The
116th ranked rush defence in 2010 offered little resistance against
the 12th ranked rushing offense from last year, allowing Wisconsin
Badgers backs Jr Montee Ball and Soph James White to rush for 127 yards on 21
carries. Ball ran for 3 TD, caught
another and White added another score as the Badgers rang up a 51-17 beating
over UNLV.
Ball
came on late in the year, rushing for 777 yards over the final 6 games of the
season. He scored 11 rushing TD in three
games against Indiana, Michigan and Northwestern as the Badgers won by a
combined 201-71. His 18 rushing TD tied
him for 8th in the country despite getting only 167 carries. He should be around 200 this year and is
certainly off to a good start approaching last year’s totals.
Losing
weight and spending time in the weight room has significantly improved his
speed and quickness, adding a whole new dimension to his game. He still has the same power, possessing a strong
lower body and compact frame at 5-11 212lbs.
Benefits quite a bit from strong Badger offensive lines but is adequate
in short yardage. Rips through arm
tackles and can be difficult to bring down.
Enhancing his speed has answered a huge question about him and he should
climb draft boards.
Ball is not asked to pass
protect much and is below average as a receiver. Is tough for defensive backs to handle in the
open-field but is not overly elusive.
Speed is better but it is not elite.
Still is not explosive but is more than just a grinder now.
White
led the team is rushing with 1,052 yards as a Freshman in 2010. He tied John Clay with 14 TD on his way to
being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the conference’s coaches. Sitting on the Doak Walker, Walter Camp and
Maxwell Award Watch Lists, he could steal carries from Ball this year after
earning 156 last year. He got a little
banged up in late October, missing the Purdue game, but came back strong with
games of 19, 23 and 20 carries over the next three weeks (Indiana, Michigan and
Nwestern), rushing for 459 yards during Wisconsin’s explosive late stretch. TCU closed him down in the Rose Bowl though,
holding him to 23 yards on 8 carries.
He’s
slightly undersized at 5-10 195lbs but makes up for it with the elite speed
that Ball lacks. He is very elusive in the
open field and possesses the extra gear to break away. He will run hard between the tackles but
looks to break it outside. If he gets
there, he’s gone. Has good vision, quick
feet and the balance to bounce of tackles.
A strong runner for his size, White has been productive as a kick
returner and can handle those duties in the pros.
Like
Ball, White doesn’t get many opportunities to pass protect. He’s on the fringe of the size necessary to
withstand the rigorous workload of a lead NFL back but is well proportioned and
shows good core strength. Flashes as a
receiver but needs work on route running.
Gaining
3,194 yards on the ground in 2010, the Badgers will play to their strength once
again though may not have the expected drop-off from Scott Tolzien with Russell
Wilson able to start. The Badgers should
once again be passable passing the ball and Wilson brings a rushing dimension
not there with Tolzien. The o-line
returns 3 starters and two others who have started at least one game. It’s a storm waiting to run roughshod over
the Big Ten. And in case of emergency,
Wisconsin already has the next generation off hard-earned yardage on the
roster.
Freshman
Melvin Gordon and Jeffrey Lewis got reps against UNLV and both produced. We’ll be talking about them come 2014 as the
next great Badgers runners.
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