Wisconsin Football Mailbag: Offensive Line Depth, Impact Freshman, More

Badgernotes.com staff writer Ryan Andersen (The Dairy Raid) received a variety of questions about the Wisconsin Badgers football team from our dedicated readers and followers earlier this week. 

So, without further adieu, Let’s jump into your mailbag questions…

What’s up with the Wisconsin football offensive line? Are we going to have enough options to keep the QBs healthy?

A lot has been said about the Wisconsin football offensive line depth this spring, and there is a lot of concern out there. The Badgers coaching staff wants 15 guys to have three full offensive lines for practice purposes, and they are struggling to do that right now.

Am I worried that this depth issue will carry over into the season?

I will cautiously say no right now for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, we are getting more players coming in this fall. We have three true freshmen joining the team this summer, and I’m sure we’ll probably also have some walk-ons as well.

But when Wisconsin football gets into the season, that 15-man number is not as pressing. In a perfect world, there would be the starting five, a swing guard, a swing tackle, and a backup center—seven to eight players we can rely on to take the majority of the reps.

So when we think of those eight guys, do we have Big Ten caliber offensive linemen in the group? That’s something we need to think about.

Let’s go through the list. From last season, the Badgers returned Jack Nelson at left tackle, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber moving over from left guard to right guard, and Riley Mahlman as the right tackle.

Jumping into the starting left guard spot will be Joe Brunner. Right there, I think we have a pretty solid first group. Listening to the coaches talk and from other media reports, Huber is going to be the super sub.

He could easily slot into at least four if not all, five spots. If Brunner is starting at left guard, then JP Benzschawel will be the swing guard. If Renfro goes down, Huber will move into center with Brunner and Benzschawel flanking him. So, I think the Wisconsin football team is pretty set on the interior.

Next up is the swing tackle, which may see a lot of pressure from freshman Kevin Heywood. He wowed us with his tape coming in, and the fact that he’s already up with the twos at left tackle is a good sign to me.

I thought he was going to project as a right tackle in college because of how well he played right tackle in high school. He’s got a perfect build and mentality for it, but he also has the athleticism to play left tackle. So, getting him in the two deep early and letting him be that swing tackle is a great opportunity for reps and development.

Beyond the first eight then we start getting into some questions. A lot of freshmen and inexperienced players are going to be called upon to fill in the Wisconsin football two-deep and to provide additional depth.

However, with a great teacher in offensive line coach AJ Blazek at the helm, I am confident that the Badgers offensive line is set for the future and will be solid in the meantime.

Who’s your impact freshman for the Badgers?

Impact freshman is an interesting way to put it because I’m not sure if that can be answered with one person. Are there going to be some freshmen who are going to get some opportunities to play early? I would say yes, and here’s a couple of them.

It is no secret I love Gideon Ituka. I love his build. I love his running style, and from all the reports I’m hearing, he is already physically fitting in at spring ball. This spring, Ituka has a real chance to play his way into the Wisconsin football team’s thumper short-yardage back role.

Jackson Acker is the presumptive leader for that position right now, but we are unclear exactly how Phil Longo wants to use him this season. He has a unique skill set that could be better suited to other places, which opens the door for Ituka.

As previously mentioned, Kevin Heywood already looks to be pushing for a spot on the two deep and vying for the swing tackle job. That is if he doesn’t push one of the underperforming starters out of their job.

Jack Nelson and Riley Mahlman both need someone to push them to elevate their game or to push them to the bench. Their jobs were never really in doubt last season, even with subpar play. Nolan Rucci never lived up to the hype that came along with his star rating, and Trey Wedig found himself too big to play guard and too slow to play tackle. Heywood could be that player who pushes the incumbents while also being a solid reserve.

Will we see Nick Evers on the field? He is clearly the best QB Wisconsin football has on the roster.

The short answer to this is…no. I know I’m gonna get some hate for this answer. I believe Nick Evers will be a victim of the situation he got himself into last season.

He put himself behind by not progressing with his knowledge of the offense fast enough to keep up with Braedyn Locke. His physical skill set is unquestioned, but physical tools can often be the most overrated part of a quarterback’s game. He needs the knowledge and the wherewithal to apply his skill set. Having tools is great, but not knowing how to use them can be dangerous. It’s like giving a 16 year old the keys to a Bugatti.

From the reports coming out of spring, it sounds like he is taking steps forward. He’s put in the work, and that is great to hear. We all know what type of player he could be. However, as he grows in the Wisconsin football team’s offense, Locke continues to grow as well.

So, does Evers have the time to catch up and pass Locke? It might already be too late, especially with a highly touted true freshman nipping at his heels in Mabrey Mettauer. All the respect in the world if Evers sticks with it and continues to fight for a role, but it would not shock me if he moves on looking for a chance to compete for a starting job.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions for this Wisconsin football Q&A. If you didn’t see your question answered, be sure to check out the accompanying video as I answered even more questions.

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