Luke Fickell still isn’t ready to give Wisconsin a clean answer on two of the biggest questions hanging over the Badgers’ offensive line.
With fall camp now finished and the team turning its attention fully to Notre Dame in Week 1, Fickell said Friday that both Kevin Heywood and Emerson Mandell have been working on the side but remain out of team periods as Wisconsin sorts through its options for the opener.
“They’ve been out on the side, doing some real work, we’ve just kinda kept them out of most of the team stuff. There’s some things we’ve gotta figure out probably in the next five days, as far as which route we go for game one,” Fickell said.
“I don’t think we know that now, I’m not sure we’ll know that tomorrow or the next three or four days. It’s one of those things, next week, we’ll have to make some decisions.”
That’s about as much clarity as Wisconsin is getting right now. Fickell’s comments matched what has been visible throughout camp: Heywood and Mandell have been around the offensive line room, working through drills and staying engaged, but they have not been part of the full-team work.
Heywood has been out since suffering a lower body injury during practice No. 2.
Mandell, who had foot surgery during spring ball, has not yet returned to action either. Both have been present at practice and, in Heywood’s case, very active with the rest of the offensive line group even while staying off to the side.
The biggest issue for Wisconsin is the right side of that line, which has been shorthanded for essentially all of camp. Fickell’s next task is figuring out who fills those spots if the opener arrives before either starter is fully cleared.
At right tackle, the answer looks straightforward. Lucas Simmons-Johansson has been working as the starting replacement for Heywood throughout camp.
Right guard is less settled. Blake Cherry and Stylz Blackmon are both in the mix, and Blackmon’s reps increased as camp progressed.
“We know them, that’s the good thing. You take a guy like Shamar (Rigby), who we’ve only had since January who we don’t really know.
Then you take two guys like Kevin and Emerson, we’ve had here for over two years. We know a lot more about them.
Sometimes you have to save them from themselves. If you gave them an opportunity to get out here today and go live, I guarantee you both of those guys would’ve said ‘I’m going,'" Fickell continued.
That line suggests both players are eager to get back, but Wisconsin still has no firm timetable. For now, Heywood and Mandell remain in limbo as the Badgers move into game-week prep.
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