Chicago Confidential: Tyler Biadasz is ‘heart of Wisconsin’s offensive line’
July 16, 2019 | Football, Mike Lucas
Returning starter excited for versatility of this season’s big men
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Tyler Biadasz doesn't anticipate the line of questioning changing anytime soon. Not when the offensive line is usually the starting point for any discussion about Wisconsin football.
But since Biadasz is the only returning starter from the O-line that opened the 2018 season — a unit that started nine of the first 10 games — he knows there will be a heightened curiosity this year.
How good can the Badgers be up front? Especially considering they must replace a combined 181 career starts from Michael Deiter, Beau Benzschawel, David Edwards, Jon Dietzen and Micah Kapoi.
As part of UW's player contingent — along with tailback Jonathan Taylor and linebacker Chris Orr — Biadasz fully expects to get the "How do you avoid a drop-off?" question Friday in Chicago.
"They will probably ask that and rightfully so," he said, shrugging. "And that's fine."
Finishing the week STRONGER Finishing the week FASTER Finishing the week BETTER Finishing the week TOGETHER #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) June 21, 2019
Biadasz may have been thinking about his response ever since announcing he was returning for his redshirt junior season after getting his evaluation from the NFL's College Advisory Committee.
"As long as we have a really good work ethic and we work just as hard, if not harder (than last season), I don't think there will be a drop-off," said Biadasz, the consensus first-team All-Big Ten center.
"If we're all on the same communication level, we'll be up there again. That's the main thing. As long as you play together, you'll have that chemistry.
"And we've all played together, whether in practice or spring ball."
Last spring, however, Biadasz had hip surgery and didn't participate in organized drills.
"It needed to be done and I do feel the difference with my footwork and everything, which is big for me because it makes me a little more flexible," he said. "I feel good. I don't feel any pain."
In light of the personnel losses on the O-line, the Badgers will rebuild around Biadasz, a preseason All-American. USA Today ranked him as the second-best offensive lineman in college football.
Wrote Paul Myerberg, "Biadasz is the nation's top center, the heart of Wisconsin's offensive line and one key reason why running back Jonathan Taylor has gained more than 4,000 yards …
"Once the unknown commodity on a line overflowing with size and experience, Biadasz is now the Badgers' unquestioned leader up front …"
With the loss of three All-Americans — Benzschawel, Edwards and Deiter — Biadasz has been conscientious about his leadership responsibility.
"When they all left, it definitely opened up a role for me and I've embraced it," he said. "From a leadership standpoint, you're making sure you're more involved with your teammates.
"With the freshmen coming in, you're showing them the ropes. Being in that leadership role can be a little different. But you don't have to change how you do your stuff.
"You lead by example and maybe you're being a little more vocal. I've brought along all the guys who played last year, and our group is close."
Ready to Jump Around?! 🙌 Join us at Camp Randall! Single-game tickets are on sale now. Want to be there for the action all season long? A limited number of season tickets are still available! 🎟 http://go.wisc.edu/gum1k4
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 16, 2019
Biadasz leads the group but he doesn't lead alone. There's returning experience in Cole Van Lanen (27 games/1 start), Logan Bruss (13/6), Jason Erdmann (40/1) and David Moorman (41/0).
The personnel may change — the high expectations don't — not with a UW offensive line.
"As a group, we want to be the best in the Big Ten and the best in the nation," said Biadasz, who has started 27 of 27 career games and graded out as Pro Football Focus' top center in the country in '18.
"That's the goal — to be the best. You have to go in with the mentality that you're going to be the best every day. As a group, we have that capability and we have to keep working to get there.
"We have to stay focused when we need to be.
"But, obviously, we're going to have our fun going out and eating."
A year ago, Biadasz, Deiter, Benzschawel, Edwards and Dietzen were featured on a cover of Sports Illustrated's college football preview issue. Their appetites made for a good story.
"That was that group and we had a really fun time," Biadasz said of their weekly trips to Red Robin. "But now it's a different group. It's a different season. It's a different team."
Friday Feeling: S T R 😤 N G E R #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 12, 2019
Reflecting on last season, Biadasz felt there were instructive moments in the setbacks.
"You can think of a loss and how it happened," he said, "and learn from the game and the situations that we were in."
If anything, he implied it was a lesson in not taking anything for granted.
Or looking beyond anybody.
"You're locked into that moment," he said of gameday. "Not the moment down the road."
Biadasz will be one of five offensive linemen in Chicago for Media Days. The others are Illinois' Alex Palczewski, Indiana's Coy Cronk, Michigan's Ben Bredeson and Rutgers' Zach Venesky.
"They're doing the same things you're doing — they're playing football, the sport you love, and that's something you have in common with them," said Biadasz, an Amherst, Wisconsin, native.
"I'm looking forward to representing our university."
He's also looking forward to touting his teammate: Taylor, the indomitable tailback.
"He's a great leader — his examples and actions speak louder than you can imagine," Biadasz said. "He always appreciates the O-line. That's the thing with our offense and the group as a whole.
"We give feedback and we're honest with each other."
It's why you tend to take Biadasz at his word when he says that he doesn't expect a drop-off.
"I like the versatility that we have," he said of the offensive line, "and I'm pumped."
