Tag: Purdue

Wisconsin starting tackle PFF’s highest-graded Big Ten lineman from Week 6

Wisconsin starting tackle PFF’s highest-graded Big Ten lineman from Week 6

Wisconsin left tackle Jack Nelson was ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded Big Ten offensive lineman from Week 6.

He earned an overall grade of 90.1 in the Badgers’ big 52-6 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.

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

Nelson is a significant part of an offensive line that has been arguably Wisconsin’s biggest strength through its first five games of the 2024 season. The unit was solid in tough losses to Alabama and USC, then had an all-around dominant showing against Purdue.

Last Saturday saw the line lead the Badgers offense to 589 total yards (361 passing, 228 rushing), 28 first downs and seven touchdowns, all without allowing a sack.

PFF’s grades only confirm Nelson’s strong play leading the group. The redshirt senior is one of several on the line who have improved their performance in the second year under coordinator Phil Longo.

Nelson’s current form is great news for his chances at being selected in the upcoming NFL draft. The four-year starter has had ups and downs — with the rest of the Wisconsin offensive line. His trajectory on the blindside of a line that appears to be improving by the week could see him rise to an early day two selection.

First, he’ll need to continue his strong performance against a challenging remaining schedule. The Badgers first face a good Rutgers defense in Week 7, then have remaining games against top teams including Penn State (No. 6 in ESPN SP+), Iowa (No. 29), Oregon (No. 7) and Nebraska (No. 26).

Key No. 1 to Wisconsin succeeding against that schedule and extending its record bowl streak is continued strong play from Nelson and the offensive line.

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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).

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Purdue head coach Ryan Walters offers blunt assessment of team after blowout loss to Wisconsin

Purdue head coach Ryan Walters had blunt assessment of team after blowout loss to Wisconsin

Purdue head coach Ryan Walters was clear in his assessment of the Boilermakers after their 52-6 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday:

“The most disappointing thing is, if I’m being completely honest, that we’re a bad football team right now,” Walters said postgame.

Related: Studs and duds from Wisconsin’s 52-6 win over Purdue: Trech Kekahuna emerges

The comments come after the Boilermakers dropped to 1-4 on the season with the blowout loss to the Badgers. It was their fourth-straight defeat, all by a decisive margin. The team currently ranks No. 114 in the nation in ESPN FPI and No. 89 in SP+ after the loss — challenging to be the single worst team in the Power 4.

It has been outscored 184-44 during its four-game losing streak. Walters even made changes after the third loss, firing offensive coordinator Graham Harrell and promoting analyst Jason Simmons to the role. The Boilermakers then managed just six points against the Badgers, while Walters’ defense allowed 52.

The assessment from Purdue’s head coach doesn’t lack truth. The Boilermakers have regressed significantly after a 4-8 season in 2023 in his first year at the helm.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, answered some questions with its performance on Saturday. Some still remain — mostly surrounding whether the team can replicate that performance against better competition.

Wisconsin’s first chance to answer that question comes next Saturday when the team travels to play a strong Rutgers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) team.

Purdue continues with games against No. 23 Illinois, No. 3 Oregon, Northwestern, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Penn State, Michigan State and No. 18 Indiana. The team has a real path to a 2-10 or 1-11 finish.

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Wisconsin rises dramatically in ESPN SP+ after blowout win over Purdue

Wisconsin rises dramatically in ESPN SP+ after blowout win over Purdue

There are Wisconsin Badgers fans who think the team is ‘back’ after its dominant 52-6 victory over Purdue on Saturday.

While the long-term projection is still a challenge, it’s impossible not to be impressed by the dominant showing. The Badgers controlled the game throughout, dominated the Boilermakers in every facet and, overall, put forth arguably the most complete performance of the Luke Fickell era to date.

Related: ESPN FPI updates Wisconsin football win chances for remaining 2024 schedule after Week 6 win over Purdue

For those who believe the Badgers are ‘back,’ ESPN SP+ might agree. Wisconsin entered the week ranked No. 66 in the nation — No. 92 on offense and No. 27 on defense.

After the blowout win over Purdue, Wisconsin rose a whopping 27 spots up to No. 39 in the nation — specifically up to No. 80 on offense and No. 19 on defense.

That steep rise has the Badgers now ranked as the No. 10 team in the Big Ten in SP+, ranked behind Ohio State (No. 2), Penn State (No. 6), Oregon (No. 7), Indiana (No. 17), Washington (No. 19), USC (No. 25), Nebraska (No. 26), Michigan (No. 27) and Iowa (No. 29).

