Wisconsin had issues in the run game for the second consecutive week.
The Wisconsin Badgers pulled off a second double-digit victory on Saturday, beating the South Dakota Coyotes 27-13 in Week 2.
It was a different game than Week 1, as the Badgers saw more explosives through the air, while Cade Yacamelli provided a boost on the ground with Tawee Walker injured.
But, one issue that remained was defending the run, as Wisconsin allowed 147 yards on the ground on 4.6 yards per carry, not including sacks.
That marks a second straight week where the Badgers have given up 120+ yards on the ground, as the defense has struggled to contain outside runs, either due to the defensive line not being able to hold their assignments or the linebackers overflowing, leading to gaps.
Did the Badgers expect what they saw on the ground in Week 2?
“I thought that they would play us a little bit bigger and be in more two, three tight ends,” Fickell said. “So we had obviously had planned and prepared to play with those guys a lot more more. But you know that some of the different things that they were doing early on with three backs in the backfield, they are a challenge. And I mean that like they’re similar to some of the Iowa’s of the world that do some unique things running the football, but they’re as creative in the run game as anybody that I’ve played.”
“And I think that’s where their kind of uniqueness is in what they do and they do a really good job at it. And so it does make it difficult in some of your preparations to, you know, the different kind of personnel and things that they’re going to do. So yeah, I think that’s something we got to continue to figure out how we can best fit some of those things. But yeah, there were some of those little gaps in the kind of like the week before.”
What were those gaps, according to Fickell?
“The run game has been something that’s [been an issue], you know, and into the boundary and really it’s been the stretch play. Both weeks, it’s been the same play that has caused us more issues, and this week was a little bit different.”
“There’s some two-back stuff that everybody around here has been used to seeing for a long time that you just don’t see as much in college football. And that’s why I said it was different in some ways. And so give them credit. They did a really good job with that. But we’ve got to do a better job at making sure that we don’t put ourselves in those situations where it’s four or five, six yards sometimes on first down. We were better in the other situations, but the first down ones probably what made us have the most issues.”
Wisconsin had some impressive stands, holding South Dakota to punts on certain drives, despite the Coyotes moving up the field, and keeping red zone drives to field goals.
But, those stretch runs will need to be contained, especially as the Badgers go into Big Ten play with a ton of teams capable of marching down the field on the ground.