University of Wisconsin football head coach Paul Chryst said Monday during his weekly news conference he expects junior running back Corey Clement to fully participate in practice this week.

No. 21 Wisconsin (8-2, 4-1 Big Ten) takes on No. 20 Northwestern (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Camp Randall Stadium.

Clement is still recovering from a sports hernia surgery and has only played in two games this year. He returned against Rutgers on Oct. 31, rushing for three touchdowns and 115 yards, but did not travel with the team the following week to Maryland, where the Badgers won 31-24.

That night, Clement was involved in an incident in the lobby of his residence and suffered a cut to his hand.

Football: Corey Clement involved in off-campus altercation, cuts hand

Chryst said if Clement can’t play Saturday against the Wildcats, it will be because he’s still recovering from the sports hernia and not due to his hand injury.

“Corey’s [status] will be nothing with the hand,” Chryst said. “I think it’s just where his legs are with the whole deal.”

Quarterback Joel Stave said while the offense prepares as usual and Clement’s status doesn’t affect the week of game planning before Saturday, the offense would obviously rather have Clement on the field.

“I think we go into this game preparing with Dare [Ogunbowale] and Taiwan [Deal] and all of the guys that we’ve been preparing with,” Stave said. “Corey knows the run plays, so if he is healthy, he’s able to get in there, we’ll definitely take him.”