Wisconsin’s offensive line has taken real steps forward this fall, but the left tackle spot is becoming the one place the Badgers can’t quite hide.
For the most part, the group has been sturdy. Wisconsin has allowed only two sacks on 89 drop-backs, and both came against Notre Dame’s front in Week 1. The run game, though, is still dragging behind, with the Badgers averaging just 92.0 rushing yards per game, which ranks 117th nationally.
Even with that uneven production, there’s been plenty to like up front. Left guard Colin Cubberly has looked like Wisconsin’s best lineman.
Center Austin Kawecki has settled in exactly the way the staff hoped. Right tackle Kevin Heywood has returned from a torn ACL without missing a beat, and D-II Augustana transfer Stylz Blackmon has given the line a nice boost as well.
“There hasn’t been a lack of physicality. There hasn’t been a letdown, even if you pop on the second group,” head coach Luke Fickell said of his line.
The concern is on the blind side, where PJ Wilkins has had a rough three-game stretch. Fickell didn’t sugarcoat it before the Eastern Michigan game.
“I’m not gonna lie, PJ, we have to push a little more,” Fickell said ahead of the Eastern Michigan game.
That issue showed up again against the Eagles.
This…is a problem. #Badgers pic.twitter.com/CKr1BR6kNX
Pro Football Focus has Wilkins down for six pressures allowed and no sacks surrendered through three games, but the film paints a harsher picture. He’s been serviceable in the run game, yet pass protection has been a real struggle at times, especially in his sets.
That’s where the comments from offensive line coach Eric Mateos during fall camp come back into focus. Mateos was open about what he wanted Wilkins to clean up.
“I think he needs to work on his confidence with who he is as a player. He’s a 6-6, 340-pound tackle with an 86-inch wingspan.
You’re not a finesse player, so don’t play finesse. Just because that pass set you saw on Instagram from Lane Johnson looks good when he does it, that’s not you," Mateos said.
“I think once he fully accepts, ‘man, I’m a wide-hipped, long-armed athletic kid, I’m gonna put my body on people, I think he’ll be a really really good productive player."
Behind Wilkins, Wisconsin does have options, but not many with meaningful experience. Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson is the top backup at tackle, though he has barely seen the field this season: eight snaps against Notre Dame, eight against Western Illinois and two against Eastern Michigan. The only other tackle to log snaps this year is Barrett Nelson, a career backup with just 27 snaps in his career.
The Badgers may eventually have to see what Simmons-Johansson can give them. He was pushed into right tackle duty in fall camp when Heywood was hurt, a change Mateos described as extremely difficult and compared to wiping with your other hand. Even so, Simmons-Johansson did play 84 career snaps at left tackle at Florida State.
Wisconsin may not want to make that kind of move on the road at Penn State, but if Wilkins keeps struggling in pass protection, this is no longer a problem that can be ignored.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Suddenly Has A Chance At A Recruiting Stunner Under Fickell
A major recruiting opening has quietly surfaced for Wisconsin, and it centers on five-star edge rusher Jalanie George. The top 2028 prospect has trimmed his list to Wisconsin, Washington, Auburn and Miami, and several recruiting analysts now view the Badgers as one of the strongest contenders after Georges recent visit and the connections he has built with current players and staff.
For a program trying to keep raising its ceiling under Luke Fickell, getting into that kind of conversation matters almost as much as the final decision. Nothing is settled yet, and the picture can still shift in a hurry, but Wisconsin has put itself in position for a result that would stand out even in a strong recruiting cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Suddenly Has A Real Shot At A Massive Recruiting Win
Wisconsins 2027 recruiting push has taken on real momentum, with the Badgers now sitting at 23 commitments and building a class that includes several of the states best prospects along with important adds from Arizona. For a program that has made in-state talent a priority while also looking beyond its borders for impact players, the group has started to look less like a promising haul and more like one that could reshape the conversation around the class.
The next big swing comes from Desert Edge High School edge rusher Jalanie George, a five-star talent whose decision is expected on October 1. Recruiting analysts have recently moved their projections toward Wisconsin over Washington, which is a notable shift for a prospect of that caliber and one the Badgers would gladly celebrate. Even with the class already growing, landing George would be the kind of headliner that changes how the rest of the country views what Wisconsin is building. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Just Got A Key Boost Ahead Of Penn State
Wisconsin got a useful update on the injury front as the Badgers and Penn State turned in their second availability reports ahead of a Big Ten matchup that already carried plenty of weight. Wisconsins list looks cleaner than Penn States, with fewer players tagged out or questionable and a couple of notable names moving into probable status, including Malachi Coleman and Abu Sama III.
For a team trying to line up its best available group at the right time, that matters. Penn State, meanwhile, is still managing absences and uncertainty, with Koby Howard ruled out and Brock Riker still questionable, which gives Wisconsin a healthier look heading into a game where every available body can tilt the margin. [Read more 🡒]