Wisconsin Football 2016 Outlook: Offensive Line
How the Wisconsin football offensive line looks heading into 2016
For a Wisconsin football team that started seven different offensive line combinations in 13 games last season, several young players were thrown into the fire out of necessity before they were ready. Several Wisconsin Badgers’ linemen became more versatile by moving around to different positions and received plenty of valuable experience that could make for a big turnaround in 2016.
Related Story: Wisconsin Football 2016 Outlook: Running Backs
Injuries to the offensive line became a common occurrence during the end of fall camp, and it spilled over into the regular season as well. Just two of the five starters on the offensive line of the opening game against Alabama were able to finish the season, and the only player to start at his same position for all 13 games was left tackle Tyler Marz, who will not be back in 2016.
Without playing together very much, the chemistry was off for most of the season, which led to a lack of holes for running backs to run through and consistent pressure on Joel Stave.
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Wisconsin’s offensive line played its best two performances in the regular-season finale against Minnesota and in the Holiday Bowl against USC. In those games, the Badgers had four redshirt freshmen in the starting lineup, which is certainly a good sign for the future.
Looking ahead to 2016, it appears two positions on the offensive line are set with the other three spots up for grabs.
If he recovers from a torn ACL and lateral meniscus in his right knee suffered on Oct. 24, Dan Voltz will be Wisconsin’s starting center in his fifth-year senior season. Michael Deiter, who is the only returning offensive lineman to start every game last year, moved from left guard to center to fill the void. After a solid redshirt freshman season, he will likely return to his spot at left guard as a sophomore in 2016.
Other than left guard and center, the last three spots remain up in the air.
To fill Marz’s spot at left tackle, it might be junior Ryan Ramczyk, a transfer from Division III school UW-Stevens Point. Jacob Maxwell started three games at right tackle as a redshirt freshman, including the final two games of the year. He will have a shot to be the full-time starter as Wisconsin’s right tackle.
Beau Benzschawel started six games at right tackle last season as a redshirt freshman before Walker Williams‘ injury moved him to right guard. Benzschawel seems much more comfortable on the interior of the line as opposed to the outside, and he will likely be in competition for the starting right guard position, which will likely feature the most wide-open battle during camp.
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Also in competition for right guard will be Micah Kapoi, who started 10 games for the Badgers as a redshirt freshman last season – four starts at right guard and six at left guard. Williams will likely battle for a right guard spot in his fifth-year senior season after starting there for seven games in 2015. After redshirting as a freshman, Jon Dietzen will likely be in the mix as well.
The Badgers will have a lot more depth to their offensive line than they did in 2015. Of the eight offensive linemen to start games last season, six (or seven depending on if Hayden Biegel returns) will be back with more talent coming in.
Some of the younger players who have a shot to move into the two-deep depth chart include Kevin Estes and David Moorman, who will be redshirt freshmen, and true freshman Cole Van Lanen, a four-star recruit.
Next: Wisconsin Football 2016 Outlook: Quarterbacks
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor for more as we continue detailing the 2016 Wisconsin football roster.