Wisconsin Badgers: Can a Badger Win This Year's Heisman Trophy?

After watching Wisconsin dismantle UNLV last Thursday, one thing became abundantly clear: the Badgers are loaded on offense.

In just two-and-a-half quarters of play, quarterback Russell Wilson and running backs Montee Ball and James White accounted for almost 500 yards of offense and 51 points.

All of this production raises the question: can a Badger win the Heisman Trophy in 2011?

Wilson, Ball and White all have the skill, but they also play together every week. With all three lining up in the same backfield, are there going to be enough touches and play calls to allow Wilson, Ball or White to accumulate the monster stats that are typically needed to address New York’s Downtown Athletic Club at the end of each season?

Against UNLV, for example, Ball ran for 63 yards and White ran for 64. Through the air, Ball caught 67 yards worth of passes to White’s 40. When all was said and done, the two backs were separated by just 25 yards of offense.

Throw Russell Wilson and his 300 yard-plus, three-touchdown potential into the mix, and Wisconsin’s greatest asset on offense is anybody’s guess.

Although it’s just one game, there is no reason to believe that Wisconsin’s three-headed offensive monster won’t put up similar stats throughout the 2011 season. Last year, Ball ran for 996 yards, while White carried for 1052—and that was before offensive coordinator Paul Chryst had a game changing quarterback at his disposal.

As the season progresses, watch for these three staples of Wisconsin’s backfield to share the stats and the success at the expense of the hardware.

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