They are ranked ahead of next week’s opponent Rutgers (No. 44), plus rival Minnesota (No. 41)

The key to Wisconsin’s rest-of-season chances and push to bowl eligibility won’t be to replicate its performance against Purdue — that is a tall ask. It will be, instead, to take the momentum from the win and build on it. Strong performances strung together will help the team build an identity and maintain clear areas of strength.

Right now, the win streak is at one. Saturday’s road trip to Rutgers presents a critical moment in the season — one where the win streak must be extended.

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Wisconsin rises in ESPN FPI after big win over Purdue

Wisconsin rises in ESPN FPI after big win over Purdue

The Wisconsin Badgers are trending positively after their dominant 52-6 win over Purdue on Saturday.

The win snapped the team’s two-game losing streak, improved it to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten play and, importantly, gave a glimpse at its ceiling. Wisconsin had not put together a complete, four-quarter performance to date. The win over the Boilermakers did have minor moments of struggle, but it’s the closest the Badgers have come to a complete showing.

Related: ESPN FPI updates Wisconsin football win chances for remaining 2024 schedule after Week 6 win over Purdue

Dominant wins lead to ratings improvements. That is seen in ESPN FPI, which lifted the Badgers eight spots to No. 54 in the nation.

Big Ten teams ranked below the Badgers are now Purdue (No. 114), Northwestern (No. 87), UCLA (No. 74) and Michigan State (No. 66). The Badgers narrowly trail Minnesota (No. 51), Illinois (No. 47) and Rutgers (No. 44).

Wisconsin gets to test its progress next Saturday with a road trip to Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are off a narrow 14-7 loss to Nebraska but still sit 4-1 on the season. A decisive victory could see Wisconsin begin to rise back to the mid-30s ranking it held to begin the season.

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RECAP: Wisconsin dominates Purdue en route to first Big Ten win of 2024 season

Initial thoughts on Wisconsin’s dominant win over Purdue

Wisconsin notched its first Big Ten win of the 2024 season with its 52-6 blowout victory over Purdue.

The score tells the story — the Badgers mostly dominated the game from start to finish.

Related: Wisconsin fans react to dominant victory over Purdue: ‘Badgers are back’

That dominance started early when a Purdue muffed punt led to a quick 12-yard touchdown from Badgers RB Tawee Walker. Wisconsin then added another touchdown before the end of the first quarter with a 52-yard strike from QB Braedyn Locke to WR Vinny Anthony.

That 14-0 lead was trimmed to 14-6 by two Purdue field goals. But that’s as close as the Boilermakers got the rest of the afternoon. Wisconsin added to its lead with a clutch touchdown drive before halftime, then hit another gear after halftime with a 31-0 second-half margin.

The Badgers’ performance against Purdue was badly needed after back-to-back losses against top teams No. 1 Alabama and No. 11 USC, respectively. USC’s 28-0 second-half margin built a cupboard full of questions. This win against a poor Purdue team does not answer all of them, but it at least gets the season headed back in the right direction.

QB Braedyn Locke finished the afternoon with 20 of 31 passing for 359 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. WR Trech Kekahuna was the star of the afternoon with six receptions, 134 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Other notable performances include WR Vinny Anthony (two receptions, 66 yards, one touchdown), RB Tawee Walker (19 carries, 94 yards, three touchdwons) and WR C.J. Williams (four receptions, 60 yards).

Wisconsin improves to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten play with the win. Purdue drops to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play. The Badgers are back in action on Oct. 12 at Rutgers.

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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

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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.

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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.

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49ers re-sign familiar face at linebacker

The 49ers drafted Graham out of Purdue in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft.

A familiar face is set to return to the San Francisco 49ers’ linebacking core. On Tuesday, the team announced the signing of second-year linebacker Jalen Graham.

Graham was a seventh-round pick of the 49ers out of Purdue in the 2023 edition of the NFL draft. After spending training camp with the 49ers, Graham was waived by the 49ers. The former Purdue linebacker then signed with former 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters and the Washington Commanders.

On Monday, the 49ers signed Graham to the active 53-man roster off of the Commanders practice squad.

Via @49ers on Twitter:

Graham played in four games for the 49ers last season, recording one tackle in his rookie season.

With Dre Greenlaw and Curtis Robinson sidelined and Fred Warner dealing with an injury, Graham will provide some depth to the 49ers linebacking core alongside De’Vondre Campbell, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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