Is Corey Clement really the magic pill that will cure Badgers run game woes?

BuckySaunders

BuckySaunders

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Eight carries — that’s all the Wisconsin Badgers have gotten out of their leading returning rusher from last season, Corey Clement.

After two seasons in the shadows of James White and Melvin Gordon, Clement was supposed to be the shining example in the Badgers running back group. In fact, he was the main reason so many were optimistic about Wisconsin’s chances to win the Big Ten West division.

Instead, Clement spent a few weeks nursing what was thought to be a groin injury and in actuality turned out to be a sports hernia. As a result, the star junior running back has been on the shelf for six straight weeks and could be closing in on a return.

UW and Clement teased us all last weekend, as he suited up, went through pre-game warmups and led the team out of the tunnel. However, he never put the helmet on and never got in to the contest against Purdue.

While he didn’t play, Clement even being suited up gave us all an indication he is closer to being back than anyone thought he might be at this point in the season.

Some believe Clement is the answer to what is ailing the Badgers run game, and it is hard to ignore the fact that he’s rushed for over 1,500 yards in limited action over his first two seasons in Madison. He’s got star power to him.

But, is one player really the thing that will turn the ship around?

The reality is, there’s been one common thread to what is really ailing the Badgers run game — the offensive line, or more specifically, a lack of consistency along said offensive line.

No doubt, having Clement back in the starting lineup gives the Badgers run game a boost. However, Clement is not playing right guard or any other position along the offensive line the last time I checked.

As good as Clement may be, he can’t do it alone. The last time we checked, a running back needs a quality offensive line in front of him in order to go from really good to great. No open holes equals no opportunities for success.

Just how bad have things been for the Badgers offensive line so far this season?

Here are the lineups for the O-Line so far this season:

Alabama: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Williams – Biegel
Miami (OH): Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Williams – Biegel
Troy: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Biegel
Hawaii: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Biegel
Iowa: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Maxwell
Nebraska: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Benzschawel
Purdue: Marz – Williams – Deiter – Kapoi – Benzschawel

If you’re counting along, that’s five different starting offensive line combinations in seven football games.

Trying to get any continuity in the run game is nearly impossible when the guys up front are changing out each week and sometimes in the middle of the game as well. It doesn’t matter how good, bad or indifferent players like Dare Ogunbowale, Taiwan Deal or Alec Ingold are.

Poof of what can really be the difference maker between good, average or great rushing attacks? Look no further than the 2003 Wisconsin Badgers rushing attack.

That year, the Badgers had both Anthony Davis and Dwayne Smith back at running back and had two veteran starters back in left guard Dan Buenning and right guard Johnathan Clinkscale. Not a bad group to start from, but it was hardly the season anyone thought and a large part of the just seven-win season was due to a lack of a consistent run game.

Instead of powering with the run game, Wisconsin struggled on the ground and failed to have a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 1992 when Brent Moss led the way with 739 yards and nine touchdowns.

Smith led UW in 2003 with 857 yards that season, while expected 1,000-yard rusher Anthony Davis was on hand for just eight games and racked up just 682 yards rushing in that time.

Sound familiar to anything happening today?

But, even in that 2003 season the Badgers rushing attack was able to rank 37th in the country thanks to three running backs over the 600-yard mark.

Currently, Wisconsin’s leading rusher, Ogunbowale, has just 482 yards in seven games. That total projects out to 873 yards at his current per game average. However, that’s an unlikely feat, considering Clement is likely to make his return in the next few weeks.

With just five games remaining on the season, it is likely that the Badgers are going to go without a 1,000-yard rusher this season. Its’ no coincidence that this season is likely to be just the second year without a 1,000-yard rusher since that 2003 season either.

All three saw a combination of injuries to star running backs and inconsistency along the offensive line put the run game on the back burner.

History certainly tells us that a returning star at running back isn’t going to be the magic pill to cure what is happening in the run game.

Until the Badgers get the same group out there week in and week out along the offensive line, it won’t matter who is behind them. Clement isn’t the magic pill that will cure UW’s run game woes, instead it needs to be finding a healthy and consistent group of offensive linemen.

