Bret Bielema on Russell Wilson

Bret Bielema, Wisconsin coach, speaks to KJR about the guy he coached last year.

22 Comments

  1. Hawksince77

    This is an amazing interview and I encourage everyone to listen.

    • CFR

      Agreed. The more I hear/read/watch about Wilson, the more I wish that the Seahawks hadn’t signed Flynn. Man would I love to see this kid on the field. Although I do suppose that it’s for the best to give him time to grow before throwing him out there. They’re definitely in a solid position. Assuming that Tarvaris loses to Flynn in the “QB competition” this year and that Flynn doesn’t have a phenomenal year, we can start next year with a new competition: this time between Flynn and Wilson. The future is definitely looking bright in Seattle.

      • Hawksince77

        Having signed Flynn was important to this process, I think. It made the Wilson pick much more viable and less stressful. Without Flynn, they probably wouldn’t have Wagner.

        Going forward it’s nothing but good. My money is on Wilson beating Flynn for the starting gig, but even if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t matter. PC will play the best QB he has, and at some point that is likely to be Wilson.

        Sooner rather than later, I think, because I think PC believes Wilson will winning the starting job. Now, despite what anyone thinks, even if PC truly believes that, it won’t happen unless Wilson genuinely wins the position. Expecting it and actually having it happen are two separate things, even for the decision maker.

        Having been in many decision-making situations myself, I always considered myself responsible for getting the best decision made, not necessarily the one making it, even when I had the authority to do so. In this case, PC will ultimately who starts at QB (and at MLB) but until/unless Wilson/Wagner actually perform above the others, it won’t be decided.

  2. Nate

    “We put 14 guys in the NFL last year… this year we’re putting 13 more of ‘em in… I’ve never seen a kid more ready to play professional football…I think we’ve had 6 first rounders in the last 6 years and none of ‘em are as ready as this kid.”

    I try to keep my expectations as tempered as possible, especially for a rookie, even more so a 3rd round QB. But damn is it tough not to have high hopes for this guy.

  3. Michael (CLT)

    P & J’d. I want so much for my dream of Wilson to Baldwin to win the SB to come true. Badly.

  4. Christon

    I’m excited about Russell Wilson but the Seahawks have to put the best QB on the field for THIS season to win NOW. Winning later (for the sake of starting a rookie to see what you have in the future) is overrated. I think Matt Flynn, with only two NFL starts under his belt, still has room to grow and develop as a QB like Wilson. At this point we know what T-Jack is – a average QB who could potentially get a team to the second round of the play-offs with a really good supporting cast. But T-Jack isn’t going to put a team like the Seahawks over the hill to the promise land. I think Wilson has the biggest potential to be able to do that of all the QB’s on the roster but I believe that he still needs to prove that in practice before he passes anyone on the Depth Chart.

    • Hawksince77

      I think PC starts the best QB, period. I think that might be Wilson, but it could certainly be Flynn. You could even argue that starting Flynn would jack up his trade value even if you intended to start Wilson sooner rather than later. Or you could argue that starting Wilson would be better for the future…yadda yadda yadda. I think it is much simpler: whoever PC thinks gives the Seahawks the best chance to win their first game in 2012 and into the season, starts.

      So cool…

  5. Ryan

    love this. how could you not.

  6. A. Simmons

    The hype train for Russell Wilson is running at supersonic speeds. I’m riding on it too. Haven’t heard a coach endorse a kid like this too often. If Wilson lives up to the hype, you would have thought we were the ones that drafted the next Peyton and not the Colts. I do prefer Wilson over an RG3, Tannehill, or Osweiller. Wilson seems more dedicated to football, more competitive, a better leader, and to have stronger work ethic than either of the other three. He also has more consistent production.

    I can’t help but think we’re due for a big time QB. We have some above average QBs like Dave Krieg and Hass that had some qualit years. We’ve never had a big time, game changing QB. So maybe our luck is turning. We shall see if this Wilson kid can live up to the hype. He sure sells well. But you never know what you have until you take it out of the box and use it.

    • plyka

      Yes, the hype train on wilson has home off the rails, lol…you would take wilson over rg3,lol. I’m willing to bet ag that if another team drafted wilson, everyone would say he was overrated and had no chance.

      That said I’m extra happy with the pick, but the hype train is ridiculous. RG3 is a far superior prospect than wilson.

      • A. Simmons

        Tell me why he is far superior? 3 inches of height? A better 40? College production is about equivalent. Wilson is more durabile. Intelligence seems roughly the same. Consistency roughly equivalent. Not sure how you see RG3 as clearly superior. If I were making a bet, I would put the odds on Wilson to have a better career because he seems more dedicated to football. I think Russell Wilson will hop back up when sacked over and over again defiant the entire time. I think RG3 will crumble under pressure when sacked like he will be in the NFL. We shall see and revisit this discussion after we see who fares better. RG3 seems like the kind of player that could walk away from football and be fine with it. Russell Wilson seems like the type of player that eats, breathes, and lives football.

  7. Swamp_fox

    Wow I’m already anticipating my over-analysis of Wilson’s pre-season snaps… Bring it already!

