Can Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi accomplish a rare UW rushing feat in 2022?
The University of Wisconsin, better known as RBU, hasn’t had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in the same season since Melvin Gordon and James White did it back in 2013.
So, It’s been nearly a decade since a pair of Badgers running backs hit the 1,000-yard milestone in the same season; it’s also never happened at UW during the Paul Chryst era.
The only other UW RB pairing to achieve this feat was James White and John clay, who did it back in 2010. Had Montee Ball accumulated four more rushing yards, they would have had three 1,000-yard rushers that season.
It might be a long shot, but Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi of the Wisconsin Badgers have a legitimate chance to end UW’s drought and become just the third RB tandem in school history to run for 1,000 yards apiece.
In 2021, Allen, a Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin native, was a Freshman All-American and second-team All-Big Ten member after amassing 1,268 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on the ground last season on 6.8 YPC.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) July 23, 2022
The 6-foot-2, 238-pound wrecking ball became just the fourth UW true freshman RB to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing plateau, joining Ron Dayne, Jonathan Taylor, and James White. He’s one of the best RBs in America and should be a lock to surpass last season’s rushing total as the offense’s focal point.
As for Mellusi, In nine games, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound RB carried the ball 173 times for 815 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught an additional seven passes for 66 yards, totaling 881 yards from scrimmage.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) July 23, 2022
He opened 2021 as Wisconsin’s starting RB before suffering a non-contact knee injury in November against Rutgers – forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.
Had the Clemson transfer not gotten hurt, there is a genuine possibility the duo could have achieved this feat last season.
The Badgers are in a fortunate position; they essentially have two No. 1 backs that makeup one of college football’s best duos in 2022.
It would take an incredible season from both backs, no doubt. Still, the Badgers have begun re-shaping their offense under first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Engram, and the Wisconsin backfield could be the biggest beneficiaries.
If both backs stay healthy, can get off to a hot start against their weak non-conference schedule, and the run-blocking improves marginally in 2022, they’ll have a real chance.
Can a refined Badgers offense and the dynamic talents of Allen and Mellusi create the first 1,000-yard rushing duo since 2013? I think yes.
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