The New Look Badgers - 2023

[gonzozab]

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[longtimefan]

Lenord HC

 

[Zartan]

Yo what hell happened to yall. I dont really follow them closely but I still hope they still do good for state pride but how do yall go from winning The Orange Bowl to firing your HC in span of a few years?

 

[Voyageur]

This year is the first year of players that the Chryst group recruited. When Khalil left, a few years ago, he lamented how they weren't spending money, and didn't have the personnel available to do the job well. A lot of people laughed at it, saying he was bitter.

Chryst's program relied on good assistant coaches, and the fact that the players recruited before him were still making an impact.

It was time to cut ties with him. He just doesn't have the leadership skills necessary for a program like Wisconsin.

Where it goes from here, I don't know. I don't know if we'll even have Leonhard after this year. It's all a mess at this point.

 

[Pkrjones]

Paul Chryst gets an $11Million buyout... nice parting gift for failing.

Have seen the argument that WI doesn't spend any $$ on recruiting talent... but then they pay Chryst $11Mil NOT to coach?

 

[Half Empty]

One of the reasons I'm steadily losing interest in college sports, on the heels of just following Wisconsin pro sports by checking standings once in a while. Actually like the Bucks, just because the center seems like such a nice guy, despite the contract. Otherwise, as you say, people making gazillions just by signing their name, as will the college kids now, regardless of production, really turns me off. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

 

[Mondio]

Paul Chryst gets an $11Million buyout... nice parting gift for failing.

Have seen the argument that WI doesn't spend any $$ on recruiting talent... but then they pay Chryst $11Mil NOT to coach?

down from the 20 or so million he was still owed.
anyway, at this point, I'll be happier when minor league football and colleges are separated completely and those teams and those players can support the stadiums and coaches and trainers and med staff and training facilities all on their own.

 

[Voyageur]

Paul Chryst gets an $11Million buyout... nice parting gift for failing.

Have seen the argument that WI doesn't spend any $$ on recruiting talent... but then they pay Chryst $11Mil NOT to coach?

Badgers actually 13th in spending on recruiting in the Big 10. Three articles here. One is how much they spend on football and basketball recruiting. Another on where they rank in the Big 10, and the third is about one weekend of recruiting for the University of Texas. For what it's worth, somewhere between the two is reality.

I see, and hear, from those I know, so much that would make you swear it wasn't true, then find out it is.

Wisconsin Spends Little on Recruiting. Where Does That Money Go? - Stadium

Wisconsin spends less on recruiting than most power conference schools.

watchstadium.com

An Analysis Of College Football Recruiting Costs

38 of the 52 public Power Five schools spent more on college football recruiting in 2019 than the previous year. On average, public Power Five schools spent $103,478 more on recruiting, per school, than they did during the previous recruiting cycle, continuing an upwards trend in the investment...

athleticdirectoru.com

Whys of Texas: Yeah, the Longhorns spent $280,000 on Arch Manning’s visit. And? So? | Opinion

If the Texas Longhorns get ArchManning to sign a national letter of intent – which he likely will in December – wasn’t it money well spent?

www.usatoday.com

 

[longtimefan]

Start the push for Lenord as packers DC

 

[Pkrjones]

Start the push for Lenord as packers DC

Were the Badgers defensive issues player/talent related or scheme/coaching? GB has decent talent but are handcuffed by scheme, will Leonard change that?

 

[Team Ronny]

Lenord HC

Sounds like the are hiring Luke Fickell from Cincinnati

 

[longtimefan]

Were the Badgers defensive issues player/talent related or scheme/coaching? GB has decent talent but are handcuffed by scheme, will Leonard change that?

His Def always was thought of as being good. Year in and year out. Diff players.

I would say it should help

 

[Team Ronny]

His Def always was thought of as being good. Year in and year out. Diff players.

I would say it should help

He seemed to get more out of lesser players. I hope Leonard gets a hard look from the Packers! I can see why the Badgers won't name him as head coach. Time for him to come north!!

