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Sep 20, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Vinny Anthony II (8) is congratulated after earning a first down during the second quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

4 changes Luke Fickell and Wisconsin Badgers should make during bye week

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 7:17 PM ET

The bye week gives the Wisconsin Badgers some extra time to evaluate what has gone wrong through the first four weeks of the season.

An extra seven days won't allow Luke Fickell's staff to complete rebuilt their offense or defense, but they can make simple corrections or tweak their lineups to try and find a better approach for the rest of the season.

Here are four changes they should make to try and turn the tide of the season:

Make Omillio Agard the starter at cornerback

Since the start of the season, the Badgers have been rotating redshirt freshman Omillio Agard and transfer senior D'Yoni Hill at the starting cornerback spot opposite Ricardo Hallman.

It's time to hand the young corner the keys to the car.

Agard has missed a couple of tackles, but he's been Wisconsin's most consistent coverage player at the position, with a nice interception to show for it.

Hill hasn't been terrible, and a cornerback change isn't going to fix the whole defense, but keeping Agard on the field will give him more opportunities to make plays and grow into a future leader of the defense.

If Hallman continues to struggle, the bolder move would be to bench him instead, but he is a leader on the defense and deserves the opportunity to bounce back.

Use Vinny Anthony II more in the slot

Vinny Anthony is the Badgers most dynamic, consistent weapon. Wisconsin would be wise to get him more involved and move him closer to the quarterback.

Backup QB Danny O'Neil has had most of his success targeting the middle of the field, and tight end Lance Mason has been his favorite target working up the seam.

He's had a harder time consistently pushing the ball to the sidelines, where Anthony spends the majority of the time.

VINNIE ANTHONY KICK RETURN TOUCHDOWN

OH MY GOD#Badgers #RollTide pic.twitter.com/OZtx7Z1hi5
— CFB Badger (@CFBadger) September 13, 2025

Putting him in the slot more would better align him with the quarterback's eyes and give him more room to run after the catch as he works across the middle of the field.

Trech Kekahuna only has one missed tackle forced on 11 catches this season, mostly from the slot. Anthony has made five defenders miss on 12 catches. He needs the ball more.

Try Davis Heinzen at right guard

The right side of the Wisconsin offensive line has struggled with the inexperience of two redshirt freshmen at guard and tackle.

Their best option to add more experience might be Davis Heinzen.

The transfer player addition was the Week 1 starter at left tackle before getting benched, but a move to guard could be best for everyone involved.

Heinzen struggled with speed off of the edge, which should be mitigated by a move inside. He played plenty of guard during his previous seasons at Central Michigan, and he earned higher PFF grades on the interior than at tackle for the Chippewas.

It should be a better spot for him and an upgrade over a young Colin Cubberly that is experiencing plenty of growing pains early in his career.

And if Heinzen doesn't turn out to be any better, the Badgers can go back to Cubberly and be right back where they started. It's a low-risk move that could improve what is arguably the team's biggest weakness.

More screen passes

Wisconsin hasn't been able to get the ground game going with its running backs.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes has done a good job of getting creative to try and find alternatives, but one area he could tap into more is the screen game.

The Badgers are middle-of-the-pack in how often they throw screen passes this season, but it can serve as an extension of the running game, and they have the talent to take full advantage.

Vinny Anthony is a proven play-maker with the ball in his hands, and Trech Kekahuna is a smart runner too. Even Darrion Dupree has flashed some impressive receiving out of the backfield.

Add in that Chris Brooks is an impressive blocker from the WR position, and Wisconsin should be able to set these plays up well if they make it an emphasis.

It won't fix all of their offensive problems, but it's small wrinkles like these that can represent real improvement out of the bye week and get them closer to success in the future.