Braelon Allen working to get the most of his carries within new Wisconsin offense
“It's definitely been a different feel. I've always felt as the games went on, the more carries I got, I was able to get into a rhythm. Now, you got to find a way to try to get into that rhythm faster on less touches. So that's something I've been trying to work on.” – Wisconsin tailback Braelon Allen
MADISON – Change is hard. Even when change is for progress and the pursuit of the greater good, change is uncomfortable.
Luke Fickell walked into Madison accepting the burden of history. While the Badgers might not have won as many Big Ten titles as hoped, or expected, the list of running backs (and their offensive linemen) has earned the respect of the NCAA and NFL franchises.
Running the ball is the identity of Wisconsin football.
To the coach's credit, he wants to change – and was hired to implement that change – with the directive of making the offensive attack more diverse in order to be more dynamic.
Caught in the middle of this transition is Braelon Allen, another homegrown back willing to carry the run game tradition on his massive shoulders. His image stands out on campus in advertisements as one of the faces of the program.
But it’s been a weird leap out of the blocks for him in the 2023 season.
17 carries in Wisconsin's win over Buffalo.
7 carries in the loss at Washington State.
12 carries in the win against Georgia Southern.
That's 36 carries in three games, an average of 12 per game. He averaged 19 in 2022 as a top-five best back in the Big Ten statistically who was ranked even higher by some who scout prospects.
This week, Allen answered questions about his evolving role – he already has 15 receptions this year, two more than all of 2022 – with respect for the staff and grace for the sport. But even he could not answer this question:
How do you work on being a reliable running back who cannot count yet on getting any kind of rhythm in games?
Allen’s first stab at an answer was to faithfully reiterate what Fickell said he wants: Make one carry feel the same as five or six carries in a drive.
“Any way I can try to energize myself and the team – with a few carries I do get – I try to do as best I can,” Allen said. “... Trying to make those few carries as physical and as punishing on the defense as I can. Basically trying to make those few carries feel to the defense like I got the ball five times.”
But how? Landing a punch in a couple of swings is not typical.
It’s not a trick question; this waiting game can't be rehearsed in practice. This isn't a sixth man subbing in for the starting five in basketball.
And how is a running back, who needs to stay engaged with every play, who needs to remain one of the most confident people on the field, supposed to manage those expectations on a fraction of the opportunities to carry the ball?
Allen half smiled. “Yeah, I don't really know. It's … like I said, trying to make the most of the opportunities that I do get. Obviously, it's even less just because me and Chez (Mellusi) split time.”
Getting into a rhythm has been an issue with fewer carries for Braelon Allen
But running backs need carries not only to get into a rhythm of running, but also to get in sync with the offensive line. Fickell wants a selfless team, understandably. But needing carries is not selfish or self-centered; the running back needs to build a symbiotic attack with his offensive line to test the defense. It’s like winding up a Jack in the Box; it takes a few cranks before that explosive big gain.
Fickell knows this of course, so clearly the first-year head coach is trying to do things differently.
The fact remains, however, that the 19-year-old junior Allen had to approach Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo after Game 2. Allen needed to make sure Fickell and Longo still had confidence in him.
Fickell obviously feels comfortable in his ideology and secure in his methods because he revealed the meeting in the first place. He's a thoughtful coach who even relies on the body language of a player to discern how they might be handling challenges. But sometimes the act of needing the meeting is more enlightening than the meeting itself. From the external viewpoint (which is not as important as Allen’s or Fickell’s, of course) it raises these not-great questions.
Allen was being proactive, taking ownership of his concerns and voicing them. That’s a move mature beyond his years and a good sign of his commitment to the team’s season. Confrontation can be constructive and hopefully this was the case because it was so early in the season.
On the other hand, Fickell said that the goal for Allen was 18 carries a game (carries, not touches). Kind of the bare minimum for a running back to get in a flow. It's a good plan to keep Allen from wearing down. And understandably, that’s also just a general goal; no game is going to unfold according to plan every time.
But was that too ambitious?
Chez Mellusi is a threat in his own right, a solid back with pass-catching ability as well. Transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai is auditioning for an NFL gig. Wisconsin also created a blended family of wide receivers for Mordecai. Promising freshman tight end Tucker Ashcraft is just a bonus at this point. Weapons don’t appear to be the problem.
Ultimately, what is the identity of this Badgers team?
Perhaps the issue is that the Badgers are experiencing an identity question right now. They want to push ahead with Fickell’s pass-intent philosophy, but UW still has top talent from Paul Chryst’s snowplow running strategy.
This feels problematic. Remember when one Badger after another bailed on UW after Chryst was fired and interim coach Jim Leonard was not invited to take over?
Allen stayed. (Will we ever know how many opportunities presented themselves in this era of transfer portals and unethical NIL recruiting?) Can’t blame a student for exploring other options, by choice or by force (hello, Florida and Graham Mertz), but this environment just opens up even more chances for second-guessing after every unsatisfying team or individual performance.
Whatever assurances Fickell did or did not give to Allen leading up to this season may perhaps remain just between the two of them. But this is not the NFL, and the college coach does bear responsibility to the success of the team, as well as the development of the player. Allen is among the Badgers with pro aspirations.
To be clear: This week Allen didn’t complain or even suggest that he’s bothered in any way. He maintains a loyalty to Fickell and the scheme even when presented with questions that have to be asked. He doesn't obsess about the next level of football. In fact, he agreed with the coaching staff making early reads on the defense and trying to capitalize or adjust.
It's smart not to grumble about a 2-1 start to the season. But selling the running game like this – making one carry feel like a handful – doesn't quite add up. On a team full of transfers in a season of transition, roles like Allen's can be more clearly defined.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen needs to make most of carries
