Badgers Coaches Outline Plan for Running Back Rotation in 2026

How does Wisconsin plan to split up carries this fall?

Wisconsin RB Darrion Dupree. | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin football hasn't been able to truly lay claim to the title of "RBU" — Running Back University — for a few seasons now.

Last fall, the Badgers' leading rusher, Darrion Dupree, accumulated just 363 yards and two scores on 4.4 yards per carry. Wisconsin had the 115th-ranked rushing offense in the nation, tallying just 116.7 yards per game on the ground.

Wisconsin made a myriad of changes this offseason to address that. It revamped its offensive line with five additions through the transfer portal as well as a young, promising offensive line coach in Eric Mateos.

It also added what wound up being four new tailbacks via the portal. Abu Sama (Iowa State), Bryan Jackson (USC) and Nate Palmer (TCU) joined the program in the winter while JUCO transfer Juju Pope was a spring addition.

With that being said, the Badgers' ground game should look a lot different in 2026. Behind what should be a bulked-up, better-coached offensive line coupled with a handful of promising new tailbacks, this rushing offense looks poised to be much better than 115th in the nation — especially when you factor in the legs of Old Dominion transfer quarterback Colton Joseph.

Wisconsin has made it clear it wants to deploy a run-heavy offense. But that begs the question: how are the carries divided?

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes wouldn't name names, but he divulged the Badgers' preferred strategy in the offensive backfield:

“In an ideal world, we have somebody who becomes our primary ball-carrier. The other three supplement that position, and you end up playing three or four guys," he said.

"For my personal liking, I’d like to see one guy become the bell cow that we wanna hand the football to more than anyone else, and then see those other guys do things that supplement that. We’ll see how it goes."

Head coach Luke Fickell added a bit of context after Wisconsin's first practice of fall camp:

“I’m not going into game one giving all these guys an opportunity. That’s not how the game is played. These guys are gonna have to earn their opportunities," he said.

Reading the tea leaves for Wisconsin's RB room

Wisconsin RB Juju Pope. | Christian Borman.

The Badgers do want to deploy a rotation, but they also want a true bell cow. That is pretty obviously going to be Iowa State transfer Abu Sama, one of Wisconsin's biggest transfer additions and the most experienced tailback in the room.

Dupree and Jackson appear slated to be the next two backs in the rotation, although Grimes made sure to mention Palmer's name to reporters as well. Ultimately, expect Sama to lead the way with the Badgers' other backs sprinkled in situationally.

Fickell's comments are also telling in that we shouldn't expect Wisconsin to just give every back a shot against Notre Dame in Week 1. The rotation is going to be ironed out well before the opener, and not everyone in this room will earn carries against the Irish and the rest of season.