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Wisconsin Badgers facing serious question mark on offensive line after Week 1 win over Miami (OH)

The Wisconsin Badgers quietly made a change on the offensive line late against Miami (OH) as one starter struggled against lower-level competition.
Lorin Cox|
Aug 28, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Danny O'Neil (18) celebrates after earning a first down during the second quarter against the Miami (OH) RedHawks at Camp Randall Stadium.
Aug 28, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Danny O'Neil (18) celebrates after earning a first down during the second quarter against the Miami (OH) RedHawks at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers injury at quarterback overshadowed another looming concern for Luke Fickell after Week 1.

Whoever starts under center for Week 2 and beyond will need to watch their back.

Left tackle Davis Heinzen was one of the few Badgers players who visibly struggled against Miami (OH), a team he had experience playing against at his last school (Central Michigan).

According to PFF, Heinzen allowed two sacks, two quarterback hits and one hurry on 39 pass blocking snaps.

He graded better when it came to run blocking, but the pass protection performance was concerning against a lower-level opponent than some of the powerhouses later on Wisconsin's schedule.

Wisconsin quietly pulled him out at the end of the game, allowing redshirt junior Layton Nelson to play the final seven snaps at left tackle.

Fickell didn't sound overly concerned about his left tackle after the game, acknowledging the need to get better but also recognizing that one game doesn't necessary reflect the larger body of work.

"Everybody had their moments in game one," Fickell said. "We know we've got to make sure that the biggest improvement comes from game one to two."

He noted that the RedHawks consistently loaded up the box against the Badgers, making the job of the offensive line more difficult with the defense coming more aggressively.

Still, that type of performance from Heinzen won't hold up against teams like Alabama and Ohio State, so Wisconsin needs to quickly find improvement at left tackle.

The late-game switch to Nelson suggests the Badgers will explore their options. Another possibility is kicking left guard Joe Brunner out to tackle and promoting another guard off of the bench.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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