Wisconsin football fall camp preview: Running back

The players to watch, storylines to follow, and biggest questions for the Wisconsin Badgers running back room entering the 2022 season.

It is mid-July, which means we are just weeks away from Big Ten Media Days and the beginning of fall camp for the Wisconsin Badgers football team.

Contents

1. Roster breakdown
2. Projected depth chart
3. Returning career production
4. Position overview
5. Young player to watch
6. Biggest question

The Badgers enter the 2022 season looking to improve upon their 9-4 record from a year ago and aim to get back to the Big Ten Championship Game after missing out on a Big Ten West title in 2021.

After a busy off-season filled with coaching changes, recruiting news, and transfer additions, football is nearly back. With that in mind, it is time to preview each position group leading up to the start of fall camp. 

Previously covered positions:

• Quarterback
• Fullback
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Interior offensive line
• Offensive tackles
• Defensive line
• Inside linebacker

Up next, in our rolling set of previews, we focus on the running back position, which is highlighted by sophomore Braelon Allen. 

Braelon Allen enters the 2022 season as the No. 1 running back after a sensational freshman season / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Roster breakdown

Coach:

• Al Johnson (running backs coach)

Returning players:

• Isaac Guerendo (RS SR) 6-foot, 223 lbs
• Brady Schipper (RS SR) 5-foot-11, 200 lbs
• Chez Mellusi (SR) 5-foot-11, 210 lbs
• Julius Davis (RS JR) 5-foot-10, 201 lbs
• Braelon Allen (SO) 6-foot-2, 240 lbs
• Grover Bortolotti (RS FR) 5-foot-9, 192 lbs

Newcomers:

• Cade Yacamelli (FR) 6-foot, 185 lbs*
• Zach Gloudeman (FR) 6-foot-2, 220 lbs

* Yacamelli could project to multiple different positions, but is expected to begin his career as a running back.

Projected depth chart

Starter: Braelon Allen

Backup: Chez Mellusi

Third-string: Isaac Guerendo or Julius Davis

Returning career production

Name	Games (Starts)	Rushing Yards	Rushing Touchdowns	Yards Per Carry	Longest Run
Braelon Allen	12 (4)	1,268	12	6.8	71
Chez Mellusi	30 (9)	1,242	11	5.1	60
Isaac Guerendo	15 (0)	196	1	5.6	92
Julius Davis	5 (0)	110	0	5.0	17
Brady Schipper	14 (0)	158	0	4	24
Grover Bortolotti	1 (0)	48	0	9.6	22

Position overview

The Wisconsin Badgers return two of the best running backs in the entire Big Ten in 2022. 

Braelon Allen burst onto the scene as a true freshman last year and eclipsed 1,000 yards with relative ease despite not receiving carries early in the year. The 240-pound running back possesses phenomenal strength and balance, making him hard to bring down on first contact. In fact, Allen led the country by averaging 4.5 yards after contact in 2021 and fundamentally changed Wisconsin's entire offensive trajectory in the middle of the season.  

The bruising tailback will once again be the focal point of the offense, and he will have a chance to put together a huge sophomore campaign. In the spring, Allen worked on becoming a more well-rounded player. He focused on improving as a pass-catcher and with blitz pickup. The Badgers were very cautious with the Heisman Trophy candidate, blowing any play where he had the ball dead on contact, but I thought he ran great and demonstrated an ability to be a threat out of the backfield in the passing game.  

One of the best running backs in all of college football entering the season, Allen did have a few fumbles in the spring that I saw, but until it becomes a trend, I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. His freshman season was historic, and there is a feeling around the program that 2021 was just the beginning for the ultra-talented sophomore. 

While Braelon Allen rightfully gets most of the attention leading into fall camp, I think the depth behind him is the bigger storyline to watch. Allen took a pounding over the course of the final few games and was playing through pain late in the year because this staff didn't feel comfortable with the available options behind him. 

Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen form one of the better running back tandems in the country for the Badgers.  / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Fortunately for the Badgers, senior running back Chez Mellusi is back after starting the first nine games of the 2021 season. The Florida native ran extremely well for Wisconsin and tallied over 800 yards on only 173 carries a year ago. Mellusi is coming off of knee surgery though, so his health is still questionable as of early July. 

