With less than two weeks until the start of the 2025 season, Badger football is still working out some key position battles on offense. So, where do things stand ahead of the August 28th season opener?
Quarterback
Starter: Billy Edwards Jr.
Backup: Danny O'Neil
Earlier this month, head coach Luke Fickell said that the backup quarterback job was still up for grabs. Those comments came as a bit of a surprise, especially because O'Neil, a former starter at San Diego State, had looked solid all summer. Hunter Simmons, the transfer from SIU, is the other quarterback battling for QB2, but he lacks FBS experience and faces an uphill battle to win the job.
Running Back
Starter: Dilin Jones
Backups: Darrion Dupree, Cade Yacamelli
While the Badgers will likely employ some sort of running back by committee, Jones has just been too good to ignore. He remain the most likely back to handle a bigger load on offense, although Dupree and Yacamelli may carve out significant roles in the passing game.
Tight End
Starter: Tucker Ashcraft
Backup: Lance Mason
Tight end has been a revolving door for Wisconsin this offseason. Transfer Tanner Koziol looked to be the starter until his abrupt transfer to Houston. Now an injury to Tucker Ashcraft creates even more uncertainy. Transfer Lance Mason may be the one to handle the bulk of the reps early on until more clarity is provided. Either way, there's strong potential like another year of underwhelming production from the group.
Related: Tucker Ashcraft’s injury could unleash the Badgers’ ‘best blocking’ receiver
Wide Receiver
Starters: Vinny Anthony II, Trech Kekahuna, Eugene Hilton Jr.
Backups: Jayden Ballard, Tyrell Henry
Anthony and Kekahuna are locks on the outside and in the slot, but the other outside receiver may be more of a competition than originally thought. Ballard had a great spring, but a quiet fall. The opposite is true for Hilton Jr. who has turned head as a true freshman. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes told reporters earlier this week that Hilton is "one of our better receivers", so his role may expand quickly despite his young age.
Offensive Line
Starters: Davis Heinzen, Joe Brunner, Jake Renfro, Emerson Mandell, Riley Mahlman
Backups: JP Benzchawel, Kerry Kodanko, Colin Cubberly, Leyton Nelson
A torn ACL for tackle Kevin Heywood in the spring complicated things for this unit, and Fickell and company are still working out the best possible combination. For now, it seems like Heinzen and Mandell will round out the offensive line, leaving veteran Benzchawel on the bench. The depth, especially at tackle, is a bit concerning, but this unit should be a strong asset to the offense when healthy.