Zach Brown should entertain idea of transfering

Depth at any position can be a coach’s biggest asset. For players trying to see field time, however, depth is a whole different ball game.

Based on the current running back situation at Wisconsin, if I’m Badgers coach Bret Bielema, I’m a pretty happy man. But if my name is Zach Brown, I wouldn’t exactly be having the best night sleeps these days, even after impressing the UW coaches in P.J. Hill and Lance Smith’s absences a season ago.

And quite frankly, I’m not sure why Brown is sticking around for his final three seasons for the Cardinal and White. If I’m Brown, I’m out of here. In a heartbeat.

This spring Brown told me that he is not discouraged in the least and just enjoys being part of a deep backfield that includes Hill, Smith and newcomer John Clay. But if he’s looking to get the touches that he deserves – because he is a talented back – I feel like Wisconsin is the wrong place for him, even if it means losing a year of eligibility to play elsewhere.

Don’t get me wrong; I would love to see Brown in a Badger uniform for three more seasons. He proved last season that he can be productive off the bench and be an every-down back, especially after exploding for 250 yards against Minnesota in the regular season finale. But with Hill and Smith each having two seasons left and Clay being the up-and-coming hometown favorite, Brown’s future as a Badger seems grim.

To me, the kid from Royal Palm, Fla. seems like a fish out of water. He’s like the middle child that nobody pays attention to. Badger Nation is excited about Clay after his 90-yard performance in last month’s spring game; it’s excited about the thought of Smith playing a full season, and Hill, he was the 2006 Freshman Player of the Year; he needs no explanation.

Brown was impressive last season no doubt, but assuming Hill stays healthy and Smith stays out of trouble (which are both big ifs), Brown won’t be the feature back at UW until his senior season. And with Clay on the horizon, I don’t see that happening either.

Brown should merely treat last season as pros treat their contract years; ultimately, it could have been a national tryout for the freshman. I’m sure Brown will have no trouble finding suitors after his 2007 accomplishments.

If Brown was a run-of-the-mill back without a bright future, this topic wouldn’t be worth discussing. But the kid has potential if given the opportunity to be a No. 1 back. Unfortunately, that opportunity doesn’t exist in Madison. So for his sake, I almost hope he goes.