Ever since his return last Saturday, junior running back Corey Clement has been the talk of the town. When the Badgers (4-1 Big Ten, 7-2 overall) head to Maryland to face the Terrapins (0-4, 2-6), the focus of the fans, coaches and other teams will be on Wisconsin’s backfield.
Before the season, Clement had goals for himself, with picking up 2000 rushing yards and leading the nation in touchdowns highlighting that list, but after losing the chance at those things due to missed time, he has a new perspective.
“I hope to accomplish making this team the best that we can be. Whether it’s my production or the whole offense’s production, I’m just hoping to do so much in so little time,” Clement said.
Last week, Clement certainly helped in terms of production, rushing for 115 yards and three touchdowns. These numbers would constitute a great performance for someone who is in midseason form, let alone someone coming off injury. The offensive explosion came out of nowhere, even for Clement himself.
“I did surprise myself, but it wasn’t me, it was the O-line and I was like, ‘I didn’t know y’all was still doing this thing. Lets keep it moving!’ and I’m liking what they’re doing,” Clement said.
Clement had good things to say about the performance of his offensive line, despite their struggles this season in his absence. The line, in return, had good things to say about him too.
“Corey did a great job stepping in after not being in for a while, and being able to see things really quickly for somebody who hasn’t been able to be in there full speed for a while,” redshirt junior Walker Williams said.
Despite the emphasis on his productivity, Williams doesn’t believe the team’s strategy will change much, saying “the formula” stays the same no matter who is in or out. This sentiment was similarly stated by running backs coach John Settle.
“It’s all predicated on how the game’s going. I mean, we’d love to run the ball, but if the game doesn’t dictate it, and we’re not having success, we’ll pass it,” Settle said.
This sort of “win by any means” attitude has been common throughout the team this season, with games being decided on the ground one week and through the air the next. The Maryland defense ranks poorly in the nation in yards allowed per game both through the air and on the ground, which means Wisconsin’s offense should have their way with them. However, junior defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue is second in the nation in sacks, according to ESPN statistics, which shows that dealing with the front seven might prove difficult for the still inexperienced Badger offensive line.
While the Terrapin defense looks bad on paper, their offense looks even worse, coming in at 111th or worse in yards per game, pass yards per game and points per game. Their one bright spot, the running game, where they rank 49th, will be overshadowed by a Wisconsin defense that excels at stopping the ground game, which is No. 7 in rush yards allowed per game.
Despite the excellence, head coach Paul Chryst believes that the sky’s the limit for his defensive group.
“Defensively, I think we’re playing at a really good level right now, and yet I am encouraged...we can get better. I think our kids, they’re all in it...and it’s a group that wants to get better,” Chryst said.
Going on the road is a disadvantage for a number of reasons, as players are away from home, the stadium is cheering against them; the list goes on. The gritty Badgers, on the other hand, turn the tables on what some would consider a distraction.
“It’s a good time to lock in with the team, and kinda take the business trip mentality. We’ve taken a few road trips now, and the away game jitters really don’t bother us,” Williams said.
Wisconsin’s away game against Maryland will kick off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. central time.
