Wisconsin Football Offense Starting to Click With Tawee Walker at RB1

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) improved to 6-0 all-time against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday, thanks to dominant performances on both sides of the ball.

While the Badgers offense has faced their share of growing pains and been under a microscope this season, Saturday's 42-7 victory offered a glimpse of the team’s potential when everything starts to click.

Over the season's first four games, UW averaged just 21.5 points per contest, but we've begun to see the complementary, multi-faceted Phil Longo offense that coach Fickell had in mind when he made the hire.

The Badgers have scored a combined 94 points in blowout wins over Purdue and Rutgers, the most Wisconsin football has tallied in a two-week span since 2020. While some of this offensive surge can be attributed to the level of competition, it also doesn’t feel like a coincidence that they've begun to form an offensive identity since the decision to move away from the running back-by-committee approach .

With senior running back Chez Mellusi stepping away from the program to focus on getting healthy, Wisconsin's backfield needed someone to step up. Enter Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker, who has quickly solidified himself as the team’s bell-cow, seizing the opportunity to take on a more prominent role in the Badgers offense.

To say that Walker has responded would be an understatement.

Against Rutgers, Walker carried the football 24 times for a career-high 198 yards — 124 of which came after contact and three touchdowns.

It was the second consecutive game in which a Las Vegas native scored three touchdowns. Not to mention, Walker has eight rushing touchdowns in the last three games alone. Establishing Walker as an RB1 and allowing him to get into a rhythm has been huge for this Wisconsin offense and set the tone for Longo to dial up a more complimentary game plan.

"I think he's getting healthier," Fickell told reporters. "I also think that he's getting himself into a groove. I think that there is an ability for the offensive line and the running backs to kind of work hand in hand.

"That's what I always thought was impressive about watching Rutgers and their ability to run the football and how their offensive line and back worked so well together. I think that's what we're seeing with Tawee and his ability and those guys' ability to understand the things that he does well and how we can continue to rely upon him."

According to Pro Football Focus data, Walker has the highest offensive grade on the Badgers (78.4) among players who have earned at least 100 snaps.

Being a physical, offensive line driven football program is what helped make Wisconsin famous. So, having a patient running back capable of shouldering a heavy workload and punishing defenders throughout a game feels like a return to a proven formula.

Behind Walker, Badgers freshman Darrion Dupree has emerged as the change-of-pace running back due to his unique skillset and pass-catching ability. Dupree had 10 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown against Rutgers and also caught two passes for 20 yards in 18 snaps. The yards per carry leave a little something to be desired, but we've seen flashes of the traits that could make Dupree special. These reps should go a long way in helping him develop for the future.

Of course, Cade Yacamelli has done nothing but produce with the opportunities he's been given. Even though his contributions came late in the game, Yacamelli carried the ball four times for 72 yards — including a 45-yard run against Rutgers. He is averaging an impressive 8.8 yards per carry on 30 attempts for the season. Perhaps there is an argument to be made that Yacamelli should be getting more touches, and that time might come, but he's been a valuable piece to have behind Walker and Dupree.

AJ Blazek has his offensive line performing at a high level, playmakers are emerging at receiver, and quarterback Braedyn Locke is settling into his role, executing at a much higher level. The run game is finally taking shape, and Locke's willingness to take shots downfield has opened up everything else for this offense.

In short, it feels like the Wisconsin Badgers are starting to build an identity, and wouldn't you know it, it's rooted in running the damn ball and leaning on their offensive line.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers Play Complementary Football, Blowout Rutgers 42-7 on the Road

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