Players were frustrated and reeling after Wisconsin's loss to UCLA, and so were fans. So it's no wonder that offensive lineman Kevin Heywood said something that wasn't fully clarified, and fans (like myself) took it and misinterpreted his intent. He told reporters after the game, "What it felt like, for the O-line specifically, was four guys doing the right thing and one guy doing the wrong thing."
Which sounds, without any clarification, a lot like a player throwing another player under the bus. Especially when there has been a consistent weak link on the offensive line this season. The boxes were all checked, and many assumed there was a bit of a culture issue. Today, Heywood clarified that he was speaking generally about how it always seemed like there was one guy out of sync. Not a specific guy, but it is like they all took turns not playing together.
"We talk about it in the film room all the time; five-as-one is the way the offense goes," Heywood said. "Four versus one, and you can't have a positive play... it was taken way out of context." He wants his point to be that the offensive line, as a unit, needs to be better, not just one specific player; all of them. "I would never call out one of my boys."
#Badgers OL Kevin Heywood clarifies his comments from after Wisconsin's loss to UCLA that "got taken way out of context": pic.twitter.com/ZzRHBFNGpK
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) October 20, 2026
Wisconsin's offensive line needs to be better and there's an agreement with that
Related: There are 3 coaches who need to take accountability for Wisconsin's loss to UCLA
It makes sense; when you read the comments from that angle, it makes sense what he's saying. Listen, Kevin, I'll raise my hand and say that I heard you wrong and wrote all about "throwing your teammate under the bus." I can wear that, along with a ton of other Badger fans. You're right, though; the offensive line needs to be better and more in sync.
Fellow offensive lineman Colin Cubberly came to Heywood's defense and said a similar thing. "It was a different guy every play; our big thing is we need to be five-as-one," Cubberly said. At times it was him, other times it was Kevin, and really everyone who rotated or played on the line. They have to be better together.
“It was a different guy every play… we need to be five as one.”
— Riley Jauch (@rileyjauch) October 20, 2026
Badgers OL Colin Cubberly clarifies Kevin Heywood’s comments from after the UCLA game, saying everyone was making mistakes and that he wasn’t making a direct call out. pic.twitter.com/myUArGZdY8
At the end of the day, Wisconsin has to be better on the offensive line, getting protection for the quarterback but also creating clear running lanes for the backs. If the offensive line can get the push that Wisconsin needs, it opens up the rest of the offense. There's a big desire among both fans and players to see the offensive line get things going consistently, especially in a grind-it-out game like against UCLA.
Heywood is right: positive plays can't really happen when the offensive line is out of sync. The line has done a good job of getting Colton Joseph protection but has yet to really get the running attack going consistently. Wisconsin fans are eager to see a big game on the ground, and all eyes will be on this offensive line on Saturday against USC.
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