Urbik right fit at tackle for Wisconsin

TAMPA, Fla. - When Wisconsin football coaches elected to move Kraig Urbik from right tackle to right guard two years ago, it seemed to make sense at the time.

Urbik started 13 games at right tackle as a redshirt freshman in 2005, the first freshman to start at tackle since former Wisconsin All-American Chris McIntosh.

But offensive line coach Bob Palcic, entering his first year after replacing Jim Hueber, was looking for guards who could run and pull and get his best five players on the field.

"We thought, having Kraig at guard - he's a mobile athlete - that he would be able to do the things, in terms of pulling techniques, that we wanted to do when we run our power football concepts," Palcic said.

Since then, Palcic has had a change of heart. That's why Urbik is back at right tackle for Tuesday's Outback Bowl against Tennessee and likely will stay there next season as a senior.

"I really believe the most critical factor is you have to have your best athletes at the tackle position for pass protection purposes," Palcic said. "You're going to pass protect in a game many more times than you are going to pull. I think it's important you get your two best guys on the corners."

That became evident in the Badgers' 38-17 loss Nov. 3 at Ohio State, when they allowed 10 sacks. Junior Eric Vanden Heuvel, who took over for Urbik at right tackle the past two seasons, struggled against Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston, who had four sacks.

Vanden Heuvel also suffered an ankle injury in that game, causing the line to be shuffled and Urbik to move back to right tackle. The new line played so well in the final two games against Michigan and Minnesota, allowing one sack and averaging 278.5 rushing yards per game, Palcic elected not to fix what wasn't broken.

The 6-foot-6, 323-pound Urbik, a consensus second-team All-Big Ten Conference pick, has become the Badgers' best lineman. But he chuckled when told Palcic wanted his best athletes on the corners.

"I wouldn't call myself an athlete, but I try," Urbik said.

It took Urbik about one quarter against Michigan to shake off whatever rust he had at tackle, especially in pass protection.

"It was so shaky (at first), because I wasn't used to it," Urbik said of his pass protection. "(Against) Minnesota, I thought I was spot on with everything, keeping my shoulders square, good base and everything. It's really comfortable for me right now."

The Badgers' offensive line should be one of Wisconsin's biggest advantages against Tennessee. It wasn't that way a year ago, when UW's line was overmatched against Arkansas, another SEC opponent, in the Capital One Bowl.

The Razorbacks opened the game in a five-man front, which left each of the Badgers' five linemen matched up man-to-man with no help. Even when Arkansas went back to a four-man front in the second half, the Badgers couldn't run the ball. They had 28 rushing attempts for minus-5 yards in the game and allowed six sacks but somehow escaped with a 17-14 victory.

Tennessee's two starting defensive ends, seniors Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds, have combined for only four sacks. The Vols have just 21 sacks all season.

"We were way down from a sack standpoint, which has been kind of a staple for us here," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "We found a way to overcome that."

Tennessee also will be without starting defensive tackle Demonte' Bolden, one of six players ruled academically ineligible for the game. Starting weakside linebacker Rico McCoy, second on the team with 106 tackles, also is out.

That won't help a Tennessee run defense that ranks 68th nationally, allowing an average of 162.5 yards per game.

"It doesn't really affect anything," Urbik said. "It's Tennessee, they have great players all around. Even if one goes down, they're going to have another great player to step in. They're physical and they're fast up front, so it's going to be a challenge for us."

The versatility Urbik has shown should only enhance his prospects for the 2009 NFL draft.

"I should hope so," he said. "If a team's looking for a guard and tackle, they've got a guy, hopefully, that can play pretty decently at both positions."