Brian Calhoun is drawing a crowd. Every time he takes the field, the opposing defense bunches close to the line of scrimmage.
The Wisconsin tailback is no longer an unknown commodity in the Big Ten. The junior transfer from Colorado has proved to be everything the Badgers were hoping for–and more–in replacing Anthony Davis.
“You like for the ball to be in his hands as many times as you can get it,” Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez says. “He’s the total package.”
Earlier this month, Indiana decided the way to beat the No. 19 Badgers (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) was to stack defenders close and limit Calhoun’s runs. The Hoosiers did a pretty good job, but the Oak Creek, Wis., runner still managed 101 yards on 26 carries.
There was a price for concentrating on the run as the Hoosiers lost 41-24. Badgers quarterback John Stocco took advantage of Indiana’s defensive scheme by passing for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Williams caught six passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns while Jonathan Orr caught four passes for 128 yards and a touchdown.
“Obviously, Indiana did a great job of game-planning, bringing nine guys in the box,” Calhoun said after that game. “But it definitely opens up things down field with [Orr] and Brandon Williams.
“There was good stuff to take from this. They made Stocco go downfield, which he did. I think we proved something.”
Last Saturday, Purdue held Calhoun to 62 yards on 20 carries, but he caught seven passes for 78 yards, including one for a 40-yard touchdown. Against Northwestern he ran for 122 yards on 23 carries and also caught 11 passes for 128 yards in a 51-48 Badgers loss. In a 38-34 victory over Minnesota, he had three touchdowns, gained 110 yards on 23 carries and caught three passes for 29 yards.
Calhoun is second in the conference in all-purpose yardage with 1,021 rushing and 402 receiving. He accounts for 177.9 yards per game and leads the Big Ten with 16 touchdowns. He is the Badgers’ second-leading receiver with 34 catches.
At just 5 feet 10 inches and 190 pounds, Calhoun isn’t the biggest tailback in the conference by a long shot. He’s not the fastest either, but he ran on the Badgers’ track team that qualified for the NCAA championships in the 400-meter relay.
Most importantly, he has a great feel for the Badgers’ offense. He can wait for a hole to form or burst through one if it’s there right away. He’s a long way from wearing out.
“It’s really a zone scheme where I can cut back and do whatever,” he says. “It definitely fits my skills. I didn’t think they’d use me this much. There was a lot of talk about how much they’d use me. I can’t complain. I’m a running back and that’s what I want. I didn’t play for a year and a half. I can’t be too tired.”
Calhoun picked Colorado over the Badgers coming out of Oak Creek High School, just south of Milwaukee. He developed a good relationship with Buffaloes running backs coach Eric Bieniemy and played well for two years in Boulder. When Bieniemy left for a job at UCLA and head coach Gary Barnett wanted to make Calhoun a wide receiver, Calhoun decided to come home.
Last season Calhoun had to sit and watch. It was tough, especially when Davis was injured, but he learned the Badgers’ offense. Last spring he won the starting tailback job.
Calhoun’s talents make the Badgers much more versatile. He’s one of the best pass-catching tailbacks Alvarez has had. It’s not unusual to see him as a receiver as Wisconsin spreads the field. He caught seven passes in the Badgers’ upset of Michigan last month.
“He can do a lot of different things for us,” Stocco says. “We can spread him out and run routes for him. If nothing is going on downfield, I can check off and get it to him. He gives us a lot of options.”
Veteran fullback Matt Bernstein, Calhoun’s 270-pound personal escort, missed the last four games with an undisclosed injury and is expected to miss more.
Yards will be harder to gain without Bernstein’s blocks. More defenses designed to stuff the run are in the future, but Calhoun is more concerned with victories than statistics.
“I still have to run the ball, no matter who is back there,” he says. “Obviously, [Bernstein] and I have a special relationship. Whether he’s in there or not, I still have to run the ball. I still have that assignment.
“Obviously, [Indiana] shut us down pretty well. A lot of teams are going to start doing that, but we have to figure out something.”
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rhanley@tribune.com
