MADISON, WIS. -- Time is a flat circle in one key facet of Wisconsin's offense during the 2022 season with Bob Bostad returning to his roots as offensive line coach.

Bostad, who mentored the program's inside linebackers for the past five seasons, comes back to a room where he helped develop such NFL-bound Badgers as Gabe Carimi, Kevin Zeitler, Peter Konz, Travis Frederick and Rick Wagner. He described the process of making the switch back to this group and what he hopes to accomplish with his new players.

"I mean it was pretty fast. 'Do you want to do it?' Absolutely," Bostad said. "You know, it's something I love to do. I love the group I had before, but kind of this is my passion. What do we have to do to get it back to -- I don't want to be one of those guys that sit there and go, 'You know what, I'm going to change the culture.' The culture is good here. The work ethic is good here, there's a lot of super good things here. We've got good players.

"I just need to make sure that they're really squared away, and we're doing the best things to put them in position to have success."

Bostad took over for Joe Rudolph, who departed UW to take on the offensive line coach and run coordinator duties at Virginia Tech. BadgerBlitz.com asked one question to five Wisconsin linemen on April 8 about their new position coach, with each inquiry revolving around an area of difference that they have noticed since Bostad took over.

Precise questions to each player have been provided below for transparency, while both questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

If there’s one area of what Bob's doing that's different from what you’ve experienced in the past? Is there one key area that’s helped you grow?

“I would say just like our approach is like a pretty physical mentality. Like get the job done, beat the hell out of guys, and you know, I really liked that. It's attack the guys at the line of scrimmage, get movement, get knocked back and I love that because you're playing ball at that point. So I really liked that part about it.”

With Bob coming in, is there one thing that he's taught you, one thing that stands out from his teaching that maybe you haven't learned in years’ past that stands out to you at the moment?

“I would say the ID system is a little different, and that's the big thing. You could tell he's coached defense for the past four years. He has a very good understanding of what the defense is going to do, what they're trying to get you to do, and he explains it. ‘OK, in this look, here's what the defense is thinking, so this is how we should think as an offense,’ and I think it's a really cool perspective to have.

"Being able to understand what the defense wants to do, how they want to pick you apart, and be able to think, OK, as an offense, how can we pick that apart, pick that up and put ourselves in the best position to be successful?”

Is there a one particular thing Bob's doing different compared to what you've been doing in previous years that's stood out to you?

“I have to say our pacing in practice while we're doing like individual and whatnot. Very little rest, but I think that's helped me as a player grow because I've always felt coming off those injuries when I was younger, I never felt like I could catch back up to being in the proper condition.

“So just with us having a rough, high, fast-paced individual periods and whatnot, I think it's really gotten me to where I need to be.”

A question prior, Brown was asked what is the biggest difference he sees regarding Bostad's teaching.

“I'd have to say with our previous coach, we did a lot of stuff in the meeting room. Now we do a lot of stuff on the field. They're both beneficial in their own way. For me, I kind of like doing stuff on the field. It gets a little tiring at times, but what doesn't in this sport? I just learn better while I'm doing things, so I enjoy that better.”

Is there one thing that Bob's doing differently compared to what you've been learning in the past that's stood out to you, in your eyes, so far?

“I mean every coach has different techniques, different coaching methods, and even if you look at the pros, every single offensive line, there’s going to be things that overlap. But every single offensive line is gonna have different techniques, different things like that. So when he came over, we knew there was gonna be differences.

"In terms of just stand out things, it's just different techniques. We approach things a little bit differently. It's not like you’re recreating the wheel here, but it's definitely like there's differences and noticeable differences in terms of playing.

“But I personally have been, like I said, just been a student of the game where I'm trying to absorb everything I can and perform it to the best of my ability every time I get the opportunity."

Is there one particular area that Bob has instructed, one area that’s stood out for you in terms of what you're doing now, compared to what you've been taught or learned from previous years?

“I wouldn't say any huge differences. I mean, obviously the playbook’s different now. A different coach is gonna have different stuff, different calls, that kind of thing. Little different nuances and techniques.

“I don't know, it's hard to explain, but it's been awesome. I think that the difference he has is kind of just this attitude that the o-line is gonna be kind of like this anchor. There's no if, ands or buts about it. You see us running and stuff after practice. Like, it's got to be done.”

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