Tag: Chez Mellusi

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses Chez Mellusi’s departure from Badgers program

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell discusses Chez Mellusi’s departure from Badgers program

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell discussed Chez Mellusi’s recent departure from the Badgers program during his media availability on Monday.

The news broke last Thursday that Mellusi was stepping away from the program, reportedly to ‘continue rehabbing injuries that prevented him from playing to his expectation.’

Related: Wisconsin updated depth chart for Rutgers game sees true freshman running back enter two-deep

Fickell was not asked about the timeline surrounding Mellusi’s departure after Wisconsin’s 52-6 win over Purdue on Saturday. The focus of his postgame press conference was the team’s strong performance — including the stellar play of the team’s running back room.

Now that the dust settled on the win, Fickell took time to expand on Mellusi’s departure. Here is the full question and answer sequence:

Q: ‘I know this is last week’s news, but Chez stepping away from the program. What kind of conversations, if at all, did you have with him and how did that all play out?

Fickell: “Look, it’s not my spot to sit up here and to speculate on all of the things that are going through him. But I probably had a good hour, two hours, of conversation with him. Spent a lot of time with him. It just is what it is.

For him to be able to get away and try to get healthy, to be honest with you. We all have this expectation, that played the game. Your mind and your body have this expectation of how you are going to play. When you can’t do that it makes it really difficult. Sometimes, that’s because you can’t do it because, you know, maybe the opportunities aren’t there. Then sometimes deep down inside, maybe the health and things aren’t there. Sometimes as we get older, I compared it a little bit, I don’t want to say me, but at some point in time I stopped wrestling because where my mind was and where I wanted to be, I probably wasn’t, in a short amount of time, where I was going to get to.

So it was a little bit. It was a tough thing. But it wasn’t like ‘I’m outta here’ or ‘get out of here.’ We spent a lot of time together. Had a lot of conversations. We’ll continue to communicate. Who knows what it will lead to. That’s just one of those situations that’s not the easiest thing in the world. He’s been through a lot, he’s done a lot. I think his body just, right now, isn’t where his mind is.”

Wisconsin rushed for 228 yards on 5.6 yards per carry on Saturday against Purdue. Tawee Walker led the way with 19 carries, 94 yards and three rushing touchdowns.

The Badgers now move forward with Walker, true freshman Darrion Dupree and Cade Yacamelli as the top three at the position. The trio will be relied upon heavily as tough matchups remain against Rutgers (No. 44 in SP+), Penn State (No. 6), Iowa (No. 29), Oregon (No. 7), Nebraska (No. 26) and Minnesota (No. 41).

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin great Braelon Allen shares thought on Chez Mellusi’s departure from Badgers program

Braelon Allen comments on Chez Mellusi’s departure from Badgers program

Former Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen has chimed in on the news that veteran running back Chez Mellusi is leaving the Badgers program.

The reporting notes that Mellusi left ‘to continue rehabbing injuries that prevented him from playing to his expectation.’ The veteran recently returned from a broken leg and ankle suffered early in the 2023 season. It was his third significant injury in as many seasons with the program.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s blowout victory over Purdue

Mellusi departs after leading Badgers in rush attempts (56), rushing yards (232) and touchdowns (3) through the first four games of the season.

Most of the dialogue surrounding Mellusi’s departure was overwhelmingly positive. Most fans were appreciative of the running back’s efforts, determination and overall contribution to the program.

As can be the case, however, some sentiments skewed in the opposite direction.

That’s where Allen enters the conversation. He responded to a post on X that tried to spin Mellusi’s departure into a positive for the program, calling it a ‘blessing in disguise.’ His response: a thumbs-down emoji.

The conversation on X continued as Allen was then asked to elaborate on a recent cryptic tweet surrounding his experience with the program in 2023. He responded with the following post:

“I love Wisconsin and everything about it,” Allen wrote. “But I also have strong feelings about the way things were done and how people were treated and how nobody needed to be held accountable besides the players.”

The conversation never entered specifics. But it continued an overall air of mystery surrounding Allen’s thoughts on the state of the program, or at least his thoughts on ‘the way things were done and how people were treated.’

