Jeff Potrykus

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Madison — Wisconsin’s tailback duo has officially morphed into a trio.

Welcome to the club, Bradrick Shaw.

“Everybody has a role on the team,” the redshirt freshman said after UW’s 48-3 victory over Illinois. “And before the season I didn't really know what my role would be.”

He does now.

Shaw rushed 19 times for 80 yards against the Illini, both season-high marks.

His gradual improvement has led to a combined 30 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown in the last two games, and has helped ease the workload for both Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale. All three should get work Saturday when UW (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten) faces host Purdue (3-7, 1-6), which is 13th in the league against the run at 248.8 yards per game.

New leader, same issues for Purdue

Scouting report: The book on Purdue

“As an offensive line we have complete confidence in all three of those guys,” center Michael Deiter said. “They have all proven themselves to us and they are all making us look good at times. We just have to keep running with those guys and building that confidence with them.”

Clement rushed 25 times for 123 yards and three touchdowns against the Illini. Ogunbowale, battling a tender knee, added 103 yards on just seven carries. Shaw’s contributions gave the trio a combined 306 yards and four touchdowns on 51 carries, an average of 6.0 yards per carry.

Clement is averaging 27.2 carries and 121.8 yards over the last five games.

Ogunbowale, whose elusive style complements Clement’s ability to hammer away between the tackles, has broken the 100-yard mark in two of the last three games.

Shaw, who runs with power inside and is a long-strider who can run away from defenders if he gets into the open field, has more carries in the last two games than he had in the first eight combined. He has pushed his season totals to 307 yards, 5.3 yards per carry, and three touchdowns.

“He is a very athletic guy, but now he is becoming a runner,” Ogunbowale said. “Coach has given him the confidence to put him in passing situations now. And that was the biggest thing with him — the confidence.

“It was real tough for him to get up to speed with the offense, but now he is doing it and people are seeing how special of a running back he can be.

“He is a very legitimate guy with the ball in his hands regardless of the situation. We’ll be seeing a lot more of him.”

Shaw, 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, needed to redshirt in 2015 to feel more comfortable with the offense.

His progress this season was stunted because he missed UW’s first two Big Ten games after suffering a knee injury against Georgia State. Shaw rushed 15 times for 62 yards and a touchdown in that game and appeared on the cusp of contributing more regularly.

“He is becoming more ... relaxed in a good way to where he is not feeling so jittery every time he gets the ball,” Clement said. “He is more confident with his run tracks and knowing what to do.”

D'Amato: UW in CFP or Packers Playoffs?

Running backs coach John Settle, who has balanced the workload of three backs before at UW, said before the Illinois game Shaw was ready for an expanded role.

“Every time he touches the ball something good happens,” Settle said.

Shaw carried just three times for 8 yards in the first half against Illinois but added 72 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the second half.

“It’s been a while since I got that many carries,” he said. “My legs are a little tired so I have to rest up for next week. …

“My mind-set is to not let any one person bring me down and try to break as many tackles as I can and get positive yards.”

UW safety D’Cota Dixon, who has faced Shaw in practice since camp in August, is not surprised to see his emergence.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he said, grinning. “Brad is a horse, man. This dude, he runs like that in practice. That is what is cool to see.

“I am proud of him.”