During his weekly press conference, Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell provided injury updates for two of his key players.
MADISON – The news was mixed on the injury front for a couple of key University of Wisconsin football players.
Badgers coach Luke Fickell said Aug. 25 that tight end Tucker Ashcraft will miss the season opener against Miami (Ohio) Thursday night at Camp Randall Stadium.
The coach also said center Jake Renfro is ready to go after missing a couple of weeks with a left leg injury. The sixth-year senior got hurt during the final segment of practice Aug. 7 and, except for a few drills, missed the remainder of camp.
“There's a reason that Jake represented us and went with us to Vegas to the Big Ten media days,” Fickell said during his weekly press conference at the McClain Center. “It has a lot to do with leadership. It has a lot to do with his ability to communicate but also has to do with his play as well. Having him back the last four, five, six days I think has been a boost.”
At the time of the injury, the word from UW’s athletics communications was that Renfro would be evaluated weekly and that he wasn’t ruled out for the season opener.
The news wasn't as detailed for Ashcraft, who suffered an apparent left leg injury during practice Aug. 12. He was ruled out for the final three days of camp and needed a scooter to get around practice when the team scrimmaged on Aug. 16.
The will be the first game Ashcraft misses for UW. No length of time was given for how long he'll be sidelined.
“It certainly hurts because Tucker has had a tremendous camp,” offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said Aug. 15. “I would say he's been one of the most improved players that we've had from the spring to this fall in every aspect.”
Ashcraft was sharing the No. 1 tight end role with Missouri State transfer Lance Mason and the two often were on the field together.
How the UW offense might look without Tucker Ashcraft
Without Ashcraft the Badgers offense will look different. UW likes a lot of two tight end looks and Ashcraft worked most with Mason and graduate student Jackson Acker.
This week the challenge will be replicating the impact of those packages without a 6-foot-5, 257-pound junior to count on. Grimes won't just lean on his other tight ends.
“The nice thing is we've got plenty of receivers that I think can play and we've got some receivers that we can use to do some of the jobs that tight ends would normally do,” Grimes said.
"We've got some really physical blockers at receiver. Chris Brooks, in particular, comes to mind and can do a lot of the things that a tight end does. He's maybe the best blocking wide receiver I've been around.”
Ashcraft caught 12 passes for 82 yards and one touchdown last season.
In his absence, Mason and Acker, a former fullback who moved to the position in the offseason, are listed as the No. 1s on the depth chart. Redshirt freshman Grant Stec and redshirt sophomore Jackson McGohan are expected to share the role as the backup.
Ashcraft’s absence could also create the opportunity to use more two-back sets. Freshman Dilin Jones, sophomore Darrion Dupree and redshirt junio Cade Yacamelli are expected to get snaps.
“If all three of those guys are healthy and we can play with two of those guys on the field at the same time, then you can still do some of the things that you might have done in 12 (two-tight end personnel) without feeling like you've got to spread it out more,” Grimes explained.
Here are a couple other takeaways from Fickell's press conference.
Danny O'Neil will be the No. 2 quarterback
It took until the final week of camp, but O'Neil beat Southern Illinois transfer Hunter Simmons for the role of Billy Edwards' top backup.
"Danny being here in the spring gave us a little bit better opportunity to see how he does in some live action and then I think by the end of the camp it's just the consistency, the ability to make plays...," Fickell said. "He's a smart football player that I think truly I will outplay his normal ability of what people would think of him."
Nathanial Vakos will handle place-kicking duties
Vakos will open the season as UW's place kicker, but Gavin Lahm can be used up to four games without burning his final year of eligibility. Expected to see him get some work as well.
"The great thing about college you still have some of those flexibilities with games to be able to play, but we know this: that both of them we feel are really, really good," Fickell said.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Injury will sideline Wisconsin TE Tucker Ashcraft for season opener
Category: General Sports
