MADISON, Wis. -- Melvin Gordon is gone, and that means Wisconsin's running game has no choice but to revamp itself. Because while the play calls may look similar next fall, the men carrying the football will be hard-pressed to match the same level of success experienced by Gordon, the Doak Walker Award winner for nation's best tailback and a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Still, if Saturday's spring game at Camp Randall Stadium provided anything, it should be hope for Badgers fans that the team's vaunted rushing attack remains in good hands despite the change.
With no reason to risk injury, starting running back Corey Clement did not participate in the spring game. But backups Dare Ogunbowale and Taiwan Deal were two of the offensive standouts. Ogunbowale carried 11 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns, while Deal gained 76 yards on 15 carries. Converted safety Serge Trezy added 17 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown at running back.
For those scoring at home, Team Gasser (captained by former Badgers basketball guard Josh Gasser) defeated Team Dukan (led by former Badgers forward Duje Dukan) 35-7. That result should come as no surprise considering Gasser's "team" consisted of the first-team offense and defense, while Dukan's group featured reserves.
Ogunbowale entered spring practices as the clear-cut No. 2 tailback behind Clement. A year ago, Ogunbowale thrived as the team's third-string running back after moving from defensive back and finished with 193 yards and a touchdown in mop-up duty, with a respectable yards-per-carry average of 5.7. Deal, meanwhile, took a redshirt season while battling injuries in his first year on campus.
This spring, however, Deal demonstrated his bruising power and appeared to close the gap on Ogunbowale for the backup tailback spot. On Saturday, each player showcased the best of his ability and provided coaches with plenty of optimism heading into summer conditioning.
"I thought Taiwan to me had a couple runs where he showed really good patience and his vision," Badgers coach Paul Chryst said. "As he gets more comfortable with the offense and maybe with himself, too, that'll help. I thought overall he had a really good spring from where he started to how he finished.
"Dare's a guy that's been around it. (He's) a little bit more mature. A guy that I think can contribute in a number of different ways and certainly had a couple big runs today and did some good things. So I think we might have started to develop some depth there."
Ogunbowale scored on a 55-yard touchdown run that demonstrated his speed, when he cut back across the field from right to left and outran the rest of the team midway through the third quarter. He closed the quarter with a 20-yard touchdown run in which he beat safety Leo Musso and then squeezed past safety Lubern Figaro, diving over the goal line in the front left corner of the end zone.
"Going into the fall, it'll still be more competition," Ogunbowale said. "But going into the summer right now, I think I've done well showing the coaches that I've been consistent. It was a good spring."
Deal's longest run went for 14 yards in the second quarter on a third-and-1 from the defense's 34-yard line. One play later, quarterback Bart Houston connected with receiver Rob Wheelwright for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Wheelwright led all receivers with seven catches for 79 yards with two touchdowns and showed why he could become the team's big play, downfield threat.
Deal said he had improved significantly as a running back, particularly when it came to lowering his pad level, squaring up on defenders and running through tackles. He also has added muscle and said he weighed roughly 225 pounds -- up from the 216 pounds he was listed at last season. His increased patience and understanding of the game could make him quite a weapon next season.
"My vision has gotten a lot better because I sit in the film room, I watch film and I learn where the offensive line is going to block," Deal said. "I've got a feel for the offense."
Clement said he noticed the ways in which Deal had shown a better ability to grasp concepts, as well, especially because Deal has grown comfortable enough to ask running backs coach John Settle for help -- something Deal did not necessarily do consistently with former tailbacks coach Thomas Brown during his redshirt season.
"He's not really the silent mouse that we all knew Taiwan for," Clement said. "Coach Brown would actually pick on Taiwan just to actually get him to talk because coach would always ask, 'Is there any questions?' And then he'd go on the field, mess something up. He asked you if there were any questions, but now he's actually taking more of a consideration as to value a resource of who coach Settle is to us."
Deal noted his newfound comfort level was a result of confidence in himself and the coaches.
"This new coaching staff, they're just so personal with the players," Deal said. "I feel I can walk up to any of the offensive coaches and ask them, 'Hey, what did I do wrong on this play? How do I do this in certain situations?' I just feel a lot more comfortable with this coaching staff. I appreciate that."
Clement, Ogunbowale and Deal each pointed out that all three tailbacks could be used in some capacity next season. And while the starting job belongs to Clement, who rushed for 949 yards and nine touchdowns last season, Ogunbowale and Deal seem certain to battle for playing time all the way through fall camp -- and perhaps beyond.
"We've been making sure we push each other on the field and off the field all spring," Ogunbowale said. "Taiwan is like a little brother to me, and he's a great running back. He's going to be a great running back. I'm just excited to see him doing well, and we're just making sure that we both compete going against each other."
Spring game stats:
Rushing: Dare Ogunbowale 11-89-2 TDs; Taiwan Deal 15-76-0 TDs; Serge Trezy 17-47-1 TD; D. J. Gillins 11-13; Mark Saari 3-7; Caleb Kinlaw 1-0; Bart Houston 2-(-1); Thad Armstrong 1-(-1); Alex Hornibrook 3-(-25).
Passing: Bart Houston 9-16-103-1 TD-0 INT; Alex Hornibrook 5-13-58-0 TD-0 INT; Joel Stave 2-2-55-1 TD-0 INT; Austin Kafentzis 3-3-53-1 TD-0 INT; D.J. Gillins 5-10-50-0 TD-0 INT; Thad Armstrong 0-1-0-0 TD-0 INT.
Receiving: Rob Wheelwright 7-79-2 TDs; George Rushing 4-57-1 TD; Alex Erickson 2-50; Jazz Peavy 3-28; Kyle Penniston 1-35; Connor Cummins 3-23; Krenwick Sanders 1-23; Austin Traylor 1-14; John Damrow 1-5; Derek Watt 1-5.
Leading tacklers: Evan Bondoc 12; T.J. Edwards 9 (1 sack); Ryan Connelly 9; Leon Jacobs 8 (1.5 sacks); Joe Ferguson 7; T.J. Reynard 6, Terrence Floyd 6; Nick Thomas 5, Jeremy Patterson 5, Billy Hirschfeld 5; Chikwe Obasih 4 (2.5 sacks); Sojourn Shelton 4; Joe Schobert 4 (1 sack)
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