MADISON, Wis. (MCT) — Dayne Crist, a talented but injury-plagued quarterback who last week received his release from Notre Dame, is weighing transferring to Wisconsin.
Sources familiar with both programs confirmed Crist is high on Wisconsin.
Crist has one season of eligibility remaining and is set to graduate this month, meaning he would be eligible to play in 2012.
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema cannot comment on potential transfers.
However, the Badgers welcomed quarterback Russell Wilson from North Carolina State before this season under similar circumstances.
Wilson has started all 13 games and helped lead UW to a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl berth.
One day before UW rallied to defeat Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, Bielema noted that Wilson’s seamless transition at UW has piqued the interest of several players at other programs.
Wilson has passed for 2,879 yards, with 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions in Paul Chryst’s quarterback-friendly, prostyle offense.
“Because of the success of Russell Wilson,” Bielema said, “I’ve been contacted by almost 10 players who want to talk about the opportunity to transfer in to the University of Wisconsin.”
Crist, 6 feet 4 inches and 235 pounds, is from Canoga Park, Calif. He was selected to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio as a high school senior.
He redshirted as a freshman at Notre Dame and played in four games as a sophomore in ‘09 before suffering a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
He returned to win the starting job in 2010 and started nine games before suffering a torn patella tendon in his left knee.
Before the injury, Crist completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 2,033 yards. He passed for 15 touchdowns, rushed for four and had seven interceptions.
Crist opened the 2011 season as the Irish starter but was benched in the opener, a 23-20 loss to South Florida. Coach Brian Kelly started Tommy Rees the next week against Michigan and Crist appeared to fall to No. 3 on the depth chart late in the season.
UW’s quarterback situation for 2012 remains murky because of the health status of Jon Budmayr and Curt Phillips.
Budmayr, the No. 1 quarterback at the end of spring practice, has been sidelined since preseason camp with nerve problems in his right elbow. Phillips is trying to come back from another serious knee injury. He hasn’t played since the 2009 season.
Redshirt freshman Joe Brennan and freshman Joel Stave are set to return next season. UW have an oral commitment from one quarterback in its 2012 freshman class, Bart Houston of De La Salle (California) High School.
Quarterback considers transferring to UWCrist recently received release from Notre DameDayne Crist, a talented but injury-plagued quarterback who last week received his release from Notre Dame, is weighing transferring to Wisconsin.