Will that happen any time soon? A lot depends on the health of center Dan Voltz and finding the right combination on the right side of the offensive line.

UW appears to be ready to put an offensive line unit out there on Saturday against Illinois that would resemble one it has put out there before, just not the same one it put out there last weekend and likely only the third time all season this group will look the same.

That, more than anything is going to key any turnaround Wisconsin’s run game has. Just don’t expect Clement’s impending return to suddenly snap the Badgers offensive line to attention.

The post Is Corey Clement really the magic pill that will cure Badgers run game woes? appeared first on Madtown Badgers.

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When the line is good, ala 2010-2011, you can put just about anyone back there and see success. When you can drive a golf cart though the hole the line opens up...

Damn, those offenses were fine.
 
O-line is the core problem, but help is likely on the way sooner than later. Dietzen and Moorman who are currently freshman were both top-300, 4-star OL recruits. Dietzen is probably already one of the 5 best but the coaches decided a red-shirt year would serve both he and the team best going forward. They already have a stud 4-star kid for 2016 (Van Lanen) and a 4-star for 2017 (Lyles). You also figure that the kids currently starting as freshman will be far better in a year or two. I think we'll see improvement in both Kapoi and Dieter next year. I don't know if Benzschawel is the answer at OT or if one of the younger kids like Dietzen or one of the incoming kids (Van Lanen or Kasl) will eventually take those spots.

Barring more injuries/defections things will be better in 2016 and likely much better by 2017.
 
They talked a ton about this on In the Trenches yesterday with Tarek Saleh and Derek Engler, and they brought up that Corey could possibly make the line look a lot better, as he does have the ability to shed a tackle, make a guy miss, and bust one open that the other guys just don't seem to have.

They are excited for the way the line should look next year, like 57 just said above. They are also hopeful that another year under an actual UW offense will get the line more solidified as well. They brought a good chunk of this back to Bielema not having stocked any offensive linemen his last year here and Anderson not having competent line coaches while he was here and not doing a good job of recruiting in state.
 
I think if you look at the core problem it occurred at the end of the Bielema years. Not that all of it was his fault, but if you are recruiting the position right, the 7-8 guys that would have been his OL recruits in his last 2 years are the ones who should be the RS-Juniors and Seniors at OL right now. Instead, all you have is Marz who is playing fairly well and Voltz who is solid. Walker Williams is just OK but isn't really very good in any aspect. There really isn't much more in terms of upper-classmen who are contributing or pushing the starters.

They lost at least 3-4 guys from those 2 classes if I remember right who either moved on when BB left or were injured and quit football. That's probably the biggest reason why there is this dip in OL play right now. Anderson actually brought in some pretty solid kids. Time will tell if they hold up.

Can't speak to the coaching during GA's stay but they did have pretty good OL play and had several guys drafted so it wasn't a total train wreck. One thing I have read comments on was that PC was surprised at the lack of physical development (strength) when he got here. It's my understanding that the new S&C coach has a very different approach that will hopefully result in some benefits in the next couple of years.
 
When GA first came he had that Markesan guy from... somewhere in the SEC I don't remember. But that guy got fired about 4 or 5 games into the season.
 
Crease Creature said:
When GA first came he had that Markesan guy from... somewhere in the SEC I don't remember. But that guy got fired about 4 or 5 games into the season.
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Ole Miss coach. I believe he was under BB not GA. GA OL coach was TJ Woods. Woods was a great pass pro coach but wasn't up to speed on WI preferred style in the run game. PC has to undo all that coaching.
 
WI issues in the run game started under BB. He changed OC and staff members a bunch the last 3 years. Looking at that train wreck in Ark... It seems most of it was BB mouth not $ as he claimed.

Wisconsin isn't winning at the point of attack nor are they finishing blocks. I still contend WI should not have hired a ST coach and gone with another line coach vs Rudolph being duel role. tc(
 
Corey will not play against Illionis today. Per Mike Lucas, he didn't even leave Madison. Decision made Thursday after practice.
 
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