Reports: Wisconsin offensive line to be led by Bob Bostad
Wisconsin reportedly has found its new leader for the offensive line, and it is a familiar face to many who have followed the program in the past 16 years.
Bob Bostad is anticipated to take over the offensive line coach duties, filling a key role within the coaching staff according to reports on Thursday from the Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. UW has not officially announced the transition of the longtime assistant back to the offense from his current role as inside linebackers coach. BadgerBlitz.com reached out to the athletic department for confirmation, and a UW official said on Thursday afternoon that he could not confirm those reports.
Bostad reportedly replaces Joe Rudolph, who officially departed for Virginia Tech to lead the same position group as well as hold run game coordinator duties on Jan. 3.
Bostad has mentored NFL-ready Badgers such as T.J. Edwards, Ryan Connelly and Chris Orr as UW's inside linebackers coach from 2017 to the present. Jack Sanborn and All-American Leo Chenal are two other names that will likely be added to that list as well with their departures from Madison after the 2021 season.
Bostad, the veteran assistant, also developed several standout Badgers during his first stint with Wisconsin from 2006-11. He coached the tight ends for the 2006 and 2007 seasons, but he moved to the offensive line from 2008-11.
Several linemen claimed honors and went on to the NFL, as noted by Bostad's UWBadgers.com profile. Gabe Carimi won the 2010 Outland Trophy on way to becoming a unanimous consensus All-American. John Moffitt, Peter Konz and Kevin Zeitler all received first-team All-America nods under his guidance.
Carimi, Moffitt, Konz, Zeitler, Travis Frederick and Rick Wagner also worked into careers at the professional level.
Between his stops at UW, he coached offensive lines for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-13) and Tennessee Titans (2014-15). He returned to the college ranks in 2016 at Northern Illinois as the program's tight ends/fullbacks coach.
Bostad moving to the other side of the ball will open a hole at inside linebackers coach on Jim Leonhard's unit.
BadgerBlitz.com will have more regarding Bostad's transition to the offensive line.
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