One Wisconsin Football Position Battle That's Already Taken an Interesting Turn

One of the biggest position battles expected to unfold and ultimately climax in fall camp is off to an unexpected start.

Wisconsin's left tackle position, which was tentatively held by Ole Miss transfer PJ Wilkins following spring practice, was expected to be hotly contested.

Though Wilkins clearly had the inside track, Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson made moves towards the end of spring practice, beginning to take some of his reps with the starters.

Then, during summer workouts, the former Seminole managed to keep his momentum going. He was shouted out by offensive line coach Eric Mateos as one of the more impressive players during summer workouts, and according to the coach he gained 20 pounds since the conclusion of spring training.

That primed Wilkins and Simmons-Johansson for what appeared to be a highly entertaining battle for one of the most crucial positions on the entire team. But that's not how fall camp has unfolded.

Heywood injury shakes up Badgers' O-Line

Wisconsin OT Kevin Heywood. | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin's starting right tackle, Kevin Heywood, sustained a lower body injury at the second practice of fall camp and is currently considered "day-to-day." His absence has pushed Simmons-Johansson out to the starting right tackle role.

“All O-line coaches are grinding out to make number seven, number eight on the roster viable to go win football games. This to me gives us an opportunity to do that even earlier and more frequently than we already anticipated. We were gonna rotate guys who were number six, seven or eight...I look at it as an opportunity to develop the depth now," Mateos said Tuesday after fall camp practice No. 5.

Depth along the offensive line was arguably Wisconsin's biggest issue on offense last season outside of horrific injury luck/play at the quarterback position. If the right side of the Badgers' offensive line misses significant time in fall camp, that depth will get thrown to the wolves wether Mateos likes it or not.

Not only is Simmons-Johansson now suddenly a consistent member of the starting five up front, he has to switch sides while still internalizing the Badgers' offense.

Simmons learning a new position in a new offense

Wisconsin offensive tackle Lucas Simmons. | Wisconsin Athletics

"You know, he always kinda played a style of offense that was like two run plays in it and that’s it. The playbook has expanded for him dramatically and he’s responded well to it," Mateos said.

"He’s responded well to sudden change. Like, ‘Okay, I gotta move over to the right,’ he’s never done right tackle in his career. That’s a big change, and some people don’t think it’s a big change, but try wiping when you go to the bathroom with your opposite hand, tell me how it goes."

The big variable in this entire equation is how quickly Heywood can return to action. Let's say he's back next week — does Simmons-Johansson flip back over to the left side to compete with Wilkins?

Or what if Heywood is out right up until Week 1? With Simmons-Johansson taking every starting right tackle rep, is a flip back to left tackle off the table? This situation is largely just a matter of Heywood's availability, but however it unfolds, there will be a big domino effect along the offensive line.

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