8 final thoughts on Wisconsin football fall camp practices
Thoughts on Wisconsin's running backs, backup quarterbacks, depth and versatility on the defensive front, and more.
There should be ample opportunities for multiple University of Wisconsin running backs to make an impact this season.
Some of the best Badgers backfields needed three contributors, most notably in 2010 (John Clay, James White, Montee Ball) and 2012 (White, Ball, Melvin Gordon). The 2012 team ranks fourth all-time in school history for single-season yards rushing (3,309 in 14 games), while the 2010 squad is ninth (3,194 in 13).
The 2025 season presents a potential three-headed monster of Dilin Jones, Darrion Dupree and Cade Yacamelli. Each provides a little something to the Wisconsin offense, from Jones’ ability to cut and get downhill with physicality to Dupree’s all-purpose nature to Yacamelli’s blend of strength and speed.
“All three of those guys have shown that they deserve roles and will get opportunities as we get closer to game planning,” offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said Friday. “There will be certain plays that are designed for this guy or that guy.
“But as y’all know, you don't go through a season, especially if you play this style of offense, with all those running backs healthy all the time. And so I suppose at some point we'll be rotating two and then maybe get another one back, and we'll just see where it goes from there. But to start with, we'll play all three.”
Assistant Devon Spalding said Aug. 7 that redshirt freshman Gideon Ituka would also play. Ituka came to Wisconsin as part of a vaunted 2024 class that featured Jones and Dupree. Like Jones, he’s a downhill runner that has physicality and some burst to him.
Here are seven other thoughts about Wisconsin’s fall camp practices that were open to reporters.