Last week, the Wisconsin Badgers got some sad news when head coach Luke Fickell announced that starting offensive lineman Emerson Mandell would miss the remainder of spring practice due to surgery on his foot.
“Emerson is out for the rest of the spring,” Fickell said on Tuesday. “He had a small operation on his foot and will be out for the rest of spring. “
Fickell stated that Mandell should be ready for the fall.
The foot injury is the most recent setback for Mandell, who is regarded as one of the program’s highest-potential players after coming Wisconsin as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2024. Mandell was one of the biggest climbers last offseason, competing for the starting right guard position, which he eventually won before the season began.
Mandell was promoted to right tackle early in the season after Wisconsin underwent an offensive line shakeup that saw Riley Mahlman move to left tackle, where he stayed for the remainder of the season, appearing in all 12 games.
However, Mandell has suffered several injuries during his time at Wisconsin, including during spring practice and last fall, when he suffered another lower-body injury.
The redshirt sophomore has been the team’s right guard throughout the spring until injuring his foot last Thursday, forcing him to wear a boot for the remainder of practice. He will now be closed for the rest of the month.
With Mandell out, Arkansas rookie transfer Blake Cherry will get more chances to join the first offense. He’s a player the team likes, and they may try to push him into a important position in his first season with the Badgers, according to offensive line coach Eric Mateos.
