The 2018 Wisconsin O-line was as deep as the Mariana Trench. It is still quite deep, and highly talented, but now a little less so. Patrick Kasl, a redshirt sophomore who was competing for the starting left tackle job, recently announced that he was retiring from football to focus on his academic career. Given that he is a biomedical engineering major, such focus makes sense. Cole Van Lanen and Jon Dietzen will now battle for the position, though both should see hefty playing time this year.
Wisconsin football players departing the gridiron to focus on other pursuits is not a new phenomenon.