Sign in Subscribe
Football

Wisconsin Football Coach Bret Bielema Fends Off Interest for Assistant Coaches

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Wisconsin University football coach Bret Bielema is bracing himself for the inevitable departure of his top assistant coaches, Paul Chryst and Dave Doeren, who are drawing interest from other teams. Bielema has vowed to be responsive to offers, but the coach's biggest concern is retaining Chryst, who is one of the top candidates for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach. Chryst's stock has never been higher, with the Badgers ranking fourth nationally in scoring, averaging 43.3 points per game.

Key Takeaways:

  • Wisconsin's offensive coordinator Paul Chryst is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in the nation.
  • The Dallas Cowboys made a strong push to hire Chryst as their quarterbacks coach following the 2006 season, but he stayed at Wisconsin, signing a five-year deal worth $300,000 per year plus an annuity of $50,000 per year.
  • Chryst is a Madison native and played football for the Badgers, with family considerations and ties to the area being key factors in his decision to stay.
  • Bielema has vowed to be responsive to coaching opportunities and will promote any of his assistant coaches, including Chryst, to head coaching positions if the opportunity arises.
  • The process of juniors looking into leaving early for the NFL has been complicated by the league's unsettled labor situation, with the Badgers' three juniors - J.J. Watt, Nick Toon, and John Clay - expected to go through the process of finding out their projected draft status.

Statistics:

  • The Badgers rank fourth nationally in scoring, averaging 43.3 points per game.
  • The Badgers have set single-season school records for points (520) and rushing touchdowns (46) and are on pace to set new marks for average yards per carry, total offense, points per game, and passing completion percentage.
  • The NFL's potential work stoppage next year could disrupt the process of juniors looking into leaving early for the NFL, with Bielema stating that there may not be an NFL season.

Sources:

  • The Wisconsin State Journal
  • McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
  • www.wisconsinstatejournal.com
  • www.mctinfoservices.com

Read more