Badgers Announce Garner & Wright to Transfer

Late on Tuesday afternoon the Badgers football team announced via release that wide receiver Manasseh Garner and defensive back Jameson Wright will transfer from the program and explore opportunities elsewhere.

“I met with Manasseh and Jameson and they both informed me they wanted to pursue their options of playing somewhere else,” Bielema said in a press release today. “In talking to them, I realized this was a tough decision for each of them because they enjoyed their time as Badgers but it was something they felt was in their best interests.”

It’s an inevitable part of football camp nearly every year – players deciding to transfer after not being named high on the depth chart. Garner is entering his true junior season and it was clear that while talented injuries and more consistent players were putting him down on the depth chart and after not making the two deep at any of three wide receiver spots earlier this week he may be better off for his football playing days to move on. 

He recorded a total of two receptions for 45 yards in his career as a wide receiver. However, Garner started his freshman season of 2010 as a defensive end where he recorded 10 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.

Jameson Wright on the other hand was entering his redshirt sophomore season and had yet to see the playing field in gameday action for Wisconsin. 

Bielema closed out his statements on the transfers by saying “I told them we would help in any way we could to facilitate their transition to a new school. Both Manasseh and Jameson are great kids who come from terrific families and were tremendous representatives of our program. We wish them both the best of luck.”

While Garner is the better known of the two and the one with the most upside, neither of these transfers can really come as much of surprise. Especially considering the fact that Garner only has two years of football left and being buried on the depth chart at Wisconsin or moving on to an FCS program or mid-level FBS program would allow him the opportunity to at least earn significant playing time. 

We join in the thoughts of Bielema and wish both Garner and Wright well in the future, wherever it takes them.