Paul Chryst out as coach of Wisconsin, Jim Leonhard named interim
After back-to-back embarrassing losses for the Wisconsin Badgers, it appears the football program is moving on from head coach Paul Chryst.
The news was first reported by Adam Rittenberg of ESPN on Sunday evening, and Jim Leonhard will take over as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
The move comes on the heels of Wisconsin losing by 31-points to Ohio State two weeks ago in Columbus and dropping a second-consecutive Big Ten game on Saturday to Illinois.
Chryst was in his eighth season as head coach of his alma mater and he finishes his stint in Madison with a 67-26 record, and as a two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. Chryst also won six of his seven bowl appearances with the Badgers, but the team is currently only 2-3 overall this season and 0-2 in Big Ten play.
According to Pete Thamel, Paul Chryst would be owed $16.4 million if fired without cause, though the exact news of Chryst's departure is not fully known at this point.
Wisconsin will hold a press conference later this evening to share further details of the separation.
Taking Chryst's place is defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. A former All-American at Wisconsin, Leonhard has helped lead the Wisconsin defense the past six seasons. Under his watch, the defense ranks third in scoring defense, first in total yards allowed, and first in opponents' third down percentage across the entire FBS.
Athletic Director Chris Mcintosh had this to say about entrusting Leonhard with the role:
“I also have confidence in Jim Leonhard to guide the program for the remainder of the season. There is still a lot of season left to play and I know Jim will do a great job while the program is under his leadership.” - Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh
Chryst finishes his coaching career with the Badgers just one win behind former Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema in program wins, who ironically beat Chryst this past Saturday in Camp Randall Stadium. The loss was the first time that the Badgers had lost to Illinois since 2002, and Wisconsin finished the contest with only two rushing yards and failed to score in the second half of the game.
Jim Leonhard had this to say about the move and his new role:
“My focus right now is on our players and moving forward with preparing them for our game on Saturday at Northwestern. I owe a lot to Coach Chryst. Everyone in our program does. He gave me my first coaching job, and for that I am forever grateful. As a Badger, I thank him for his impact on our football program and our players over many years.” - Jim Leonhard
We will continue to update this story throughout the evening as Athletic Director Chris McIntosh will likely hold a formal announcement in the coming hours.
Related links:
- Instant reaction and game recap of Wisconsin's 24-point loss to Illinois
- Recruiting visitor list: Wisconsin vs. Illinois
- Paul Chryst discusses the Ohio State loss
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