With Wisconsin’s running game providing slightly above average numbers the first three games of the season, many were wondering if the run-first, power offense of the Badgers had gone by the wayside.
This week’s game MVP, redshirt freshman running back Taiwan Deal, silenced the critics with his 148-yard, two-touchdown performance against Hawaii under the lights at Camp Randall Stadium.
Establishing the run game early was crucial for Wisconsin, and on its first drive, a 97-yard grinder that took up nearly 10 minutes of game time, the run game was proficient. The team rushed 13 times for 84 yards, and Deal had 56 of those yards, including the two-yard score that capped the drive.
More importantly, Deal solidified a position that may have been in a state of panic. With starter Corey Clement out due to surgery for a sports hernia, the running backs were forced to turn to their second and third men to lead the charge. Behind an inexperienced offensive line, the results could have been disastrous.
Instead, Deal lead the group in yards and touchdowns and the other two other running backs were solid, as redshirt junior Dare Ogunbowale racked up 85 yards and a touchdown, and freshman Alec Ingold ran for 60 yards, all on the game’s final drive.
The Badgers hope Deal’s momentum carries over to this week when the rigors of the Big Ten schedule begin with Iowa coming to Madison.
