Wisconsin assistant coach AJ Blazek working to build depth on the offensive line

MADISON – Reporters met with Wisconsin offensive line coach AJ Blazek and five members of the unit on Friday.

The five players were projected starters Joe Brunner (left guard), Jake Renfro (center), Joe Huber (right guard) and Riley Mahlman (right tackle), along with reserve guard JP Benzschawel.

Jack Nelson, projected to start at left tackle, was unavailable because of class.

Here's a selection of comments from those interviews:

AJ Blazek, in his first year as UW’s offensive line coach, likely won’t have a true deep with backups at all five spots

The lack of experienced depth on the offensive line this spring has been striking. Two of the five freshmen are enrolled early and are already in the two-deep. Kevin Heywood is at left tackle and Colin Cubberly recently took over as the No. 2 right tackle. Cubberly has also worked at left guard and center.

Blazek said Friday he would be comfortable having a pair and a spare. In other words, a reserve who can fill in at either tackle spot and a reserve who can fill in at either guard spot.

“Odds are you’re going to have some bumps and bruises,” he said. “Odds are you’re going to have one guy get injured that you might not get back.”

With three spring practices remaining, Blazek is still looking for that combination.

Huber is the most versatile member of the line and could fill in at center, guard or tackle. He has been getting work at all three spots this spring.

Benzschawel is the third guard and Brunner could slide out to tackle in an emergency. He played right tackle at Whitefish Bay High School.

"I'm used to playing on the edge," Brunner said. "I'm confident in my ability. So, if I need to do it, I think I can."

Will AJ Blazek ride his first starters from start to finish? Not unless he must. He has other plans.

Like most offensive line coaches, Blazek will rely on his top unit when the game is on the line.

However, he made it clear Friday he wants to give reserves ready for game action a handful of snaps each week.

“You’re going to see that second guy play a drive or two in each game,” he said. “What that does, not only does it get the next guy ready, those starters, if you take off eight to 10 snaps a game, that is a game-and-a-half (rest).

“But they’ve got to be good enough. They’ve got to earn the trust of the guys.”

Joe Brunner, who was limited to special teams in 2023, has impressed AJ Blazek

Brunner showed promise in his four-game stint in 2022 under line coach Bob Bostad but was limited to special-teams duty last season under Jack Bicknell Jr.

Blazek raved about Brunner’s work so far this spring.

“He has played like a vet,” he said. “Like if I wouldn’t have known the history…he is playing really fast.”

Then he delivered the most telling line.

“He is one of those guys," Blazek said, "that I said: If anything, he probably warranted some reps in the past."

Brunner deferred to the decision made by the coaches in 2023 but acknowledged he was ready to play if called upon.

"When you have confidence," he said, "you want to play all the time...Obviously, last year was tough, but that just helped me learn more...

“I think I was ready. But if that’s not what the coaches had in mind, I’ve got to keep growing and working on me.

“I do think I was ready last year.”

More: Wisconsin football secures commitment from offensive tackle Cam Clark for 2025 class

JP Benzschawel is determined to stick it out with the Badgers and eventually contribute

Three reserve offensive linemen transferred after seeing minimal playing time in 2023.

Trey Wedig landed at Indiana. Dylan Barrett landed at Iowa State. Nolan Rucci landed at Penn State.

Benzschawel, a graduate of Grafton High School who has played mostly on special teams in his three seasons, never pondered leaving.

“I really trust this program and I believe in it,” said Benzschawel, who will be a redshirt junior next season. “There is really nowhere else I would rather be. I couldn’t imagine myself in any other jersey. I love this place. I bleed cardinal and white.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: AJ Blazek looking to develop depth on Wisconsin's offensive line