7 thoughts from Wisconsin football fall camp practice No. 4
More offensive line shuffling, a continued presence in the backfield by a transfer, and more from Platteville.
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The musical chairs continued for the University of Wisconsin offensive line Saturday.
Redshirt freshman Colin Cubberly received first-team right guard reps during Wisconsin’s fourth fall camp practice inside Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium, giving position coach AJ Blazek and the Badgers’ staff yet another combination to evaluate early in the preseason. Central Michigan transfer Davis Heinzen worked at first-team left tackle, and redshirt junior Joe Brunner returned to his starting left guard on Saturday as well.
Center Jake Renfro and right tackle Riley Mahlman continued to hold down first-team reps at their respective positions.
Cubberly enrolled early in January 2024 but didn’t play in a game last season. He possesses some versatility as he’s received second-team reps at left guard this week as well.
Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said it’s harder to retain backups in college football that are older, so younger players have “their backs against the wall here” and need to give more than before.
“I think it would be great to go in there and start to evaluate that,” Fickell said. “The consistency over time is where usually that difference is between those second-year guys and those third- and fourth-year guys, but he's showing the maturity.
“He's been here early, and I can tell you this, that he's seeing fresh guys. It's not like whether you're with the ones and twos. At least there's some depth on the defensive line that they're being challenged in everything that they do, and so I think he's done a great job, and we need him to.”