Badgers offense looks to replace Mellusi

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Saturday will mark 15 days since we last saw Luke Fickell’s Badgers in action. A Friday night game, followed by the bye week, served as a break before getting into the heart of Big Ten play. Moving forward, it will be without Chez Mellusi, who broke his fibula in the win at Purdue.

Badgers' ground game overwhelms Boilermakers in 38-17 victory

Forty-seven percent of Wisconsin’s total yards this year have come on the ground and Mellusi made up about 38% of the run game.

Head coach Luke Fickell wants his team to keep as much of their identity as possible. But, with Mellusi gone, his carries will be dispersed.

Fickell says Braelon Allen’s carries probably will not skyrocket. Instead, the offense will turn to sophomore Cade Yacamelli and redshirt sophomore Jackson Acker to pick up the carries.

Fickell said Acker got a bunch of reps in fall camps and the Verona grad moved behind Allen on the Wisconsin depth charts.

“Both of those guys’ roles are going to be increased,” Fickell said. “I don’t think it changes who we are or what we do, and I even told Braelon the same thing-- it doesn’t change. I think it puts a little more on Braelon’s plate, not just carrying the football, but the leader that Chez was, the energy that Chez was, the heart that Chez was. That’s something that’s going to be missed. And I think it’s a great opportunity for Braelon in some ways to step out of his comfort zone and kind of take a little bit of that role that sometimes you get used to allowing Chez to be that guy in that room in particular.”

Wisconsin will play Rutgers on Saturday, October 7 at 11 a.m. for Homecoming.

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