N.C. State to honor Russell Wilson's jersey at halftime of spring game
Your move, Wisconsin.
In the battle to claim the college of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, North Carolina State has landed the most recent blow.
The Wolfpack will honor Wilson's No. 16 at halftime of its spring game on April 12 along with the No. 9 of Buffalo Bills DE Mario Williams.
“This is truly an amazing honor and I am looking forward to being back in Raleigh (N.C.) and Carter-Finley Stadium,” Wilson said in a release posted on the N.C. State site. “My experience at NC State was an amazing one playing football and baseball but also accomplishing my goal of graduating in three years. My memories of playing as the quarterback for the Wolfpack are never ending and the roar of the Wolfpack Nation still rings in my ear from memorable wins against FSU and UNC."
Since Wilson graduated in three years, he was able to transfer and be immediately eligible at Wisconsin, where he started at took the Badgers to the Rose Bowl after the 2011 season.
Before his transfer, Wilson was contemplating a career in professional baseball, and as he was making the decision, then-N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said he was going to name now-Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon his starter.
Wilson chose to move on, telling USA Today in October that "I wanted to go back there. And when I was told I couldn't, it was one of those things where I had to figure out a way to move on and find a way to make something work."
O'Brien was fired after the 2012 season.
In the lead up to the Super Bowl, which the Seahawks won, Wisconsin fans posted a billboard in Raleigh, N.C. saying they were proud to call Wilson one of their own despite mispelling his first name.
N.C. State fans responded with a billboard of their own.
Wilson and Williams' numbers will not be retired and current and future N.C. State players will be allowed to wear them. However, anyone wearing No. 9 or No. 16 in the future will wear a jersey patch of the player whose number he's donning.
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is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @NickBromberg
