UW teammates offer prayers, support for Mellusi
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – If you didn’t know how much Chez Mellusi means to his teammates, all you needed to do was watch the field Friday night to figure it out.
The senior running back was about to be carted off the field with what appeared to be a serious left ankle injury, but before he got away Wisconsin’s bench cleared.
The entire team came over to the far side of the field at Ross-Ade Stadium to offer their support. Running back Braelon Allen hugged him. Safety Kamo’i Latu and center Tanor Bortolini appeared to offer words of encouragement. So many others offered a pat on the back or the helmet.
The Wisconsin football team won its Big Ten opener, 38-17, over Purdue in front of 55,529 people, but in the process may have lost one of its most respected players for an extended period.
“I don’t know exactly what the deal is. I don’t know that it looks good,” Badgers coach Luke Fickell said after the game. “They’re hurting in there. If we lose him for a while, it will be tough. He’s not just a great football player for us. He is not just a great tailback, he’s a bit of the heart and soul of some of the things we do because of all the things he’s gone through.”
Mellusi’s injury occurred in fourth quarter on routine play
Mellusi went down with 6 minutes 37 seconds left. He took a carry up the
WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. – A recap of Wisconsin’s 38-17 victory over Purdue on Friday night at Ross-Ade Stadium.
BIG PICTURE
The Badgers opened the Big Ten season on the right note and did so displaying some of the facets of play the team’s faithful have been waiting for. Wisconsin started fast, was balanced offensively and continued to force turnovers. The Badgers also took care of business on the road, which is no small feat in the Big Ten.
The turning point came in the first quarter
The Badgers came out of the blocks fast, and it made a major difference. The team scored twice in the first quarter and reached the end zone on its first three possessions, chewing up 175 yards in 31 plays on the way to a 21-3 lead. And what a difference playing with the lead makes. Purdue had UW on its heels for most of the second half, but the Badgers had built up such a large cushion that they were able to overcome their mistakes.
THUMBS UP
middle and as he was tackled, the defender’s weight landed on his lower leg.
Mellusi, who finished with 11 carries for 39 yards, immediately signaled for help. His leg was placed in an air cast before he left the field. He was taken to an area hospital for X-rays but returned in time to fly back to Madison with the team.
“That was terrible to see, especially someone who put as much heart and soul into the game,” quarterback Tanner Mordecai said. “Our prayers are with him.”
Mellusi carries a load of respect in the UW locker room due to the adversity he has fought through over the years.
Two years ago, his first with UW after transferring from Clemson, he suffered a torn ACL in the team’s win over Rutgers. Last year he suffered a broken arm against Northwestern that sidelined him for four games.
This year he was splitting carries with Allen and had gained national attention for his 89-yard touchdown run
Mordecai, Allen and Hallman were among Badgers who came up big
* Tanner Mordecai didn’t match the 195 yards Syracuse quarterback Garrett Schrader ran for last week against the Boilermakers, but he was a threat with his feet during the team’s fast start. He finished with 14 carries for 44 yards to push his season total to 103 yards in 36 carries. That’s three more yards than he ran for last season at SMU.
* Nathanial Vakos is making the field goal attempt a drama-free event. He went 3 for 3 on Friday with a long of 48 yards. He hasn’t missed a field goal or extra point this season.
* Cornerback Ricardo Hallman picked off two passes, including a first-half ending interception at the goal line. * Third-down execution was a problem for the Badgers coming into play but not this week. UW converted its first eight third-down opportunities, chainmoving moments key to the team’s 21-point burst to begin the game. * Defensive end James Thompson put together another solid performance, finishing with a career-high six tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. * Braelon Allen continues to play well against the Boilermakers. His 16-carry, in the season opener against Buffalo. He entered play leading the team in carries (40) and rushing yards (267).
“It hurts your heart,” safety Hunter Wohler said. “That is a dude that has grinded and trained with us for the last three years, and you feel bad for the guy. He can’t catch a break. He works his tail off and has been with us every step of the way and never falters, never slows down. It hurts. It hurts for him. It hurts for the team obviously as good of a player as he is.”
Allen scores, honors Mellusi
UW was ahead, 30-17, at the time of the injury. The Badgers went on to force a turnover that led to their final score, a 4-yard run by Allen with 3:35 left. After giving the ball to the official, Allen found a television camera, made a heart with his hands and flashed one finger for his close friend, who wears the No. 1 jersey.
It’s safe to assume Allen will be relied upon more if/when Mellusi is officially ruled out. Fickell also noted that sophomore Jackson Acker, who has been the team’s No. 3 back, and Cade Yacamelli, a redshirt freshman who has contributed on special teams, would be in the running for more action.
Acker caught one pass for 3 yards Friday, a play that came before the injury. He has 18 carries for 62 yards this season.
“(Chez) is a great player,” Bortolini said. “I’m praying for him, but I think we have a lot of good players in that running back room, guys that have a chance to break out. Jackson Acker is a guy who comes to mind. He has the ability to step up. He has what it takes, he just needs the opportunity.”
WISCONSIN FOOTBALL INSIDER
116-yard performance pushed his totals to 44 carries for 369 yards, an 8.4-yard average, with five touchdowns. * Receiver Will Pauling completed two passes to Mordecai. The first led to a touchdown and the second resulted in a two-point conversion.
THUMBS DOWN Penalties and second-half defense mar winning effort
* Wisconsin was penalized a seasonhigh 11 times for 70 yards.
* The Badgers’ defense was on the ropes in the second half when the Boilermakers gained 233 of their 396 yards and strung together touchdowns on their first two possessions.
Schedule: Badgers get bye week before Rutgers comes to town
Ideally a team’s bye week would come later in the season. For UW the early bye will allow it time to get healthy. Center Jake Renfro and defensive end Isaiah Mullens, who missed the first three games, could return after the break. The time off also will allow the coaches to process the expected loss of tailback Chez Mellusi and get his replacement ready.