Wisconsin 'trying to limit' Chez Mellusi's workload during fall camp

The Badgers are well aware of what they have with Mellusi.

Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi goes through a drill during spring practice Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday April 13, 2024. / Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Longtime Badgers running back Braelon Allen is now in the NFL with the New York Jets, but familiar face — Chez Mellusi — is back in Madison for one last season.

Wisconsin is well aware of what they have with Mellusi. He has been with the program since 2021, but due to a couple of injury issues in the past, they want to make sure he is as healthy as possible heading into the regular season.

"He went through all spring ball, and he showed us that he's actually better than the Chez that we saw last year," Badgers running backs coach Devon Spalding said this week. "I'm really excited to get him back going once we get going for games. But we're just trying to limit the things that he's doing right now."

Last year, Mellusi missed the final seven games due to a season-ending broken leg. In 2022, he played in only nine games after breaking his arm, and in 2021, he suffered a torn ACL late in the season and missed the final four games.

After being named to the preseason Doak Walker Award Watchlist earlier his week, all signs point to Mellusi being the top guy for Wisconsin in 2024, but they added Oklahoma transfer Tawee Waker in the offseason to relieve some of the pressure on the sixth-year senior.

"We wanted somebody that prefers punishment and plays with a lot of physicality and that's him," Spalding said when asked about what they liked about Walker. "Very mature, he's done a great job grabbing those young guys and taking them under their wings."

Freshmen Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones have popped some in fall camp and they look like they can contribute early in their careers. There might not be the unquestioned star in the running back room that Badgers fans have grown accustomed to, but there is a lot of depth to be excited about.