Wisconsin Offensive Line Sees Improvement in Spring Practice

Sophomore left tackle Kevin Heywood and transfer Stylz Blackmon stand out as key contributors on the O-line.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 2:27am

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A cubist-style painting depicting the abstract shapes and movements of an offensive line play, with players' bodies fractured into geometric planes of color and texture.Wisconsin's offensive line is undergoing a transformation this spring, with young players like Kevin Heywood and Stylz Blackmon emerging as key contributors.Madison Today

Wisconsin's offensive line is seeing significant improvements during spring practice, with sophomore left tackle Kevin Heywood and transfer Stylz Blackmon emerging as standouts. Heywood, who is coming off a season-ending ACL injury, has made major strides in his pass protection under the guidance of offensive line coach Eric Mateos. Meanwhile, Blackmon, a former Division II standout, has impressed the coaching staff with his physicality and football IQ since joining the team from the transfer portal.

Why it matters

The Badgers' offensive line was a major question mark heading into the offseason, with just two returning starters. The development of Heywood and Blackmon, along with the continued growth of players like Colin Cubberly, could help solidify the unit and provide crucial protection for the team's offense.

The details

Mateos has been pushing Heywood hard in practice, challenging the sophomore to improve his pass sets after a 'weird' technique coming off the injury. Blackmon, a transfer from Augustana, has also caught the coach's eye with his physicality and high football IQ, quickly earning reps with the first-team offense. Meanwhile, Cubberly has made major strides in his play, learning to play with more control and leverage after a up-and-down redshirt freshman season.

  • Wisconsin began spring practice in early April 2026.
  • The team has completed 9 spring practice sessions so far.

The players

Kevin Heywood

A sophomore left tackle who is coming off a season-ending ACL injury, Heywood has made significant improvements to his pass protection technique under the guidance of offensive line coach Eric Mateos.

Stylz Blackmon

A transfer from Division II Augustana, Blackmon has quickly impressed the Wisconsin coaching staff with his physicality, football IQ, and ability to earn reps with the first-team offense.

Eric Mateos

The offensive line coach for Wisconsin, Mateos has been working closely with Heywood and Blackmon to develop their technique and physicality.

Colin Cubberly

A sophomore guard, Cubberly has been one of the most improved players on the offensive line, learning to play with more control and leverage after an up-and-down redshirt freshman season.

Luke Fickell

The head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, Fickell has been open to bringing in players from the transfer portal to help bolster the team's offensive line.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not taking credit for anything. I mean, we could have pulled up a YouTube video, and the set would have been better than what he was doing.”

— Eric Mateos, Offensive Line Coach

“He's just a good player. He just blocks his guy. It sounds very novice to say, but he just blocks...It's not always perfect, and we're working on a lot of just skills and things to make him realize that this is the extra energy and intensity you have to bring at this level of football.”

— Eric Mateos, Offensive Line Coach

“He's gone through kind of a transformation from how he views himself. I think he kind of viewed himself as like, 'Hey, I'm a contributor. I want to try and not spill the milk.' That's kind of how he played last season. 'I want to hurt people, but I don't want to mess up.' That was kind of how his film looked as a redshirt freshman.”

— Eric Mateos, Offensive Line Coach

What’s next

The Badgers will continue spring practice over the next few weeks, with the team's annual spring game scheduled for April 29th. Coaches will be looking for continued development from Heywood, Blackmon, and Cubberly as they work to solidify the offensive line ahead of the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Wisconsin's offensive line has been a point of emphasis this spring, and the emergence of players like Heywood, Blackmon, and Cubberly provides optimism that the unit can improve significantly from last season. The Badgers' ability to develop their young linemen and integrate key transfers will be crucial to the team's success in 2026.