Wisconsin Badgers RB Bradrick Shaw "ready to go" for 2019

MADISON -- A Herculean achievement for the common man, an impressive mark for an athlete and, well, not too shabby for a player coming off an ACL injury suffered over 20 months ago.

Redshirt senior running back Bradrick Shaw cleared 590-pound on squat attempt during Wisconsin's summer conditioning workouts, though he admitted he wanted higher.

“I was aiming for that 600," Shaw said on July 31. "I was close, but I didn’t hit. That was my goal, but I PR’d a lot before I tore my ACL so I was excited about that. That was a big accomplishment for me I felt like.”

According to Shaw, 6-foot-1 and 216 pounds, hitting that marked helped him mentally.

“I knew I was always strong, but in order for me to feel great about going into this year, I knew I had to get stronger," Shaw said. "That was the main thing I really focused on was just getting stronger on squat and taking it to another level and actually doing better than what I’ve done in the past."

Shaw has not played since the 2017 regular season finale against Minnesota. When speaking with reporters just a day before Wisconsin started fall camp, however, the former four-star prospect appeared ready to take on the rigors of the 2019 season.

“I’m excited about fall camp and actually getting to participate in fall camp this year," Shaw said. "My body feels great. I’m ready to go. I’m just excited for this year.”

Three seasons ago, Shaw burst on to the scene as a redshirt freshman. Entering the picture as a third option in the UW backfield with Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale, he rushed for 457 yards on 5.2 yards per carry with five touchdowns in that 2016 campaign.

Before the ACL tear in 2017, Shaw acknowledged last week that he also tore the labrum in his hip during that summer and played through that ailment throughout the season until the road win against the Gophers. The season prior to suffering the knee injury, he only gained 365 yards on 3.8 yards per attempt while then-true freshman Jonathan Taylor emerged.

In 2018, Shaw saw no time on the field during Wisconsin's 8-5 campaign. And during this past series of spring practices, Shaw was limited in work to mostly individual position drills. As noted by the Wisconsin State Journal's Jason Galloway, the Alabama native progressed back into some 7-on-7 work towards the end of those April practices open to reporters.

During Wisconsin's media day on July 31, head coach Paul Chryst recalled talking with Shaw during the first couple days of spring practices and believes his back was frustrated.

“The goal was really, to kind of - could he get to day one of summer and have the whole summer, and [he] did that," Chryst said. "I think that certainly there’s another element when you add the practicing and the pads, but he’s in a good spot right now."

However, Chryst's comments last week also showed a hint of precaution in working Shaw back into the fold.

"There’s still some steps to be taken, but I think he feels good right now, in a good spot, and really ready to go," Chryst said. "I think that we’ve got to make sure that we’re smart on it and I think that it will probably bother him at times. I told him I would rather go a little bit slower than fast, but he had a really good summer.”

The rotation and roles at running back behind Taylor will be storylines to resolve during camp. Shaw joins redshirt freshmen Nakia Watson and Isaac Guerendo, and redshirt junior Garrett Groshek as players likely in the mix.

Groshek ran for 425 yards on 6.5 yards per touch with a touchdown last season, and Chryst acknowledged to reporters on Aug. 2 that the former walk-on "certainly had enough down and distance snaps, too."

A second-year player, Watson flashed at times during the spring. During Big Ten Media Days, Taylor mentioned the Texas native needs to become more consistent now that he's more comfortable in Wisconsin's system.

During that same July 19 conversation with the media, Taylor also laid out his predictions for Shaw.

"Before the injury, Bradrick Shaw was very strong, had good speed," Taylor said. "After his rehab where he's at right now, he looks even stronger and faster, so just seeing his progression between those two time periods has been fun to watch. I expect him to be back to the Bradrick Shaw you guys saw before.”

Looking ahead, Shaw believes he's "doing everything in camp" and hoped to be "consistent and practice every day" to put himself in the conversation to play come the start of the season when Wisconsin travels to Tampa to take on South Florida on Aug. 30.

Expectations for his fifth year in Madison include not just getting back to the "old Bradrick" but surpassing his past performances.

“Just to give it all I got and ball out and have the best year I had here, and doing better than the years I had," Shaw said. "Just getting better in the game and just run and getting back to my old self, so I’m excited.”

Jon McNamara also contributed to this report.