PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — Wisconsin center Jake Renfro took another step toward full strength on Saturday.

Renfro, who missed most of the spring after suffering a stress fracture in his leg, was fully cleared to participate in UW's fourth fall training camp practice at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. The Cincinnati transfer continued his ramp-up process with the second-team offense.

"I've seen Jake practice for a few days, and he hasn’t been 100 percent yet," offensive lineman Jack Bicknell Jr. said on Saturday. "He's going 100 percent (right now), but he's not getting 100 percent of the reps. He's been getting better every day. The first day (Wednesday), it didn’t feel like his legs were under him. I am starting to see him move with more suddenness and more power. It's been a while since he's been out there."

Redshirt junior Tanor Bortolini, UW's most versatile lineman, has been working with the first-team offense at center. Joe Huber, another Cincinnati transfer, has been working at left guard, the position Bortolini began the spring at. He's also gotten some work at center, along with Dylan Barrett.

Bortolini started camp last year as UW's second-team center but primarily played guard during the season, making six starts on the left side and one on the right. He started at center in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl after Joe Tippmann declared for the 2023 NFL Draft.

"You never want to be without a center," Bicknell said. "I said, 'OK, let's pretend Jake is not there.' Let's get Huber and Tanor ready (at center), which we've done. Dylan has done a nice job there too."

Renfro said he suffered the stress fracture during UW's first spring practice in March. The discomfort worsened in the two sessions after that.

"No surgery. I just needed rest," Renfro said. "I was in a boot and on crutches for a little bit. I was taking it easy and not putting all the weight on it."

Renfro played in 20 games with 19 starts at Cincinnati, earning first-team All-AAC honors in 2021, the season the Bearcats became the first Group of Five team to reach the College Football Playoff. Renfro has not played since being on that national semifinal appearance.

Four days before Cincinnati's 2022 season opener, the 6-foot-3, 310-pounder tore his meniscus. He had surgery shortly after but suffered the same injury nine weeks later during a rehab workout.

Needless to say, he's eager for UW's Sept. 2 opener against Buffalo.

"I am super excited," he said. "It has been a long time for me. It wasn’t a fun year for me last year. Sitting on the sidelines, that's not fun. I am itching to get back and hit somebody else instead of my own teammates."

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