Inside the Huddle: No hesitation for Deal
October 27, 2018 | Football, Mike Lucas
Senior tailback a steady contributor as Badgers focus on ’Cats
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — On a late September night in 2015, a night in which linebacker Joe Schobert had two sacks and a swarming defense held a third straight non-conference opponent without a touchdown and only 15 yards on the ground, the Wisconsin offense unveiled a new personnel grouping featuring two fullbacks.
Derek Watt and Austin Ramesh lined up in the backfield with Taiwan Deal, who had taken over at tailback for the injured Corey Clement. On UW's first possession from its own 3-yard line, Deal got the ball on four straight snaps and the redshirt freshman ran for 6, 7, 5 and 11 yards.
The classic "smash-mouth" drive eventually burned 8 minutes and 9 seconds off the clock and covered 97 yards in 16 plays, culminating with Deal scoring from 2 yards. It was the first of two touchdowns for No. 28 (Deal) in the Badgers 28-0 shutout of Hawaii at Camp Randall Stadium.
Deal ended up with 26 carries for 147 yards.
Little did he know then that it would take him three years to break 100 again.
Deal came close to reaching or topping the century mark in the '15 regular season finale at Minnesota. He had 22 carries for 90 yards and two scores in a 31-21 win. But he had only two rushes against USC in the Holiday Bowl and played in only six games the two next seasons because of injuries.
"For every running back, a 100-yard game is pretty good, it's pretty good in my book," said Deal, who rushed for 111 yards and two TDs in last Saturday's rout of Illinois at Camp Randall. "It felt good to run hard, rally with the offensive line and get it done. It felt good getting to 100 for the first time in a while."
After missing all of the 2017 season, Deal has not only reemerged as a steady contributor — a noteworthy comeback story of its own — but he has helped solidify a tailback rotation that revolves around Heisman Trophy candidate Jonathan Taylor, the leading rusher in college football.
Deal and Garrett Groshek have willingly accepted their supporting roles for JT23. The 221-pound Deal has handled the heavy lifting between the tackles — also exhibiting a burst in open spaces — while Groshek has posed a triple threat as a runner, receiver and Wildcat quarterback.
After Wednesday's practice, Deal and Groshek hung around to get some extra reps with special teams coach Chris Haering in a corner of the grass practice field north of Camp Randall. Deal plays on three phases: kickoff cover, kickoff return and punt return. "It's important to me," Deal said.
But it's what he has done with the rock in his hands that has attracted the most attention.
"Having the game taken away from him for so long, it gives him a hunger," said Wisconsin running backs coach John Settle. "We all knew that he had talent and ability. He brings energy and the biggest thing that I like is that he brings physicality to the group."
Even in 2015, when Clement was limited to only four games, Deal was not the featured back. Dare Ogunbowale had 10 starts and rushed for 819 yards (4.2 per carry) and seven touchdowns. Deal had two starts, 503 yards (4.3) and six TDs. What's the difference in Deal between then and now?
"He's different in his decision making — he understands schematically what we're trying to do," Settle said. "The biggest thing is the way that he attacks defense. He was always running kind of high. Now he's able to get his pads down and he runs behind his pads."
First four games 🆗 0.8 sacks, 1.5 takeaways per game Last three games 🆙📈 2.7 sacks, 3.3 takeaways per game Things trending upward and more in Five Things to Know before the Badgers face Northwestern on Saturday
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) October 26, 2018
Deal's 39-yard touchdown run against Illinois was a perfect example.
"A lot of guys would have tried to bounce the run (outside) and make something happen," Settle said. "That was a run where he trusted the scheme, stayed behind the line, got his pads down, kept his feet moving and came out the backside.
"He has done it in practice over and over again and that's been pointed out to him in film sessions. I truly believe the things that are happening in practice, he's carrying to the field on gameday. He just sees things better from what's happening up front and he's cutting it loose, there's no hesitation."
Deal was a product of one of the country's most celebrated athletic programs, DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. Among its more recognizable alums are Victor Oladipo and Markelle Fultz in basketball; and Brian Westbrook and Cameron Wake in football.
When Deal got to Madison, he asked about wearing his prep number, No. 28. which had belonged to Montee Ball. Deal had met Ball on an unofficial recruiting trip and liked him. On the pressure of wearing No. 28, Deal's dad told him, "You need to make your own legacy for that number."
"Coach (Leonhard) is always mixing us up with different guys...now it's paying dividends" Underclassmen or upperclassmen Experienced or newcomer This year's secondary has focused on being ready for when their chance comes along 📱💻 http://go.wisc.edu/4z170z
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) October 25, 2018
As a young player, Deal patterned his running style after Eric Dickerson, a Hall of Famer. He loved watching videos of Dickerson, who blended power with speed. Michigan State and Purdue also recruited Deal. In his own mind, he said, "I felt like I was a Big Ten running back."
