Luke Fickell made the kind of move that can change the feel of an offense in a hurry, and Wisconsin’s offensive line responded with its cleanest outing yet.
After three straight wins, the Badgers still hadn’t truly unlocked the run game, and the problems at left tackle kept showing up with PJ Wilkins. So this week, Fickell shortened the leash and moved on from the starter. The message was simple: "We just want to continue to get our five best players on the field."
That decision paid off immediately against Michigan State. Wisconsin’s front looked sharper, more stable, and far more productive than it had at any point this season.
The reshuffle wasn’t random, either. Fickell had already hinted earlier this year, before the Eastern Michigan game, "And then I’m not gonna lie, PJ (Wilkins), we have to push a little more."
He returned to that theme after the win over Michigan State, explaining, "We wanted to continue to push PJ. We wanted to continue to find a way."
He also pointed to Stylz Blackmon’s play as part of the equation: "We felt like he gives us a little something different in there." Fickell added, "So we flipped Kevin over to the other side, and then we used Emerson and PJ at the right tackle to try to continue to generate some competition and find a way to get us our best guys on the field."
The move that fans had been clamoring for also finally happened: Kevin Heywood got the nod at left tackle. Fickell said Heywood jumped at the chance and would do anything for the team, going as far as saying, "He’d cut off his right arm for us."
Wisconsin’s starting offensive line against Michigan State was Kevin Heywood at left tackle, Colin Cubberly at left guard, Austin Kawecki at center, Stylz Blackmon at right guard, and Emerson Mandell at right tackle.
On the field, that group delivered Wisconsin’s best line performance of the year. The Badgers didn’t allow a sack and gave up very few pressures.
Colton Joseph had time to operate, and that seemed to show up in his decision-making. He didn’t force any particularly bad throws, and the pocket around him looked much calmer than it had in earlier games.
The run game also took a step forward. Wisconsin piled up 228 rushing yards, with 141 of them coming from Joseph.
A lot of those were designed runs, so the line deserves its share of the credit. The running backs added 83 yards on 26 carries, which came out to a little more than three yards per rush.
This group still hasn’t spent much time together, and that’s what makes the performance even more encouraging. If Fickell keeps putting his best five on the field, the Badgers could have another level to reach after the bye week. For one Saturday, though, the new combination looked like it belonged.
In Other News...
Luke Fickell Just Said What Wisconsin Fans Wanted To Hear
After Wisconsins 31-3 win over Michigan State, the Badgers headed into their bye week at 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play with a little more clarity than they had a few weeks ago. One of the biggest takeaways from the victory was the offensive line shuffle, and Luke Fickell pointed to Ryan Corys work at center in place of the injured Austin Kawecki as a promising sign for a group that has been trying to settle in and protect the offenses rhythm.
Fickell also made it clear the Badgers are treating the run of recent success as more than just a couple of good Saturdays. He talked about the teams focus, leadership and momentum, the kind of language fans want to hear in early October when the season starts to show who is ready to separate from the pack. With the bye week here, Wisconsin has a chance to build on that momentum, but the bigger question is how much of this sharpened identity carries forward once the games resume. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Just Framed Wisconsins Fast Start The Way Fans Needed
Wisconsins 4-1 start has given the program some early breathing room, and Luke Fickell sounded like a coach who knows it. The Badgers have already flashed the kind of convincing performance that can steady a season, including a 31-3 win over Michigan State, but Fickell made clear he views the first month as more of a checkpoint than a destination. With a bye week in hand before UCLA, the timing gives Wisconsin a chance to reset while still carrying momentum into the Big Ten stretch ahead.
Fickell also pointed to the bigger picture inside the program, where the culture change he has been pushing remains a work in progress. Part of that next step involves continued growth from quarterback Colton Joseph, whose development matters as the schedule tightens and the stakes rise. The Badgers have reason to feel good about where they stand, but the message coming out of Madison is that the real test is still in front of them. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Still Has Wisconsin Fans Debating How Safe This Start Is
Luke Fickells first two seasons at Wisconsin have not exactly quieted the conversation around where this program is headed, and that makes the broader coaching carousel list worth a close look for Badgers fans. The ranking puts the spotlight on several high-profile names around college football, from Bill Belichick at North Carolina to Lincoln Riley at USC and Mike Locksley at Maryland, with each coachs situation judged through the lens of results and the pressure building around the program.
For Wisconsin, the point is less about the national drama and more about how quickly patience can thin when expectations stay high and the on-field progress is uneven. Some coaches on the list are described as being watched all the way to the end of the season, while others are in a more immediate danger zone, and Fickells place in that conversation is exactly the kind of thing that keeps Badgers supporters debating how safe this start really is. [Read more 🡒]