University of Wisconsin sophomore center John Moffitt has a much broader perspective these days.

As a redshirt freshman, Moffitt started the last six games at left guard, where most of his thoughts were occupied with the player in front of him.

He had senior center Marcus Coleman to rely on for everything else.

Now, Moffitt has taken over as the Badgers' starting center and he's getting his first taste of what Coleman made look easy.

"With Marcus, now I just admire him," Moffitt said. "I realize how much it really was to do.

"The unfortunate thing (is) I think I should have taken in more. I already had so much flying at me, I just didn't really pay attention to what (Coleman) was doing all the time. Marcus was a real good center."

And if the Badgers' offensive line is going to be one of the strengths of the team, Moffitt is going to have to fill those shoes.

UW returns four starters in the offensive line, including three seniors who will be third-year starters: left guard Andy Kemp, right guard Kraig Urbik and right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel.

Sophomore left tackle Gabe Carimi looks like the team's next standout lineman after starting 13 games in a promising first year.

But returning that much experience guarantees nothing.

"What spring ball does and what practices like these expose, (is) all the work you do need to do," Moffitt said. "It's tough for me to say right now, we're going to be the strength of the team, when I had a tough practice and I have so much to get done.

"But that's why we have two more weeks (of spring practice), fall (camp) and summer conditioning. We have time."

Moffitt struggled in a recent practice when the Badgers worked on picking up blitzes, which underscored the work he needs to do.

In terms of physical ability and temperament, Moffitt proved last season he has what it takes. He got his chance when Kemp suffered a broken hand against Penn State in the seventh game.

The line played well enough over three games that when Kemp was ready to return and Vanden Heuvel suffered a foot injury, former offensive line coach Bob Palcic kept Moffitt at left guard.

Kemp moved to right guard, with Urbik moving to right tackle for the final three games.

"I'll go back to coach Palcic's first year, when he had all those (freshman linemen) together, he thought 'Moff' might be the guy ... that had the most potential," UW coach Bret Bielema said.

That's saying something, given Moffitt was recruited as a defensive lineman in a class that included Carimi and backup left tackle Jake Bscherer, a USA Today All-American.

Moffitt has spent the spring trying to become a better student of the game. He watches tapes of practice on his own, before offensive line coach Bob Bostad goes over them with the players, while also trying to take better notes.

"I'm just trying to become a more mature player," Moffitt said. "It's the same going to class. You can sit there with your iPod in and zone out, or listen. I think your grade is going to be a little better (if you listen)."

Moffitt seems bright enough and he's got an outgoing personality.

He also has a lot of veteran players around him, helping him with the transition.

"The crazy thing is, the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know," he said.

"It's like getting more pieces to the puzzle. Little things, like paying attention to where the strength (of the defense) is and calling the front, then seeing what the linebackers are doing. Those are still things I'm learning how to do."