Wisconsin dropped a hard-fought bowl game against No. 13 LSU to close out its 2023 campaign and the debut season of head coach Luke Fickell. Soon, winter conditioning will get underway, shortly followed by spring practice.

Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will examine the 2023 Badgers position by position. Today, we'll continue with the running backs, a position that must replace its three-year headliner Braelon Allen.

The Badgers were only able to deploy their two-headed monster of Allen and Chez Mellusi four times this season, as the latter fractured his fibula in a win over Purdue and would miss the rest of the year. In the season opener, however, the pair displayed just how dynamic they could be together.

Allen ran for 141 yards and two scores while Mellusi tallied 157 yards and two scores. It was a dominant performance from both backs, and the duo nearly out-gained Buffalo by themselves.

The highlight of the afternoon was Mellusi's 89-yard touchdown run, the longest play the Badgers would rip off from scrimmage all season. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo called Mellusi "Arguably our most explosive player on offense," and there's no better example than the tailback's combination of speed, elusiveness and acceleration he displayed while dashing through the Bulls' defense.

Wisconsin's ground game never quite recaptured the heights that it reached in Week 1. Allen had some phenomenal individual performances, putting the Badgers on his back against Illinois and Minnesota. But at this running game's peak, it featured the bruising Allen and the shifty Mellusi, and the Buffalo game was the pinnacle of that combination.

First and foremost, this is not necessarily a knock on either Jackson Acker or Cade Yacamelli. Both backs played valiantly when thrust into significant action due to injuries to Allen and Mellusi. Still, neither was fully equipped to handle a lead role and offered little in the way of explosiveness on the ground.

Wisconsin found itself in a brutal situation injury-wise this year. Mellusi was such a crucial cog in the offense because he took some of the pressure of Allen. When Mellusi went down for the year, Allen had to shoulder more of the load, which eventually led to him getting injured as well. When that happened, the ground game was left in the hands of a converted fullback and a converted safety. Not exactly ideal.

Acker and Yacamelli essentially had to headline the backfield for two games, Indiana and Northwestern. Allen tried to play against the Wildcats, but was pulled after logging just three carries for three yards. The results left a lot to be desired. Against the Hoosiers, quarterback Braedyn Locke had an uncharacteristically poor day in terms of command and accuracy. Acker and Yacamelli couldn't pick up the slack, combining for 96 yards on 21 carries. Against Northwestern, the two only combined for 58 yards in the Badgers' most embarrassing defeat of the year.

Wisconsin is hoping a similar situation won't arise in 2024, and it's put itself in a good place to avoid that. The Badgers no longer have a national star like Allen was, but they appear to be much deeper. Yes, much of that depth is young talent, including three freshman. But at least they're all originally running backs by trade.

In the class of 2024, the Badgers bring in one of their most promising running back hauls in some time. There's two blue chip prospects in Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones, both of whom were courted by some of the top programs in the nation. There's also a promising three-star in Gideon Ituka who, after a dynamic senior season, appears he could've been a steal for Wisconsin.

Dupree, a skilled pass-catcher who's dynamite in the open field, appears to be a perfect fit in Longo's offense. Ituka is a bowling ball who plays with a nasty physicality, and Jones is somewhere between the two with a balanced running style. Skillset and talent-wise alone, Dupree makes the most sense to see the field early in his career. With Mellusi returning for another year, however, Wisconsin may want to couple him with a complimentary power back. If that's the case, Ituka could also potentially see the field early. Jones, of course, is uber-talented as well — all three backs could potentially contribute in 2024.

The top of the room features a proven veteran, albeit one with an injury history, in Mellusi. There's also Tawee Walker, the Oklahoma transfer with one year of eligibility remaining. He figures to be involved regularly as well. Don't forget about Nate White, the sophomore receiving back out of Rufus King. Wisconsin will have plenty of options on the ground this year, but still, expect some iteration of the three freshman to get involved.

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