  8. Doug

    I’m starting to think everyone is putting too much pressure on the kid with all this glowing love. QBOTF, starting as a rookie, better than Luck and RG3, smartest kid in the world, astro-boy, yada, yada…

    At this rate we will have elected him president of the world before the season even starts. Lets take a little pressure off the kid, we are setting ourselves, and him up for a big disappointment if he is anything less than Superman the first time he steps on the field…

    • AlaskaHawk

      Starting with lost the Rose Bowl- lost the big game. Wilson is good but lets not overhype him. Give him a chance to learn the NFL and maybe play him for a quarter here and there when the Seahawks are winning.

      Flynn set team records when he was allowed to start. That’s a huge thing to say when your talking about Green Bay. He set team records. You got to give him a shot.

  9. peter

    There needs to be some context to the record setting performance. Detroit was one of the worst teams defending the pass last year, with Greenbay being the absolute worst. Matt Stafford lit up Green Bay’s secondary with 520 yards and an unreal performance by Megatron. the only way to respond was by passing all day long. there was no game plan, no subtlety, just straight arial attack from Green bay to keep up with Detroit. The game was destined to be shoot out. I’m not trying to take anything away from record setting performances, but sports are written with one off performances that break records. His first outing against the Patriots was “just a game.” Granted not a game that we get to see around Seattle all that often with three TD’s and one Int…but he still lost.

    Really I don’t care who wins the QB competition, I just think saying someone deserves the shot because they set records for their old team doesn’t do it for me.

    • plyka

      If it wasn’t all that impressive due to their defense why didn’t every other qb in the league tattoo the lions with record breaking performances. Why didn’t aaron rodgers, the best qb in the league? You say youre not trying to take anything away right after you tried to take something away from his performance, lol. It is what it is, two incredible performances. Out doesn’t mean he is peyton manning, but dont try and downplay the incredible play from flynn.

      • AlaskaHawk

        Actually saying someone deserves a shot because they set records with their old team does do it for me.
        Griffin took Baylor to records that have never been achieved before so I want Griffin but I can’t have him.

        Wilson is good, there will be two or three other QBs every year that are as good as him. Flynn I don’t know, picked in the late rounds, but he has shown a few elite games in the pros.

        Maybe we will get lucky and both will be great! Not a bad situation to be in.

        • A. Simmons

          I guess we’ll see who turns out better in the pros. Odds are that out of the four first round QBs taken, only only one will ever be absolutely great. My money is on Luck. I don’t think RG3 has as strong a commitment to football and winning it all as some of the other guys. An opinion I think will bear out in time. Looks like the last time a single QB class turned out multiple 1st round Pro Bowl, playoff competitive QBs was 2004. Out of this draft my money is on Luck to be the 1st round guy from this draft. I expect RG3 to get crushed as he sees the NFL requires nothing less than an absolute dedication to football and a desire to win that borders on the manic. I know Wilson has both of those traits. I’m doubtful RG3 has either. Just like I’m also 100% sure Flynn has both of those traits. I think they are two traits that are difficult to measure until the prospect takes the field and experience the level of competition where winning and losing isn’t just a wait until next year thing, but win because your very livelihood and success depends on it. Flynn’s been tested in the cauldron and come out on top each time. Wilson and RG3 have yet to be tested. Tarvaris when put to that test has shown he can’t handle the pressure and crumbles. Be interesting to watch. I prefer to take my shots with guys like Wilson. You can feel his love of football in his interviews. He treats it like a science, a passion, and a business.

        • peter

          I’d agree with the Baylor thing…Alaska, but the apple to the orange of your analagoy, is that RGIII lifted Baylor for a whole season, not played lights out for one game on a one of the NFL’s most top heavy pass attacks.

          • AlaskaHawk

            I love RG III, he carried Baylor on his shoulders, so I totally agree that he will be a great QB in the NFL.

            I won’t downrate Flynn, his record setting performance speaks for itself. When some other pro QB sets a record then they can brag about it, until THEN I’m going with FLYNN.

      • peter

        First: I truly don’t think a 3 td vs. 1 int 251 yard on 37 attempts is really anything all that remarkable. I certainly wouldn’t call those stats “incredible,” And it’s fine that we have different ideas of “incredible.”

        Second: Who knows why Aaron Rodgers didn’t “tatoo,” them when he played on Thanksgiving. Or every other team…But a bunch of teams did have some pretty good games against Detroit…but then again why did the Gants lose to Green bay then beat them soundly in their house a month later….That’s the great thing about football, “any given Sunday,”

        Third: Again I’m not taking anything away from that, SINGULAR performance, very few QB’s have ever done it. And like a perfect game in baseball, or hitting four home runs in a game (both events incredibly rare) I think it’s logical to marvel at Flynn’s game.

        Finally: Flynn may be the man. Maybe Green Bay will kick themselves for letting him walk….Maybe Flynn set’s the world on fire this year, continues with his last game and throws 40 tds, to 14 ints. That will be amazing. I for one will be stoked. But….in the end it’s one amazing game. That’s all. Just the one. Not a body of work. And unlike a ton of backups obviously Flynn’s got some goods, since the playbooks are open to him, and the coaches obviously feel that they are not in damage control mode when he’s out there. Which is great. But sorry though that I’m not going to get all stoked on one game….I’ll reserve judgment until I see a bit more work.

        • AlaskaHawk

          Should be an interesting preseason with all the QB competition. I’m hoping they can find some good wide receivers coming out of our practice squad too.

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