Clement and Melvin Gordon were the early role models for Deal's transition to the UW. Both are now collecting paychecks in the National Football League. When asked earlier this week if he had dreams of playing in the NFL, Deal had an interesting response.
"Growing up, I never thought I would play in college," he confided. "When I was a kid, I wished I could go to the NFL. It was a dream. For any kid, it's a dream. But you have to have real goals. It's something that people preached at me. You have to dream in reality."
During his lengthy rehabilitation from injuries, Deal wondered about his fate.
"When you're at that moment when you're injured a lot of things come into your mind," he said. "Just going through the healing process, you're thinking a lot and wondering, 'Am I going to heal the proper way? Am I going to come back and play?' Stuff like that."
But he has answered those questions this season. And based on what he has put on tape — 52 rushes for 353 yards (6.8) and five touchdowns — he knows that his stock has been rising. "Getting this far at this level and being able to get a chance to make it to the NFL … that would be great," he said.
That can wait. For now, Deal's focus is on finishing — runs and his final year with gusto.
"It feels great just to be healthy and out here running," he said. "Staying humble is the biggest thing I'm doing. Staying humble and keeping my body and mind right and just trusting the process. This being my senior year, I'm attacking everything that is put in front of me."
First and 10: Northwestern
1. Quarterback Clayton Thorson, who has started 46 straight games, is 1-2 vs. Wisconsin. In 2015, he completed just 9 of 20 passes for 60 yards in a 13-7 win in Madison. In 2016 and 2017, he was 28-of-52 for 277 yards and 29-of-45 for 219 yards, respectively, in losses.
2. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Thorson has thrown for over 300 yards seven times in his career, including 455 against Nebraska. He was 41-of-64 with three touchdowns and two interceptions, and he completed passes to 12 different receivers, a personal high.
3. Thorson's favorite target, Flynn Nagel, has at least one catch in 25 straight games. He had 12 receptions for 220 yards against the Huskers. He's averaging eight catches per game. Only Colorado's Laviska Shenault (10.0) and Purdue's Rondale Moore (8.1) average more.
4. With the graduation of Justin Jackson, the school's career rushing leader, and the retirement of Jeremy Larkin (cervical stenosis), their leading rusher through four games, the Wildcats have struggled to run the ball. They rank 127 of 129 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams (78.1 yards per game, 2.3 per rush).
5. Freshman Isaiah Bowser had only two rushes for two yards in the first six games. At Rutgers, Bowser (6-1, 216) had 24 carries for 108 yards and two TDs. Another frosh, Drake Anderson, the son of former NU star Damien Anderson, was the starting tailback last Saturday.
6. The Wildcats venerable defensive coordinator, Mike Hankwitz, 70, played for and coached with Bo Schembechler at Michigan, the starting point for his five decades in the profession. He coached two years with Paul Chryst on Bret Bielema's staff before heading to Evanston.
7. Rush end Joe Gaziano (6-4, 280) is in the mold of Iowa's A.J. Epenesa, one of the most aggressive pass rushers in the league. This season Epenesa has six sacks, Gaziano has 4.5. In 32 career games, Gaziano, a junior, has 18 sacks, 15 of which have come in the Big Ten.
8. Leading tackler Blake Gallagher, a sophomore linebacker, is easy to pick out in a crowd. He wears No. 51, the same number as his head coach, Pat Fitzgerald, a College Football Hall of Famer. Gallagher has had 10 or more tackles in four games with a high of 13 vs. Duke.
9. Since taking over for Charlie Kuhbander, who's dealing with a torn muscle in his kicking leg, Drew Luckenbaugh has made 3 of 4 field goals, including the game-winner in overtime against Nebraska. Former UW assistant Jeff Genyk is Northwestern's special teams coordinator.
10. The Wildcats, who are off to their best Big Ten start (4-1) since 2000 when they won a share of the league title, have lost three of their four home games to Duke (21-7), Akron (39-35) and Michigan (20-17). Their only win at Ryan Field was over Nebraska (34-31, OT).
Note to Quote
Thorson has been sacked 17 times for 117 yards this season. Michigan had six sacks. Meanwhile, the Badgers have sacked Thorson 11 times in three games. Last year, they had eight sacks (Garrett Dooley, 3.5; D'Cota Dixon, 1.5; Alec James; Chris Orr; Natrell Jamerson, .5; Isaiahh Loudermilk, .5). In 2016, they had two (T.J. Edwards, Conor Sheehy). In 2015, they had one (Vince Biegel).
Quote to Note
Settle on facing a Hankwitz-coached defense: "They're disciplined. They're going to be where they're supposed to be, and it's going to be best man wins. They're going to play snap to whistle, sideline to sideline. So, we have to come out with great pad level up front and my group (running backs) has to make the safeties miss because they're going to be close to the line of scrimmage. If we make the safeties miss, we have a chance to have a big day. If not, it's going to be a long day."
