Wisconsin football: Will lack of experienced depth hurt Badgers' offensive line in 2024?

MADISON – AJ Blazek’s first spring as Wisconsin’s offensive line coach was demanding.

The Badgers had to replace five linemen, including four who were in the two-deep in 2023.

Center Tanor Bortolini bypassed his final season of eligibility for the NFL draft. Guard Michael Furtney exhausted his eligibility and gave the NFL a shot. Guard-tackle Trey Wedig transferred to Indiana; tackle Nolan Rucci transferred to Penn State; and guard-center Dylan Barrett transferred to Iowa State.

Their replacements were five freshmen who signed in December, but only Kevin Heywood and Colin Cubberly enrolled early and participated in spring ball.

That left the unit short on scholarship players, experience and overall bodies.

As a result, Blazek likely will have to go deep into camp to find out how many players are ready to play this season.

“It’s a unique group with veterans and a really good young class coming in,” said Blazek, who replaced Jack Bicknell Jr. “And there’s some good players in the middle.”

Barring injury, UW’s No. 1 unit should be Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle.

JP Benzschawel, who got work at guard and tackle, was the sixth lineman in the spring.

“I’m feeling really good going into fall camp,” Benzschawel said. “When my number is called I’ll be ready. I’m getting ready every day. I’ve been in with the ones or with the twos. I’m just playing football.

“I’m playing my best football. The coaches can trust me and put me in a game.”

Heywood was the left tackle on the No. 2 line.

“He is going to be one of the special ones that has played here,” Blazek said. “I’m telling you.”

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Cubberly was the right tackle on the No. 2 unit but also got work at guard on that unit and at center on the No. 3 unit.

“Nothing throws him off,” Blazek said. “He is very resilient.”

Whether either player will be ready to fill in early in the season – or at all in 2024 – remains to be seen.

UW added two transfers late in the spring – Leyton Nelson from Vanderbilt and Joey Okla from Illinois.

Can either player grab a spot in the two-deep and give Blazek more options?

Versatile Joe Huber could be Wisconsin's most indispensable offensive lineman

After transferring to UW from Cincinnati, Huber started all 13 games at left guard last season. Penciled in as the No. 1 right guard this season, Huber could also fill in at center or tackle if injuries hit.

“I think Huber might – and I’ve had some versatile guys in my career – he legitimately could play all five (spots) if we had to,” Blazek said. “He is a huge cog in that whole thing. Probably the most flexible guy we have.

“Really sharp and it doesn’t affect him to slide around.”

AJ Blazek tweaked the footwork of tackle Riley Mahlman

Mahlman explained that one adjustment he has made since Blazek took over as line coach involved his outside leg in pass-protection.

“Last year it was me opening up my back leg, allowing an easier path to the QB,” he explained. “It didn’t kill me every time but that’s not the place you want to live, chasing a guy into the depth of the pocket."

According to Mahlman, Blazek wants him to throw a better punch with his right hand and be more firm with the right leg.

“And more squaring the guy up instead of chasing him around the edge,” Mahlman said. “That has been a big help. I think some tweaks were needed.”

Recruiting high school linemen will remain a priority

Although both Huber and Renfro transferred from Cincinnati and the staff realized in the spring it need to add transfers to bolster the depth, Blazek insisted high school recruiting will not be ignored.

“If we lose guys, we can’t just go (with) freshmen all the time,” he said. “But know this…we took five last year and we’re aggressive right now about the high school kids, the developmental kids that we’re going after."

UW has five known commitments from offensive linemen for the 2025 class. They are: Michael Roeske of Wautoma, Cam Clark of Michigan, Logan Powell of Arizona, Nolan Davenport of Ohio and Hardy Watts of Massachusetts.

“It is going to be built with the high school kids," Blazek added. "Because you’ve got to develop and season a little bit. And when it is in your offense – you talk about Year 2 and Year 3 and Year 4 – you know all the answers. You’re just spitting them out.

“That’s why it is so much more appealing than having to go get a transfer.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin football: Will lack of experienced depth hurt Badgers' offensive line in 2024?