Normally when a football team is down to its third string running back, it tends to pass the ball more than run it.

However, that has been anything but the case this season for the Wisconsin Badgers.

When UW’s top two running backs, Anthony Davis and Dwayne Smith, both went down with injuries Saturday against Penn State. Booker Stanley stepped in and ran for 119 yards on 24 carries in only one half of play.

“I just wanted to come in and help out the team the best I could,” Stanley said.

Wisconsin knew it was going to have a productive backfield this year with the return of Davis and Smith. It was not counting on was Stanley to emerge as an elite running back.

Stanley has now been pressed into action as the featured back twice, and both times responded with 119 yard games.

“We’ve been very pleased with Booker’s play this year,” offensive coordinator Brian White said. “Both times that he’s seen extensive playing time, he’s done a great job.”

With the emergence of Stanley, the Badgers now have three running backs who are capable of taking over a game.

Finding a team with three star quality backs like the Badgers is far from commonplace.

“I’ve only been a part of one other team that had comparable backs,” White said. “And that was when I was at Notre Dame, and we had three guys who went on to play in the NFL.”

The Badgers needed their depth at running back last week against the Nittany Lions. Up by only a touchdown, Wisconsin needed to control the ball and eat up some clock.

White turned to the running game, and the Badgers went on a 13 play 80 yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Every play was on the ground.

With Davis and Smith on the sidelines nursing injuries, Stanley stepped in and gained the bulk of the yards, along with the touchdown.

White said he never even thought about calling a pass play on the key drive.

“When your gaining 4,5,8 yards a carry, why not keep going with what’s successful?” White said.

Success running the ball has been common for the Badgers this year. Davis, Smith, and Stanley have already combined to rush for 1,298 yards and 12 touchdowns in six games.

Stanley was quick to attribute much of the success to the offensive line.

“The offensive line has done an outstanding job all year opening up holes for me and the rest of the guys,” Stanley said.

All three backs have also gone over the 100 yard mark in at least one game. Davis and Stanley have done it twice, and Smith has once.

The three running backs know it’s important to stay patient until it’s their time to play.

“You never know when you are going into the game,” Stanley said. “You just have to be ready and do whatever it takes to help the team win.”

The offense needs to be in top form when No. 3 Ohio State comes to town Saturday.

“We had better be ready Saturday,” White said. “Ohio State has arguably the best defense in the country and they are going to be ready for us.”

Stanley is already looking forward to Saturday night.

“The whole nation is going to be watching us Saturday since they are a top 5 team,” Stanley said. “We just have to go out there and play our best.”

Luckily for the Badgers, they have three battle tested running backs, because with Davis and Smith both in questionable shape due to injuries, Stanley might be called on again for an extended period of time.