It's hard to tell if Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is mailing it in or if he's putting all his chips in the middle of the table. Injuries have plagued his season at key positions like quarterback, safety, and center. He's now making two desperate moves on the same day vs. Michigan to see if somehow they can pull a win out of the hat when all hope seems lost.
It was already reported that he's turning from Danny O'Neil to Hunter Simmons vs. Michigan. You can read that here. But he's now also turning to transfer left tackle Davis Heinzen to center. Yes, you read that right, at center.
With center Jake Renfro out again with knee/ankle issues, the #Badgers are turning to senior Davis Heinzen. Heinzen started Week 1 at left tackle. Will be his first college snaps at center.
— Colten Bartholomew (@CBartWSJ) October 4, 2025
I wrote about his mission to contribute after being benched:https://t.co/oJidltvdG3
Davis Heinzen will get the start at center playing the position for the first time in his career
Related: Luke Fickell's coaching malpractice vs. Maryland has cost Badgers dearly vs. Michigan
The problem with this move is that Heinzen has never played center before. This would be the first time ever, and he's going to be snapping it to a quarterback who is playing in his first Big Ten start? This is a recipe for disaster.
The move makes sense at one level. It puts a player who failed to make the transition from Central Michigan to Wisconsin at his normal position, left tackle. Yet, he still has some chops but needs more support. Putting one of your most veteran blockers in the line could pay off, but it's a big gamble.
Luke Fickell has complained about having a redshirt freshman making up most of the offensive line. He has even directly stated that it's one of the main reasons the line has struggled all season. Adding fifth-year senior Heinzen into the line along the interior instead of an anchor on the edge makes sense from that level.
It's a gamble and it has a high chance of backfiring, but right now Fickell is trying to find a way to win. He's trying to find a way to save his job.