Training camp is about to put Wisconsin’s revamped backfield under the microscope, and the Badgers have rebuilt the running back room with a clear goal in mind: find more juice in the run game after a 4-8 season in 2025.
The overhaul was significant. Wisconsin added more than 30 transfers across the roster this offseason, and the backfield was part of that reset. Abu Sama III from Iowa State, Bryan Jackson from USC, Nate Palmer from TCU and JUCO addition Julius Pope now join Darrion Dupree in a room that looks deeper and more versatile than it did a year ago.
Sama is the headliner. Iowa State brought him in as a touted freshman, and he’s spent the last three seasons showing the kind of burst and vision that make him dangerous.
He’s regularly averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry, and that explosiveness is exactly why Wisconsin wanted him. The one thing that never quite happened at Iowa State was a full takeover as the lead back, and he appears best suited for a timeshare in Madison.
That fits the expectation here. He also didn’t get a full workload this spring because of injury, but he still looks like one of Wisconsin’s top options and a strong complement to Dupree.
Dupree is the returner, and his role only grew as last season wore on. He came to Wisconsin as a fit for the Phil Longo offense, but Dilin Jones passed him on the depth chart before Jones suffered a season-ending injury.
After that, Dupree’s touches climbed, and he enters this season as the lone rotational back from last year’s group. He’s a lighter runner who wins with athleticism, and Wisconsin will be looking for him to be more efficient if the ground game is going to take a step forward.
He should be heavily involved again, and he’s very much in the mix to start.
A lot of this comes back to the offensive line. Wisconsin’s run blocking improved late in the year after a lineup change, and that has to carry over into 2026 if the backs are going to deliver.
Jackson gives the group a different look. At 6-foot, 235 pounds, he’s built for early-down work, short-yardage snaps and red-zone carries.
He’s a physical runner with some burst, but he profiles best as a complement to the quicker change-of-pace options in the room. Jackson also arrives after dealing with injury last year, following a strong freshman season at USC, and he adds another layer of toughness to the rotation.
Behind those three, Palmer and Pope are expected to handle more reserve and rotational duties. Palmer brings speed from TCU, while Pope was added late from the JUCO level. Their presence matters because Wisconsin was forced to deal with injuries last season, and now the Badgers have five playable backs instead of scrambling for depth.
The room should be better in 2026, but it won’t operate in a vacuum. Its production will still be tied to the offensive line and the passing game. Even so, Wisconsin has assembled a backfield with enough variety to make a real impact.
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