If there was one downside to Wisconsin Badgers’ 24-20 win over then No. 14 Penn State, it was the injury suffered by Iowa State transfer Abu Sama III.
Sama’s upper-body injury meant he missed Wisconsin’s 31-7 win over Michigan State this past weekend after being ruled a “game-time decision.”
Replacing Sama was a duo comprising Darrion Dupree and Bryan Jackson II. The pair combined for 26 carries and 83 yards, averaging slightly over three yards a carry.
However, if it wasn’t for quarterback Colton Joseph adding another 141 yards across 13 carries, then this would have been a rushing attack completely stalled.
While this will never be an offense meant to drag teams down on the ground, it obviously helps to have that big-play threat like Sama, who
is currently averaging 6.8 yards per carry, and it goes without saying that the biggest key of all is to keep Joseph healthy. Anytime a quarterback gets into the open field, there is reason for concern, no matter how dynamic.
So while Sama’s numbers may not make him the nation’s most dangerous runner, he provides enough attacking balance to not let teams completely key in on passing plays while also shouldering some of Joseph’s rushing burden.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: How sustainable is Wisconsin's winning streak without Abu Sama III?
