The University of Wisconsin offensive line had so many problems against Ohio State last week, it was almost like the Buckeyes' defense knew what was coming.

Maybe it did.

One of the things that may have happened during the game was redshirt freshman center Peter Konz tipping off whether it was a run or pass, based on what he did at the line before the play.

Konz said that's something he is working on this week, after offensive line coach Bob Bostad talked to him about it.

"Coach said sometimes I was giving it away," Konz said. "I definitely don't want to make it obvious. When they see me getting up to the line, they can (tell) if it's pass or run sometimes."

Konz is already going through a lot, starting at a relatively new position. He played center briefly in the spring, then spent all summer getting ready to play tackle, before moving to center when fall camp started.

"I didn't even think about that," Konz said of tipping what the play would be. "Coach was saying it, I was like, `Wow.' That kind of put me down a little bit more, like some of those things could have been my fault. Now that I know it's happening, I just worked on it, I'm trying to get better."

By far, Konz was not the only problem against the Buckeyes, who finished with six sacks. He may not have been the biggest problem. Tackles Gabe Carimi and Josh Oglesby struggled at times in pass protection. Also, junior left guard John Moffitt played poorly enough that UW coach Bret Bielema has declared he can't do any more media interviews until he starts to play better.

"I'm going to refrain from calling out one guy," Bielema said on Monday, prior to calling out Moffitt. "I think our offensive line overall, they really do believe they play as one.

"That's a group that, mentality-wise, they're always sitting together, they're always eating together, they're always walking together. Not saying anything bad, they always go shower at the same time. They always stick together."

That's certainly the case this week, as the line attempts to bounce back against Iowa's tough defensive front on Saturday.

"As an offensive line, it's all or nothing," Oglesby said. "You can't have four guys doing everything right and one guy messing up. Otherwise, it's just not going to work. We live and we die as a unit."

Oglesby has made some strides in pass protection, but he had a tough stretch in the fourth quarter when the Badgers fell behind by 18 points and were forced to throw. He gave up a quarterback hit on one series, then was beaten for two sacks in three plays on the next series.

"It wasn't an easy situation but everyone has a job to do," Oglesby said of the fourth quarter. "I didn't perform as well as I could have or I would like to obviously. There were certain points in the game where I did play well and others where I didn't. To beat a team like Ohio State, you have to be at your best the whole game."

Oglesby said all the injuries the line faced in camp this season has only brought it closer together. That has helped this week as well.

"This offensive line has grown together so strong over this whole year, with all the different injuries and all the different things that have happened," Oglesby said. "I think that helps, being able to move past things like last week, when we didn't play as well as we would have liked."

Meanwhile, absence has made the heart grow fonder when it comes to the Heartland Trophy.

That's the seldom-mentioned trophy, which debuted in 2004, going to the winner of the UW-Iowa series.

Apparently, it took the Badgers losing the trophy last year to realize it meant something to them.

"We've tried to emphasize it probably this week moreso than before," Bielema said after practice on Thursday. "One of the things we talked about with our players was, ever since they've been here the (Paul Bunyan's) Axe has always been here. They've never had to go over (to Minnesota's sideline) and get it. They've protected it very well.

"Last year (in the loss to Iowa) was the first time any of our players had somebody run across the field to take something that was their's. I know our guys are focused on it. I've had a little reminder on their lockers every day about it."

EXTRA POINTS

Running back Zach Brown, who has been out all week with a concussion, is not expected to play. Sophomore John Clay will likely start. ... Bielema said Jake Bscherer, who started the first three games at left guard, has worked the last two or three weeks as a backup tackle in practice. "Ricky Wagner is the next guy in ... playing left tackle and right tackle," Bielema said. "I needed more depth at tackle."

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