Wisconsin’s offensive line room has a familiar face from Eric Mateos’ Arkansas days, and Blake Cherry looks like he could be part of the Badgers’ plans this fall.
Cherry, a former Razorback, followed Mateos from Fayetteville to Madison after spending one season at Arkansas. The 6-foot-5, 308-pound guard appeared in all 12 games as a freshman, though most of that work came on special teams and in end-of-game situations.
Mateos made it clear this spring that Cherry was one of the players he was glad to bring with him.
“When all of this is going down at Arkansas, the kids know I ain’t probably sticking around. And so there were several of them that wanted to keep playing for me, but I let everything happen as it happened," Mateos said this spring.
"Some kids got in the portal, and you know, maybe didn’t wanna come up north. Some kids had a girlfriend that was a little closer.
I’m really glad that Blake is with me. He’s tough as nails, and he’s a Wisconsin O-line type guy.”
At the moment, Cherry appears to be Wisconsin’s top backup at guard, sitting behind Emerson Mandell and Colin Cubberly. The Badgers would obviously like those two to handle the starting jobs all season, but Cherry is the next man in line if they need help.
There is a path to more work for him, though it would probably mean something has gone wrong for Wisconsin. If either Cubberly or Mandell were sidelined or struggling, Cherry could push into a starting role. That would not be the ideal outcome for the Badgers, but it would open the door for him.
More realistically, Cherry’s best case this fall may be a rotational role. That would let him get on the field without being asked to carry a full-time starting load, and it would still be a useful step in his development.
Mateos is clearly high on him.
“He’s got really quick, good feet. He’s a little stiff in a good way.
Like, he’s wound up, when he hits people there’s some pop there and some snap. He loves football, he has a huge passion for the game," he said.
"He fits everything I want in an offensive lineman.”
If Wisconsin has to dig deeper into the guard depth chart, Cherry would be the first option. Stylz Blackmon is another second-team guard from spring ball, but Cherry seems to have the edge right now.
The downside for Cherry is obvious: he could also spend the season watching from the sideline if Mandell and Cubberly stay healthy and keep control of the guard spots. But that wouldn’t be a disaster for Wisconsin or for Cherry, who is still early in his college career and has time to grow into a starting-caliber lineman.
For now, the expectation is simple. Cherry is unlikely to start unless an injury forces Wisconsin’s hand, but he should have a chance to see the most offensive snaps of his career this fall in a backup role.
In Other News...
Greg Gard Just Sent A Message Badger Fans Will Notice
Greg Gard used an open practice this week to make it clear that Wisconsins new athletic director has already made an impression inside the mens basketball program. Gard praised Shawn Eichorst as a breath of fresh air and a home run hire, pointing to the kind of presence and work ethic that coaches tend to notice quickly when a new administrator arrives.
Eichorst has wasted little time getting around the program, showing up at practices, meeting with coaches and making the rounds at donor events early in his tenure. For Gard, the value seems to go beyond simple introductions, because the Badgers coach framed Eichorst as someone who is already available and helpful in ways that matter around a basketball operation. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Gard Just Reignited Wisconsin's Biggest Remaining Roster Question
Wisconsin is headed into the season with 15 players on the roster, and Greg Gard is still working to fill the final spot. The Badgers have not rushed the decision, but the search is very much active, with Gard leaving open a few different paths as camp approaches and the roster picture keeps shifting.
One familiar name already hanging around practice is Braeden Carrington, whose case depends on whether he can secure another year of eligibility. Recent NCAA rule changes and the legal fight around them have made that far from certain, which is why Wisconsin is also weighing other possibilities, including a walk-on, an in-state player or another addition from the portal. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Gard May Have Found The Badgers Big Fans Wanted
Victory Onuetu is the kind of addition Wisconsin has spent plenty of time trying to identify in the transfer market: a big body with real defensive utility and enough athleticism to change the feel of a frontcourt. After arriving from Hofstra, he gives Greg Gard a chance to add length, rim protection and rebounding, with the versatility to help in weakside defense and pick-and-roll coverage. For a Badgers team that values reliability, that profile alone makes him worth watching closely.
The question now is how quickly that toolkit translates into steady minutes in Madison. Onuetu has the traits to compete for a larger role right away, but the next step is smoothing out the parts of his game that can stall an offense and force a coach to work around him. If Wisconsin can get him to the point where the strengths show up consistently, Gard may have found the kind of interior piece fans have been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]