Wisconsin Uses New N.C.A.A. Rule to Solve Quarterback Woes, Again Confronted with devastating injuries to quarterbacks for the second consecutive season, Wisconsin has employed an inventive method to replenish its stock, far from college football's conventional approach to cultivating the position. Rather than rely on unproven players and their inherent growing pains, the Badgers have sought battle-tested transfers. Because of an N.C.A.A. rule passed in 2011, certain transfers no longer must sit out the normal obligatory academic year. Wisconsin has twice taken advantage of the bylaw, a one-time exception that allows incoming transfers immediate eligibility, as long as he or she earned an undergraduate degree from a former school and enrolls in a graduate program. "This is a reward to kids who have graduated ahead of schedule and have tackled a full academic load," Wisconsin Coach Bret Bielema said in a telephone interview. It was kind of a unique scenario in that we had a need, and obviously we pursued it. At Wisconsin, we really aren't in the junior college market, so this is a nice niche for us to get students who have been able to contribute in the classroom as well as on the field. First, Bielema brought in former North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson, who transferred in the summer of 2011 following a brief baseball stint with the Asheville Tourists, the Class A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Behind Wisconsin's potent rushing attack and robust offensive line, Wilson led the program to an 11-3 record, a Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl berth. He amassed 3,175 passing yards, 39 total touchdowns and a passing efficiency rating of 191.78, which is the highest single-season mark in N.C.A.A. history. "It had a big impact in my life and I definitely think it helped me excel in college football and gave me the opportunity to play in the N.F.L.," Wilson said in a written statement. I would personally never change that rule because it is basically allowing a student who has done a good job academically to explore opportunities similar to those I had. Yet despite Wisconsin's triumph last season with the graduate transfer exemption and an increasing number of suitors, there is still some reluctance to use that strategy. "I don't think it's something that I want to do, but I'm not oblivious to the notion that over the last year-and-a-half we've been contacted by at least half a dozen Division I transfer quarterbacks," Bielema said. Obviously I've only acted on two of them. This season, Wisconsin is depending on former Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien, who announced his transfer in March. With three injured quarterbacks on his roster, Bielema appointed O'Brien as the starter a week prior to the season. Through his first two games - a 26-21 victory over Northern Iowa and a 10-7 defeat at Oregon State - O'Brien is 39-of-61 for 391 passing yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. "The transfer process was crazy for me," O'Brien said in a telephone interview. You never expect to go through the recruitment process twice, but I did. I think what was different the second time, I knew what to look for in a program. Although constantly seeking transfers precipitates perpetual turnover, O'Brien's transfer brings a bit of stability to Wisconsin's strategy. Because O'Brien graduated from Maryland in three years - one of which he red-shirted - he has two seasons of eligibility remaining. The program's success with the transfer exception at quarterback, however, is most likely a provisional solution. "I obviously would rather develop from within our program," Bielema said. We've got some good, young quarterbacks in the system now and we are currently recruiting some, so it's more of a Band-Aid to a really difficult situation. An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that in order to avoid sitting out a year, a transfer must enroll in a graduate program that was not offered by his or her previous university. The N.C.A.A. stopped requiring that in August 2011.