Notre Dame and Wisconsin are walking into Week 1 with the same kind of spotlight on the line of scrimmage, and both head coaches have made it pretty clear where they feel best about their teams.
Marcus Freeman said Notre Dame’s defensive line had a strong camp, pointing to the depth and competition up front. “We're deep with a lot of guys that will play, a lot of guys that could start.
It's great competition. Those guys [defensive line] really had a good camp.”
Luke Fickell sounded just as encouraged on Wisconsin’s side, and he was talking about the Badgers’ defensive line too. “I think that's the group that, you know, defensively in particular has, you know, for me has stood out in a lot of different ways.”
That sets up the obvious problem for Wisconsin: the biggest concern coming out of camp is the offensive line. The questions there are about talent, consistency, chemistry, and, above all, injuries.
Kevin Heywood and Emerson Mandell have both been unable to practice fully, and each is dealing with lingering issues that could affect their Week 1 availability. Fickell said the coming week will matter in figuring that out.
Notre Dame, though, has its own issues in the same area. The Irish offensive line has been hit by injuries and uncertainty of its own, with Charles Jagusah, Peter Jones, Matty Augustine, and Ashton Craig all dealing with something. Augustine has a broken foot, Jagusah is still working back from a left-humerus injury, Jones has a shoulder or pec issue, and Craig is mostly okay but still battling.
There’s also some movement still happening with Notre Dame’s projected lineup. 18stripes recently noted that “Left tackle (Black), left guard (Knapp), and right tackle (Lambert) seem completely locked in at their positions. That leaves us with the questions about who is starting at center and right guard. Reading the tea leaves it does really seem like the coaching staff are trying to convince themselves that Otting can handle center so that Craig can play right guard.”
So the setup is pretty clean: Wisconsin’s defensive line against Notre Dame’s offensive line, and Notre Dame’s defensive line against Wisconsin’s offensive line. Both teams have a strength that could press on the other side’s biggest question. In a game like this, the team that settles its front five and survives the pressure up front may end up having the last word.
In Other News...
Wisconsins 2027 Class Just Gave Greg Gard A Real Recruiting Win
Wisconsins 2027 recruiting class is already starting to look like something worth paying attention to, and it began with a trio of commitments that gives Greg Gard and his staff real momentum. Guard Jalen Brown, wing Baboucarr Ann and center Jack Thelen have all chosen the Badgers, giving the program a balanced early foundation with talent spread across the backcourt, perimeter and front line.
Brown arrives as the No. 68 recruit nationally and No. 4 prospect in Wisconsin, while Ann comes in as Minnesotas top-ranked player with national recognition from multiple services. Thelens rise has been just as notable, with the big man now a four-star recruit and No. 2 in Minnesota, and together the three pledges have put Wisconsin in position to build a class that could hold up well as the cycle continues. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Still Has 3 Depth Chart Questions That Matter For Notre Dame
With Wisconsin set to unveil its official depth chart before Week 1 against Notre Dame, the biggest questions are still clustered in a few key spots. The quarterback battle between true freshman Ryan Hopkins and transfer Deuce Adams has not been settled, and the coaching staff has made clear the choice will come down to film as the Badgers close in on the opener.
Nolan Vils has also worked his way into the conversation on the defensive line, where he looks like a candidate to be part of the rotation. Tight end is another spot worth watching, with the group expected to go four deep and Emmett Bork and Davis still in a tight fight for the final role, leaving one of Wisconsins more interesting roster decisions hanging as Notre Dame approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin May Have Found A Rising Defensive Voice Fans Needed
The Badgers have spent much of Luke Fickells tenure reworking the staff around him, and one of the quieter but most important developments has come at inside linebacker. Tuf Borland, promoted from graduate assistant, has quickly earned a reputation as a top young coach while guiding a room that includes Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano, two players who figure to matter a lot as Wisconsin tries to keep building defensive identity and consistency.
Borlands rise also fits the broader reality of this staff era in Madison, where change has been more common than stability since 2023. Wisconsin has had to keep identifying voices and teachers who can grow with the roster, and Borlands presence gives the defense a young coach with clear responsibility in a pivotal spot. Even as the program keeps adjusting elsewhere, this is the kind of internal development that can help settle things down on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]