'They Wanna Know About the Offensive Line': Jeff Grimes Loves Interactions With Badgers Fans

It's no secret that Wisconsin football's offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes has a soft spot in his heart for the offensive line.

The play-caller was an offensive lineman himself at UTEP in the late '80s, and his wide zone running-based, pro-style offense is predicated on having a physical and punishing offensive line.

That, of course, is a major reason why the Badgers' offense struggled last fall. The constant revolving door of quarterbacks certainly didn't help either, but the patchwork offensive line is what prevented Wisconsin's offense from being even moderately functional.

The Badgers also like to fancy themselves "O-Line U," given the program's strong history at the position. It's one of the reasons why hiring Grimes made so much sense ahead of the 2025 season.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite the brief dalliance with air raid-minded offensive coordinator Phil Longo, Wisconsin fans haven't forgotten the foundation that once made this program great, and Grimes has the proof.

“Obviously, I’ve felt the support at our games, from people that I run into at the grocery store, church, anywhere. They all wanna know what’s going on, how you doing?," Grimes said, appearing on the Badger Connect Podcast with Mike Heller.

"Interestingly enough, a lot of places I’ve been, people will ask about the quarterback or the passing game. Here, they wanna ask about the offensive line. ‘Where are you at in getting the run game going?’ Which I love.”

Coach Grimes breaks down what fans from his former teams asked him vs what Wisconsin fans want to know 😂 This is pretty on brand. #OffensiveLineU #Badgers #WisconsinFootball pic.twitter.com/KgYIrZBZWn
— Badger Connect (@Badgerconnect) March 26, 2026

Anyone who's been around Wisconsin's program, fanbase or even simply the state itself knows this is incredibly spot-on. The Badgers and the Big Ten as a whole are often perceived — sometimes with a negative connotation— as old-school, physical, trenches-oriented football. That perception is exactly right.

Badgers Fans Are Asking the Right Questions

Badgers fans asking Grimes about the state of the offensive line aren't just romanticizing the good ole' days. With the way this offense is currently constructed (mobile quarterback, plethora of capable tailbacks, unproven receivers), the offensive line is once again the biggest key for Wisconsin's offense to change the narrative in 2025.

Even if Colton Joseph turns out to be a below-average passer in the Big Ten, this offense could still be relatively potent with its rushing attack and Joseph's mobility. However, that all hinges on the offensive line coming together and performing in a way we haven't seen them perform yet under Fuke Fickell and company.