Montee Ball
Encyclopedia
Montee Ball is an American football
running back
for the Wisconsin Badgers
.
, the 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Clay was somewhat limited in 2010 as he nursed offseason ankle surgery and later an MCL injury, so Ball gained a prominent role in the Badgers offense, along with freshman back James White
. At the end of the 2010 season, Ball rushed for 996 yards which was third on the team behind James White and John Clay and led the Badgers with 18 rushing touchdowns.
On November 5, 2011, Ball rushed for a career high 223 yards against the Purdue Boilermakers
. During that game, Ball scored four touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving) which gave him 146 total points scored on the season. This broke Brian Calhoun
's school record for total points in a single season of 144.
On November 12, 2011, Ball broke the single season Big Ten Conference
record for touchdowns by rushing for two and receiving one against the Minnesota
. Ball had 27 touchdowns (23 rushing and 4 receiving) at the end of that game. The previous record of 26 was held by Ohio State
's Pete Johnson
(1975), Indiana
's Anthony Thompson (1988) and Penn State
's Ki-Jana Carter
(1994).
On November 19, 2011, Ball became just the fifth player in NCAA Division I FBS history to score 30 touchdowns in a single season.
On November 26, 2011, Ball scored four touchdowns against Penn State
giving Ball 34 total touchdowns on the season which is 2nd all-time in FBS. He trails Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders
who scored 39 touchdowns in 1988.
Ball is currently one of three finalists for the 2011 Doak Walker Award
joining Oregon
's LaMichael James
and Alabama
's Trent Richardson
.
Ball was named First Team All-Big Ten, by both the coach and media, at the conclusion of the 2011 regular season.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
.
College career
Ball began the 2010 season as the backup running back to John ClayJohn Clay (running back)
John Clay is an American football running back. He currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, practice squad, of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison football team...
, the 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Clay was somewhat limited in 2010 as he nursed offseason ankle surgery and later an MCL injury, so Ball gained a prominent role in the Badgers offense, along with freshman back James White
James White (running back)
James White is an American football running back for the Wisconsin Badgers.-High school career:Attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School . Was a part of the 2009 St. Thomas Aquinas mythical high school "National Championship" team...
. At the end of the 2010 season, Ball rushed for 996 yards which was third on the team behind James White and John Clay and led the Badgers with 18 rushing touchdowns.
On November 5, 2011, Ball rushed for a career high 223 yards against the Purdue Boilermakers
2011 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2011 Purdue Boilermakers football team represents Purdue University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They play their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and are members of the Big Ten Conference. It is Danny Hope's third season as head coach...
. During that game, Ball scored four touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving) which gave him 146 total points scored on the season. This broke Brian Calhoun
Brian Calhoun
Brian Calhoun is a gridiron football running back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin....
's school record for total points in a single season of 144.
On November 12, 2011, Ball broke the single season Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
record for touchdowns by rushing for two and receiving one against the Minnesota
2011 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
The 2011 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represent the University of Minnesota for the 2011 college football season. The Golden Gophers are members of the Big Ten Conference and play their home games at TCF Bank Stadium...
. Ball had 27 touchdowns (23 rushing and 4 receiving) at the end of that game. The previous record of 26 was held by Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
's Pete Johnson
Pete Johnson (American football)
Pete Johnson is a former college and professional American football running back. He spent 8 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. Before his NFL career, Johnson played for the Ohio State Buckeyes.-College career:Johnson played fullback for Ohio State from 1973 through 1976...
(1975), Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
's Anthony Thompson (1988) and Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
's Ki-Jana Carter
Ki-Jana Carter
Kenneth Leonard "Ki-Jana" Carter is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Cincinnati Bengals and later the Washington Redskins and the New Orleans Saints. His nickname, "Ki-Jana", is from a character in the movie Shaft in Africa and Carter has...
(1994).
On November 19, 2011, Ball became just the fifth player in NCAA Division I FBS history to score 30 touchdowns in a single season.
On November 26, 2011, Ball scored four touchdowns against Penn State
2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represent the Pennsylvania State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno for the first nine games until he was fired in the wake of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, with defensive coordinator...
giving Ball 34 total touchdowns on the season which is 2nd all-time in FBS. He trails Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
who scored 39 touchdowns in 1988.
Ball is currently one of three finalists for the 2011 Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
joining Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
's LaMichael James
LaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
and Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
's Trent Richardson
Trent Richardson
Trent Richardson is an American football running back. He is in his junior year at the University of Alabama. As a true freshman with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2009 he helped lead the Tide to an undefeated 14-0 season including a victory in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.-High school...
.
Ball was named First Team All-Big Ten, by both the coach and media, at the conclusion of the 2011 regular season.
College statistics
| Year | Team | Att | Yards | Avg | Long | TDs | Rec | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Wisconsin 2009 Wisconsin Badgers football team The 2009 Wisconsin Badgers football team competed on behalf of the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers were coached by Bret Bielema and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin... |
98 | 391 | 4.0 | 35 | 4 | 9 | 92 | 0 |
| 2010 | Wisconsin 2010 Wisconsin Badgers football team The 2010 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers, led by fifth-year head coach Bret Bielema, were members of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium... |
163 | 996 | 6.1 | 44 | 18 | 16 | 128 | 0 |
| 2011 | Wisconsin 2011 Wisconsin Badgers football team The 2011 Wisconsin Badgers football team will represent the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers, led by sixth-year head coach Bret Bielema, are members of the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference and will play their home games at Camp... |
248 | 1,622 | 6.5 | 54 | 29 | 17 | 248 | 5 |
| College Totals | 509 | 3,009 | 5.9 | 54 | 51 | 42 | 468 | 5 | |