All signs point to Jim Leonhard with Wisconsin's job posting official
In this story:
Just a handful of hours after the Wisconsin Badgers football team secured bowl eligibility with a 1-point win over Nebraska on Saturday, the official job posting for the head coaching position went live on the University of Wisconsin's job board.
Coming weeks after Paul Chryst's firing on October 2, it appears the administration has seen enough to know the direction they want to go. Unsurprisingly, everything points to Jim Leonhard.
The current interim coach for the Badgers, Leonhard, has been groomed for this moment and has helped guide Wisconsin to a 21st straight bowl game despite the team beginning the year with a 2-3 record under Chryst.
A native of Tony (Wis.), Leonhard is a former great at Wisconsin and has righted the ship this season after several years as one of the top up-and-coming assistant coaches in the country. Since Chryst's firing, the Badgers have a 4-2 record, and the players have rallied around their 40-year-old coach.
Speaking with several folks around the program since Leonhard was named the interim coach over a month ago, the desire has always been that the former walk-on great would eventually earn the full-time job.
With a 7-day window needed to align with UW System rules, applicants have until November 26 to apply for the role, but Leonhard is the clear front-runner for the position.
The timing of the job posting leaves a chance that Leonhard could earn the role on Sunday, immediately following Wisconsin's regular-season finale against Minnesota at Camp Randall Stadium next weekend.
With early signing day just a month away, the timing also gives the staff a chance to provide recruits with a clear message and more clarity about the future of the program. With three de-commitments since Paul Chryst's firing, including two in the past few days, the Badgers sit at 11 commits currently and are looking to solidify their class while potentially adding more prospects in the coming weeks.
Beyond recruiting, the current players have been outspoken about their hopes to have Leonhard earn the full-time role.
Following the win over Maryland, Nick Herbig told reporters, "it blows my mind that he's not the head coach yet," while wide receiver Chimere Dike added, "he's a great coach, and I am excited to keep building with him." Star running back Braelon Allen even went so far as to say "as long as coach Leonhard is here, this is where I'll be" on 97.3 The Game when addressing transfer and tampering rumors.
With only a week standing between Chris McIntosh making a hiring of a head coach official, all signs point toward Jim Leonhard earning the job on a full-time basis, and that is the right decision for the program. According to starting cornerback Alexander Smith, Leonhard brings a "contagious energy and a will to win," and that has been evident over the past six games with him leading the team.
Leonhard also believes that he is the right man for the job, saying during his postgame press conference on Saturday:
"I've mentioned it for a long time, I have a lot of confidence in myself because of the people around me. We are not far off. There are things that will have to change to show improvement, but I'm proud of our guys. We have a lot of great players in that locker room. We have a lot of people that care, and I think we got a little complacent. I've tried to shake that up, and continue to push. To see the way the players respond gives me the confidence I can get this done long-term."
The exact qualifications listed in the job posting can be seen below, and it is clear that Leonhard checks all of the boxes for Wisconsin. Now it is just a waiting game because from all indications, it's Jim Leonhard's job.
"Minimum of 5 years of successful collegiate football coaching experience preferred. Division I head coaching experience is also preferred. Other qualifications include the ability to work cooperatively with diverse groups and administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The successful applicant must be able to develop and implement innovative approaches and solutions; work well independently and in teams; and be flexible in accepting new responsibilities."
Related links:
- Drive-by-drive summary: Wisconsin versus Nebraska
- Game notes and top plays from Wisconsin's win over Nebraska
- Weekly recruiting rundown for Wisconsin football (November 18)
You can keep up to date on everything at All Badgers by liking + following our Facebook page and Twitter account:
Facebook - @AllBadgers
Twitter - @All_Badgers
You can also follow Site Publisher Matt Belz at @savedbythebelz on Twitter.
