Is RBU over? A look into the Wisconsin football’s identity crisis

Despite overhauling the room, the Wisconsin Badgers’ running game remains almost nonexistent.

Badgers running back Darrion Dupree runs the ball against Eastern Michigan. Photo courtesy of UW Athletics

The RBU moniker has gotten a little rusty for the Wisconsin football team lately. The Badgers have struggled to produce a running back who has broken 1,000 rushing yards in a season since Braelon Allen did it in 2022. Since Allen’s departure, the Badgers haven’t had a player break the century mark, let alone a back who can take over a game.

Tawee Walker came closest, rushing for 864 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. Last season, Darrion Dupree led all running backs on the team with just 363 yards and two touchdowns.

So far this year, it hasn’t been much better. Abu Sama, who has missed multiple games with an injury, leads the running backs with 318 yards and a touchdown. 73 of those yards came on one run to open the game against Western Illinois in the Badgers’ second game of the season. Darrion Dupree is second with just 237 yards.

Not exactly RBU numbers.

What’s the cause of the lack of production?