With Wisconsin's roster all but finalized and the season right around the corner, the Badgers have their sights set on fall camp. Once again, the team will travel to UW-Platteville for the first portion of practice up until Aug. 11.

As the dog days of summer heat up, so will position battles and the intense competition for snaps once the season rolls around. Up until fall camp, BadgerBlitz.com will preview each position on the roster. We'll continue with the running backs, a group facing life after Braelon Allen.

The Badgers had two new faces in the running back room this spring, and that number will be pushed to four this fall with the additions of two more incoming freshmen.

Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker was one of the more impressive players on offense during spring ball. He's a strong, compact runner with good contact balance, vision and burst. He almost plays running back like a linebacker, hitting the crease and then looking to dish out punishment. His physicality and receiving chops were made extremely apparent, and he's in line to be part of a two-headed monster at tailback with the incumbent Chez Mellusi.

Of the three freshman joining the program, three-star Gideon Ituka was the lone early enrollee. He's a stout runner who fits the 'bowling ball' archetype of halfback. Ituka saw plenty of work this spring, and his extra time with the program should give him a leg up amongst the freshman ball-carriers. Blue chip prospects Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones will join the team this fall camp.

Allen, of course, is the only departure. His storied career in the Cardinal and White ended with a classic, dominant performance against Minnesota, and he'll now look to carve out a professional career with the New York Jets.

The top two players in Devon Spalding's room are all but solidified in Mellusi and Walker. They'll split the lion's share of the carries. As this staff learned the hard way last fall, however, having a capable third running back is vital, especially when one of your running backs is historically injury prone.

When Wisconsin had to turn to the combination of Jackson Acker and Cade Yacamelli last season, its running game was almost a non-factor. Those two performed just about as well as could be expected, but considering both are players converted to halfback from other positions, the Badgers certainly could've been in a better spot.

Spalding didn't commit to a number of backs he would deploy this fall, instead saying that was up to his players to determine.

"I think truthfully that's up to the room. That's up to their ability to be able to learn and perform out on the field when we have our scrimmages and going into fall camp. Being able to show information retention and being able to put good things on tape."

Still, others will need to carry the football in order to spell Mellusi and Walker. Will that be by committee? Will any of the true freshman jump the aforementioned Acker and Yacamelli on the pecking order? Both scenarios seem to be on the table, especially with the pedigree of the two incoming freshman.

"Both of them are very talented," Spalding said of Dupree and Jones. "I think Darion's versatility is what separates him from other running backs, and I think Dilin's decisiveness reminds me a lot of Chez, that's what separates him from other running backs. I'm very excited to get my hands on those guys."

Last year, we learned that the staff has no qualms with playing a younger, inexperienced player over a veteran if they believe that player gives them a better chance, even if said player is a true freshman who didn't enroll early (see: Christian Alliegro). It's very feasible that any of the freshman halfbacks could contribute meaningfully in 2024 and emerge as the RB3.

1. How does Mellusi look this fall? Still recovering from his fractured fibula, the sixth-year senior wasn't at full capacity this spring. He appeared to not be running at full speed, and was clearly not quite 100 percent. He's expected to be ready when the season rolls around, but Mellusi's health is one of the biggest X-factors for this team.

2. Do the Badgers slow-play Dupree and Jones or throw them right into the fire? Last fall camp, even the highest touted true freshman arrivals like Amare Snowden saw extremely limited reps. There's only so many snaps to go around each practice, but will Dupree and Jones crack the rotation like Ituka did this spring? Based on their talent and the need for another halfback to emerge, it seems more than likely.

Acker and Yacamelli, who combined for 491 rushing yards, 131 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season, are both still in the mix for carries heading into fall camp. The issue is that neither player has demonstrated enough upside on game days to get overly excited about their potential to contribute to this offense. Can one or both of them take a major step forward this summer? That would certainly be an ideal scenario for Spalding.

Nate White is somewhat of the forgotten man in the room with all of the hype surrounding the true freshman. The scatback has already come a long way physically in one year with the program, and looked like a capable receiving back this spring. Still, it's hard to envision him carving out a consistent role at this point in his career.

At the bottom of the room are walk-ons Zach Glouderman and Grover Bortolotti. If either of those two record a carry this fall, that likely means Wisconsin is in deep trouble at running back.

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