#44

John Chenal

Senior fullback for Wisconsin. 2021: 78 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD, 7 catches.

FB · Wisconsin · Sr. · #44

6′2″ · 256 lb · Grantsburg, WI

Wisconsin 2021 alumnus

Recruiting

3★

ILB recruit

No. 1821 nationally · Signed with Wisconsin

No college snaps yet.

His full recruiting profile

The story

4 fullback for Wisconsin. 2021: 78 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD, 7 catches.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Wisconsin in 2018.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Three seasons at Wisconsin, 223 rushing yards — his college career is complete.

His career

He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

2018

Signed with Wisconsin3-star out of Grantsburg

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#1821 national

CFB

College

Wisconsin

2019–2021

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2019–2021

1 coach

2019–2021

Paul Chryst

Wisconsin

Played his entire career under Paul Chryst.

2021 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

3 seasons under Paul Chryst — 23-11 over that span.

2019Wisconsin10-4HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy

2020Wisconsin4-3HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy, fast tempo

2021Wisconsin9-4HC: Paul Chryst · Run-heavy

Where this profile ranks vs the FB cohort

Box-score percentiles

7 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).

Box-score rates (7)

Receptions#216 / 331 · 31st pct

Rec yards#242 / 331 · 27th pct

Rush TDs#243 / 343 · 22nd pct

Yards / carry#343 / 343 · 0th pct

2.4

Rush yards#344 / 343 · 0th pct

Long run#344 / 343 · 0th pct

Carries#344 / 343 · 0th pct

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2021 season · 11 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	YDS/g	YPC	TD/g
Home8g	4.9	2.2	0.0
Road3g	10.0	1.4	0.3

First half vs Second half

	YDS/g	YPC	TD/g
Weeks 1-76g	7.7	2.1	0.2
Weeks 8+5g	4.6	1.7	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Luke Fickell

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2021

Rotational

Earning real snaps in the rotation without a starting job.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Signature plays

Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|

The plays that mattered most

fact

Week 9 · Iowa · 4&1 · Q2 · EPA -4.21John Chenal run for no gain to the Iowa 1
Week 1 · Arizona State · 4&10 · Q4 · EPA -3.49John Chenal run for 3 yds to the ArzSt 7
Week 12 · Nebraska · 4&1 · Q4 · EPA -2.89John Chenal run for a loss of 1 yard to the Neb 32
Week 10 · Rutgers · 4&1 · Q2 · EPA +2.79John Chenal 1 Yd pass from Graham Mertz (Collin Larsh Kick)
Week 1 · Arizona State · 1&8 · Q1 · EPA +2.32John Chenal 8 Yd Run (Collin Larsh Kick)
Week 5 · Michigan · 4&1 · Q2 · EPA +2.15John Chenal run for 2 yds to the Wisc 47 for a 1ST down
Week 12 · Nebraska · 4&1 · Q1 · EPA +2.00John Chenal run for 4 yds to the Neb 37 for a 1ST down
Week 6 · Illinois · 2&1 · Q2 · EPA +1.90John Chenal run for 1 yd for a TD, (Collin Larsh KICK)
Week 7 · Army · 4&1 · Q2 · EPA +1.56John Chenal run for 2 yds to the Army 33 for a 1ST down
Week 1 · Penn State · 3&1 · Q2 · EPA -1.14John Chenal run for no gain to the Wisc 49

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2021 season · 11 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG	Note
Wk 1	L 10-16vs Penn State	2	2	1.0	0	2
Wk 2	W 34-7vs Eastern Michigan	—	—	—	—	—
Wk 4	L 13-41vs Notre Dame	3	11	3.7	0	7
Wk 5	L 17-38vs Michigan	2	3	1.5	0	2
Wk 6	W 24-0@ Illinois	9	28	3.1	1	6	Season-high 28 yds
Wk 7	W 20-14vs Army	2	2	1.0	0	2
Wk 8	W 30-13@ Purdue	1	0	0.0	0	0
Wk 9	W 27-7vs Iowa	4	15	3.8	0	8
Wk 10	W 52-3@ Rutgers	2	2	1.0	0	1
Wk 11	W 35-7vs Northwestern	—	—	—	—	—
Wk 12	W 35-28vs Nebraska	3	6	2.0	0	4
Total		28	69	1.9	1	8

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology