Wisconsin spring football: Bart Houston looking for opportunity to showcase arm

MADISON -- With a healthy year in Andy Ludwig's system under his belt, what's next for Bart Houston? The California-born redshirt sophomore is hoping this spring and summer will be enough to showcase his big arm and steal Wisconsin's starting quarterback job.

Overall, Houston's performance in spring practice been solid, but he says he can always do better. He mentioned that the most frustrating thing for him this spring has been trying to get reps to get on the field.

"Not every guy can get out there with the ones, not everyone can get out there with the twos," he said, "so it's just finding a way to get reps."

Houston said his right (throwing) shoulder he had surgically repaired two years ago is now fine, and the injury is a thing of the past. He feels is arm strength is something that diversifies him from the other quarterbacks.

"I think my game-management skills [set me apart]," he said. "I also have a rocket for an arm. I have to do more work with it and continue to be better with it. I am calm, cool and collected. I don't freak out when something bad happens. If I am cool and collected when everybody is looking at me, then everybody will be okay."

Houston said he hasn't noticed much of a change in Wisconsin's offense from last year. He said any play can be run 50 different ways with different audibles and motions, and he believes that he needs to work on completing more passes.

"The goal is about 70-to-80 percent," Houston said. "That is a very lofty goal, but I believe I can obtain that. I have to do a little bit better at completing my passes."