Wisconsin Badgers 2022 Spring Position Preview: Running Backs and Fullbacks

Less than three months after Wisconsin pulled off a 20-13 win over Arizona State in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl, the Badgers return to the field in late March to kick up spring practices.

UW will run spring ball between March 22 and April 22 this year, according to a recent social media post. This new iteration of Wisconsin football in 2022 will bring the annual additions and attritions the program works through, but the program also revealed several notable changes on the coaching staff.

***SPRING FOOTBALL VISITORS***

BadgerBlitz.com is once again expected to watch any open practices available for reporters to attend. Thus, our position previews start this week. On Tuesday, we dive into the running backs and fullbacks, two position groups vital to Wisconsin's offensive success.

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It all starts with sophomore Braelon Allen, who claimed second-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2021. The in-state product ran for 1,268 yards on 6.8 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns last year, recording eight 100-yard plus performances in the final nine contests. In that latter span, he averaged 135.4 yards per outing.

Allen emerged further in the final four contests due to an injury suffered by Chez Mellusi at Rutgers. The Clemson transfer broke out before his season-ending ailment, rushing for 815 yards on 4.7 yards per attempt with five touchdowns of his own. He accumulated a season-high 149 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown against Purdue in late October.

Isaac Guerendo started the 2021 season strong, but an eventual season-ending leg injury halted any further momentum for the speedster. He finished with 160 yards on 23 carries in four contests, but his 82-yard touchdown against Eastern Michigan showcased his dynamic abilities.

In early November, walk-on Brady Schipper described his role to BadgerBlitz.com as mostly working on third downs in passing situations. The Stoughton, Wis., native ran for 128 yards on 28 carries while also reeling in seven catches for 70 yards.

With injuries in the room and the dismissal of Jalen Berger, Julius Davis also received some brief time in the backfield, running for 109 yards on 5.2 yards per attempt. Two freshmen, Jackson Acker and Grover Bortolotti, received scarce snaps during mop up time. The two first-year Badgers combined for 82 rushing yards, with the vast majority of their production coming in the 52-3 blowout victory in Piscataway against Rutgers.

As for fullback, John Chenal departs the program after a productive career. Walk-on Riley Nowakowski appeared to work with the group at the end of the season, though UW still listed him as an outside linebacker on the roster.

This will be Allen's first set of spring practices, so it will be interesting to see what the rising sophomore will be asked to do after his breakout season in terms of the receiving and pass blocking skillsets.

Garrett Groshek served the role of acting running backs coach for the Las Vegas Bowl. BadgerBlitz.com asked the former walk-on turned impromptu, interim assistant just what he saw in person from Allen, and what potential he sees out of the now 18-year-old considering Wisconsin's pantheon of running backs.

"It's the same as all of them. It's all up to him, as far as how successful he wants to be or what his definition of success is for his career at Wisconsin," Groshek said in early February. "But the best part is being able to see how he practices. He practices like a professional, consistent every day. Is there to put in work and wants to get better, and you can see that he wants to learn and wants to get better, and is very smart for a first-year player.

"And as the game was going on, and this is, I think actually on the last drive, we were just talking about the end of the season, and it being a long season. And he had mentioned that was his second season in that calendar year, which I had completely forgotten about as well or wasn't necessarily thinking about. Him playing a high school season in the spring and then come in and play a fall season. But as long as he takes care of the little things, takes care of his body, stays healthy, it's really up to him as far as how much he wants to accomplish in his career and how successful he wants to be."

Where Mellusi and Guerendo sit in their respective statuses entering spring practices is publicly unknown at the moment. Chryst was asked by a reporter in mid-November if he had a "rough idea" for a potential timetable for Mellusi's return.

"It is probably too early for me to speak on that," Chryst said on Nov. 11. "I think certainly, it's gonna be one of those where it won't be spring ball."