I have heard that his rehab has gone according to plan so far, and he is back working out with his teammates with the intention to be ready for the opener against Illinois State. Wisconsin has an easier start to the season, which aligns nicely for working Mellusi back into the flow of the offense before they head to Ohio State in late September. 

Mellusi's elusiveness makes him a perfect complement to Allen, and it will be interesting to see how the Badgers utilize the skills of both players, assuming they are both available. 

Behind Mellusi, Isaac Guerendo and Brady Schipper also missed spring practice due to an injury. Guerendo came into 2021 as the No. 2 running back and had a breathtaking 92-yard run against Eastern Michigan before ultimately missing the majority of the season with a foot injury. Now a redshirt senior, Guerendo has struggled to stay healthy during his career at Madison, which continues to be his biggest hurdle. He is one of the fastest players on the team but has yet to play in more than six games in any season in the past four years. His injury status is still up in the air for the opener, but if he is available, Guerendo should be a great third option for Wisconsin. 

For Schipper, the former walk-on from Stoughton will once again look to help the Badgers out as a third-down back. The hope is that Mellusi can handle third-down duties, but Schipper is more than capable of contributing in that role if needed.

Schipper will battle with fellow in-state running back Julius Davis for reps. Davis was one of the few tailbacks available for most of the spring, and he took advantage of the extra opportunities. He is still probably No. 4 on the depth chart if everyone is healthy, but Davis has been productive when given carries and has gained the trust of the staff over the past year and a half.  

Young player to watch

Beyond Braelon Allen, most of Wisconsin's running back room are upperclassmen. Because of that, I am excited to see what the Badgers have in true freshman Cade Yacamelli. 

A three-star athlete coming out of high school, Yacamelli played running back in Pennsylvania but could project to multiple positions. Most expect him to start out at tailback, which makes sense after the Badgers lost three young backs for off-the-field issues a year ago. 

In a perfect world, Wisconsin does not need to rely on Yacamelli to play a key role in the offense next season, but his versatility makes him an intriguing player for the future. His game reminds me a bit of Jake Funk of Maryland, who now plays for the Los Angeles Rams, and I believe Yacamelli could be a great third-down back after a year or two in the program. 

There is still a chance that Yacamelli could wind up playing safety or wide receiver down the road, but with very few young running backs on the roster, he should have an opportunity to show the staff what he can do in fall camp. 

Work! #RBU #OnWisconsin #FAMILY pic.twitter.com/wz8DwSb3sU

— Al Johnson (@Coach_AlJohnson) July 1, 2022

Biggest question

When it comes to the running back room, the health of the group is the biggest question entering fall camp. The talent at the top with Allen and Mellusi at full health is exceptional, but it is hard to know exactly what to expect from Mellusi early in the year. Add in Guerendo's injury history, and I think it is reasonable to take a wait-and-see approach to this position group in fall camp. 

The Badgers are in a better position than a year ago to withstand an injury or two this fall, but make no mistake, Braelon Allen is Wisconsin's top weapon on offense, and the Badgers need to be able to give him a break at times. Improved play up front along the offensive line and at quarterback would also go a long way in helping ensure Allen does not take the same level of pounding as he did in 2021, but having healthy alternatives in the backfield is equally important. 

The development of players like Julius Davis and Cade Yacamelli, as well as the health of Mellusi, Guerendo, and Schipper, will be worth monitoring in August. I still think this position group is arguably the strongest on the entire offense in terms of proven production, and the prospect of having Braelon Allen play an entire season is very exciting, but I will be keeping a close eye on Mellusi in fall camp as he works his way back to the player we saw at the beginning of 2021.  

Wisconsin Badgers: The Best Backfield in America pic.twitter.com/4U6KkfPG5w

— Braelon Allen (@BraelonAllen) July 11, 2022

Related links:

• Five seniors who could become full-time starters in 2022
• Eight redshirt freshmen who could contribute next season
• 10 players coming back from an injury that should help the Badgers in 2022

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