For the casual football fan, it may have been difficult to notice freshman offensive tackle Josh Oglesby before he stepped onto the field after starting left tackle Gabe Carimi went down with a right knee injury. Previously, Oglesby made appearances in the jumbo package, intended for goal line and short yardage plays, where he consistently flattened opposing defensive lineman.
Then again, Oglesby is hard to miss. He's listed at a conservative 6'7\ and 328 pounds, and is someone who Bret Bielema said is ""bigger than all of [the offensive linemen.]"" Size aside, Oglesby was also possibly the most heralded recruit to join the Badgers last year, generally ranked as the top offensive tackle in the nation coming out of Milwaukee's St. Francis high school. Oglesby redshirted last year due to a torn ACL he suffered during his senior year of high school.
Against Ohio State, an injury to the incumbent left tackle Carimi thrust Oglesby into the spotlight. Usually a nationally televised night game against a ranked opponent would prove daunting to someone getting their first significant amount of playing time, but Oglesby took it in stride and helped the offense gain 326 yards against the tough Buckeye defense, which currently ranks second in the Big Ten.
In regards to his performance against Ohio State, Bielema said ""Oglesby did not miss a beat when he popped in there at left tackle...[I] was very proud at the way he competed and showed up to play.""
Not only does Wisconsin's production against Ohio State speak to Oglesby's effort, but also the protection afforded to senior quarterback Allen Evridge. Solid pass protection is vital to the team's success, as evidenced by the recent breakdown against Michigan that led to several sacks and a key Evridge fumble during the waning minutes in the red zone.
If Carimi will not be able to play Saturday, Oglesby will have another tough test against the Big Ten's top defense and two talented defensive ends in sophomore Aaron Maybin and senior Josh Gaines. The ends swap sides during the game, so each tackle will get a dose of both. Maybin is in the mold of a speedy pass rusher, while Gaines is a hybrid between a tackle and an end. Needless to say, Gaines has a stout frame. Together, they will test whomever they go against in all phases of the game.
While Gabe Carimi's knee appears to be in better condition than previously thought, Oglesby won't be held off the field in a fulltime capacity for much longer. Senior right tackle Erik Vandenheuvel leaves an open spot along the line next year, a spot that Oglesby will almost undoubtedly fill, giving him three years to flaunt his talent and establish himself as the next great Wisconsin offensive lineman, something that is hardly farfetched. Oglesby has a better foundation than Joe Thomas had as a freshman, since Thomas was originally a tight end who did not weigh enough to play tackle. Oglesby came to Wisconsin as a monster and only needs to fine-tune his structure, to give him more time to focus on technique.
Oglesby is not yet a finished product, however, and Bielema noted in his weekly press conference that Oglesby has some maturing to do, which is a given for most freshman getting their first significant playing time.
Although Oglesby has some growing to do, he has more than enough time to do so.
Badger fans have good reason to be excited about the future of the offensive line, as Oglesby joins Carimi and sophomore John Moffitt as experienced players on a rebuilding line, while sophomore Bill Nagy and redshirting junior Jake Bscherer round out the cast of offensive linemen with game experience. For Oglesby, next year may have to wait, as Carimi's status is still up in the air.
