Wisconsin football: 3 biggest offseason questions facing Badgers in 2021
By John Buhler
2. How does Jalen Berger become the next great Wisconsin running back?
If Wisconsin ever wants to win the Big Ten under its current divisional format, the Badgers have to out-physical the opposition at the point of attack. The good news for the Badgers is they are recruiting at a higher level than ever before, which will help make their bread and butter of a power running game even stronger. Next up to be a great Wisconsin back is Jalen Berger.
Because last season does not count, this will be another freshman season for Berger. The former four-star recruit out of Ramsey, New Jersey in the 2020 class had 60 carries for 301 yards and two rushing touchdowns in four games for the Badgers as a true freshman. While Chryst can certainly work with the 5.0 yards per carry average, he needs Berger to become a bell-cow fast.
A long line of elite Wisconsin running backs precedes him. Whether it is Ron Dayne, Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon or Jonathan Taylor, that is the type of back Wisconsin is expecting Berger to be. Yes, last year was weird, but that has to be the anomaly for Berger and the Wisconsin program. They must get back to the tried and true recipe of pounding the rock and playing great defense to win.
Overall, another year in the system will do wonders for Berger. His native New Jersey may still be in the Big Ten footprint, but that is a long way away from Madison, Wisconsin. As long as he stays healthy and puts in the work in spring practice, the Badgers can feel confident about what Berger can be in their backfield in his second year with the program. Look for him to pop in year two.