Allen and Mellusi shared the backfield from 2021-23. The two were a formidable 1-2 punch when Mellusi was healthy. Their best collective season came back in 2021 when Allen, as a 17-year-old true freshman, rushed for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Mellusi added 815 yards and five touchdowns in nine games of action.

The two importantly elected to remain with the program after the hire of Luke Fickell in November 2022. Their collective leadership presence was important as Fickell worked to bridge the gap from the prior regime.

Right now, Mellusi’s departure leaves Tawee Walker as Wisconsin’s likely leader in the backfield entering the rest of the season. Darrion Dupree was the primary backup during the team’s dominant win over Purdue, with Cade Yacamelli also figuring into the mix.

But the current implications take an occasional backseat to stories like this one. Allen continues to hint at more extensive thoughts on the state of the program, but he is still yet to share any specifics.

One of his specific thoughts is clear: Mellusi’s departure is not ‘a blessing in disguise’ for the Wisconsin football program.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Wisconsin running back rotation gains clarity entering Week 6 matchup vs. Purdue

Wisconsin has a new starting running back:

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin’s running back depth chart is gaining clarity entering the team’s Week 6 matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers.

The team had been rotating several primary running backs through the first four games of the season. Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker split the bulk of the carries, with Cade Yacamelli and true freshman Darrion Dupree also seeing work.

Related: 10 keys to Wisconsin Badgers bounce-back victory over Purdue Boilermakers

The stats through four games were as follows:

  • Mellusi: 4 games 56 carries, 232 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns
  • Walker: 3 games 38 carries, 147 yards, 3 touchdowns
  • Yacamelli: 4 games, 21 carries, 153 yards
  • Dupree: 3 games, 16 carries, 61 rushing yards

Mellusi’s surprising departure from the program on Thursday indicated what could soon follow at the position: Walker emerging as the Badgers’ lead running back.

WOZN’s Zach Heilprin’s observations from early warmups confirms that move to Walker as the No. 1 running back:

Heilprin’s note that Walker is ‘still wearing a large brace on his right knee’ is worth monitoring as Saturday’s game kicks off. The distribution of snaps and carries will be one big storyline to watch when the Badgers have the football.

Wisconsin and Purdue will kick off at noon ET, 11 a.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

UPDATE (11:31 a.m. ET): Wisconsin’s team warmups saw Dupree as the No. 2 running back behind Walker, then Yacamelli at No. 3

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin injury report vs. Purdue sees key defensive starter listed as ‘questionable’

Wisconsin injury report vs. Purdue sees key defensive starter listed as ‘questionable’

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin released its updated availability report for its Week 6 game against Purdue.

Those listed as ‘out’ include RB Chez Mellusi, QB Tyler Van Dyke, WR Joseph Griffin Jr., OL Leyton Nelson and DL James Thompson Jr. None of those designations come as any surprise.

Related: 10 keys to Wisconsin Badgers bounce-back victory over Purdue Boilermakers

Those with the ‘questionable’ designation are CB Max Lofy, true freshman WR Kyan Berry-Johnson and starting OLB Aaron Witt.

Lofy’s inclusion is expected — he left Wisconsin’s Week 5 loss to USC with an injury. Witt, meanwhile, is the most notable player listed. He’s been arguably Wisconsin’s best outside linebacker through four games and finally appears to be past the lingering injuries that held him out for multiple years.

The in-game snap distribution should tell us more about the extent of Witt’s injury.

One notable omission from the injury report is true freshman OLB Thomas Heiberger. He was an offseason standout after joining the program as a four-star commit in the class of 2024. A knee injury halted his progress, though he now appears fully healed.

It’s worth watching whether Heiberger sees the field against the Boilermakers. Wisconsin is still in search of strong production from the position.

Purdue, meanwhile, enters Saturday’s game without starting CB Markevious Brown, who recently stepped away from the team. Here is the Boilermakers’ status report, which sees WR Jahmal Edrine possibly returning to the field after missing the last two games:

The Badgers and Boilermakers will kick off at noon ET, 11 a.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin star running back Chez Mellusi leaves program

Wisconsin has lost another key starter, this time running back Chez Mellusi

There was shocking news that came out of Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday night.

