What you see is what you get. And what you see is a coach's kid, who has grown up with the game and nurtured his own football instincts.

"Nothing was ever forced on Brooks in any way," said Rob Bollinger, who raised the family in Grand Forks, N.D., where he was an assistant at the University of North Dakota, a successful Division I-AA program. "We lived in an older neighborhood where there were not a ton of kids his age. But I remember having a little ball, a Nerf ball, and we'd just play catch.

"It seemed like we were always playing catch. And he was always in the stadium. Our offices were there and he was up and down the stairs and in the locker room and on the field. He was probably like a lot of coach's kids."

In the eighth grade, he played on the ninth-grade team. In the ninth grade, he played on the varsity at Grand Forks Central High School.

He was a four-year starter. He also started at point guard in basketball and shortstop in baseball. He helped all three teams to the state finals.

During his junior and senior seasons, Bollinger's quarterback coach was none other than his dad, who left the North Dakota staff for a job in the school's alumni office (which he still holds today). That allowed Rob Bollinger to be a volunteer assistant at Central.

That's where Brooks learned the game, and the importance of high-percentage passes and ball control. That's where he placed a high value on being sound technically and fundamentally. And that helps account for his efficiency as a redshirted freshman at Wisconsin.

Taking over as the starter in the fifth game of the 1999 season, he passed for 1,133 yards and rushed for 454. He threw for eight touchdowns and ran for six. Moreover, he was intercepted just twice in 140 throws.

"He's a natural leader," said UW coach Barry Alvarez. "You can't mandate leadership. That's the type of kid he is."

A coach's kid.

Lindy's Football Annuals (National, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC, plus Pro) are available at newsstands regionally, or can be ordered as a set at www.lindyssports.com, or by calling 1-205-871-1182.