By TOM LEA
tlea@espnwisconsin.com

MADISON – Considering junior wide receiver Manasseh Garner was listed on Bret Bielema’s initial two-deep, it was somewhat confounding when news came down that he was planning to transfer out of the Badgers program.

He was in the coaches’ plans and seemed to be a player poised to break out, especially considering he finally seemed to regain the health that eluded him throughout the course of his sophomore season.

“I kind of felt even last spring that he had just battled through a lot,” Bielema told reporters following Thursday’s practice. "He’s actually going to go to Pittsburgh. I facilitated that as soon as I got done. He’s got a baby back home.

“He’s got some life issues that maybe being closer to home will be a good thing for him.”

Garner was a highly touted, very athletic player originally from Pittsburgh. He will now head back to his hometown and play for Paul Chryst, his offensive coordinator at Wisconsin each of the past two seasons preparing for his first season as a head coach.

“Manasseh was maybe leaning toward some FCS schools,” Bielema said. “We had a list of 15 schools. I sat down with him. I actually talked to coach Chryst. The best option for him in my opinion would be for him to go to a BCS school and sit out a year, get himself healthy and have two years to play.

“That’s exactly what he’s doing.”

OTHER TRANSFER UPDATES:

-Sophomore Jameson Wright will head back toward his home state of Florida. Bielema, though, wasn’t sure where that destination would be.

“He is still working through the process,” Bielema said. “I think he’s leaning on going back to school down in Florida. The thing that I admire about these kids that are moving on is they see themselves in a situation where they want to compete. It’s not they’re just sitting here occupying space and getting an education.

“They want to get on the field and compete. I can’t blame them for that.”

-Sophomore quarterback Joe Brennan will apparently look into Towson University, according to Bielema.

“I don’t know if that’s been officially cleared,” Bielema said. “But that’s the last I heard.”