Chez Mellusi Eyeing 'Big Year' in Final Season at Wisconsin

Chez Mellusi hopes for a productive and healthy final season with the Badgers.

Find me a Wisconsin Badgers fan who isn't rooting for Chez Mellusi to tear it up in his final season in Madison—and I'll show you a liar. 

After getting off to a hot start and looking like a potential focal point of the new-look offense under Phil Longo in 2023, Mellusi suffered a season-ending leg injury that left the Wisconsin football team relatively thin at running back and his future with the program in limbo.

Pre-injury, Mellusi racked up 307 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just 51 carries and even ripped off seven runs of 10+ yards, per Pro Football Focus.

Since joining the Badgers in 2021, Mellusi has had a plethora of injury misfortunes. In total, the native of Naples (FL.) has appeared in just 22 out of 39 possible games while donning the Cardinal and White, but his impact when healthy has been undeniable. 

When the regular season ended, Mellusi reflected on his options and ultimately chose to take a medical redshirt, returning to Wisconsin as a sixth-year senior, where his situation atop the depth chart could position him for the 'big year' he deserves.

The decision to return for another season was not made lightly by Mellusi. In a recent interview with Karley Marotta, he shared his thought process.