BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MADISON, Wis. — Despite an age difference, a three-year separation in recruiting classes, there has been a developing chemistry on the left side of Wisconsin's offensive line between Jack Nelson, 20, a redshirt sophomore from Stoughton, and Tyler Beach, 22, a sixth-year senior from Grafton.

"He's been around the block, that's for sure," Nelson teased.

"I've been around for three generations of Benzschawels," Beach acknowledged with a grin.

Maybe their bond has something to do with an off-field history. Prior to his senior year of high school, Nelson recalled sitting down on his campus visit that summer with Beach, then a UW sophomore. "He was telling me about everything here," Nelson said. "And now I'm playing next to him."

Their communication is stronger than ever. Out of necessity. Both are in the midst of transitioning to a different position during spring practice: Nelson from guard — where he has started 13 of 14 games — to left tackle. Beach from tackle — where he has started 21 of 47 games — to left guard.

"It's been fun, I like playing next to him because you know he's going to be really physical," said Beach, who laughed when it was suggested that some of Nelson's feistiness has already rubbed off on him after a post-whistle disagreement with a defensive back in a recent practice. "He's always got a good attitude."

After redshirting as a freshman and taking practice snaps as a backup right tackle, Nelson switched to right guard and started all 13 games in 2021. Logan Bruss, a fifth-year senior, was the starting right tackle for 10 games. Bruss had been Nelson's recruiting host, so there was a bond there, too.

"That was a real tight group – that fifth-year group – so I was hanging out with them, and I really got close with them," Nelson said of Beach, Bruss, Josh Seltzner and Blake Smithback. "I feel very fortunate in that fact, especially how welcoming those mentors were to me."

The other seniors moved on. Why did Beach come back? What went into the decision?

"I was disappointed in the performance I had (last season) … coming off an injury especially contributed to that factor," said Beach, who was injured during the preseason training camp. "I think I got only two to three practices before we had our first game.

"There's nothing that can simulate a live rep. The first few games I felt like my ankle was weighing me down. I was trying not to think about it. I tried to keep it out of my head. I got some more recovery with it, and it started to feel better as the season went on."

Despite playing at less than 100 percent early on, Beach still wound up starting all 13 games at left tackle. At the end of the season, he was recognized on the All-Big Ten third team (coaches vote). After getting an evaluation on his NFL draft status and marketability, he opted to return to the UW.

"I made up my mind probably a couple of days before the bowl game; it was pretty late," Beach said of the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 30. "I was just making sure I talked to every person I could talk to … I was weighing all my options … I wanted to continue playing football and my best opportunity was to stay."

Besides using family and friends as sounding boards, he kept the Badger staff in his decision-making loop. One of those coaches was Joe Rudolph. Before Wisconsin's 20-13 win over Arizona State in Vegas, Rudolph had informed his O-linemen that he would be leaving for Virginia Tech.

In the end, Rudolph received the ultimate parting gift from his position group. Taking over the ball on their 3 yard line, the Badgers grinded out an 18-play, 90-yard drive to burn the final 9:57 off the clock. Beach, Seltzner, Nelson, Cormac Sampson and Tanor Bortolini were the blockers up front on that march.

When the players returned for the second semester of classes in late January and began UW's winter conditioning phase, it was just a matter of time before they were taking instruction in the offensive line meeting room from Bob Bostad, who came over from the defense and replaced Rudolph.

Armed with years of college and NFL experience coaching the O-line, including an earlier stint at Wisconsin, Bostad had a working knowledge of his inherited personnel from a defensive perspective as UW's inside linebackers coach. After studying film, he had changes in mind for Beach and Nelson.

"He (Bostad) said that he was really excited to have me come back, and he thought I moved and bended well and that guard would be more of a natural fit for me," recounted Beach, who admitted that the last time he had lined up at guard for any extensive period was probably middle school.

"As these practices have gone along, I'm enjoying it. Just knowing you have a guy inside and outside of you is probably the biggest adjustment. Having to make up for that space, everything happens a lot faster."

