Ryan Hopkins' Maturity and Self-Awareness is Remarkable for a True Freshman

Ryan Hopkins' maturity isn't exactly breaking news.

The true freshman quarterback made it clear from the moment he stepped on campus, rapidly flying up the quarterback depth chart to the point where he split reps with the second-team offense in spring ball.

“Number one, just his mentality. He’s mature beyond his years," offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said after just three spring practices.

"His mindset is just what you want: studies, works at it, confident but not arrogant. Has that ‘it’ thing that you want every quarterback to have; he steps in the huddle and you feel his presence, even as a young guy."

We knew the 6-3 freshman from Santa Ana, California was mentally developed beyond his years at the quarterback position. We saw it in his confidence and his command of the offense, which then translated to his play.

But speaking to reporters officially for the first time as a Badger with fall camp more than halfway complete, Hopkins' maturity continued to shine through. Speaking about his performance during fall camp, he eloquently and self-consciously broke down his play:

Hopkins' first podium appearance affirms his striking maturity

Wisconsin QB Ryan Hopkins. | Christian Borman.

“Definitely just taking each day by each day. The last two practices haven’t been my best. It’s a mindset of moving onto the next one. Tomorrow is a whole new day, and I think it’s just taking coaching and relaxing. I think I’m just too excited and I’m too eager right now. I think I just need to tone down," he said.

"I wanna have the chance to be on this field, I wanna play, I wanna make a difference on this team. But it’s just a matter of settling down and let everything come to me. Taking what the defense gives me, being a leader on this offense and keep my emotions in control.”

Sure, Hopkins is old for a true freshman at 19, but this kind of self-awareness from a freshman quarterback is unlike anything I've ever seen at the college level. He's just so level-headed, and he clearly understands the big picture.

That's evident not just in how he talks, but in his actions as well. Last fall, as the Badgers' collapsed on the field, most of their top recruits abandoned ship. But Hopkins stayed committed to the coaches that believed in him.

“I like the direction we’re headed…I just saw what it could be," he said. "Coach Grimes, Coach Guiton, I stuck with them. I knew those factors, my development, being a leader in this offense and growing as a quarterback. I also saw a chance to play early."

From the way he speaks to the way he commands the offense to the way he plays on the field, Hopkins has surpassed every single expectation this early in his career. He just appears to have a remarkably mature head on his shoulders. Even if he loses the QB2 battle to Deuce Adams, even if we don't see him on the field at all this fall, the future in Kenny Guiton's quarterback room is extremely bright.

“My favorite plays are the easy ones," he said. "You have pressure in your face, you take the checkdown. It doesn't have to be the big, flashy plays all the time. I think doing what’s told of you, doing what the defense gives you, taking the simple stuff, that’s good football."

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