Not many quarterbacks in the Big Ten can say that they contribute so much to an offense, that they basically kind of are. Not for Colton Joseph of Wisconsin. Before he was the newest QB to try and take Wisconsin back to at least relevance in the Big Ten, Joseph was one of the nation's most bizarre QB cases. At Old Dominionlast year, not only was he an elite passer, ranking second in the nation in yards per completion. He also was their leading rusher, with over 1,000 yards on the ground.
For Big Ten coaches, taking a risk on a player like Joseph could be seen as foolish. After all, Joseph didn't exactly meet the criteria for prototype of a typical Big Ten QB. But when you're Luke Fickell and you're at a struggling program, you're willing to take
that gamble. Because Joseph is indeed that special. There's something about Colton Joseph that screams "swagger". Maybe it's his Southern California upbringing or the competitive nature fostered within him from his siblings. No matter what it is, it translates pretty darn well on a football field.
Through three weeks with the Badgers, Colton Joseph has looked more than serviceable, especially as a passer. He has thrown for 752 yards with 5 touchdowns and two interceptions. In fact, in Week 3 against Eastern Michigan, Joseph displayed exactly why Wisconsin took a gamble on him. With 362 passing yards and 3 touchdowns with another score on the ground, Joseph was the Manning Award Star of the Week for his performance.
Now going into his first-ever Big Ten game against theNittany Lions, he has a point to prove. After all, it's not like the Nittany Lions haven't faced QBs as mobile or as multi-talented as Joseph. Still, this is the first test for both parties concerned: will the Nittany Lions prove that they can hang tough with a transfer heavy team? Or will Colton Joseph prove that he is truly a Big Ten QB?
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Colton Joseph is all about high risk and high reward for Wisconsin
