BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MADISON, Wis. — Logan and Tyler Bruss, fraternal twins, have been playing a variety of sports and video games together since they were in elementary school. During their formative years, they shared a bedroom and a passion to compete in typical brotherly fashion.

That competitiveness carried over to Kimberly (Wisconsin) High School where Logan, a dominant 6-foot-4, 260-pound lineman in the Fox Valley, and Tyler, a 6-1, 170-pound wide receiver, were on football teams that won 56 consecutive games and four straight state championships.

Even after they went their separate ways — Logan to UW-Madison, where he has been a 25-game starter on the offensive line, and Tyler to UW-Oshkosh, where he earned his BBA degree in Logistics, Materials and Supply Chain Management — they've often stayed in touch through their gaming.

"I try to see him as much as I can — he has been down here a few weekends and I've been back home (Appleton) a few weekends," Logan said. "We still play (video games) occasionally when it lines up with our schedules. When you're away at college, it's a good way to stay connected."

This summer, the Badgers staged an eSports Showdown among team members and Logan Bruss defeated tailback Jalen Berger, tight end Jake Ferguson and cornerback Faion Hicks in the finals to win the "Rocket League" title, dispelling any perception skill position players are superior gamers to linemen.

"I think that's the myth," Bruss laughed.

Lately, he has shifted his focus to the real games that begin with the Sept. 4 matchup against Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers will return to the practice field Friday morning and there will be no lack of motivation in training camp. The countdown to the opener has arrived.

"There are a lot of good players on the team ready to step up," said Bruss. "As far as the O-line goes, I thought we had a really good spring. There are a lot of guys who worked really hard and I think we set ourselves up to be in a really good position depth-wise once the season starts.

"I thought we made some really good strides when we had the top 10 guys together the whole spring. We got a lot of good work in — a lot of good chemistry built. It was just that confidence in getting used to playing next to the guys you're going to be playing next to. I think we're on the right path."

There were some obvious potholes on that path last year. When spring football was canceled in '20 because of COVID, it affected the developmental programs more so than anybody else. In particular, it impacted younger players who may have been taking on new roles or coming back from injury.

"It's a huge factor," Bruss said. "Especially at this level. There are a lot of fine details that can kind of get lost when you've gone that long (seven months or longer) without playing football.

"Not having that spring ball means you have to do a lot more learning on the fly in camp."

Chemistry and continuity have been the pillars in constructing an efficient and cohesive offensive line. With all the uncertainty and protocols — with all the social distancing, testing and quarantining — those fundamental elements were impacted last spring, summer and fall.

"I lived with a couple of linemen," Bruss said. "But we were in tiny workout groups (last summer). Every meeting was virtual. We couldn't hang out. We couldn't do stuff outside of football. I really only saw those guys for a couple of hours a day for practice and we went our separate ways after that.

"It's really hard to build that necessary chemistry when you're barely around each other."
 

With the graduation losses of O-line stalwarts like Cole Van Lanen and Jon Dietzen — both of whom are in training camp with the Green Bay Packers — Bruss has accepted the responsibility of being more of a leader for not only his position group but for the team as a whole. His voice has range.

"It has always been something I've tried to work on and improve on myself," he said. "The guys in the room make it really easy. I think it's the closest the O-line unit has ever been. That's something I've seen during my time here. Each year the O-line has gotten closer and closer."

In taking on that leadership mantle, he said, "First of all, you have to be a guy who walks the walk. You have to be a guy who's setting the example for the younger guys showing everybody how it's supposed to be done. You gain that voice by letting your actions speak first.

"Once guys trust you, then they'll start to listen to you. Holding yourself accountable is the main thing because you can then hold anybody else accountable. It's something I've tried to do — leading other guys and helping them be the best they can be, so they don't make the same mistakes I made."

In this capacity, Bruss has been mentoring two highly-recruited second-year players: guard Jack Nelson from Stoughton was a five-star and tackle Trey Wedig from Kettle Moraine was a four-star. In the spring, Nelson took over as the top right guard and Wedig got reps behind Bruss at right tackle.

"Both of those guys have already grown so much since they've shown up here; both are definitely in a good spot," Bruss said. "Jack has made some gigantic strides, especially in the spring. I'm really excited to be playing next to him. I think we can do some really special things together."

Beyond Nelson's physical attributes, he added, "The effort and energy that he brings really stands out. That's the first thing you notice about him when you watch him play. And that's something we need. We need a guy like that on the field. It's kind of contagious."

During the offseason conditioning phases, Bruss has seen growth in quarterback Graham Mertz who has dealt with extraordinary hype and expectations. There were some setbacks, to be sure, in 2020. But he also energized the fan base by the way he started and finished his first season as the starter.

"He has grown the most in just the confidence and the mentality that he has," Bruss observed. "It's hard to come in as a freshman — just getting thrown in there and being given the reins. He seems more comfortable and a lot more confident as a leader. That's something I see out of him every day."

The Badgers will go into training camp with some questions about their running attack, a staple of the program. Jalen Berger appeared in only four games but made a good first impression. It remains to be seen how much Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi and the incoming freshman will factor into the rotation.

"After you've gotten your feet wet a little bit, you see him (Berger) move a little bit differently now," Bruss said. "We have a lot of other guys in that room that hopefully can push each other. That's the most exciting part for me: the competition. That makes guys strive to get better."

So does opening the 2021 season with a brand opponent. Last year, Penn State won its final four games after losing the first five. The Nittany Lions have also won the last four meetings in the series with UW. Their last appearance in Madison was in 2013. The last time these teams played was in 2018.

"You just know the stadium is going to be packed and Madison is going to be buzzing that day," Bruss said. "Everybody likes those challenging games. Those are the games you remember. Those are the games that I look forward to the most; the games you're going to be tested a lot. We'll be ready."

Bruss has been the only Wisconsin offensive lineman to garner any significant recognition for the preseason All-Big Ten teams. While this might be one of the most unheralded units in some time — largely because the standard in the trenches has been so high here — he's confident in his linemates.

"The thing that matters the most is the confidence that we have in ourselves," he said. "I know what kind of talent the guys in the O-line have. And that's all that really matters to me. I don't really pay attention to the outside people who don't see us work and the chemistry that our line has."

As a group, they have already taken advantage of the new opportunity afforded college players in terms of name, image and likeness with a restaurant endorsement. But any evolution into the NIL era has not been uppermost in Bruss' mind. It's just not something he spends a lot of timing thinking about (though he always gets excited about eating).

"I just want to play some football and win some games, that's my main focus," Bruss stressed. "Coach always says, 'Keep the main thing the main thing.' And that's what I want to do. I want to help this team win as many games as we can and chase that Big Ten championship."

Let the countdown begin.