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Madison - Former Maryland quarterback Danny O’Brien has chosen to transfer to Wisconsin.

Badgers head coach Bret Bielema confirmed the commitment in a news release Wednesday.

O’Brien is on pace to graduate this spring and under NCAA rules will be eligible to play immediately.

“One thing that was big for me on my visit was fitting in the with the players and the atmosphere," O'Brien said during a teleconference Wednesday afternoon. "Obviously you’ve got to come in and work hard and earn your respect.

"The guys there are hard-working guys, no big egos on the team, just a lot of guys that are hungry to win and I respect that.

“That is how I approach the game so I think it will be a good fit.”

O'Brien has two seasons of eligibility remaining and he stressed he plans to play both seasons at UW.

A handful of schools expressed interest in O'Brien, who visited UW, Penn State and Ole Miss. However, O'Brien said he chose UW over Penn State.

“I was blessed to have several great opportunities,” he said. “But the vibe I got when I was at Wisconsin was special -- with the players on the team, with the coaching staff, all the supporting staff.



“Madison, the city, the campus was great. It was kind of everything I was looking for going into this process...

“There was no denying after I took the Wisconsin visit…that Wisconsin was home and it felt more like the place I wanted to be.”



UW got what it was looking for.

"We're excited that Danny has chosen to attend Wisconsin," Bielema said in the news release. "The first thing we did when we were aware of Danny's interest was to try and find out what type of person he was and if he would fit into our program.

"From our dealings with him and all the things I have heard from those who have been around him, he is a tremendous person and has great character. He had a fantastic visit and our current players who met him came away impressed. Having graduated from Maryland in just three years, you know right away that he is a smart kid.

"As is the case with any player who joins our program, we have not promised Danny anything other than the chance to come in during the fall and compete for the starting quarterback position. He understands that and is excited for that opportunity."

UW has only two healthy quarterbacks participating in spring practice – Joe Brennan and Joel Stave.

Brennan will be a redshirt sophomore next season. He played in six games last season and completed 6 of 15 passes for 48 yards, with one interception.

Stave, a walk-on from Whitnall High School, will be a redshirt freshman.

Curt Phillips is getting limited work in the spring while trying to come back from multiple knee injuries. The last game in which Phillips played was the 2009 regular-season finale at Hawaii.

Jon Budmayr, who closed last spring as the No. 1 quarterback but never played a down after experiencing nerve problems in his throwing arm, is still out.

UW signed one quarterback in February, Bart Houston from De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. Houston is a touted prospect but is set to undergo shoulder surgery and is expected to be limited in camp.

The addition of O’Brien at a minimum bolsters UW’s quarterback depth.

O’Brien, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, completed 57% of his passes (192 of 337) for 2,438 yards, with 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a redshirt freshman in 2010. He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year.

He posted those numbers in a pro-style system under head coach Ralph Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin.

Friedgen was fired after the season and Franklin was named head coach at Vanderbilt.

Last season, head coach Randy Edsdall and offensive coordinator Gary Crowton installed a spread system and O’Brien struggled.

He completed 56.4% of his passes (150 of 266) for 1,648 yards, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions and eventually lost his starting job.

O’Brien asked for and was eventually granted his release.

“Coach Canada is an extremely sharp coach, very impressive," O'Brien said of his meeting with new UW offenssive coordinator Matt Canada. "And the offense is going to be pretty much Wisconsin football.



“He brings a unique aspect of it with his experience but there is no question that the O-line and running game at Wisconsin that stuff can stem off that.



“And I do think it fits what I do well. It is pretty similar to what I did at Maryland two years ago. So that’s something I’m excited to get back into."

O’Brien follows the path carved by Russell Wilson, who played last season at UW after transferring from North Carolina State.

Wilson helped UW win the inaugural Big Ten title game to reach the Rose Bowl. He passed for 3,175 yards, with 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions.

“I did not talk to him about the process but obviously his success was something I followed a little bit being that I played him when he was in the ACC," O'Brien said of Wilson. “But the fact that he showed it is possible was big. But at the same time, I’m a different player. I’m in a little bit different situation.

"Our paths are kind of similar coming from the ACC to Wisconsin but it is a new year, a new season, and 2012 has yet to be written.



“I’m a completely different player. I’m a different guy. So I don’t compare myself to him but you can see where comparisons will be drawn.



“But I don’t see it as pressure at all.”

O'Brien did experience one moment similar to Wilson during his recent visit to Madison.

Like Wilson last summer, he was impressed by the size of UW's offensive linemen.

"You hear how big those guys are," he said, "but until you actually see them practice it does no justice. It was unbelievable."

O'Brien acknowledged during the teleconference he feels rejuvenated by the upcoming change. He plans to graduate in mid-May and get to UW in time for summer work in early June.

"I don’t regret one day that I’ve been on campus at Maryland," he said. "But I do feel rejuvenated to close this chapter and start a new chapter.



“It’s refreshing. It’s exciting. I have a lot to prove all over again.

"That’s something that’s really got me excited.”