Gordon continues to work hard while remembering to have some fun, too
MADISON, Wis. -- The stench of misery from one poor performance clung to Melvin Gordon for two weeks. A single 17-carry, 38-yard rushing output against Western Illinois had left Wisconsin's standout running back in a funk, reflective and distressed about all the goals he set forth for himself slipping away.
Listen to Gordon dissect himself and it's clear he can occasionally be his own worst enemy. He has pictures on his wall of the best tailbacks in the country as a reminder of what he is working for and against which players he is competing. He has made no bones about his desire to be a candidate for the Heisman Trophy since bypassing the NFL Draft and returning for his junior season. He pushes himself beyond what many might consider sensible, with offseason stories of him working out in his front yard while texting teammates to get better at 6 a.m. becoming something of a legend.
All his choices and workout habits came in the pursuit of achieving something greater. Yet through two games, Gordon gave himself a "D" letter grade for his performance this season. What he had accomplished was not enough, he decided, particularly after that one subpar game.
"That's just the type of person I am," Gordon said following Tuesday's practice. "I always worry too much or think too much. . . . Having a bad game and then having a bye week just gives you a lot of time to think about the negatives."
Maintaining objectives to complete, Gordon acknowledged, has been important. But the fact remains he cannot allow those goals to obscure this line of wisdom that former teammates have imparted to him: Remember to have some fun along the way, too.
"I think I struggled with it at first," Gordon said. "But that's when I just go to the older guys that have been here before. I just ask them how to handle things. They said even though things might get stressful, just remember to always have fun because that's the reason you play.
"I just kind of think I look at it like that. I play the game to have fun. I've been a little much on myself. But I try to joke around with some of the guys as much as I can, just live it all up."
In particular, Gordon has sought council from former tailbacks Montee Ball and James White, with whom Gordon was especially close the past couple of seasons at Wisconsin. White recently reminded Gordon that he had a poor game against Arizona State last season, in which he carried the ball 12 times for 45 yards in a loss. White responded by rushing for at least 100 yards in seven of the next 10 games.
"He had a great season, a great senior year," Gordon said. "He kind of just coached me through that and what he went through."
Gordon, of course, responded to his poor game against Western Illinois with a performance for the history books last Saturday against Bowling Green. He carried the ball 13 times for 253 yards, and his five touchdowns tied a school record. He also is now tied for the NCAA career lead in yards per carry, averaging 8.26. The last player to do that was Army's Glenn Davis from 1943-46.
Saturday's output was made even more impressive because it occurred after Gordon fumbled away his first rushing attempt of the game, which resulted in his first turnover on a carry in his college career.
"I think that kind of shows about his character, the ability to be able to bounce back from that and put that behind him," Badgers running backs coach Thomas Brown said. "I said probably the worst start you can have to a game, losing the football, but the best finish I've seen in person ever.
"Obviously, Melvin went out and ran for 253, broke a gazillion tackles just like he was playing a video game almost."
Badgers coach Gary Andersen, meanwhile, recognized the weight Gordon had pushed upon himself -- and what Saturday's game meant for Gordon and his confidence. He noted Gordon's ability to create bulletin-board material for himself had served as motivation, which worked against the Falcons.
"It does my heart good that that kid had that opportunity to have that game," Andersen said. "Because if you could have seen his eyes and the smile on his face as he was coming off the field, he was like, that's why I came back for my junior year. It's great to see."
Given Gordon's resiliency, he has bounded back into the Heisman Trophy discussion when only two weeks ago it seemed as though his chances were finished. His 143.7 rushing yards per game is tied for seventh in the country, and his six touchdowns are tied for eighth. But the fickle nature of such talk is something Gordon now is trying to avoid.
"You've got to because it'll mess you up," Gordon said. "When you play bad, you've got however many people saying, 'Oh he's not this, he's not that.' It can really hurt you as a player, especially when you know you worked so hard and you've got all these people doubting you. And as soon as you have a big game, now they're loving you again. It's just crazy. That's just how it is."
Though Gordon spent a two-week stretch in September ruminating on how he could improve, Brown said he never saw his talented tailback outwardly complain. Instead, the setback only drove Gordon to work harder to prove he belonged with the top running backs in college football -- a sign of his true ability.
"He's a pretty consistent guy," Brown said. "He's put high expectations on himself, which he should. I think he's the best running back in the country, and I'll put that up against anybody if you just look at consistency. He does a really good job of coming out and working his butt off every single day.
"Obviously, I know there are times when he does get frustrated but doesn't let it show. Never pouts. Never complains. Just tries to find ways to get better, and once the opportunity is there to be made, he makes the most of it."
Gordon enters this week's game against South Florida with as much confidence as he's had all season. And he expects to do a better job of prioritizing having fun while balancing the pressures of the moment. But in almost every other way, his strategy will not change.
In Melvin Gordon's world, being good is never good enough. And that fuels his path to greatness.
"I'm going to take the same approach as if people are still doubting me," Gordon said. "That's how I'm going to work. That's how I'm going to continue to work from here on out.
"I work pretty hard, but I notice I work just a little bit harder when people are doubting me and things like that. I'm just going to take that mindset every day in practice and just work as if nobody likes me."
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