After an uncharacteristically subpar year for the Wisconsin offensive line, the Badgers have been dealt a new blow after hearing redshirt junior Dan Voltz is retiring from football. The news came at fall camp on Tuesday and was first reported by Mike Lucas of UWBadgers.com.
Voltz, a 6-foot-3, 301-pound center on the Wisconsin offensive line, was a three-year starter and was in process of moving from center to guard. This transition began following an injury to his right knee where he tore both his ACL and his lateral meniscus, a devastating injury that ended his season early last year. Voltz selflessly volunteered the position to Michael Dieter, who replaced him in the aftermath of the injury.
Although the injury had been widely reported leading up to this bombshell, it still comes as a shock to hear that the offensive lineman is hanging it up. Starting three years for the Badgers put him on the watch list for the Outland Trophy in 2016, an award given to the best interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It’s also important not to forget that he was a member of the offensive line that helped Melvin Gordon rush for over 2,500 yards and nearly win the Heisman Trophy. There is no question his skills will be missed.
Voltz hadn't been practicing or listed on recent injury reports, so this may have been something that was being discussed for a while. Either way, with injuries stacking up during camp and Voltz no longer in pads, the Badgers may find themselves experimenting with multiple combinations to solidify this untested line.
Voltz stated he intends to remain close to the program despite putting up the pads.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Melvin Gordon won the Heisman Trophy, which he did not. The article has since been corrected to fix this error.
