Future Rutgers opponent loses star player ‘indefinitely’

Rutgers football's next visitor will be down its best offensive weapon.

Wisconsin announced Thursday that star running back Chez Mellusi is stepping away from the program. He is doing so indefinitely to "continue rehabbing injuries that prevented him from playing to his expectation," according to the Wisconsin State Journal , which first reported the news Thursday.

Mellusi suffered multiple long-term injuries in his time at Wisconsin. He tore his ACL at SHI Stadium in November 2021; broke a bone in his arm against Northwestern in 2022; and broke his leg and ankle against Purdue last winter.

The latter injury caused Mellusi to miss his team's game against the Scarlet Knights in Madison last season, meaning the Badgers will likely be without him against Rutgers for a second consecutive season.

Rutgers (4-1, 1-1) hosts Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1) at noon on Saturday, Oct. 12, at SHI Stadium.

The statement from Wisconsin reads: "We want to let people know that Chez is going to be stepping away from the team for now and working to get his body healthy. He's endured many injuries and has worked extremely hard to be able to play this year but his body hasn't responded the way he expected. We're here to support Chez in any way we can and hope he'll be back on the football field again one day."

Mellusi leads the Badgers in rushing attempts (56), rushing yards (232) and is tied for the team lead with three rushing touchdowns. The senior rushed for 1,827 yards and 14 touchdowns in 26 games for Wisconsin, where he transferred four years ago after starting his college career with two years at Clemson.

Mellusi played the most snaps of any of Wisconsin's running backs through the first five games, but head coach Luke Fickell told reporters Monday he wanted the offense to cut down its rotation of running backs.

"What we need to find out is who can get hot and who, with more opportunities, are going to have a better chance for us," Fickell said.