Wisconsin Football: Grading the Wisconsin offense through two games
Running Back
The running back position may be the lone bright spot on the Wisconsin football offense. There were a lot of questions about this group entering the season. Jalen Berger was thought to be ‘the guy’ after showing some flashes in the 2020 season. He and Chez Mellusi were listed as the top running backs on the depth chart for Week 1 against Penn State, but he never even saw the field. Meanwhile, Mellusi was the bell cow back, carrying the ball 31 times while backup Isaac Guerendo even got some touches, carrying the ball 13 times. It’s still a mystery as to why Berger didn’t get even one carry, but he and the coaches are both focusing on the future and not talking about that game.
Mellusi, the transfer from Clemson, has really taken the lead back title and ran with it. He’s been great so far. Apart from a couple of fumbled exchanges with Mertz in the red zone, he has looked great. He has shown great vision and patience, waiting for holes to open up and hitting them with a burst. He leads the team in carries (51), rushing yards (265), and rushing touchdowns (2).
Isaac Guerendo has been a nice surprise, too. He looks like he really bulked up over the offseason too, but that hasn’t taken away any of his speed. He busted an 82-yard touchdown late in the first quarter against Eastern Michigan, blowing by everyone. He’s a player I’d like to see Chryst get creative with. Maybe some jet motions to get him the ball while he’s picked up some speed already. He could be a very dangerous RB3 in this offense.
Berger finally got some touches in Week 2, and he didn’t disappoint. He looked good carrying the ball. He got 15 carries and ran for 62 yards and a touchdown. I’m confident he will be RB2 moving forward, as he out-carried Guerendo 15-4 last game. Not sure what happened in Week 1, but I’m guessing it’s water under the bridge moving forward and he will be a big part of the offense this season.
We also got to see true freshman Braelon Allen in Week 2 during garbage time. He looked like a strong and aggressive runner. He was initiating contact with defenders and falling forward, which is always something you want to see out of a running back. He scored his first career touchdown as a Badger on Saturday. Hopefully, he continues to develop and becomes a stud running back for the next 2-3 years.