Chez Mellusi was the Wisconsin Badgers’ number one running back through five games in 2021. The transfer from Clemson racked up 173 attempts, 815 rushing yards, and 5 rushing touchdowns before being injured. He also averaged 4.7 yards per carry. Since his injury Chez Mellusi has focused on getting better in 2022.
He told reporter Jake Kocorowski So Chez Mellusi that he was up to 220 pounds from 200-205. “I kind of channeled all that frustration and all the things I was kind of going through and just put it in the weight room, honestly,” Mellusi said. He confirmed he tore ACL vs. Rutgers but also injured hamstring during last week of fall camp last year. He reportedly pulled his hamstring a week into fall camp and played through it. “The coaches and staff knew. I played through it. Don’t think I was healthy at any part of the season.”
Mellusi also says he has reached out to former Clemson teammate and current Green Bay Packers wide receiver Amari Rodgers for advice on recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Amari Rodgers tore his ACL in March 2019, but was playing for Clemson less than 6 months later. “I kind of wanted to know what he did, what his regimen was,” Mellusi said Monday. “He told me the things he did. I was really interested in learning from him about that.”
WHAT 👏 A 👏 RUN 👏@BadgerFootball's Chez Mellusi gives Wisconsin the lead 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xdzlMWX0Dz
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 23, 2021
What will Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen bring to the Badgers backfield?
Braelon Allen ran for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns last season despite only being at the top of the tailback rotation over the last eight games of the season. That yardage was fourth-most by a freshman in UW history. Between the monster that Braelon Allen became in the second half of the 2021 season, and Chez Mellusi, the Wisconsin Badgers are looking at one of the best tandem running back pairs in the nation.
BRAELON ALLEN TO THE HOUSE pic.twitter.com/gT2KwV35Ag
— Badger Barstool (@badgerbarstool) November 20, 2021
Allen also wants to up his game; “I definitely want to catch more passes and be more of a threat out of the backfield and as a receiver,” Allen said. “Just being able to put myself in different situations to help the team.” Allen was targeted as a receiver on just 12 passes, according to PFF data, and he recorded eight catches for 39 yards.
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