MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin working again Chez Mellusi, the team’s main rusher, is stepping away from the team as he continues to rehab from accidents in an effort to be absolutely wholesome, in accordance to a press release from this system.
“We want to let people know that Chez is going to be stepping away from the team for now and working to get his body healthy,” the assertion learn. “He’s endured many injuries and has worked extremely hard to be able to play this year, but his body hasn’t responded the way he expected. We’re here to support Chez in any way we can and hope he’ll be back on the football field again one day.”
A team spokesperson stated the Badgers aren’t ruling him out for your entire season.
Mellusi, who transferred to Wisconsin from Clemson earlier than the 2021 season, has performed in 26 profession video games for the Badgers however battled accidents each season. From 2021 to ’23, he missed 17 video games. Mellusi tore the ACL in his left knee in opposition to Rutgers in 2021 and missed the final 4 video games. He was sidelined for a stretch in 2022 with a damaged proper wrist sustained in opposition to Northwestern. He suffered one other season-ending injury in 2023 in Week 4 in opposition to Purdue when he fractured his left fibula and dislocated his ankle, which he stated within the spring required “a full ankle reconstruction.”
Mellusi opted to use his sixth yr of eligibility to return this season and was forward of schedule as a full participant throughout spring practices. He leads the Badgers with 56 rushes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. Mellusi was averaging 4.1 yards per carry, down from 6 yards per carry in 4 video games final season. During his Wisconsin profession, he has rushed for 1,827 yards and 14 touchdowns.
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Wisconsin’s working again depth chart has six scholarship gamers remaining. Oklahoma switch Tawee Walker figures to deal with an elevated workload, whereas Cade Yacamelli, Jackson Acker and true freshmen Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones may be potential choices. Yacamelli ranks second on the team with 153 yards dashing. Walker has 147 yards dashing and three touchdowns. Dupree has 16 carries for 61 yards and earned two carries on Wisconsin’s second drive in opposition to USC final Saturday.
Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell stated on Monday that he needed to strive to pare down the working again rotation to enable his greatest gamers to discover extra of a rhythm.
“We’ve got a little bit of a tough ride right now at the running back spot,” Fickell stated. “Meaning, we’ve got a bunch of guys. And it’s probably one of the things that I am going to kind of not say impress, but put on the offense a little more to say look, I don’t know that you can play four and five running backs. We’ve got to focus in on hey, who’s going to be the one, who’s going to be the next guy and then who’s the spare?
“It doesn’t give them an opportunity to get into rhythms. Chez being one of those guys, Tawee being another one. So we’re going to have to figure it out. Nothing against Chez. Nothing saying, hey, he’s going to get 30 touches now. But what we need to find out is who can get hot and who with more opportunities are going to have a better chance for us. That’s what’s really kind of difficult. For Chez, for Tawee and even for some of the young guys.”
Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) hosts Purdue (1-3, 0-1) on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT at Camp Randall Stadium.
Photo: John Fisher / Getty Images
