MADISON, Wis. -- Position coach Jack Bicknell Jr. and transfer center Jake Renfro are two of four newcomers to the offensive line room this spring, along with transfers Max Rader and Joe Huber. Through OTAs and one camp practice, the depth and talent stood out immediately.

"I've been here for three months now and it's been absolutely amazing," Renfro said of the transition from Cincinnati to Madison. "The city of Madison has been great and the teammates have been especially phenomenal. We finally got to put on the pads a little bit on Saturday and got to see how everyone plays. There are some really good offensive linemen here and it's really fun to play next to them.

"I've only got the chance to play with Tanor Bortolini and Michael Furtney but they were both outstanding and make my life a whole lot easier."

Wisconsin's strong depth along the offensive line was on full display during the first practice on Saturday. The first unit Bicknell Jr. featured was a similar mix as this past season, with Renfro stepping at center for Joe Tippmann being the biggest difference. A top unit from left to right of Jack Nelson, Bortolini, Renfro, Furtney and Riley Mahlman left a second group that featured Nolan Rucci, Joe Brunner, Dylan Barrett, Joe Huber and Trey Wedig.

With some shake up possible through spring ball and fall camp, the early reserve unit includes a former four-star recruit in Brunner, a former five-star recruit in Rucci, Huber, who started 13 games at right tackle this past season for Cincinnati, and Wedig, who played in nine games with seven starts at Wisconsin in 2022.

"I think we have a lot of guys that can play, I really do," Bicknell Jr. said. "I think we've got good depth so, in my opinion, if we have six, seven, eight guys, even then we'll rotate those guys. You see the defensive line rotating in all the time, so it'll give us a chance to be fresh. Especially after hopefully a 14-game season that we'd have next year."

That kind of depth works best for what Bicknell Jr. likes to do as the position coach. He recalled back to his time with Ole Miss from 2017-19 when he played seven or eight offensive linemen a game.

In 2019, the Rebels featured seven linemen who played in at least seven games and 150-plus snaps. Other than guard Jalen Cunningham, who logged 155 snaps in seven games, the other six top linemen played 475 or more snaps in 12 games. The year before in 2018, his line included tackle Greg Little, who would be selected in the second round of the NFL Draft after the year. For as talented as Little was, he was still swapped out for a series a game.

As Bicknell Jr. described, his plan is to rotate by series at times, dependent on a case-by-case basis.

"You just try to figure out that if they are basically equal then they are going to play basically equal, but if there is one that is way better, then maybe someone gets a series off a half and it's amazing how much that can help them," he detailed. "It can give them a little bit of a different perspective of what's going on out there and really more than that, being able to be fresh for the fourth quarter."

Off the top of his head, Bicknell Jr. pointed to Huber and Wedig as utility guys who will "be in the mix." Youngsters like Brunner and Rucci were described by their position coach and teammates as "knocking on the door." Rucci (89.0) received the top grade from Pro Football Focus, albeit through just 28 snaps in two games played in 2022. Brunner saw 38 snaps this past season with a handful of impressive reps in the bowl game against Oklahoma State.

JP Benzschawel and Dylan Barrett were also mentioned as players who could see snaps and play a role. But Bicknell Jr. added a disclaimer at the end of his list that he doesn't love mentioning names because he might forget a guy or two.

"I tell the guys that are in the second group to compete and go show us that you're better," Bicknell Jr. said regarding an emphasis of competition in the room. "Now the guys in the first group know I am not going to give you that position and that's what makes every person better because they are not going to be complacent.

"They are not saying I kind of have it made and I don't think anyone can really say that in our group because we've got really good players, and that's what really makes you good. I've been places where those guys I would say that, and then the o-line would be like 'yeah, I don't think so. This guy is not playing over me.' They absolutely cannot say that here because they absolutely have some guys behind them that can play."

Nelson, entering his third season as a starter for the Badgers, echoed Bicknell Jr.'s comments.

"I'd certainly say the level of skill and just the level of maturity in that sense in the football world has certainly elevated," Nelson said of the experience and depth in the room. "We've got way more than five guys that can step in and play here and that's really comforting as well, just to know that we're set. We've got all the tools, we just got make it happen."

_________________________________________________

*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den

*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel

*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)

*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45, @pete_brey12, @seamus_rohrer

*Like us on Facebook