Wisconsin quarterback Danny O'Neil (18) runs during the third quarter of their game against Miami (Ohio) Thursday, August 28, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wisconsin Badgers offense is set up to run the ball well against Alabama, despite slow start

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 3:27 PM ET

The Wisconsin Badgers haven't gotten the start to the season they were hoping from their running backs.

The offense should be able to still run the ball well against the Alabama Crimson Tide this week regardless.

Through two games against smaller-school opponents, lead running back Dilin Jones has just over 100 total rushing yards, and backups Darrion Dupree and Cade Yacamelli have combined for a similar total.

Normally, that wouldn't cut it against a ranked opponent like Alabama. The Badgers might not need them to.

Florida State pulled off the Week 1 upset over the Crimson Tide, despite their running backs averaging fewer than four yards per carry.

The Seminoles handed it off to five different backs. The leader of that group totaled 31 yards.

Florida State's leading rusher was its quarterback Tommy Castellanos. Badgers quarterback Danny O'Neil is hoping to emulate some of that success.

Danny O’Neil seems ready to start again this week as the #Badgers head to Tuscaloosa.

“Everyone’s been doubting us, nobody’s really talking about us. […] Just being able to prove who we are and what we do is important to us.” pic.twitter.com/aLq3extEai
— Karl Winter (@KarlWinterTV) September 9, 2025

"The quarterback did a lot of good things with his feet," O'Neil said Tuesday. "So just trying to extend plays with my legs or checking our runs to what we want to see and to what we want to run into."

The Crimson Tide had poor gap discipline on the Seminoles' option runs. O'Neil might not be quite as explosive as Castellanos, but his mobility can be a weapon in this game.

The Badgers quarterback averaged over five yards per carry last season at San Diego State, sprinkling in read-option runs in addition to scrambles on passing plays.

Wisconsin showed a few of those over its first two games of the season, and offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes could dial up more on Saturday.

The other area of the running game that should give the Badgers confidence is their end-around and reverse handoffs.

Florida State's second-leading rusher in Week 1 was wide receiver Micahi Danzy, who had three carries for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Alabama struggled to hold the edge against him, and the misdirection created plenty of room to run.

Wisconsin had success with the same approach last week against Middle Tennessee State.

Trech Kekahuna ripped off a 61-yard touchdown on an end-around, and Vinny Anthony II later added his own rushing score from 14 yards out.

So even if Wisconsin's running backs struggle to get going against Alabama on Saturday, Grimes should be able to spark a rushing attack with his quarterback and wide receivers.

They'll need a lot more on top of that to pull off an upset, but the Badgers can start by attacking these weaknesses they see in the Crimson Tide.