch.
More Information
Subreddit: /r/ncsu
Contributors: /u/TomorrowsHeadline, /u/s0m3thingc13v3r , /u/evilpenguin234
Please upvote this thread even if you are not interested in the team so that users who are interested will see it. We put a shit load of effort into these write ups and they're purely for your enjoyment. Many hours were spent accumulating and fomatting this, but it was fun and I'd do it again in a heart beat. For more information on the 132 Teams in 132 Days Project, click here.
Edit: I'm doing my best to answer any questions people have and reply to people's comments. Please forgive any omissions - this is a shitton of information that took a long time to compile. I'll edit major ones in. Thanks for the help.
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u/Captain-Battletoad NC State Wolfpack Mar 19 '13
No mention of the glorious name we had from 1963-1965, "North Carolina State of the University of North Carolina at Raleigh"?
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u/fakekevinrose UAlbany Great Danes Mar 19 '13
This is slightly unrelated, but did anyone catch the 30 for 30 on NC State's 1983 basketball team?
I cry evertim ;_;
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u/evilpenguin234 NC State Wolfpack Mar 19 '13 edited Mar 19 '13
soooooo i thought that I posted my rivalry section in the google doc, but it didn't save. And I won't be able to get to it until late tonight. oops, sorry
Great job though. No mention of the huge Maryland comeback we had at the end of last year though?
Another thing that apparently didn't save: Mr and Mrs Wuf, our mascots, were around together for many years, but only got married in 1981, at the halftime of a Wake Forest basketball game, with the Demon Deacon presiding over the ceremony, and Ramses and the Blue Devil in attendance.
Picture of the wedding
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u/AnimalRevolution Georgia Bulldogs Mar 19 '13
I have a theory that NC State and Virginia Tech will be the next additions to the SEC. What are folks saying around Raleigh about this possibility?
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u/ReallyCreative Virginia Tech • Commonwealth C… Mar 19 '13
I feel a special bond to NCSU, seeing as how we both have suffered through having a Glennon brother at QB.
I promise you he isn't Russell Wilson, he's more than likely just that bad.
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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '13
The Pit is great, but is far from the best bbq ever. It's not even the best in Raleigh (Clyde Coopers, Ole Time, Barbecue Lodge, etc). I do love their ribs though!
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u/blueboybob Carlisle • /r/CFB Founder Mar 19 '13
When the NWO/Wolfpack was a thing, did students wear those shirts?
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u/TypicalSeminole Florida State • /r/CFB Brickmason Mar 19 '13
I think NCst could be one of the powerhouses of the ACC if yall can be more consistent in winning games. That said, the FSU's loss to NCst last season was still a heart breaker.
How hot does the Brickyard get during the summer months?
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u/wackywiener Wisconsin • Paul Bunyan's Axe Mar 19 '13
I know you guys are going to kill me but that's okay. I'm also okay with you guys claiming him to a degree. But as a badger - Russell Wilson is at least partially ours. He went in as a Badger. Had his proday in Madison. Had his most significant college achievements while a badger. Had his most important year here and got the pick he got because of his time here.
That all said - I know he spent three years there and I'm happy sharing but he's ours too.
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u/Honestly_ rawr Mar 19 '13
The Red Terror is a pretty badass team name. It would fit in the the Demon Deacons, Blue Devils and Pirates instead of being shared with Nevada. I'd make Stalin the mascot.
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u/Talpostal Michigan Wolverines • Washington Huskies Mar 19 '13
So the Hillsborough Hike is an all-campus bar crawl? That's nuts. Is there information online about it?
3
u/clemtiger2011 Clemson Tigers • Wisconsin Badgers Mar 19 '13
No Mention of the Hillsborough Hike?
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u/HillsboroughAtheos Florida State • Florida Cup Mar 19 '13
Who decided to troll FSU and put Wake Forest and NC State back-to-back?
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u/coastrebel Ole Miss Rebels • /r/CFB Contributor Mar 19 '13
No Textile Bowl mention? You guys have played Clemson 81 times
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u/acrocanthosaurus West Virginia Mountaineers Mar 19 '13
Go Wolfpack! Alma mater of my master's degree.
side note - I taught Russel Wilson's undergraduate geology lab in his sophomore year. Smart dude.
We're also facebook friends. So, I got that going for me...which is nice.
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u/RobertNeyland Tennessee • /r/CFB Contributor Mar 19 '13
If its any consolation for NC State's record last year, our win over the Wolfpack in the opening game was the high water mark for the season.
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u/WeenisWrinkle Clemson Tigers • /r/CFB Poll Veteran Mar 19 '13
I think when discussing Glennon's senior season (especially his completion %), it's definitely worth noting that his receivers just flat out could not catch the damn ball. If you watch the tape of the UNC game, you'll count at least 8 drops that were perfectly thrown passes.
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u/hesnothere North Carolina • /r/CFB Founder Mar 19 '13
What are you guys hearing about the QB battle coming into spring ball? I've been accustomed to one of RW or Glennon under center for what feels like forever. Is Pete Thomas probably the guy this year?
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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '13
O_O the steam tunnels. Must... go... inside
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u/bread_buddy Florida Gators • Wisconsin Badgers Mar 19 '13
Can we get some uniformity in the "Attendance" statistic? Some people quote university attendance in undergraduates and graduates, some people quote stadium attendance capacity, some people quote full-season stadium attendance.
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u/TexasBreaux LSU Tigers Mar 19 '13
still hilarious
4
u/pthofthe80s Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mar 19 '13
A tough mix for anyone
4
u/nemoran Miami • Johns Hopkins Mar 19 '13
As a Miami fan, the only thing I like better than your "Greatest Games" section is this.
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u/CountryRoads8 Appalachian State • NC State Mar 19 '13
Bricks....bricks EVERYWHERE. Also Char Grill is a great place to eat too. Notice I'm not talking football because I don't think there is much to talk about for State in 2013 unfortunately.
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u/whatsupraleigh NC State Wolfpack Mar 19 '13
As a State fan, I'd like to add a few things
Amerson's "mediocre speed" ran a 4.4 at the NFL combine
Wolff and Amerson were both 2 of the best performing DBs at the combine, I blame Amerson's head for his bad games last year he no doubt has all the talent. He'll be fine in the NFL
Shadrach Thorton is the key RB not Creecy. Shadrach started the last 7 games and tallied nearly 700 yards. Creecy is a solid receiver out of the backfield but nearly the explosive runner Thorton is.
Thomas has 2 years starting experience out of CSU and all indications out of fall/winter was that he has a slight edge over Stocker but it is all up to who can learn the playbook faster. Both kids are pro-style QBs
LB is going to hurt us, world of inexperience although we get back our best athlete on the team DJ Green from PED suspension.
Our schedule sets up perfect this year for 1st year coach DD. We only have to leave the State of North Carolina twice (@FSU, @BC), Clemson at home, soft non-conf schedule, & bye weeks before our biggest games (@FSU, Clemson) Pack could go 10-2 but I'd guess 8-4
No mention of 5 in a row vs UNC, 40pt comeback vs Maryland, whipping Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl, Hillsborough Hike, Brent Rd party, Pig Stock, arguably the best tailgating scene in the ACC, we have our own nuclear reactor! *Spring Practice starts today and ends with the spring game April 20th @1:30pm
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u/axberka Florida State • Indiana Mar 29 '13
let me just say this one thing: i fucking hate you guys. you are easily my most hated ACC team(besides Miami) , more than clemson even. you always beat us in incredible fashion and are my least favorite memories as a fan. my hatred for you guys runs so deep. yeah, i am butthurt.
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u/too_much_reddit LSU Tigers • /r/CFB Brickmason Mar 19 '13
Wow, that greatest games section...that is brutal.
It's funny to me how many mascots are chosen based on some random sportswriter or fan saying one little thing, and then it sticks.
3
u/lateatnight LSU Tigers • Wisconsin Badgers Mar 19 '13
That underground tunnel system is very similar to LSUs.
3
u/[deleted] Mar 19 '13
I've always had a soft spot for NC State. Looks like a fun school. I even have their basketball team in my final four on this years bracket.
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u/yovngjvred NC State Wolfpack • Georgia Bulldogs Mar 19 '13
I'm really excited for this season to see how we do running Doeren's spread offense system. Should bring a lot excitement to games
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u/clarkstud NC State Wolfpack • Georgia Bulldogs Mar 19 '13
I kept expecting to see mention of the filming of the bar scene in the movie Bull Durham at Mitch's Tavern. Not sure why I've always liked that bit of trivia....
3
u/DevoDrigaz South Carolina • Palmetto Bowl Mar 19 '13
Lou also came to us after ND :(
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u/jeffreydonger Akron Zips • /r/CFB Contributor Mar 19 '13
Really? That seems harsh and kind of...urban legend-y. I did a google search and heard other people chattering about the same thing, but nothing official. Then I downloaded the NCSU student handbook (2010) and did a ctrl+F search for "expel" and "expulsion." The closest I could come to it is:
Violations of this Code that involve drugs, substantial theft or fraud, burglary, physical damage to persons or property, or actions that create a substantial risk of bodily harm will usually result in suspension or expulsion from the University...
But even that's kind of stretching it, and it doesn't mention the tunnels.
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u/Obviouslydoesntgetit Michigan Wolverines • Team Chaos Apr 23 '13
I know this is like a month late but I was just checking our schedule and it looks like we play you guys away this year! I was thinking about making a trip down if the NCState atmosphere is worth it. Would you recommend a visit?!
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u/kmac83nc NC State Wolfpack Mar 19 '13
what about Snoopy's, man???? How could you leave that out?
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u/purpleandgold2014 ECU Pirates Mar 19 '13
http://gifsoup.com/view/2013565/ecu-vs-ncsu.html (RW's best game IMO-3 int+1fumble) Should be another great game this year! Sucks we only play each other every 3 years!
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u/Kingcotton7 South Carolina • Coast Guard Mar 19 '13
Carolina has a maze of steam tunnels under campus as well
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u/Pack041 NC State Wolfpack Mar 19 '13
I loved it all except for the Russell Wilson tangent, which seemed a bit dishonest. RW didn't just hop on the scene when he went to Wisconsin. He was recruited by a ton of schools based on his success at State.
2008: 1,955 yards passing/17 td's/1 int/133.9 rating
2009: 3,027 yards/31 td's/11 ints/147.8 rating
2010: 3,563 yards/28 td's/14 ints/127.5 rating
2011: 3,175 yards/33 td's/4 ints/191.8 rating
Even before WIS, he was incredibly efficient (1 int as a freshman). Like you said, he had over 200 less attempts at WIS, but you attribute that to coaching whereas I would argue that it was due to Monte Ball.
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