Wisconsin Badger fans were waiting to see the Badgers offense of old, and on the opening possession against Hawai’i it got that and then some. What those in attendance and those watching at home didn’t know was coming was the answer to the run game question that’s been asked since the Alabama game.
The answer to the Badgers run game troubles? Redshirt freshman Taiwan Deal. He put the Badgers offense on his back for the first time in his career and it paid off in a big way right from the beginning.
The Badgers offense drove 97 yards on 16 plays to the end zone, as Taiwan Deal led the way to the end zone and a 7-0 lead.
Deal got the first carry out of the shadow of the Badgers’ own end zone and capped off an impressive drive with a 2-yard touchdown run of his own. It was vintage Wisconsin offense, as Chryst dialed up 13 run plays to just three passes, with Deal getting nine carries for 56 yards on that drive alone.
It was just the beginning though, as Deal would top the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career as well. He did it in the first half, going for 102 yards on 16 carries (6.4 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.
The redshirt freshman finished with a career high 147 yards in the win, but most importantly, he was able to put this team on his back when other things were not working out.
“He’s been working,” Chryst said after the game. “That’s what I love about this game is it takes everyone. I thought that he’s been growing with his opportunities. I think he’s been a patient back and trusting himself, and that’s good to see.”
Part of that could have been the Badgers using a lot of their 31 and 32 formations, with two fullbacks lining up in the backfield. However, it wasn’t until true freshman Alec Ingold got in to the game did anything really pop from that formation.
Instead, Deal used the mass of bodies in front of him to help him make quick decisions on which holes to hit and continued to pound the rock until the Hawai’i defense gave up.
There’s little doubt seeing that happen once was a huge relief for everyone in the program and the fans as well. However, there’s a difference between doing it once against a very bad defense and doing it against the Big Ten.
Wisconsin will face an Iowa defense that is giving up just 82 yards per game (4th in B1G), in the Big Ten opener. It will then get a test from the No. 1 rush defense in the Big Ten in Nebraska (73.5 yards per game).
Those numbers could be a bit misleading given some of the competition played in non-conference season though. That is especially true for Nebraska, as the Huskers gave up 132 yards rushing against both BYU and Miami (FL).
Iowa’s story is a bit different though, as the Hawkeyes gave up more than 100 yards in just one contest. That came last week, as North Texas gained 183 yards on 45 carries. However, the Hawkeyes have yet to allow an opponent to get in to the end zone on the ground, while the Huskers have given up five rushing touchdowns.
After that, Wisconsin’s run game could be in for some good times, facing six of the bottom eight run defenses in the Big Ten heading in to the bulk of conference play.
Given what we saw from Deal, the run game packages and the improving offensive line the next two weeks could tell everything about where this season is heading for the Badger offense.
The question will be whether this past weekend was a blip on the radar or the signal that things are changing in Madison.
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