Wisconsin Football has a Major Problem Brewing on the Offensive Line

Wisconsin Football has a Major Problem Brewing on the Offensive Line

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Wisconsin Football has a Major Problem Brewing on the Offensive Line
Wisconsin offensive line coach Eric Mateos.
Wisconsin offensive line coach Eric Mateos. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin football's offensive line has already made some promising strides this fall.

The running game is still a work in progress; the Badgers average just 92.0 rushing yards per game, checking in at 117th nationally in that category. Still, the offensive line looks much more cohesive as a unit and its held its own in pass protection, allowing just two sacks on 89 drop-backs thus far, both of which came against the loaded front of Notre Dame in Week 1.

Left guard Colin Cubberly could be Wisconsin's best offensive lineman right now. Center Austin Kawecki has been exactly what it envisioned as a plug-and-play starter. Right tackle Kevin Heywood hasn't missed a beat in his return from a torn ACL, while D-II Augustana transfer Stylz Blackmon has been a pleasant surprise.

"There hasn't been a lack of physicality. There hasn't been a letdown, even if you pop on the second group," head coach Luke Fickell said of his line.

Left tackle PJ Wilkins, however, has struggled through three games.

"I'm not gonna lie, PJ, we have to push a little more," Fickell said ahead of the Eastern Michigan game.

Unfortunately, things didn't exactly improve against the Eagles.

Pro Football Focus credits Wilkins with having allowed six pressures without a sack through three games. Having watched the tape myself, I can confidently say that's generous. Wilkins has been fine as a run blocker, but he's really struggled at times with his pass sets.

Watching Wilkins struggle in pass protection through three games, I can't help but harken back to what offensive line coach Eric Mateos said about his promising but raw left tackle during fall camp.

"I think he needs to work on his confidence with who he is as a player. He's a 6-6, 340-pound tackle with an 86-inch wingspan. You're not a finesse player, so don't play finesse. Just because that pass set you saw on Instagram from Lane Johnson looks good when he does it, that's not you," Mateos said.

"I think once he fully accepts, 'man, I'm a wide-hipped, long-armed athletic kid, I'm gonna put my body on people, I think he'll be a really really good productive player."

What are Wisconsin's options?

Wisconsin offensive tackle Lucas Simmons.
Wisconsin offensive tackle Lucas Simmons-Johansson. | Wisconsin Athletics

Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson is the top backup at tackle. He's played very sparingly this season, with eight snaps against Notre Dame, eight snaps against Western Illinois and two against Eastern Michigan. Otherwise, the only other tackle that's taken snaps this season is career backup Barrett Nelson, who has all of 27 snaps to his name in his career.

Still, it may behoove the Badgers to give Simmons-Johansson a shot. In fall camp, he was forced to play right tackle with Kevin Heywood injured, a switch Mateos considers quite difficult and akin to wiping with your other hand. But the former Seminole played 84 career snaps at left tackle in his Florida State days, and the Badgers can't afford to keep trotting Wilkins out there if his struggles in pass protection persist.

Penn State on the road isn't necessarily the best time to experiment with your starting blindside tackle, but this has become a legitimate problem Wisconsin needs to address sooner or later if Wilkins doesn't improve quickly.

Today's best reads

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as Wisconsin Football has a Major Problem Brewing on the Offensive Line .

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos