RBU? O-line U? Wisconsin must rejuvenate its rushing attack before it can reclaim those labels
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin doesn’t want to refer to itself as “Running Back U” until it performs at a level that would make Ron Dayne, Jonathan Taylor and other former Badgers ball carriers proud. That task gets easier if Wisconsin starts resembling “O-Line U” again.
Wisconsin earned those nicknames during its glory years as superstar backs dominated games with help from future NFL linemen. The Badgers didn't run the ball nearly that well while going a combined 9-15 the last two seasons. “We’re not going to say that we’re anything that we’re not yet,” new running backs coach Jayden Everett said.
"We know what we have to do. We know what being a running back at the University of Wisconsin means. ” They got reminders from Wisconsin royalty during spring practice, which ended Wednesday.
Dayne, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1999, and other former Badgers star running backs have visited. “They just preach doing the little things ... making sure that not only we know what we’re doing but what other people are doing, how the O-line’s blocking — just little gadgets that can really help us with our game,” running back Abu Sama said.
Wisconsin rushed for 116. 67 yards per game last year to rank 116th out of 136 Bowl Subdivision programs. The Badgers averaged 3.
Continue to the original source for the full article.