The tailback room appears to be stocked greater than last year, where injuries to the group -- including Davis, Guerendo, Berger and Schipper -- left Chenal, walk-on Jacob Heyroth and the now-departed Quan Easterling carrying the rock in team periods by the end of spring ball.

Schipper emerged last season in his duties at tailback, and the walk-on proved to be mostly reliable. Davis showed an ability to run with physicality in the limited amount of snaps received in 2021, so this could be a big spring for him. Acker scored his first collegiate touchdown on his first career carry at Rutgers, scampering 18 yards in that third quarter. The 6-foot-1, 229-pound Verona native has size and athleticism that intrigues.

The other question for this group will be who is leading them. Running backs coach Gary Brown missed the Las Vegas Bowl in late December due to non-COVID health reasons, leaving Groshek to mentor the room on a temporary basis.

Football Scoop reported on March 9 that Al Johnson, the former UW standout lineman, would come back to Madison as a member of the staff. A tweet by the site stated that "Johnson is expected to coach running backs," according to their sources. However, UW has not officially announced Johnson as an addition to the program as of time of publishing, and Brown still remains on as its running backs coach on the official UWBadgers.com page.

Chenal once again continued the tradition of a Wisconsin fullback and fulfilled the duties of the position. The Grantsburg, Wis., native could block, he could run the ball in short yardage situations, and he could catch the ball out of the backfield. Who will take over that mantle, especially since Easterling departed the program in mid-October?

Chenal spoke with BadgerBlitz.com earlier this year, and he pointed to two players that could take up that mantle.

"Basically if you want to play fullback, you got to be able to do the dirty work and not necessarily be in the spotlight all the time, and so there's a couple of guys that would be great for that," Chenal said in February. "Cam Large, he's a beast, he's huge. He's like 6-foot-4, 250 [pounds], so that'd be a massive fullback back there.

"Riley's a big man as well and very powerful, very light on his feet, and so I think both guys have great traits. But then again, it can be someone completely different. But I think whoever is put there, is put there for a reason by the coaches and I think, either way, they'll get the job done."

Nowakowski, listed by UW at 6-foot-1 and 244 pounds, played in two games last season and six overall the past two years. Groshek also called out the Milwaukee (WI) Marquette product as the Badger he thinks would continue the fullback legacy.

Large saw time in three contests in 2021 before suffering a season-ending leg injury. One area that appeared intriguing came during the Illinois contest, as the 6-foot-3, 245-pound tight end lined up in the backfield on a couple of snaps.

Groshek also mentioned how former four-star recruit T.J. Bollers received some work at fullback -- a "couple reps," according to the former Badger -- in the week of preparation for the Las Vegas Bowl in hopes there could be more than one fullback available. Chenal's status eventually became green-lighted due to the CDC's updated COVID-19 guidelines. Like Nowakowski, Bollers is listed as an outside linebacker.

"I don't know what the coaching staff's plan is, to keep him on defense or switch him over," Groshek said of Bollers. "I don't know, as far as freshmen coming in who's there or bringing to the table, but Riley's gonna be in a great position moving into next year."

RELATED: Wisconsin TE Cam Large debuts in key situation vs. Illinois

Allen, and if Mellusi and/or Guerendo are available to practice, will garner much attention, as will the less experienced backs like Davis and Acker. With UW not having a listed fullback technically returning from last year's roster, who assumes the roles of that spot will be an area to keep tabs on starting at the end of this month.

Groshek noted how Nowakowski received reps not just at fullback but at tight end prior to the Las Vegas Bowl.

"Until John got there, Riley was our fullback [No. 1] and tight end [No. 3], so he wasn't getting much of a break, but he was doing a tremendous job playing fullback," Groshek said.

Groshek also believed Nowakowski "got a bunch of really good practices in at the end of the year," in his words.

"He's starting to understand the game, understand the position. He's a very smart player, very tough player, so right now, he's the most experienced guy, and it'll be interesting to see who else they kind of throw in behind him and throw into the mix."

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