The phrase "playing in a phone booth" has forever been linked to interior linemen. Beach pointed out the urgency in "having some better football awareness" because of the tight quarters. "You've got to see defensive movement a lot faster," he said, and react accordingly. So far, so good.

Spring reps are vital to growth and continuity. Beach has been familiarizing himself with the guard rules and the different playing styles of Nelson to his left and Bortolini to his right. The latter has taken over for Joe Tippmann, an 11-game starter at center last season, who's rehabbing an injury.

Although he's feeling more and more comfortable inside, the 6-foot-6, 316-pound Beach conceded, "I've got a lot to figure out and a lot to do with the rest of spring ball. It's about understanding the playbook fully and, like I said, understanding things happen a lot faster at guard."

After returning to campus following winter break, it happened fast for Nelson, who got a phone call from Bostad sounding out where he felt most comfortable. Nelson was a four-year starter at left tackle at Stoughton High School. "I told him," Nelson said, "I think I can help the team most at tackle."

On why tackle is seemingly a better fit, the 6-7, 303-pound Nelson explained, "I'm longer, I'm taller, it's kind of a leverage thing. I think speed, athleticism and quickness are my strengths. I loved my time at guard, don't get me wrong, but I have been really comfortable out there (tackle)."

Nelson believes that he will reap benefits from his experience as a starting guard.

"It will definitely not hurt me," he said. "It could only help learning how to play in the interior – kind of understanding and giving respect to what those guys have got to do and how I can help them, and they can help me (at tackle). I'm rounding myself out as a football player."

Bostad has brought his own priorities and intensity to the O-line room and practice field.

"His whole approach is efficiency," said Beach, who graduated in December with an international studies degree. "He wants to get as much done as we can (in practice). I respect that. We're getting a lot of reps, and the only way to get better is take reps. High-rep stuff.

"There are a lot of new, different coaching points. It's really interesting to learn and pick up on all of those things. I really didn't learn guard in the old offense. So, I'm learning it now and I feel like I'm at an advantage because I'm getting all the new information (without old habits)."

In searching for the right words to describe Bostad's coaching approach, Nelson settled on, "To the point. Straight to the point. There's no nonsense. No magical secret. The first day we had a meeting, he told us he's not going to give us some kind of line or cool acronym or something like that.

"He just said, 'The work and workload and our performance would speak for itself.' With the workload, it's fast-paced. A lot of reps. High-energy reps. I really like it because it's only going to make us a better O-line. It's going to take time to get things to mesh. But it's coming. I've got a lot of faith in it."

Bostad has implemented sprints at the end of practice for O-line mistakes made during practice.

"False start or something like that," Nelson said, "and it's gasser time. I'm all for it."

So is Beach, who admitted, "We had too many of those mistakes last year."

Running alongside of Nelson has been his younger brother Barrett, a freshman early enrollee.

"He's learning … it's coming along," Jack said of Barrett, a 6-6, 277-pound tackle. "The one thing I can reflect on big time is the transition from high school to college. I just remember that learning curve being insane. I showed up here and it was like, 'Oh, my gosh.'"

Jack Nelson was also an early enrollee. But 2020 spring drills were canceled because of COVID.

"He's ahead of where I was because he's actually doing spring ball," said Jack, who has welcomed the opportunity to be teammates again with his sibling (the sons of former UW lineman Todd Nelson). "It's pretty awesome actually. He hangs out with all of us. We're different people. But it has been good."

At the midway point of spring practice, Nelson, Beach, Bortolini, Michael Furtney and Logan Brown are getting most of the snaps with the first unit. Sampson, Riley Mahlman, Nolan Rucci, Trey Wedig, Dylan Barrett, Sean Timmis, Kerry Kodanko and JT Benzschawel are competing for reps.

"I want to be the anchor of this O-line. I want this O-line to be the anchor of this team. It's always about the defense, the defense — and I love the defense — but I think it's time for the offense (to assert itself)," Nelson opined.

Much to the delight, no doubt, of Bostad who couldn't have spelled it out better for a still-maturing offensive line.

"We've got good players and with that comes competition," Nelson concluded. "That's how you want it."