MADISON — The Wisconsin football team starts training camp two days from now.

As we move toward Aug. 2, BadgerBlitz.com finishes its position-by-position analysis of the roster with a look at the offensive line.

RELATED: Quarterbacks | Cornerbacks | Running backs | Inside linebackers | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Outside linebackers | Special teams | Safeties | Defensive line

At least seven offensive linemen could be regular contributors for the Badgers this season.

The starting five at full strength this spring included Jack Nelson (left tackle), Tanor Bortolini (left guard), Cincinnati transfer Jake Renfro (center), Michael Furtney (right guard) and Riley Mahlman (right tackle). Trey Wedig and Joe Huber, another Cincinnati transfer, were the top reserves. Both can play tackle, guard and center.

"In my opinion, if we have six or seven guys, eight guys even, then we’ll rotate those guys in," offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. said. "You see the D-line rotating all of the time. This will give those guys a chance to be fresh.”

In-game rotations would not be a new concept for Bicknell, who has built a lengthy resume in college football and the NFL.

Bicknell told reporters in March that he played seven or eight linemen per game at Ole Miss from 2017-19. In 2019, according to Pro Football Focus, seven players logged at least 155 snaps. Six of them had 475 or more.

"When I was at Ole Miss, Greg Little came off one series a game," Bicknell said. "For whatever reason, he always struggled early in the game. He was a top-round draft pick (second round, 2019). Someone would come in for him. I had a right tackle who would rotate every series or every two series.

"You just try to figure out if they are basically equal. Then they are going to play basically equally. But if there is one that is way better, maybe someone gets a series off a half. And it's amazing how much that can help them see things from a different perspective, just what's going on out there. But more than that, it's being able to be fresh in the fourth quarter.

"If I can get seven or eight guys… That way you’re not looking at guys in the fourth quarter just beat to holy heck. And at the end of the year, you have some fresh guys."

How the starting line looks when camp begins on Wednesday will be notable. Renfro missed most of spring ball with a lower-body injury, which forced Bortolini to move over to center. Wedig and Huber each got reps with the first team at left guard.

Assuming Renfro is back, Bortolini would move back to left guard. But Wedig and Huber could still push Furtney at right guard.

Wisconsin's last two offensive line coaches had different philosophies in this regard.

Joe Rudolph, who's now at Notre Dame after one year at Virginia Tech, was a big proponent of cross-training. Bob Bostad valued grooming players at one spot.

Bicknell, who was North Carolina's offensive line coach last season, detailed his approach in February.

"You might have a veteran guy who will be staying right there. And you might have a young guy who just came in. You're not going to move him around. You're going to let him learn what he's doing," Bicknell said. "I try to approach it like there is no left and right. I try to figure out who can play center and guard and who can play guard and tackle.

"If a guy is struggling, he's not the guy to move. You keep him right there and see if he can learn one thing. But with other guys, you can have that flexibility."

Huber will be one of the most intriguing players to watch, as he could end up being UW's starting right guard.

The 6-foot-5, 308-pounder started all 13 games for Cincinnati last season at right tackle and posted a 71.5 pass-blocking grade and an 83.7 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus. He got reps at both guard spots and center during spring camp.

Wedig is another player who could steal that spot. He made eight 10 starts in 2022, including five at right tackle, two at right guard and one at left guard. He posted a 75.0 run-blocking grade and a 71.5 pass-blocking grade.

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