Spring football has ended for the Wisconsin Badgers. They will take the summer off and begin fall practice later in August in preparation for the 2022 season. The Badgers offense lost some key pieces from last season. However, I believe they have the opportunity to break out this year. Here are three reason why the offense will break out this season.
One Of The Best Running Back Duos
You wont find a better duo in college football than Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi. Both backs suffered injuries late in the season and it affected how the offense ran. Allen battled through an ankle injury while Mellusi suffered a season ending injury against Rutgers.
It may take a part of the season before Mellusi is ready to fully contribute. This should open up opportunities for Isaac Guerendo and Julius Davis. On the other hand, Allen will be have no restrictions. When both are healthy, Wisconsin can control tempo and time of possession, both needed for the Badgers to win games. Assuming there are no injuries, this will be a duo the Badgers can rely on.
Experienced Offensive Line
Wisconsin did lose Logan Bruss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL Draft. However, Tyler Beach returns for another season as does Jack Nelson and Joe Tippman. As a result, the Badgers will have talent and experience on the offensive line. Logan Brown and Tanor Bortolini should secure the other two positions. Both played a ton of snaps last season.
Don’t sleep on the depth of this offensive line either. Players such as Michael Furtney, Cormac Sampson, Riley Mahlman, Nolan Rucci, and Dylan Barrett should see snaps this year and well. Offensive line has always been a strength of this Badger team and 2022 will be no different.
Graham Mertz
It is no secret I’m a Graham Mertz supporter and have been one since day one. While I didn’t like the decision to go with Mertz over Jack Coan, I did understand that this was a future move and Badgers wanted to see what they have in him.
It’s a been a up and down career for Mertz. It’s fair to say he’s probably not where fans would have liked or expected him to be. There’s been too much inconsistency. However, in his fourth year in Madison, he’s seen just about everything a quarterback has seen at the college level. He’s got the backs and line that he should be protected. His pass catchers are misty inexperienced, but this is go time for Graham Mertz and I believe he’ll get it done.
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