Wisconsin Badgers star running back Chez Mellusi is stepping away from the program. The news was first reported by Wisconsin State Journal’s Colten Bartholomew. 

According to Bartholomew’s report, Mellusi’s departure from the program is health-related: “Senior running back Chez Mellusi is stepping away from the program to continue rehabbing injuries that prevented him from playing to his expectations, according to a statement from the program,” Bartholomew said in his report. 

Additionally, it does not sound like Mellusi’s departure is necessarily permanent, and a potential return is still possible. How likely a return is is still a major question at this time. 

The loss is a major one for the Badgers, as Mellusi was the program’s leading rusher this season, with 232 rushing yards on 56 carries and three touchdowns.

Injuries have been a major issue for Mellusi over the last few years, only totaling 51 carries last season before suffering a gruesome ankle injury against Purdue in late September. Since arriving in Madison prior to the 2021 season, Mellusi has not played a full season with the Badgers. 

In 26 career games with Wisconsin, the Florida native has totaled 392 rushing attempts for 1,827 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Nebraska is set to face Wisconsin later this season on November 23. 

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

BREAKING: Wisconsin leading rusher stepping away from Badgers program

Some big news for the Badgers entering Saturday vs Purdue

Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi is stepping away from the Badgers program, according to a report from BadgerExtra’s Colten Bartholomew.

The Wisconsin program said in a release that Mellusi is stepping away “to continue rehabbing injuries that prevented him from playing to his expectation.”

Related: A look at Wisconsin football’s updated two-deep depth chart after Chez Mellusi’s departure

Those injuries cost Mellusi significant time in 2021, 2022 and 2023, each of his three seasons with the Badgers. They include a torn ACL (2021), a broken arm (2022) and a broken leg and ankle (2023).

The veteran returned to the field for the Badgers in 2024. However, according to the program’s statement to BadgerExtra, Mellusi’s “body hasn’t responded the way he expected.”

Here is the full report:

Mellusi leads Wisconsin with 232 rushing yards through four games in 2024. Cade Yacamelli is next with 153 yards followed by Tawee Walker with 147.

The Clemson transfer is up to 392 carries, 1,826 yards and 18 touchdowns in his four-year Wisconsin career. Those totals come in 26 games.

This news comes days after Luke Fickell publicly expressed his desire for the Badgers to find a lead running back during the rest of the 2024 season. The room has been crowded with snaps going to Mellusi, Walker, Yacamelli and true freshman Darrion Dupree.

“We’re going to have to give some guys opportunities early in games and have to ride with them a little bit more,” Fickell said on Monday. “Right now, I don’t think we’re giving those guys enough opportunity to see if they can get hot. See if they can create some things. I think to date, our longest run is 25 (yards) … There’s bigger plays that need to be had at that position.”

This news leaves Walker likely leading the backfield, with Yacamelli operating as the primary backup.

Mellusi’s future is uncertain after this news. He could redshirt this season, given he has only played in four games, and return for a seventh season in 2025.

Wisconsin’s new backfield will get a first shot at finding a new rhythm when Purdue (1-3) visits Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Best photos from Wisconsin’s 27-13 Week 2 win over South Dakota

Best photos from Wisconsin’s 27-13 win over South Dakota

The Wisconsin Badgers football team beat South Dakota 27-13 at home on Saturday. Wisconsin improved to 2-0 to open a season for the first time since 2020.

Wisconsin was able to get off to a hot start against the Coyotes, finishing their first drive with a nine-yard rushing touchdown by running back Chez Mellusi. They later added a 50-yard score through the air from quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to wide receiver C.J. Williams on their third possession, giving them an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Van Dyke finished his day with 214 passing yards and the aforementioned touchdown pass, while Mellusi compiled 60 yards and two scores on 16 carries. Additionally, running back Cade Yacamelli had an efficient day, churning out 73 yards on eight carries, including a 29-yarder.

