Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst took the stage today in Indianapolis and part of his time on the podium centered around new Badger faces in the RB room.
The Badger head coach specifically talked about Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi and incoming freshman Braelon Allen.
In talking about the newcomer Mellusi, Chryst spoke on wanting to add experience to pair with mostly young talent:
“We’re excited he’s here,” Chryst said. “We felt like if it was the right person — it’s a young room — we could add some maturity to it and someone who has some experience. As we went through it and got to know him, the more confident we felt that this is somebody that could help the team and the room.
For Allen, playing RB was a surprising switch as he had been recruited on the defensive side of the ball. Chryst commented on his versatility and willingness to do whatever it takes to win:
“Throughout his recruiting, we believed he could do a number of different things. If you said a year ago or just more than a year ago, we didn’t know if he’d be a safety, a receiver or a running back. We knew that he’d continue to grow. He’s young now and was even younger then. He didn’t have a position circled as much as, ‘Boy, you just want this guy in your program.'”
While rising sophomore Jalen Berger should carry the weight, Allen and Mellusi could prove to be valuable additions in an area where Wisconsin uncharacteristically struggled last season.