MADISON, WIS. -- Chez Mellusi certainly looks well adjusted to his new surroundings in Madison one week into fall camp.

Mellusi, the former Clemson running back, is entering his third month at Wisconsin after announcing his decision to transfer on June 1. The change in uniforms and shift to a Big Ten program from a national champion in the ACC continues into the second week of fall camp.

"I feel great," Mellusi told reporters on Wednesday after practice. "The team really made me feel at home. It was a smooth transition for me."

Mellusi knew starting quarterback Graham Mertz already, as the two played together in the 2019 All-American Bowl, but that "feel at home" vibe appears to extend to another tailback on the team. Redshirt freshman Jalen Berger certainly feels the bond between those two early on.

"He's pretty much my brother already," Berger said on Wednesday. "As soon as he came here, we kind of clicked instantly. You know, he comes to my house all the time playing the games, stuff like that, just chillin with us."

Mellusi's new journey signaled an end to another at Clemson. The Naples, Fla., native entered the transfer portal this spring after compiling 427 yards on 71 carries and six touchdowns in his 21 games as a Tiger.

Wisconsin and new running backs coach Gary Brown reached out after he jumped into the portal, one of the first programs to do so, according to Melluis. Thus began the development of a relationship that ultimately led to the 5-foot-11, 204-pound junior heading north.

"I have some people that are down at Clemson that know him and know of him that brought him to my attention," Brown said on Aug. 5. "We got him up here for a visit. We were able to talk. He felt that this was a good place for him. I felt that he could be a great fit for us.

"I watched some film on him, talked to some of the coaches down there, and to me it was a no-brainer for us. He was going to come and bring a championship pedigree, a championship work ethic and a championship type of mentality that we want here, and he's done nothing but prove me right since he's gotten here, so I’m very, very happy to have him."

At Clemson, Mellusi worked behind Travis Etienne -- the consensus All-American back who became a first-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in late April -- for the first two years of his collegiate career.

"While I was at Clemson, I was behind an all-time great. And I did my time, I felt like," Mellusi said. "I got a new running back coach while I was there, and some things kind of happened that I saw, and I felt like I needed a new opportunity. A lot of people understood that, so that's what kind of played a part into that."

Mellusi performed "a lot of research" and had a couple programs in his thoughts, but he also wanted to ensure his new collegiate home would be a good fit. The Badgers' offensive line and returning student athletes "played a big part" in coming to play for UW.

The Southwest Florida native eventually announced his transfer via social media on June 1, the day he visited Wisconsin, to commit to the program. He estimated it took him about five to six hours to make that decision.

"Coach (Paul) Chryst wanted to make sure that this was the place for me," Mellusi said. "I knew in my heart that I wanted to be here just from a football aspect, but he wanted me to get here, see what Wisconsin is like, because I had never been here. So it was one of those things where he wanted me to actually be here and get a good feel for it.

"Once I was here, I really liked it a lot."

Mellusi works into a Wisconsin backfield with inexperienced talent. Isaac Guerendo, Julius Davis, Brady Schipper and four other freshmen -- four-star signee Braelon Allen the more known name among the first-year players -- are battling for reps this camp.

"We’ve got a great room," Mellusi said. "We’ve got a great group of young guys. I'm fairly young, I’m still 19, but I'm kind of a veteran. I feel like it's my duty to keep going and show these guys what it's like to be part of something special. I kind of already was part of something special, and I kind of want to get this room going."

Berger led the team in rushing yards (301) on five yards per carry last season on but played in only four games. Guerendo, Davis and Schipper combined to rush for 42 yards on 16 attempts in 2020, while Garrett Groshek (300 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per carry) moved on to the NFL.

Mellusi and Berger have received reps with the apparent first-team offense in the two practices reporters have seen in full duration. The former believes the duo's respective skillsets complement each other in vision and burst. Both can be "three-down backs."

Being introspective, Mellusi described himself as "a balanced runner."

"I can do it all," Mellusi said. "I catch the ball really well, my vision’s good, and I felt like this place is a good fit for me."

Mellusi watched Etienne turn into an all-around back while at Clemson. Brown, the newest UW assistant who has mentored Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarco Murray and Darren McFadden in the NFL, believes he is "a true three-down guy."

"He's a guy that you don't have to take off the field," Brown said. "He can pass protect, he can run routes, he can catch the ball out of the backfield, and he can run the ball with tremendous skill.

"So that's the thing that really we're all trying to get with all of our running backs and have them be three-down guys. We're getting close. We're getting close, but Chez is probably the closest one to that skill set."

Another adjustment, at least apparel-wise: Mellusi took on the No. 6 this offseason. He told reporters he wore No. 27 in high school, and he also donned it while at Clemson.

With a new place came a new number, as Mellusi felt he needed a change. He selected one that was worn by another standout Wisconsin running back, Corey Clement, who rushed for 3,092 yards and 36 touchdown in cardinal and white between 2013-16.

"I felt like I needed a fresh start, and 6 was kind of open. I was like, ‘I’m going to take 6.’ Another great running back had had that already, so I was just like, why not just keep it going?"