Wisconsin Football Rushing Production Jumps This Season
The Badgers are seeing a 31 percent increase in rushing yards per game behind a new offensive scheme.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Football
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Should the Wisconsin Badgers rely more heavily on their running backs for offensive production?
Wisconsin football has significantly boosted its ground game this season, recording 152.2 rushing yards per game compared to 116.7 yards in 2025. This 31 percent increase stems from an offensive strategy that frequently utilizes the quarterback as a primary running threat.
Why it matters
Coaches are implementing option plays to create numerical advantages against opposing defensive fronts, forcing defenders to account for the quarterback. This schematic shift forces defenses to spread thin, providing more space for traditional running backs.
Wisconsin currently averages 152.2 rushing yards per game with a 4.7 yard-per-carry average. Quarterback Colton Joseph is responsible for 35.3 percent of the team's total rushing attempts this season.
The players
Colton Joseph
He is a quarterback who previously played at Old Dominion, where he rushed 158 times for 1,007 yards during the 2024 season.
Abu Sama
He is a running back for Wisconsin who has missed 2.5 of the team's six games this season due to a shoulder injury.
Darrion Dupree
He is a running back for Wisconsin who currently maintains an average of 8.2 carries per game.
The details
The offense incorporates option plays that require the quarterback to read defensive alignments to choose between running or handing off the ball. By including the quarterback as a runner, the team effectively creates a plus-one advantage to overcome traditional defensive spacing.
Timeline
The team averaged 116.7 rushing yards per game during the 2025 season.
Colton Joseph recorded 158 carries during his 2024 season at Old Dominion.
Abu Sama gained 107 rushing yards against Western Illinois in Week 2 2026.
Abu Sama suffered a shoulder injury during a game at Penn State on September 26, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The transition to a quarterback-heavy rushing attack significantly alters the team's offensive identity compared to previous seasons. This tactical shift affects how future opponents prepare for Wisconsin, creating a new variable in the conference standings as the season progresses.
Colton Joseph accounts for over one-third of the team's rushing attempts, significantly increasing his fantasy value and exposure to potential injury. Meanwhile, Darrion Dupree remains a core contributor with a 4.8 yards-per-carry average, providing reliable production while Abu Sama recovers.
The takeaway
Integrating the quarterback into the running game can dramatically inflate a team's total rushing output by forcing defenses to account for an extra threat. Readers looking to understand team performance should watch for how coaching staffs adapt play-calling to match the current health status of their primary running backs.
Further reading
For additional context on the team's performance, visit the Football section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Journal Sentinel.
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Should the Wisconsin Badgers rely more heavily on their running backs for offensive production?
