Wisconsin football spring questions: offensive line room
With spring practice set to begin in the next week or so, we are just days away from the Wisconsin Badgers being back on the practice field.
With a number of key additions and subtractions to the roster, as well as a revamped coaching staff, this spring will provide us the first look at what next year's football team might look like when they open up against Illinois State on September 3.
Previous spring previews:
Today we continue our position-by-position look at the major questions heading into the spring for the Wisconsin offensive line.
Is this the year for Logan Brown?
Former five-star offensive tackle Logan Brown came to Wisconsin as part of the 2019 recruiting class with a ton of fanfare. Unfortunately, injuries have limited the Michigan native's ability to see the field thus far.
Now entering his redshirt junior year, the clock is ticking for Logan Brown to earn a starting role and realize his full potential. The 6-foot-5 inch lineman is one of the more athletic offensive linemen to come through Madison, but it has yet to materialize for him with the Badgers. With a new offensive line coach taking over and both Logan Bruss and Josh Seltzer off to the NFL, the opportunity is there for Logan Brown this off-season to snag a starting role.
Brown has primarily worked at left tackle, but with Tyler Beach returning in 2022, it is not out of the question for Brown to bump down to left guard if he cannot overtake Beach for the starting tackle spot.
Wisconsin fans have been waiting to see Logan Brown see meaningful playing time based on his high school accolades. Is this the season he makes the jump to become a starter? We shall see.
What about Bob?
New Wisconsin offensive line coach Bob Bostad is known for having a hard-nosed coaching philosophy. His former offensive lines with the Badgers and in the NFL were incredibly physical, and Bostad has shown an ability to develop talent at multiple different positions.
Anytime there is a coaching change there are bound to be noticeable differences in strategy and approach though, so it will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments Bostad implements to get the Wisconsin offensive line back in business.
With multiple starting spots open this spring Bostad will have an opportunity to reshape the line how he sees fit, and there are plenty of young players that could be ready to help out. Only time will tell if Bob Bostad will shake things up and be the difference that improves the line in 2022.
Are any of the young highly-touted prospects ready?
Wisconsin has been stockpiling young talent along the offensive line the past few recruiting cycles. The Badgers have landed at least one four-star offensive lineman in each class dating back to 2019, giving the team a wealth of talented options.
Last season Joe Tippmann and Jack Nelson each made the jump into the starting lineup at a young age and played well. Can Trey Wedig, Riley Mahlman, JP Benzschawel, Tanor Bortolini, or Nolan Rucci make a similar leap in 2022?
With at least two open spots along the line open for competition, one would have to assume so. This spring will go a long way in determining which players have a chance in fall camp, and the competition should be intense.
Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Logan Bruss specifically mentioned Tanor Bortolini as a guy to watch on the right side of the line, but that still leaves at least one open job. With older options such as Cormac Sampson and Michael Furtney also in contention, the offensive line could provide the most intriguing position battles on the offense this spring.