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Kind of surprised that the Badgers didn't give the HC job to Leonhard, but they must feel that Fickell is the better choice and available.

Won't surprise me whatsoever if Leonhard leaves, might stay at the college level or maybe the Packers can snag him as their next DC. While he didn't suddenly give the Badgers a rock solid defense, he carried through with what Dave Aranda started and that was a very well coached group of guys that played well beyond expectations.

 

[Team Ronny]

Fickell is a good recruiter. Sounds like he is bringing his top 2 scouts as well.

 

[Firethorn1001]

Surprised that Leonhard didn't get it, but not upset at the news. I think they squeezed as much juice as they could from the Barry ball style that they have thrived on and don't see that as a path to any type of playoff appearance or success. They may flame out with the hire, but with Leonhard, I just saw more of the same/same. 8/9 wins and, if lucky, a Big Ten Championship appearance. Maybe that is all they can ever hope for, but at least try to be more than that.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Leonhard was very well liked. There will be an exodus. Fickle will have a hard time fielding a team next season. He'll get a few transfers but I expect the Badgers to look like they did in Barry Alvarez's first season. It wasn't pretty. The program has greatly declined and will hit rock bottom.

 

[Sanguine camper]

If Gute was smart, Joe Barry would be replaced by Leanhard by tomorrow morning. It won't happen but we can only hope.

 

[swhitset]

Leonhard turned the job with the Packers last year….Maybe after being passed over by the Badgers he would reconsider…. but as much as Id like it… I will be surprised if the Packers dump him after only a year.

 

[Firethorn1001]

There will be an exodus. Fickle will have a hard time fielding a team next season.

He will field a team.

As for an exodus. Who cares. Mediocre 6-6 team with not a lot in the pipeline for recruited talent. I didn't have hope for them next year even if Leonhard stayed.

 

[Sanguine camper]

He will field a team.

As for an exodus. Who cares. Mediocre 6-6 team with not a lot in the pipeline for recruited talent. I didn't have hope for them next year even if Leonhard stayed.

Sure Fickell will cobble together some transfers and guys who are so bad nobody wants them as a transfer. I had hope Leonhard would start to turn the program around. After the Badgers win one or two games next season, Fickell will find out that he will have a very short time frame to turn the program around or McIntosh will can him in the middle of a season. I have no doubt Leonhard will excel as a coach no matter where he goes.

 

[Pugger]

He seemed to get more out of lesser players. I hope Leonard gets a hard look from the Packers! I can see why the Badgers won't name him as head coach. Time for him to come north!!

Didn't MLF offer Leonard the job but Jimmy turned it down?

 

[Pkrjones]

Didn't MLF offer Leonard the job but Jimmy turned it down?

I think MLF talked to Leonard about it & he said he wanted to stay in the college environment to put down some roots for his young family. That mindset may have changed, recently, however.

 

[Mondio]

I was pulling for Leonard, he seems to be a pretty good guy, coach, and his story is pretty cool. Small kid, from a tiny town. Walks on at a major football university and not only makes the team, but excels and makes a nice pro career out of it as well and ends up back in his home state coaching that same major football program.

Wasn't meant to be, yet I guess. His coaching career isn't done, maybe just not ready yet, but he will be one day. Turning the Packers Defense into a Super Bowl winning one would be a nice story too. Come on Jimmy, let's get it done!

That said, I've always held former high level wrestlers in high esteem for what it takes mentally and physically to get there and Fickell was certainly that. I'm excited to see what Coach Fickell can do here in a season or 2.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Leonhard has taken mediocre talent and molded some pretty good defenses the past five seasons. He had a few exceptional players but mostly guys who were not highly recruited. He's proven that he can improve performance and adjust to the game and his talent level. He hasn't been a head coach but there are many examples where a guy like that takes over and wins big. Lombardi and Bill Walsh come to mind.