MADISON – Kevin Heywood will tell you that he always feels he is going to be 100%, so it makes sense that the Wisconsin’s Badgers’ massive tackle didn’t think anything was wrong when he went down in practice last April.
Then he saw the results of the MRI.
The sophomore tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. For him, the 2025 season was over before it started.
“I was just like, you know, like, stuff happens. It’s football,” he said. “We sign up to play this sport, and it comes along with the game.”
A year later, it’s hard to tell the 6-foot-9, 318-pound right tackle was ever hurt. He said he feels better than ever and his play is trending that way, too.
With six spring practices left, Heywood has solidified himself as the man to beat for the starting spot at right tackle. His journey to recovery started with a can-do mentality that had him thinking about getting back on the field last season.
“It was really just thinking to myself just how am I going to get back better and not take a step [back] while I was injured,” he said Friday, April 17, at Camp Randall Stadium. “I think I really did that and attacked it well, and I’m happy I’m here today still.”
Heywood not only feels he returned better, but he came back a little bigger. He is listed an inch taller. He is back playing the right side, where he was a top backup as a freshman. He was also a right tackle in high school. It is where he feels most natural.
Aiding his comeback have been some tweaks he made to his pass set at the request of offensive line coach Eric Mateos.
“He’s done a nice job of learning how to play square and be efficient with his feet,” Mateos said. “I think when we started, we struggled a little bit being under control with our techniques and he’s done a nice job of learning how to play within himself.
“He wants to hit people in the face and that’s a great quality, but you have to combine that with the discipline and technique.”
Heywood feels his pass protection is better this year. He also believes his football IQ is better, too.
“I just feel more comfortable looking at the safeties and the corners and knowing they’re going to blitz and just being that vocal guy on the field for the O-line, because the more vocal, the more confident you feel,” Heywood said. “I really just feel like it just builds the confidence in all five of the O-line and I think we’ve been playing great so far all together.”
Heywood said he was cleared to begin on-field work at midseason. Late in the season he considered a return to game action, though he ultimately decided against it.
His injury wasn’t the only reason the Badgers’ offensive line struggled last season, but it played a key part in the process.
UW tried to replace him with Central Michigan transfer Davis Heinzen, but when Heinzen didn’t work out, the Badgers moved Riley Mahlman, a three-year starter at right tackle, to the left tackle spot and shifted redshirt freshan Emerson Mandell, who started the season at right guard, to right tackle.
It took weeks for the unit to jell and even then it didn’t perform at a high level.
Watching it wasn’t easy. … but that’s not a problem anymore.
“I would say it was pretty tough mentally,” Heywood said. “But as soon as the season ended, we pushed it behind us and just keep moving forward, stacking days now, and I think we’re going in a very good direction compared to last season. “
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin tackle Kevin Heywood comes back strong from ACL tear
Reporting by Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
