Badgers will have three healthy runners

At times this season, University of Wisconsin running backs coach John Settle struggled to find a single healthy running back.

So, Settle can be excused, when others see a potential glut of running backs on the Badgers’ team next season, if he only sees a necessary cushion.

“I think each and every one of them knows, at some point in time, they’re going to have to play, because of how physical this conference is,” Settle said.

Barring injuries or departures, the Badgers will go into next season with four tailbacks capable of starting: current sophomore P.J. Hill, freshman Zach Brown, sophomore Lance Smith and John Clay, who is being redshirted in his first year.

Given all the position has been through this season, there may be no such thing as too much depth.

Among the things the position has endured:

- A variety of injuries, including a bruised leg that caused Hill to miss most of the final three games.

- The university-imposed suspension of Smith, which forced him to miss all five regular-season road games.

- The academic issues that resulted in Clay missing almost two weeks of preseason camp and ultimately being redshirted.

- The departure of freshman Quincy Landingham, who elected to transfer after the regular season.

“I tell you what, we were pretty thin (at times),” Settle said. “The guys have done a good job all season of being able to step in.

“We’ve gone through a lot. It just says a lot about the maturity level of the guys and the team as a whole, to go through as many injuries as we went through and still be able to compete and win enough ballgames to go to a Jan. 1 bowl game. But it’s good to have all your guys.”

For one of the few times all season, Settle is expected to have three relatively healthy tailbacks available against Tennessee in the Outback Bowl on Tuesday.

Brown has been tabbed as the starter, to be backed up by Hill and Smith.

“It’s good to have three guys that are capable, that are getting better daily,” Settle said. “Zach’s ready to go. Lance is champing at the bit, because of his situation from the season and P.J.’s getting better, he’s healing up. He’s able to take more reps each day.”

The bowl game affords a preview of next season and possible hints as to how the Badgers might juggle their suddenly crowded backfield.

“This hasn’t changed from the first day I met them,” Settle said. “This is a performance business. The guy that performs the best, that gives us the best chance to win, is the guy that’s going to be in the ballgame.

“It’s no secret to how we want to approach it. The guy that can stay healthy, that can last — you’re in the Big Ten, you’ve got to be able to take hits, you’ve got to be able to recover and you’ve got to be able to play week in and week out.”

That’s something Hill has struggled with in his career. He joined Ron Dayne and Anthony Davis as the only players in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of their first two seasons.

But Hill’s career also has been marked by frequent injuries. His freshman year was cut short by a broken leg in preseason camp.

Last season, he wore down noticeably as the season went along with a variety of nagging injuries.

This season, he ranked ninth in the nation, averaging 126.1 yards per game through eight games, before suffering the bruised leg against Indiana on Oct. 27.

At the time, the injury didn’t appear to be serious. But it happened on the leg he broke, where a plate was inserted. Hill has had just five carries since then.

“We’ve done everything we can do,” Settle said. “The trainers and doctors have checked it, they’ve taken every picture of it, every scan. It’s one of those things you have to be careful with because he did break it.

“We want to take every precaution that we can take, make him mentally as comfortable as we can make him. I’m sure, once he knows everything is all right, he’ll be able to focus and play like we need him to play.”

Even if Hill is healthy, he has lost his starting job for now to Brown, who has rushed for 539 yards in his first year, including 250 in the final regular-season game against Minnesota.

Settle was asked if Hill realizes the competition in front of him to get his starting job back.

“If he doesn’t realize it now, he’ll realize it when we get down to Florida,” Settle said prior to the team’s departure on Christmas Day for Tampa, Fla. “Zach is the starter.”

On the few occasions where Settle had more than one healthy running back, it was a luxury to bring in fresh legs or a change of pace.

“I think any time you can change up speed, it puts the defense on its heels a little bit,” he said. “They may get there one time, but if they run the same way the next time (against a faster back), they’re going to be a step slow.”

Given Hill’s power, Smith’s speed, Brown’s versatility and Clay’s potential, Settle will have plenty of options next season.

“It helps them to push one another, to prepare weekly,” Settle said of the competition. “I think everybody works for that chance and knows they better take advantage of it when they get it.”