Wisconsin Badgers 2023 Spring Position Preview: Running Backs

As Luke Fickell's first season in Madison draws closer, the Badgers will hit the field for spring practice starting in late March.

Following its Pro Day on March 23, UW will run spring ball between March 25 and April 27 this year, according to a recent social media post. With a completely revamped coaching staff, a few key incoming transfers and brand new schematics, Wisconsin football will look plenty different in 2023. Spring ball will be the first glimpse at this new era.

BadgerBlitz.com is once again expected to watch any open practices available for reporters to attend. On Wednesday, we dive into the running backs, who, aside from a few departures, will look awfully familiar.

RELATED: Quarterbacks | Safeties |

Once again, Braelon Allen will lead the Badgers' rushing attack in his third season in Madison. The junior regressed slightly in his sophomore season, putting up nearly identical yardage and touchdown numbers to his freshman year but doing it on 44 more carries. Thus, his rushing average dipped from 6.8 to 5.4 yards-per-carry.

Allen seems primed to explode in 2023, however, for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, his new offensive coordinator Phil Longo's scheme uses lots of spread concepts, which stretch defenses out horizontally on the line of scrimmage. According to Pro Football Focus, Allen led the nation in rushing yards when facing eight or more defenders in the box a season ago. That means he's a powerful runner who finds creases and absorbs contact, but it also means defenses dared Wisconsin to throw the football and zeroed in on shutting Allen down. In Longo's scheme, the defense will need to cover much more space, resulting in less stacked boxes.

What's more, the Badgers should deploy a much more potent passing game than the one Graham Mertz orchestrated a year ago. Despite putting together a career year through the air, the now-Florida Gator simply wasn't a consistent threat to make defenses respect the passing game. The arrival of Tanner Mordecai, along with talented receivers like Bryson Green and CJ Williams, should instantly upgrade the Badgers' passing game and in turn open up running lanes for Allen and company.

Behind Allen on the depth chart, Chez Mellusi will also return for his third season in Madison. Mellusi missed four straight games with a wrist injury last fall, and also saw his production dip from a season ago. He's a talented tailback and a good compliment to the bruising Allen, but the key for him will be to stay healthy. In his first season with the Badgers, Mellusi suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 10. If he can avoid injury, he also appears primed for a career year.

Wisconsin's third string back Isaac Guerendo transferred to Louisville in the offseason, and his steady presence and breakaway speed will surely be missed. The Badgers have some exciting options ready to step up in his place, though, namely Jackson Acker. Acker was a fullback last season, and while he didn't log a carry, he caught five passes on five targets for 73 yards and a touchdown. The coaching staff has raved about the kind of athlete Acker is, and his versatility catching passes out of the backfield proved that last season. Listed at 6-foot-1, 238 pounds, Acker combines a linebacker's build with surprising speed. He'll get every shot to be the third-string tailback this fall.

The Badgers also return Julius Davis, who's logged just 35 carries in three seasons in Madison. Despite mostly being used for mop-up duty, Davis looks like a very capable runner every time he steps on the field. Should he be thrust into a larger role this season, he appears more than ready to handle it.

The rest of the running back room includes reserves from a season ago, such as Brady Schipper, Grover Bortolotti and Cade Yacamelli. In Longo's offense, the backs further down the depth chart who offer the most versatility catching passes in various alignments will have the best chance to earn snaps.

The top end of Wisconsin's running back room is essentially set in stone. Allen will be one, and Mellusi will be two. Barring injury, that pecking order should remain in place all season. The third running back spot, however, is still a very important position.

"I think that’s what spring ball is for to see who No. 3 is going to be and I think it’s going to be a very good opportunity for those guys compete against each other and obviously grow next to each other," new running backs coach Devon Spalding told reporters during a recent availability.

Last season, Allen was banged up all year with various bumps and bruises, which culminated in him missing the regular season finale against Minnesota. Mellusi, as mentioned, missed four straight games after undergoing surgery on his wrist. Tailback is simply a physical position, and it's extremely rare that a running back room stays healthy all year.

In part because of injuries, Wisconsin's third running back Guerendo was able to shine, especially towards the back half of the season. Guerendo ran for 385 yards and five scores on a healthy 6.0 yards-per-carry, while tacking on 17 catches for 115 yards and a touchdown. It's likely that at some point, someone not named Allen or Mellusi is going to have to step up for the Badgers.

The top candidates at this point are Acker and Davis. Davis has the experience at running back, but Acker has the tantalizing physical traits. How the coaching staff elects to evaluate those two will be fascinating. Do they assume they already know what they have in Davis, who will be embarking on his fourth season in Madison? This would open the door for Acker to get reps right off the bat and put his physical tools on display. Alternatively, do they ride with the more experienced Davis, finally giving the back the opportunity the play meaningful snaps?

The battle for third-string running back is an under-the-radar but highly meaningful contest that will play out in the spring and possibly deep into fall camp.

Wisconsin is currently expected to have just one fullback on it's roster, walk-on redshirt freshman Zach Glouderman. Riley Nowakowski was a running back/fullback a season ago, but he's since been converted to a tight end.

During Longo's tenure at North Carolina, "fullback" wasn't even a designation on the roster. Longo's offense calls for creative uses of running backs, but you won't find very many I-formations where a "fullback" serves as a lead blocker. His backs are more position-less, lining up all over the field and playing a variety of roles.

Under Longo, the true fullback may be a thing of the past.

After transitioning to running back from fullback, Acker suddenly finds himself in line to make a serious impact on the Badgers' backfield — if he can earn and hold down the third running back spot.

Acker, as previously discussed, is an elite athlete. For a 6-foot-1 player pushing 240 pounds, he can really move in the open field. Just like Guerendo a season ago, Acker's elite physical traits should give him a leg up in the third running back competition.

Acker can run, catch and block, which should set him up for success in Longo's offense that loves to move backs all around the field. He's on track to get the most practice reps of his career this spring as a prospective third-string tailback, and he's got all the tools to make the most of them.

_________________________________________________

*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den

*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel

*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)

*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45, @pete_brey12, @seamus_rohrer

*Like us on Facebook