Is Corey Clement really the magic pill that will cure Badgers run game woes?

Eight carries — that’s all the Wisconsin Badgers have gotten out of their leading returning rusher from last season, Corey Clement.

After two seasons in the shadows of James White and Melvin Gordon, Clement was supposed to be the shining example in the Badgers running back group. In fact, he was the main reason so many were optimistic about Wisconsin’s chances to win the Big Ten West division.

Instead, Clement spent a few weeks nursing what was thought to be a groin injury and in actuality turned out to be a sports hernia. As a result, the star junior running back has been on the shelf for six straight weeks and could be closing in on a return.

UW and Clement teased us all last weekend, as he suited up, went through pre-game warmups and led the team out of the tunnel. However, he never put the helmet on and never got in to the contest against Purdue.

While he didn’t play, Clement even being suited up gave us all an indication he is closer to being back than anyone thought he might be at this point in the season.

To say the Badgers run game has been brutal without him in the lineup would be an understatement. Yet, some believe Clement’s return will return the Badgers to a dominant running team.

Is that really what will happen? Is Clement really the magic pill to cure what has been the worst rushing attack at Wisconsin in nearly two decades?

Some believe Clement is the answer to what is ailing the Badgers run game, and it is hard to ignore the fact that he’s rushed for over 1,500 yards in limited action over his first two seasons in Madison. He’s got star power to him.

While it is tempting to put the woes of the UW rushing attack on the back of the missing star running back, the reality is, there’s been one common thread to what is really ailing the Badgers run game — the offensive line, or more specifically, a lack of consistency along said offensive line.

No doubt, having Clement back in the starting lineup gives the Badgers run game a boost. However, Clement is not playing right guard or any other position along the offensive line the last time I checked.

As good as Clement may be, he can’t do it alone. The last time we checked, a running back needs a quality offensive line in front of him in order to go from really good to great. No open holes equals no opportunities for success.

Just how bad have things been for the Badgers offensive line so far this season?

Here are the lineups for the O-Line so far this season:

Alabama: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Williams – Biegel
Miami (OH): Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Williams – Biegel
Troy: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Biegel
Hawaii: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Biegel
Iowa: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Maxwell
Nebraska: Marz – Deiter – Voltz – Kapoi – Benzschawel
Purdue: Marz – Williams – Deiter – Kapoi – Benzschawel

If you’re counting along, that’s five different starting offensive line combinations in seven football games.

Trying to get any continuity in the run game is nearly impossible when the guys up front are changing out each week and sometimes in the middle of the game as well. It doesn’t matter how good, bad or indifferent players like Dare Ogunbowale, Taiwan Deal or Alec Ingold are.

Poof of what can really be the difference maker between good, average or great rushing attacks? Look no further than the 2003 Wisconsin Badgers rushing attack.

That year, the Badgers had both Anthony Davis and Dwayne Smith back at running back and had two veteran starters back in left guard Dan Buenning and right guard Johnathan Clinkscale. Not a bad group to start from, but it was hardly the season anyone thought and a large part of the just seven-win season was due to a lack of a consistent run game.

Instead of powering with the run game, Wisconsin struggled on the ground and failed to have a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 1992 when Brent Moss led the way with 739 yards and nine touchdowns.

Smith led UW in 2003 with 857 yards that season, while expected 1,000-yard rusher Anthony Davis was on hand for just eight games and racked up just 682 yards rushing in that time.

Sound familiar to anything happening today?

But, even in that 2003 season the Badgers rushing attack was able to rank 37th in the country thanks to three running backs over the 600-yard mark.

Currently, Wisconsin’s leading rusher, Ogunbowale, has just 482 yards in seven games. That total projects out to 873 yards at his current per game average. However, that’s an unlikely feat, considering Clement is likely to make his return in the next few weeks.

With just five games remaining on the season, it is likely that the Badgers are going to go without a 1,000-yard rusher this season. Its’ no coincidence that this season is likely to be just the second year without a 1,000-yard rusher since that 2003 season either.

All three saw a combination of injuries to star running backs and inconsistency along the offensive line put the run game on the back burner.

History certainly tells us that a returning star at running back isn’t going to be the magic pill to cure what is happening in the run game.

Until the Badgers get the same group out there week in and week out along the offensive line, it won’t matter who is behind them. Clement isn’t the magic pill that will cure UW’s run game woes, instead it needs to be finding a healthy and consistent group of offensive linemen.

Will that happen any time soon? A lot depends on the health of center Dan Voltz and finding the right combination on the right side of the offensive line.

UW appears to be ready to put an offensive line unit out there on Saturday against Illinois that would resemble one it has put out there before, just not the same one it put out there last weekend and likely only the third time all season this group will look the same.

That, more than anything is going to key any turnaround Wisconsin’s run game has. Just don’t expect Clement’s impending return to suddenly snap the Badgers offensive line to attention.