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One could be forgiven for taking 1,000-yard seasons for granted out of the Wisconsin Badgers backfield. UW has been churning out star running backs for about as long as most reading this can remember. Then Corey Clement got injured, misdiagnosed, had surgery on a sports hernia and rushed back way too fast.
It left a backfield that featured no experience behind him exposed and for the first time since 2004, the Badgers failed to have a running back hit the 1,00-yard mark. Wisconsin’s overall rushing game also suffered, as UW finished just 10th in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (150.4).
However, heading in to 2016 Clement’s injury is behind him and expectations for a quality running game are back in Madison.
What We Know
A healthy Corey Clement changes the way this team operates on offense. That much was proven when Clement was healthy enough to go. He was the only one with the explosiveness to get things going on the second level last season, and unfortunately for UW it happened very rarely because of injury and then a suspension for a fight in his apartment complex.
This season, Clement comes back super hungry and has some very hungry players behind him as well. After all the talk of following in the successful footsteps of the likes of James White and Melvin Gordon last season, Clement is poised to live up to the potential — just a year later than we all thought it would happen.
It also can’t happen at any better of a time, with the Badgers breaking in a new starting quarterback (whomever that will actually be).
LINCOLN, NE – OCTOBER 10: Linebacker Chris Weber #49 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers tries to hang on to running back Dare Ogunbowale #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers during their game at Memorial Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
What We Need to Find Out
Can Taiwan Deal or Dare Ogunbowale take that next step and become a viable second option in the run game? There’s no doubt that Deal and Ogunbowale did the best they could with an offensive line in flux in front of them and less than a couple of handfuls of carries between them entering the 2015 season.
Ogunbowale ended up leading the team in yards (819), but he averaged just 4.2 yards per carry and left plenty of room for improvement. Deal had the ups and downs that most freshman have, but just when things were getting in a groove, a nagging ankle injury put a damper on things.
The two were healthy all spring, and with Clement held out of major contact all spring it appears they both stepped up their game. Last season proved that UW can’t take its depth at running back for granted and finding a second back for opposing teams to worry about has to be a priority for UW in fall camp.
At least there seems to be plenty of competition for that exact spot between Deal and Ogunbowale.
Player to Watch:
Bradrick Shaw, RS Fr.
When you see the name Hoover high school associated with any player on your roster, one has to take notice. Not only is Hoover an Alabama powerhouse, it is a pipeline to college football on an annual basis. Shaw was a late addition to the 2015 recruiting class, but he may have been the diamond in the rough too.
Most people didn’t know much about Shaw until this spring, and what was able to be seen was an impressive physical back with a lot of speed to offer as well. By the end of spring ball, Shaw had the attention of his position coach John Settle. That’s not an easy thing to do and it should give the Badgers plenty of hope for the future.
With a lot of playing time behind Clement still available, an impressive fall camp could see Shaw earn himself more than a handful of carries this upcoming season. It could also put himself in the drivers seat to be UW’s future at running back with Clement and Ogunbowale graduating after this upcoming season.
Our Projected Depth Chart:
RB1 — Corey Clement, Sr.
RB2 — Dare Ogunbowale, Sr.
RB3 — Taiwan Deal, So.
FB1 — Austin Ramesh, Jr.
FB2 — Alec Ingold, So.
The post 2016 Wisconsin Badgers Fall Camp Preview: Running Backs appeared first on Madtown Badgers.
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