Senior running back Zach Brown will not return to the Wisconsin football team in 2011 Badgers coach Bret Bielema announced on Tuesday. It is not certain where Brown will play his final year of college football at this time.
“We would like to thank Zach for all his contributions over the last four years,” Bielema said. “He decided it was in his best interests to explore his transfer options. Because he has taken care of his business academically, he has the chance to go somewhere and play right away. He is a great person and player and has handled himself the right way throughout his four years at Wisconsin. We wish him the best of luck in his future.”
Brown, a native of Palm Beach, Fla., rushed for 568 yards on 119 carries as a true freshman in 2007, including a 250-yard performance in a win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Playing behind P.J. Hill and Big Ten MVP winner John Clay as a sophomore, Brown ran for 305 yards on 55 carries. As a junior, Brown finished third on the team behind Clay and Montee Ball with 66 rushes for 279 yards. Brown redshirted last season as Clay, Ball and James White combined for more than 3,000 rushing yards.
So you can understand why Brown is looking elsewhere, the tailback position is ridiculously crowded in Madison. The logjam of tailbacks also prompted Clay to leave early for the NFL Draft; despite his stock not being all that high.
In his three-year Badger career, Brown carried the ball 240 times for 1,152 yards (4.8 ypc.) and 11 touchdowns. Brown is on pace to graduate from Wisconsin in August with a bachelor’s degree in history. According to a new NCAA rule, Brown could be eligible to play at another Division I institution in the fall.