Year 2 for Luke Fickell set to open Friday with Wisconsin's first spring practice
MADISON – Wisconsin is set to open spring football practice on Friday.
After UW finished 5-4 in the Big Ten and 7-6 overall last season, Luke Fickell and his staff again used the transfer portal to bring in several players expected to be key contributors.
Fickell also hired four new assistants, including both line coaches.
Kenny Guiton took over as wide receivers coach after Mike Brown joined the Notre Dame staff.
Alex Grinch was named co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach after Colin Hitschler joined the Alabama staff.
Fickell moved offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. into an off-field role and hired A.J. Blazek from Vanderbilt.
After defensive line coach Greg Scruggs left for Michigan, Fickell hired E.J. Whitlow away from Air Force.
We have several questions as UW prepares to open spring ball, which this year is scheduled to end on May 2.
Is Tyler Van Dyke the answer at quarterback?
With Tanner Mordecai gone after his lone season at UW, the staff brought in fifth-year senior Tyler Van Dyke from Miami.
Van Dyke hasn’t been named the starter but he didn’t come to Madison to sit on the bench. It will be interesting to see how his skills compare to those of Braedyn Locke, who started three games last season after Mordecai suffered a hand injury.
Offensive coordinator Phil Longo is familiar with Van Dyke from his days at North Carolina.
Van Dyke had to deal with a revolving door at offensive coordinator at Miami and his best overall season was in 2021 when he passed for 2,391 yards and 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions.
He missed part of six games because of injury in 2022 and last season had 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Van Dyke has the arm to stress teams vertically but has to cut down on his interceptions.
How will the Badgers look at the line of scrimmage?
Blazek inherits an offensive line that returns four players with starting experience – left tackle Jack Nelson, left guard Joe Huber, center Jake Renfro and right tackle Riley Mahlman.
That should be a solid foundation. But can Joe Brunner or JP Benzschawel can take over at guard opposite Huber? Will Blazek have to rely on freshmen to fill out the two-deep?
Kevin Heywood and Colin Cubberly are among the early enrollees and it will be interesting to see if they have the potential to play immediately.
Whitlow inherits a defensive line bereft of experienced playmakers.
Starters Rodas Johnson and Gio Paez transferred, leaving end James Thompson as the most experienced member of the unit. Curt Neal could be the No. 1 option at nose tackle, though it will be interesting to see if freshman Jamel Howard is ready to push for playing time.
Elijah Hills, a transfer from Albany, is expected to contribute immediately. Freshman Ernest Willor is among the early enrollees and should get plenty of work.
UW's linebacker room has been revamped
UW fans might need a cheat sheet to recognize the new players at outside and inside linebacker this spring.
Transfers John Pius (William & Mary) and Leon Lowery (Syracuse) should compete with veteran returnee Darryl Peterson.
Can Aaron Witt make another step in his comeback from a foot injury that plagued him since the spring of 2021?
Jake Chaney is the only returning inside linebacker with considerable experience. UW added transfers Sebastian Cheeks (North Carolina), Jaheim Thomas (Arkansas) and Tackett Curtis (USC).
In general, the staff wanted outside linebackers with size and length and inside linebackers with more speed.
The aforementioned players fill those requirements and it will be interesting to see how those players fit into UW’s scheme.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Badgers set to open spring practice on Friday.