Baggot: After another amazing performance, ‘Tell Braelon thanks’
November 22, 2021 | Football, Andy Baggot
Freshman running back has earned the respect of his teammates on defense — and then some
BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — The conversation was brief, one-sided and quite genuine.
Jack Sanborn, the senior inside linebacker and co-captain of the Wisconsin football team, was leaving the field inside Camp Randall Stadium Saturday night when he crossed paths with Gary Brown, the first-year assistant coach in charge of running backs.
"Tell Braelon thanks," Sanborn said.
In three words, Sanborn summed up the massive impact first-year running back Braelon Allen had on the No. 19 Badgers during their taut 35-28 Big Ten Conference victory over Nebraska.
Allen carried 22 times for a career-best 228 yards and three touchdowns — including the game-winning rumble from 53 yards out with 3 minutes, 50 seconds left — as UW continued its remarkable march toward a Big Ten West Division title.
The outing by Allen came against the backdrop of an unusually suspect showing by the Wisconsin defense. The unit came into the game ranked No. 1 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense and rushing defense and second in passing defense and scoring defense, but the Huskers rolled up 452 yards of total offense, including 351 through the air, and had plays covering 42, 27, 34, 22 and 38 yards.
"Credit to the entire offense, not just Braelon," Sanborn said. "They had our backs today and it was awesome to see."
The UW defense came into the Senior Day encounter having allowed 12 touchdowns in the first 10 games. The Huskers had four TD drives, three of which covered 68 yards or more, and dominated time of possession against a team known for controlling the ball.
"We knew this offense had to step for this defense at some point," senior safety Collin Wilder said after he intercepted two passes, one of which led to a TD. "They did tonight. I think this is the first game this season where both sides of the ball had to step up and make plays for each other. That's the beauty of football and team wins like this."
Those three words from Sanborn could also have been referring to all that Allen has done for Wisconsin over the last seven weeks.
Allen topped 100 yards rushing for the seventh consecutive game — tied for the fourth-longest streak in program history — and reached a major milestone to help the Badgers to their seventh straight victory.
Allen became the 19th ball-carrier in Wisconsin history to amass 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. Only three others — Ron Dayne in 1996, James White in 2010 and Jonathan Taylor in 2017 — did it as true freshmen. All three were named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Reminder: On Oct. 2, UW was 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten when Allen began his run of success. He has since become a starter, a member of several exclusive clubs and a national headline-maker even though he doesn't turn 18 until January and even though he had zero carries in his college debut and 12 rushes for 49 yards through the first four games.
"A special, special player," senior defensive end Matt Henningsen said of Allen. "We're all super proud of him. We all love him.
"We're lucky to have a guy like him on the team. We're all blown away by him."
Allen got to 1,000 yards in just 136 attempts. His per-carry average of 7.52 yards is currently the best of the 27 ball-carriers in the 130-team FBS who have reached the 1,000-yard plateau this season. The only Wisconsin back to finish a season with a better per-carry ratio is Melvin Gordon, who averaged 7.81 in 2014 and 7.54 in '13.
"If you didn't know his age, his story and his background and saw him play for the first time (against Nebraska), you would have assumed it was his Senior Night," Wilder said of Allen.
"I think he's starting to realize how much he means to this team. We all know how much he helps this team. We're embracing him. We're loving on him. Whatever he needs, we've got his back. So proud of him."
Allen had some special motivation for his showing against the Huskers. His idol growing up was Gordon, the Doak Walker Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2014 who owns the UW single-season and single-game records for most rushing yards with 2,587 and 408, respectively.
Gordon, now in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, was serving as honorary captain for the final home game of the season at Camp Randall. Allen said he met Gordon for the first time when came in for warm-ups.
"I would love to see my own smile when I saw him," Allen said. "I was geeked up."
And inspired. Allen said watching Gordon rush 25 times for 408 yards and four TDs vs. Nebraska in 2014 — in three quarters no less — is what lit his competitive desire to play football as a fifth-grader.
"I felt like I needed to do something great," Allen said. "He was there watching, so I had to put on my best performance for him. My team did a great job helping me do that."
Allen had scoring runs of 71, 3 and 53 yards and gained positive yardage on every rushing attempt as the Badgers secured the Heartland Trophy for the seventh consecutive season.
"He's got the power and strength to break tackles, but he's got that elusiveness and vision, too," Sanborn said of the 6-foot-2, 238-pound Allen. "The best thing about it is that he's getting better each week."
In the jubilant postgame locker room, players, coaches and staffers had their usual moment of silence before UW coach Paul Chryst spoke his piece. When Chryst was done, he called out to Allen to come to the middle of room and break the large huddle. Veteran observers said it's rare for a freshman to be given that honorary task.
"One, two, three, family," Allen yelled. "One more trophy."
Wisconsin (8-3 overall, 6-2 in league play) can not only clinch a berth in the Big Ten title game with a victory over Minnesota (7-4, 5-3) on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Minneapolis, it can retain possession of Paul Bunyan's Axe for another year.
During his seven-game tour de force, Allen has rushed for 1,013 yards, averaged 7.91 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns. Reaching 1,000 yards is not something he thought about when the season began.
"Very, very meaningful," he said. "I can't thank the guys around me enough for what they do, the confidence they've given me to go out there and play fast and confident.
"That's obviously a great milestone. I honestly didn't expect to do it, so being where I am right now is really cool."
Allen was asked if his resume is worthy of Heisman consideration.
"Can't do it yet," he said. "I don't think I'm there yet. I have some work to do."
Some of his teammates beg to differ.
"I think he's one of the best backs in America and playing like it," Sanborn said of Allen. "Credit to him and that whole entire offensive line. I'd put him up there with anyone the way he's playing right now."
Wilder said the sooner Allen gets some Heisman attention, the better.
"You look at the numbers and this guy is playing at an extremely high level and he's consistent week in and week out," Wilder said. "Start talking about him."
