Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell met with the media Monday after his team’s 31-22 Week 2 loss at Washington State.
The tone around Madison, understandably so, is one of disappointment as Saturday made it clear the Badgers still have big improvements to make before the team can again be considered a favorite to win the Big Ten West.
One fix is cleaner and better play on both sides of the football. Another fix could be reinforcements along the lines of scrimmage, as the team has been playing without starting center Jake Renfro and starting defensive lineman Isaiah Mullens.
Related: Big Ten power rankings after Week 2: A bad week for Wisconsin
Fickell gave an update on the status of the two players entering Week 3 vs Georgia Southern. It’s a positive note:
Luke Fickell says #Badgers could get Jake Renfro back this week or next week. Same with Isaiah Mullens.
Will know more on Tuesday.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) September 11, 2023
The return of those two players could help two units which have been issues for the team thus far. Renfro would bring former All-Conference skill to the interior of the offensive line, while Mullens would bring valuable experience to a defensive line that has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Even if Saturday isn’t the day for both players to return, Week 4 at Purdue is looking more and more possible.