Wisconsin badgers

LATEST: Wisconsin’s offensive line has lacked consistency. Could AJ Blazek provide the solution?

Published

5 months ago

February 10, 2024

By the time Kevin Heywood finished a multi-week tour of college campuses in late April, his list of institutions offering scholarships had grown to 27. Heywood was a high-level recruit who deserved the chance to choose from any college football blue blood. He was ranked as the No. 6 offensive lineman in the nation by 247Sports Composite. However, the Pennsylvania native briefly considered Vanderbilt, a team that had not produced a winning season in ten years, while he sat in a meeting room on April 6.

Why? AJ Blazek, the offensive line coach for the Commodores, was the reason Heywood received a scholarship offer two months prior.

“We all left there and the family spoke about it,” said Heywood’s stepdad, Erik Dougherty. “If this guy was in a different situation, this might be the guy that we would gravitate towards just because of his high energy, his family disposition, everything about the guy. Plus, his coaching methods and the way he broke down Kevin’s film, we thought those were great positives.”

“He demands the best out of everybody,” Dougherty said. “You can see it. Kevin and Colin Cubberly are rooming together, and they went through their first workout with (director of strength and conditioning) Brady Collins. And then Blazek is like, ‘All right, what’s next on your docket?’ He took both of them out onto the field and they were doing duck walks and different stuff like that. He’s heavily involved and even just starting there, he’s digging right in.”

With Blazek’s arrival, Wisconsin’s offensive line faces yet another turning moment. He is the second coach for the team since Fickell took over less than 15 months ago, and the fourth coach for the program in the last four seasons. After a dismal first season under offensive coordinator Phil Longo, Blazek’s ability to construct a line during transition will have a significant impact on the offensive team’s performance.

This week, Blazek voiced his excitement about Wisconsin’s offensive line play tradition and history. He also highlighted his desire to establish the groundwork for the team to succeed under Longo’s Air Raid style. While coaching the position, there are always high expectations, and he isn’t hesitating. He cites the fact that 20 Badgers offensive lineman have been NFL Draft picks in the last 20 years, including 15 since 2011.

“I’ve had mentors over my career (say), ‘If you want to coach a position, go where they grow them,’” Blazek said. “If you want to be a quarterback coach, go to Southern California. But if you want to coach offensive line, go to Wisconsin. Going to the NFL is just a byproduct of what’s gone on in this building and in this stadium and in this state.

“There’s only one (FBS team) in the state. Some people are, ‘Well, there’s pressure with it.’ That’s the fun part. If you want to play at the highest level and coach at the highest level, you’re going to have the pressure at the highest level. Get comfortable with it. It happens. It’s a byproduct of what you’re doing.”

Blazek faces a significant task as he assumes control of the Wisconsin offensive line, which has a lot to address heading into the upcoming season. While four starters from the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU are returning—namely left tackle Jack Nelson, left guard Joe Huber, center Jake Renfro, and right tackle Riley Mahlman—the majority of the Badgers’ 13 scholarship linemen either lack playing experience altogether or have seen only limited action.

JP Benzschawel, who served as a backup right guard last season, saw a mere seven snaps on the field. Similarly, backup left guard Joe Brunner and reserve right tackle Barrett Nelson each played just seven and six snaps, respectively. James Durand, an interior lineman, did not see any action during his freshman year. Wisconsin bolstered its roster with five freshmen in the 2024 recruiting class: Heywood, Cubberly, Ryan Cory, Derek Jensen, and Emerson Mandell. However, the Badgers suffered losses in the transfer portal, with Trey Wedig, Nolan Rucci, and Dylan Barrett departing. Additionally, starting center Tanor Bortolini has declared for the NFL Draft, further complicating the team’s offensive line situation.

“I love the room right now,” Blazek said. “The young guys, there’s some talented kids. There’s some windows in there now with some loss and things like that. So we have some gaps to fill and have some young guys to get ready early. But you do this long enough, you’ve done that before. You’ve had to get a freshman ready or a redshirt freshman. Maybe they’re not quite ready, but who is until you throw them in there? And then as a coach, it’s your job to build his confidence and hold the older guys accountable and lead the right way.”

Wisconsin’s previous offensive line coaches each had distinct philosophies regarding player development. Joe Rudolph advocated for cross-training players across multiple positions to enhance versatility. Bob Bostad, who succeeded Rudolph in 2022, favored players focusing on one position to maximize proficiency. On the other hand, Bicknell adopted a hybrid approach, keeping some players fixed in one position while rotating others based on team needs.

Blazek intends to keep younger players stationed at one position initially to facilitate comprehensive learning, with potential reevaluation after preseason practices. The specific roles of other linemen will be determined by their capabilities; for instance, some may be adept at playing both left and right tackle, while others might excel on one side, such as right guard and right tackle. Blazek’s objective is to establish five primary starters while ensuring the availability of three reserves, which could include a versatile swing tackle and guard.

He emphasized the need to prioritize winning and fielding the best players, stressing that this level of competition requires readiness and adaptability. Blazek, who values building lasting relationships within a program, recognizes the significance of this approach for Wisconsin’s long-term success, especially given recent challenges.

Blazek’s coaching journey, which began as a graduate assistant at Iowa, has taken him to various schools, each offering valuable experiences. He credits his time at Western Illinois, where he was introduced to Air Raid offensive concepts, for broadening his coaching perspective. This exposure to diverse offensive strategies, coupled with his commitment to continuous improvement, has shaped his coaching philosophy.

Regarding Wisconsin’s offensive line performance in recent years, Blazek acknowledged areas for improvement, including schematic adjustments and refining fundamental skills like pass protection. He identified confidence-building as a key factor, emphasizing the importance of players approaching each game with a sense of pride and swagger.

Blazek remains optimistic about elevating Wisconsin’s offensive line play by employing proven methods from his coaching repertoire: hard work, fostering relationships, and maintaining a consistently positive and energetic atmosphere.

“AJ brings a lot of energy and just into the meeting room alone,” new wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton said. “To me, energy just bleeds off into anyone. That energy can be negative or positive. He’s one of those guys for me, I like to say I’m not tired ever. But if I’m in the meeting room and I’m tired, and AJ comes in bouncing around and he makes a joke or two, then it’s like, ‘All right, that energy just bled off on me and now I’m ready to roll.’”