Luke Fickell jokes about Braelon Allen playing some defense for Wisconsin

New Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is taking over and the first order of business for him with the Badgers is familiarizing himself with the roster, including star running back Braelon Allen.

He’s had a few months to do that, and he’s already come up with some interesting ideas for possible moves. Totally hypothetical, probably won’t happen but what if they did moves. Like Allen, the team’s star running back, playing some defense.

“When I first came, I knew that he was recruited a little bit as a linebacker too,” Fickell said. “So I asked him if he would be interested coming over on the defensive side of the ball. As of right now we’re not doing that, but it could be something we experiment with.”

Fickell was joking, of course, but the idea is certainly intriguing. Braelon Allen has been a downright battering ram for Wisconsin for the last two years.

He has recorded 2,510 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns in the past two seasons, averaging an impressive 6.0 yards per carry.

Still, Fickell thinks there are ways that Allen’s usage can be improved. If not to extend the wear and tear on him a bit longer, to take advantage of his unique skill set and the fact that opposing defenses will key on him.

How will the Badgers do that?

“I think that his ability to get the ball in space a little more, his ability to catch the ball,” Fickell said. “I mean he is a phenomenal athlete.

“Figuring out how we can use Braelon in some more situations where it’s not a loaded, loaded box. Him understanding and believing in what it is that we’re doing and our philosophy of playing your best ball at the end of the year, what does that look like? I think that’s going to be really critical.”

Braelon Allen has shown some versatility in catching the ball out of the backfield, though you’d hardly call him prolific just yet. He has racked up 21 catches for 143 yards.

The talented Wisconsin back has even thrown three passes, completing two of them for 33 yards and a touchdown.

That probably won’t be a big part of his workload next fall, though. Nor will tackling opposing running backs.

But make no mistake about it, Braelon Allen is going to be a huge part of the Wisconsin outfit in 2023 as Fickell takes over and begins to put his stamp on the program.

“He is a great leader for us,” Fickell said. “He’s a kid with a ginormous heart and he cares about the people that are around him, and I think that bodes really well for us, especially in Year 1, of having one of those guys that you can put in the forefront that might look like because of the tailback in that natural position that they’re a selfish type of guy — ‘Hey, give me the ball — but in reality he’s much different from that. I think that really has helped me be able to be in this Year 1.”