Benzschawel going back to Madison

It’s not exactly full circle — more like a squiggly line along highways 60 and 151 — but Luke Benzschawel’s football career that started in Grafton, went to Madison and returned to Grafton is now headed back to the state capital.

The 2016 Grafton High grad, an all-state tight end/fullback for the Black Hawks, played for the University of Wisconsin-Madison before a nagging knee injury ended his playing career. He stayed on as a graduate assistant with the Badgers, and this season was hired by his brother-in-law, Jim Norris, to help coach his alma mater.

That team is headed to Benzchawel’s old stomping grounds at Camp Randall for the Division 3 state title game on Friday.

“It’s going to be pretty surreal,” Benzschawel said.

His first year as a high school assistant coach already has been a little surreal. Benzchawel played for three different coaches in Grafon and “we were hoping to not get killed every Friday.”

Early this season, Benzschawel had a revelation.

“Wow, I already have more wins than almost my entire high school career,” he said.

“It’s awesome what Jimmy’s done, set the culture, the standard. The best part is it’s not just him — it’s the administration, the community.”

Benzschawel coaches the outside linebackers that include Dalton Reindl and Jackson Heinle, two of the most dominant forces on a defensive squad full of game-changing beasts. Reindl made a pick-six late in the fourth quarter that sealed a 17-6 win over Stoughton in the sectional final.

“I can’t take a lot of credit for that,” Benzschawel said of the pair’s success. “I haven’t played that position since I was in high school. There’s a little learning.”

Luke won’t be the only Benzschawel at Camp Randall. His older brother Beau, an All-American guard for Wisconsin and former NFL player, will be cheering in the stands.

“He’s going to be at the game, and I bet most of Grafton (will be too),” Luke said.

Luke and Beau’s younger brother, J.P., won’t be far away. The former top senior lineman of the year in the state plays for the Badgers.

Luke played four years of college ball at tight end. He caught a touchdown in the Pinstripe Bowl in 2018 in a 35-3 thrashing of Miami, but it was called back due to a penalty.

He said his final knee blowout came while blocking teammate Leo Chanel, now a linebacker with the Kansas City Chiefs who had a sack and six tackles in their 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in last year’s Super Bowl.

Luke looks forward to returning to the Camp Randall sideline. The last time he was in the stadium he was as a redshirt senior working as a grad assistant in the booth. The former Black Hawk will be sure to pass on some of his Badgers’ memories to the current team.

“I’m excited to get to Madison Thursday night. I’ll probably have a couple of stories for the kids. Some of those will pop up,” he said.