Wisconsin on Friday traveled to Purdue and defeated the Boilermakers 38-17.

Tanner Mordecai was 17-of-24 for 174 yards and an interception. But he was efficient running the football, taking 14 carries for 44 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Mordecai’s versatility garnered praise from his head coach.

“That’s where Tanner, I think, sometimes is best,” Luke Fickell said postgame. “His ability to make things happen, his ability to move around, his ability to buy time, is really big. Obviously, he had a great, big run down there in the red zone for a touchdown … He’s a threat in many different ways.”

The former Oklahoma and SMU signal-caller threw for over 3,500 yards in his final 2 seasons with SMU. While he’s had to adapt to a new system at Wisconsin, Fickell will look to leverage his versatility throughout the season as needed.

“He ran it probably a few more times [against Purdue] than we had all year,” Fickell said. “Some of them were designed in some ways, a couple option plays, but I think that what they were doing defensively, they make it difficult in a lot of things you’ve gotta do, and sometimes you gotta add the quarterback in there a little bit.”