Following an uneven showing versus South Florida last weekend, which was more competitive than the scoreboard depicts, Alabama football needs to be sharp when it battles Wisconsin in Madison's Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The team's most glaring issue might actually be on the verge of being corrected, or at least vastly improved.

Sophomore left tackle Kadyn Proctor is expected to take the field versus the Badgers, according to Matt Zenitz and Alex Scarborough of CBS Sports and 247 Sports. One of the best offensive linemen in the country is set to return to a unit that struggled with both pass protection and penalties in Week 2. Is Bama about to eradicate all traces of skepticism once again?

When the Crimson Tide scuffled or lost under Nick Saban, it was quite a jarring experience. Their perennial dominance conditioned people to trust the process and reserve judgement until season's end. New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer does not inspire that same level of confidence. That is not exclusive to him, though, as there is probably no one who can replace the greatest college football coach of all-time. Nevertheless, patience is typically scarce in Tuscaloosa.

Kadyn Proctor hopes to stabilize Alabama football

Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor (74) blocks Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) during the first half in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Fans do not want to sweat out a narrow lead in the fourth quarter of a home game against South Florida. They are hoping a healthy Kadyn Proctor can prevent such a thing from happening again. The questions surrounding quarterback Jalen Milroe and this offense are probably not going to all vanish when the 19-year-old takes his place in the trenches, but this LT is undeniably one of the Tide's most important players.

Proctor earned Freshman All-American honors last season and played a central role in the squad's SEC title victory over Georgia. Even though Alabama football has outscored their opponents 105-16, his elite presence has been missed through the first two weeks of the season.

The Iowa native, and brief Hawkeyes transfer, suffered a shoulder injury during pregame warmups before the team's opener versus Western Kentucky. He was seen wearing a sling under his shirt, causing some consternation among fans. That stress will instantly be forgotten if Proctor delivers a big performance in Wisconsin.

With the schedule ramping up– No. 1 Georgia comes into town at the end of September– Alabama needs to be operating at full capacity. That obviously cannot happen without No. 74. The Crimson Tide and Badgers face off at 12 p.m. ET.