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He's a celebrated senior quarterback, a four-year starter, a devout Christian, a grad school student who's accounted for more than 4 miles of offensive yardage in his college career.
University of Wisconsin followers know by now that description fits Russell Wilson, but it also applies to his counterpart this weekend.
Chandler Harnish has never met Wilson, but the Northern Illinois quarterback made a point of watching video of Wilson in UW's wins over UNLV and Oregon State.
"(Wilson) is unbelievable," Harnish said. "I don't think anyone would have expected how big of an impact he's made already being a new player.
"He was already a Top 10 quarterback. I would say he's Top 5 now. He's the key to that offense."
Ditto for Harnish, whose versatility and veteran savvy make him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks the seventh-ranked Badgers will face this season when they meet Northern Illinois Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Harnish, the reigning Player of the Year in the Mid-American Conference, already owns the school record for total offense in a career with 8,011 yards. He's accounted for 64 touchdowns in 37 games and has almost as many 300-yard passing performances (four) as 100-yard rushing efforts (five).
In the first two games of the season — a 49-26 win over Army and a 45-42 loss to Kansas — Harnish has averaged 339.5 yards of total offense, which ranks him 10th nationally.
With a degree in business management, Harnish is seeking his MBA. His primary strength, according to first-year coach Dave Doeren, is a faith cultivated through a serious knee injury he suffered in 2009.
"He's a devout Christian and truly believes that he's here for a greater cause," said Doeren, who spent the previous five years as defensive coordinator at UW.
Doeren is the third coach Harnish has played for with the Huskies. He was recruited by Joe Novak and was redshirted in 2007. That was followed by three seasons with Jerry Kill, who left the campus in DeKalb, Ill., in 2010 to become the coach at Minnesota.
Harnish said the latest transition was eased by the way Doeren dealt with the veterans on the team, but specifically the 6-foot-2, 220-pound quarterback from Bluffton, Ind.
Harnish said Doeren met with the upperclassmen after taking the job — pledging his support even while he finished his commitment to the Badgers in the Rose Bowl — and went so far as to call Harnish shortly after his MVP-winning performance in the Humanitarian Bowl victory over Fresno State.
"Honestly, it's been the easiest transition by far," Harnish said. "I thought, more or less, that (Doeren) was trying to win me over and he didn't need to do that. I definitely appreciate it on my behalf and I respect him so much more because of that. That's one of those things I hadn't really seen in the past. To be treated like that was a definite plus. Our relationship got a jump start right from the beginning."
Doeren said Harnish, the first in program history to be named first-team All-MAC quarterback, has fulfilled his end of the bargain.
"He's a role model in every way," Doeren said. "He's a tremendous leader that takes a great amount of pride (in) representing not only our football team, but our university in every circle around here.
"He takes the utmost responsibility and pride in being everything you'd want in a player. For me to have that at quarterback, not that you turn your back (on a problem), but you know that it's handled, so you can really focus your energy on other areas of the program."
In a late-night phone conversation Monday, fresh from a three-hour MBA class that required a 45-minute drive to Naperville, Ill., Harnish said Doeren has provided ample insights into his old team that should prove valuable.
"He told me every little hint, secret, whatever it may be, nuance of their defense." Harnish said of the unbeaten Badgers. "Just to have those little tips will be huge in my preparation for the game because we need that.
"Obviously we're going to be undermanned a little bit; they're a lot bigger than us. They're going to be the big favorite and we're going to be the underdog. We need every advantage we can get."
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Chandler Harnish article on Madison site
