Wisconsin Football Injuries Derailed a Once-Promising Season

After an offseason of masterful marketing that fooled most of us into thinking a 10+ win season was possible, Wisconsin Badgers football fans have had no choice but to start working the five steps of grief this season. 

Personally, I’ve moved past denial, anger, bargaining, and depression and finally fallen into the acceptance category. The Badgers aren’t a good football team — and Luke Fickell hasn’t been able to adapt his philosophy to the personnel he inherited. 

That’s how you wind up with a 5-5 team and fighting for your life to extend UW’s consecutive bowl streak to 22. But part of the acceptance I’ve fallen into has come with the realization that for as good as the Badgers haven’t been — injuries deprived us of seeing how good they could have been. 

The Injury Bug Derailed Wisconsin Football 

Injuries have taken a toll on the Wisconsin Badgers football team this season, impacting the team’s on-field performance and ultimately derailing a once-promising season. 

Even in the season’s early stages, when the team was relatively healthier, there were evident challenges. Losses against Washington State, a narrow lead against Buffalo at halftime, and a tied score against Georgia Southern highlighted these struggles — the Badgers were far from perfect. 

However, it’s essential to consider injuries to key players as a factor contributing to the team’s downturn. The absence of Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen, both sidelined due to injuries, raises the question: could the season have unfolded differently if they had remained healthy?

Mellusi, described by offensive coordinator Phil Longo as “arguably our most explosive player,” made a significant impact in the initial three games. His unfortunate injury, a broken left leg against Purdue, affected the team’s on-field dynamics and created a void within the overall team structure. Mellusi’s speed, agility, and power made him a perfect fit for Longo’s offensive system — and, in my opinion, would have eventually out-carried Allen because of said fit. 

Even in Mellusi’s absence, Allen showcased his mettle, running effectively and hard, maintaining an average of at least 4.8 yards per carry for the next month. However, his left ankle injury against Ohio State, leading to missing the Indiana game and limited playing time against Northwestern, exposed the team’s dependence on its top running backs. 

While giving their best, reserve tailbacks Jackson Acker and Cade Yacamelli couldn’t match the level set by the top two runners — although it would have been unfair to expect that. 

Then you’ve got Tanner Mordecai’s injury, breaking his right hand against Iowa, which compounded the team’s mounting challenges. 

Backup quarterback Braedyn Locke, stepping in for Mordecai, was uneven at best, completing only 50 percent of his passes. 

The tight end position suffered setbacks with the losses of Jack Eschenbach and Clay Cundiff due to medical reasons and Jack Pugh’s departure for personal reasons. Riley Nowakowski’s early-season absence with a foot injury further weakened the tight end corps — leaving the Wisconsin football cupboards completely barron. 

The offensive line never got to work with its preferred starting five linemen because of an injury to center Jake Renfro. It’s arguably too late even to insert him into the lineup at this point. His health could have had a domino effect that led to improvements in the interior, especially for guard Tanor Bortolini. 

Defensively, Wisconsin football has been without Isaiah Mullens for the entire season, and Air Force transfer Michael Mack II was denied waiver to play immediately by the NCAA — and would have been in the two-deep at cornerback. 

Closing Time 

In summary, injuries have undeniably played a significant role in the Wisconsin football team’s struggles this season. The absence of key players has affected on-field performance and raised questions about the team’s depth (which is a huge problem) and adaptability.

At the end of the day, this is football, and injuries happen. How you adapt, and scheme around the players you DO have available is far more important — but I’ll often wonder what this team would look like right now if the injury bug didn’t ravage the Badgers this season.

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