Flashback: Bret Bielema talks Russell Wilson

Some of you may remember former Wisconsin Head Coach Brett Bielema's effusive praise of Russell Wilson - first to Dave "Softy" Mahler back in May 2012 - just after Wilson was Drafted by the Hawks in the third round, where Wilson's college coach predicted he'd start in Year 1 over big-time free agent acquisition Matt Flynn.

You can download that conversation here - I can't find an embedded player for it anywhere:

Bret Bielema LOVES Russell Wilson! | Dave 'Softy' Mahler
Sure he was his Head Coach at Wisconsin, but listen to what Badgers head man Bret Bielema had to say about new Seahawks QB Russell Wilson today. Hint: He thinks he's really, really good.

Said Bielema:

I know you've got another quarterback coming in (Flynn) - now two quarterbacks, really, from Wisconsin. But, I know this - I've been around him for a year, and I don't know if I've ever met a more complete human being. He's a great football player, and he's going to amaze people on a daily basis around there.

Bielema also noted that they'd be putting six to seven players into the NFL that year - and had sent scores more over the past few years, and Wilson was the most pro-ready player he'd ever seen. I'd say it's safe to say Bielema was correct. Here was his reaction to Wilson winning the starting job:

At the time, it may have been easy to scoff a little bit at Bielema, and write him off a little bit as just an enthusiastic supporter and biased former coach. But, obviously, thus far, Wilson has lived up to Bielema's predictions/expectations.

After the season was over, Bielema went on with Brock and Salk to talk about Wilson a little bit more - and didn't mince words when he said "I know he's going to be an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, but he also might be the president of the United States." So, to say that Bielema had/has faith in Wilson is a gross understatement.

Either way - it's worth going down memory lane to hear what Brett Bielema said about Wilson both prior to and after the season.

Brock and Salk - Podcasts - MyNorthwest.com
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema tells "Brock and Salk" about what it was like coaching Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson at Wisconsin. Bielema says Wilson has an "uncanny way of leading people."