After two promising years resulted in two inconsistent and injury-plagued seasons, the Wisconsin football team lost one of its most explosive and dangerous running backs in school history in departed tailback Anthony Davis.
But after a two-season drought without a 1,000 yard rusher-the first time in nearly a decade under head coach Barry Alvarez-the Wisconsin running game appears to be in good hands with junior Booker Stanley and Colorado transfer Brian Calhoun.
Calhoun, a junior running back and former Oak Creek stand-out, sat out the 2004 football season due to NCAA transfer rules. But he is poised and ready to spear-head a Badger running attack that has been, at the least, inconsistent since Davis tweaked his ankle against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas during the 2003 campaign.
\I feel like I'm home, just because I have friends, family, coaches [here],"" Calhoun said. ""I feel welcome and I feel home.""
Calhoun, in 2003, led the Buffaloes in rushing yards, racking up over 800 yards on 195 carries and scoring five touchdowns. But the ease of familiar surroundings also leads to high expectations for the man christened early this spring to rejuvenate a Badger running attack.
""It's some big expectations,"" Calhoun admitted. ""But you know, Wisconsin is known for a great running program and great running backs. But I think I fit in right there, when our offensive line is set and our passing game is gelling, I think we'll have no problem with having a big running game.""
This spring, Calhoun and junior running back Booker Stanley have split most of the time at running back and new co-offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, while admitting a lack of depth in the backfield, has been impressed with the work habits of both upperclassmen.
""We've been shuffling a lot of guys in because we're not real deep at tailback,"" Chryst said. ""Brian Calhoun's had a good spring-he's got a lot of ability-and Booker's been getting some good work, so it's been good.""
While Calhoun and Stanley bring different abilities and running styles to the field, Chryst said each will be able to contribute equally to the offensive game plan.
""Brian can give us some stuff in the passing game as well,"" Chryst said. ""Brian, he's a little bit smoother, Book's more stocky ... but Book has done a good job catching the ball out of the backfield and I think Brian is a little bit more of a jet.""
But nothing about Calhoun's ability or transfer should diminish the progress Stanley has made this spring. The junior started three games last season and played in 10. He finished second on the team in rushing with 350 yards in mostly spot duty, and ran for a career-high 135 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in UW's win at Arizona. Stanley is accepting his role as one head in what is shaping up to be a potent two-headed running attack.
""We're working hard, me and Brian,"" Stanley said. ""We're just competing. Regardless of what goes on in practice, the best thing is for our team to get better. We both have the ability to contribute to this team. Most importantly, it's just about the team, about winning.""
""Coach was talking to me before and he was like 'you guys should ... get closer together, you know support one another because we'll need both of you next fall',"" Stanley added. ""I'm taking it as we're both going to be playing a legitimate amount of time helping this team win. If we're winning and he's stepping it up one game and the next game I'm stepping it up, regardless of what happens, we're both helping the team win and that's important to me right now-helping this team and bettering this team.\