After trailing 17-3 at halftime, South Dakota made it rather interesting in the second half, narrowing the deficit to 17-13 at one point in the third quarter. Running back Charles Pierre Jr. had 12 carries for 83 yards while his backfield mate Keyondray Jones-Logan made the most of his only touch, turning an end-around into a 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

The Badgers were able to secure a 50-yard field goal from Nathanial Vakos with 2:21 left in the third quarter, expanding the lead to 20-13. Chez Mellusi put the game out of reach for the Coyotes with his second score of the day in the fourth quarter with 7:41 left in the game.

Before preview work continues for Wisconsin’s showdown with No. 4 Alabama, here are some of the best pictures from the team’s Week 2 win:

WATCH: Wisconsin rolls to easy touchdown on opening drive vs. South Dakota

Reaction to Wisconsin’s opening drive touchdown?

Wisconsin’s Week 1 struggles looked like a thing of the past during the team’s opening drive against South Dakota.

Seven plays, 75 yards and a Chez Mellusi 9-yard rushing touchdown. That’s all it took for Phil Longo’s offense to put Wisconsin up 7-0 to start the contest.

The drive was a sprint after Mellusi nearly fumbled on the first snap of the game. Mellusi took four total carries for 24 yards and a finishing touchdown. That complemented QB Tyler Van Dyke, who found WRs Vinny Anthony and Bryson Green for 32 and 22-yard gains, respectively. The chunk plays were a welcome sight after the unit did not manage a play longer than 17 yards last week.

The Badgers’ offensive line was a strong point against the South Dakota front, as seen in its work getting Mellusi into the end zone:

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1832504320052301827

The drive is a dream start for Wisconsin’s offense after a mostly poor Week 1 performance. Everything that was wrong in Week 1 was suddenly reversed, as the team completed an easy drive with chunk plays, finished by a red-zone touchdown.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

How to watch Wisconsin’s Week 2 matchup vs. South Dakota

Wisconsin vs South Dakota: How to Watch

The Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) football team is back in action on Saturday, hosting South Dakota (1-0) in the second game of the year.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT, 3:30 p.m. ET at Camp Randall Stadium as the Badgers will look to improve to 2-0 on the season.

The Badgers are coming off a 28-14 win over Western Michigan in Week 1. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke completed 21 passes on 36 attempts for 192 passing yards in the game, also adding 21 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Additionally, Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker added 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns combined.

South Dakota defeated Northern State 45-3 in Week 1 with running back Charles Pierre Jr. leading the way with 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Here is how to watch Saturday’s matchup between Wisconsin and South Dakota:

  • Date: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024
  • Time: 3:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. CT
  • TV Channel: Fox Sports 1

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell names players of the game for Week 1 win over Western Michigan

Wisconsin HC Luke Fickell names players of the game for Week 1 win over Western Michigan

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell recently shared the players of the game for the Badgers’ Week 1 win over Western Michigan.

They are cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean (defense), running back Chez Mellusi (offense) and kickoff specialist Gavin Lahm (special teams).

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s 28-14 Week 1 win over Western Michigan

Fourqurean, first, finished the contest tied for the team lead with seven tackles, three of them solo. He played a significant role in the Badgers holding Western Michigan to only 141 passing yards and zero passing touchdowns.

Mellusi was the Badgers’ primary engine on offense. He finished the game with 19 carries for 74 rushing yards and a touchdown. His nine-yard score in the second quarter opened the scoring for the Badgers and officially marked his impressive return from another season-ending injury in 2023.

Lahm, finally, had touchbacks on four of five kickoffs. The fifth was only returned to the 22 yard-line.

https://twitter.com/CoachFick/status/1830424679007367542

Here are some of the other potential candidates who were not mentioned:

  • CB Ricardo Hallman (not targeted in the contest)
  • P Atticus Bertrams (fumbled punt was turning point in the game)
  • RB Tawee Walker (impressive debut, averaged 4.4 yards per carry)

Wisconsin now begins preparation for next Saturday against South Dakota. That game will be a Saturday afternoon kickoff at 3:30 p.m ET, 2:30 p.m. CT.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.