A tough season became even tougher for Wisconsin running back Corey Clement on Sunday morning after an altercation at his off-campus residence left him with a cut on his hand.
Clement was returning home when he witnessed a verbal dispute between a group of individuals and a security guard, according to a release from the school. He became involved in the dispute and was assaulted, along with the security guard, per the release. He did not participate in practice Wednesday as he is recovering from sports-hernia surgery, and coach Paul Chryst is otherwise mum on the matter because a police investigation into the altercation is ongoing.
So, the hand injury was significant enough for UW to send out a release, but not significant enough to be the primary cause Clement's absence from practice.
Got it.
Whatever the case, Chryst won't be making it any clearer for the time being. And Clement's junior season continues to find ways to be forgettable. He carried just eight times for 16 yards in UW's opener against Alabama, and sat out the next seven games with the injury. He returned impressively two weeks ago with 115 yards against Rutgers, but sat out again last week against Maryland with soreness.
Last year, Clement was Heisman Trophy finalist Melvin Gordon's primary backup and rushed for 949 yards and nine touchdowns. If he wants a season as the full-time starter in Wisconsin's vaunted backfield before testing his skills at the pro level, he'll have to come back to UW next year and enter the NFL draft as a senior in 2017.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
