Following the 2010 season, Danny O’Brien was named as both a Freshman All-American and the ACC’s Rookie of the Year.
Less than three years later, the former Maryland and Wisconsin quarterback will continue his collegiate playing career, albeit at a much, much lower level to which he’s accustomed.
Speaking to FOXSportsWisconsin.com, O’Brien’s high school coach confirmed that he will continue plying his quarterback wares at Catawba College. That particular institution competes at the Division II level of the NCAA’s athletic rung.
According to the coach, Todd Willert, the fact that his former player’s new destination is so close to O’Brien’s North Carolina hometown tipped the scales.
“He just wants to go and have some fun and play some football,” Willert said. “I think he’s excited to play back in North Carolina so it’s not so far away from everything. Family and friends and everybody can go watch him in his last year. I think he’s looking forward to that.”
O’Brien will head into Catawba as a fifth-year senior, his final year of eligibility.
After what appeared to be a breakout freshman season, and after Ralph Friedgen was for whatever reason fired as Maryland’s head coach, O’Brien lost his starting job midway through Randy Edsall‘s first season as the Terps’ coach. In February of last year, O’Brien announced a transfer from Maryland and ultimately landed at Wisconsin.
Starting the 2012 season as the Badgers’ starting quarterback, O’Brien lost his job and, ultimately, announced another transfer in June of this year.