The stalwart of Wisconsin's offensive line, Dan Voltz, is retiring from football. As a result, Wisconsin's offense just got weaker.
Voltz confirmed the news to reporters on Tuesday, noting this was a decision "three or four days" in the making. Voltz did not attribute his retirement to any one thing; rather, he explained it was an accumulation of "many things" that took "physical tolls" on his body. The fifth-year senior missed the second half of last season after tearing his ACL and lateral meniscus.
Voltz will remain with the team in a coaching capacity. Micah Kapoi and Jon Dietzen are slated to fill in the void left by Voltz's departure.
What does Voltz's retirement mean to Wisconsin and the Big Ten West race as a whole? Here are three things to know.
1. This is a huge blow to Wisconsin's offensive line: Voltz was a familiar name along the Badgers' O-line with 28 career starts. He played the last three seasons at center but moved to left guard in anticipation for preseason camp. Since Wisconsin's O-line is still fairly young, Voltz was going to be counted on -- again -- to be the leader of an offense that took a big step back in 2015.
Voltz wasn't just experienced, though. He was a critical piece for what is usually Wisconsin's best positions. In addition to being named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, Voltz was a CBS Sports Preseason All-America second-team selection and former All-American by multiple outlets.
2. Will the running game suffer? Wisconsin's usually stout ground game was hit hard by attrition in 2015. The O-line was fairly new and running back Corey Clement had a sports hernia. As a result, the Badgers' offense didn't look like the one we've come to know over the years. With Clement and Voltz back, there was hope Wisconsin could improve in a ground game that finished 10th in the Big Ten. But now that Voltz has called it a career, there's rightfully some concern about the Badgers' ability to bounce back. Keep in mind, too, that Wisconsin is breaking in a new quarterback.
3. What this means for Wisconsin's Big Ten West title hopes: The Badgers weren't Big Ten West favorites, but they were dark horses. In our Big Ten season preview, our team predicted Wisconsin would finish anywhere from second to fourth in the West. The Badgers already had a ridiculous schedule -- they get LSU, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Nebraska in the first eight games -- and Voltz's loss makes that stretch that much more difficult. If Wisconsin can't develop any kind of push or chemistry up front in its ground game, 2016 could be a long season in Madison.
