MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin won't have its leading rusher or starting center for the rest of the season.
Badgers coach Luke Fickell announced Monday that running back Dilin Jones and center Jake Renfro had season-ending surgeries while Wisconsin was off last week. Fickell said reserve safety Matthew Traynor has a torn anterior cruciate ligament and also is out for the season.
Wisconsin (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) carries a six-game skid into a home game Saturday with No. 24 Washington (6-2, 3-2).
Jones was dealing with turf toe that already had caused him to miss Wisconsin's 21-7 loss to No. 6 Oregon on Oct. 25. He has rushed for 300 yards and two touchdowns on 76 carries.
Renfro has been dealing with ankle and knee injuries that caused him to miss four of Wisconsin's first eight games. He has made 36 career starts and was part of Cincinnati's 2021 College Football Playoff team.
Jones' injury likely means a bigger role for Gideon Ituka, who rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries against Oregon. Wisconsin also has Cade Yacamelli, who has run for 128 yards on 38 attempts this season.
The losses of Jones and Renfro are the latest setbacks for a Wisconsin offense that ranks 135th out of 136 Bowl Subdivision teams — ahead of only UMass — in points per game (12.5), yards per game (261.9) and yards per play (4.45).
Wisconsin also has an uncertain quarterback situation heading into the game against Washington.
Billy Edwards Jr. sprained his knee in the second quarter of Wisconsin's season opener and has played only one full series since. Danny O'Neil initially replaced Edwards before Hunter Simmons took over for his first of four straight starts on Oct. 4.
O'Neil has gone 61 of 88 for 635 yards with five touchdown passes and five interceptions. Simmons is 46 of 92 for 469 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions.
“There’s a lot of variables still to what we’re doing at that position in particular,” Fickell said.
One of those variables could include freshman Carter Smith, who hasn't played yet this season.
“Carter Smith’s in the mix, so to speak,” Fickell said. “After a bye week, we got him there, got some more opportunities for him. That's one of those things where we'll just have to see. There's a lot of chances for a lot of guys. Carter's definitely one of them.”
Fickell said Edwards' status for the rest of the season remains up in the air.
“That's what's been as much of a struggle for us to continue to grow as anything," Fickell said. “There's not a cut-and-dried (answer) to some types of injuries, and especially the one that he has.”
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