Wisconsin staff

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Guys on the offensive side of the ball leaving makes sense in some ways because with a new OC coming in there is no guarantee that they would mesh well with him, so if another opportunity is available it makes sense to take it. As for the LB coach going to Pitt, if it is in fact to be the DC then the move makes perfect sense as well. Still not very common to see this many changes when there was no change at the top.

Whether or not BB had any effect on guys jumping ship is tough to say but anything that potentially hurts the Badgers is good in my book. Hopefully the new OC will try and turn the offense into something else and it will backfire miserably.
 


I wonder where our old running backs coach Thomas Hammack stands in relation to all of these changes in Madison ? If I remember correctly one of the main reasons he left Minnesota was because he wanted to "be in line" for a OC job. Anyone have any information on his status at Wisconsin.
 

GopherSOB said:
I wonder where our old running backs coach Thomas Hammack stands in relation to all of these changes in Madison ? If I remember correctly one of the main reasons he left Minnesota was because he wanted to "be in line" for a OC job. Anyone have any information on his status at Wisconsin.
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Rumor is that Norvell from OK is the frontrunner
 

Looks like they are going to look outside the program for a new OC. I would guess Hammock might get into the mix if some of Brett's top targets turn him down. That being said he is still closer to getting a shot as an OC working at Wisconsin then he ever would have been if he stayed here since it is highly unlikely that Limegrover will ever leave for another job given his long track record with Kill.
 

Do you think that is the first time "track record" and "Limegrover" have appeared in the same sentence?
 



GopherSOB said:
I wonder where our old running backs coach Thomas Hammack stands in relation to all of these changes in Madison ? If I remember correctly one of the main reasons he left Minnesota was because he wanted to "be in line" for a OC job. Anyone have any information on his status at Wisconsin.
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There is some talk of Hammock becoming recruiting coordinator. From a Badger perspective, we knew Chryst and Borland were leaving; Huxtable had said he was staying "as of now" then announced departure - rumor is he was afraid of his players hearing other than from him. Alexander going to ASU doesn't seem to concern anyone.

Norvell is interviewing; there is some talk of Bollinger as an assistant, but mostly from fans at this point. BB and Alvarez knew the Chryst day was coming and had to assume he wouldn't leave alone; they have had potentials in mind for some time. Fans biggest voiced concern is quarterback coach, since Chryst really shined there and - who'd a thunk it - QB has become a bigger part of the game with Bielema. Also heard some talk of Vanderlinden at PSU, but again mostly from fans.

Should be an exciting year in Madison, but anyone who thinks the Badgers will fall apart from these coaching changes is engaging in wishful thinking. It could, however, cause some hiccups and lose a game or two next year.
 

TAW said:
There is some talk of Hammock becoming recruiting coordinator. From a Badger perspective, we knew Chryst and Borland were leaving; Huxtable had said he was staying "as of now" then announced departure - rumor is he was afraid of his players hearing other than from him. Alexander going to ASU doesn't seem to concern anyone.

Norvell is interviewing; there is some talk of Bollinger as an assistant, but mostly from fans at this point. BB and Alvarez knew the Chryst day was coming and had to assume he wouldn't leave alone; they have had potentials in mind for some time. Fans biggest voiced concern is quarterback coach, since Chryst really shined there and - who'd a thunk it - QB has become a bigger part of the game with Bielema. Also heard some talk of Vanderlinden at PSU, but again mostly from fans.

Should be an exciting year in Madison, but anyone who thinks the Badgers will fall apart from these coaching changes is engaging in wishful thinking. It could, however, cause some hiccups and lose a game or two next year.
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Seems to me a fan who believes they will lose one to two games after losing a QB like Wilson and most the Offensive staff is engaging in wishful thinking.
 

Did Bostad leave for the OC position at Pitt, or was it a lateral move?
 

goldengophers said:
Seems to me a fan who believes they will lose one to two games after losing a QB like Wilson and most the Offensive staff is engaging in wishful thinking.
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Lose a game or two due to coaching; talent level is also less next year. I will be very happy with 9-3 next year, but expect more like 8-4. The East (or whatever L-name the damn division is) is pretty weak, so a 9-3 could possibly get you to Indy.
 



For those who think our staff is leaving because of BB, you should know everyone who has left, except for Alexander, who's title is unknown, received a significant promotion.

Chryst: Offensive Coordinator => Head Coach, BCS Program
Bostad: Offensive Line Coach => Offensive Coordinator, BCS Program
Huxtable: Linebackers Coach => Defensive Coordinator, BCS Program
Alexander: WR Coach => Unknown, BCS Program (He's spent most of his life out west and his recruiting ties are out there, smart move).

Joe Rudolph was promoted to O-line coach and in-game run coordinator, so he will likely stay. Jay Norvell, CO-OC at Oklahoma, is the leading candidate to take over the OC position. He's from Madison and was an assistant here in the 90's. Would be a huge get. As for the the other positions, get some recruiters, no big deal.
 

Part of me thinks the Leaders division next year will by synonymous with the Pac-12 South dumpster fire this year.
 

Badger2010 said:
For those who think our staff is leaving because of BB, you should know everyone who has left, except for Alexander, who's title is unknown, received a significant promotion.

Chryst: Offensive Coordinator => Head Coach, BCS Program
Bostad: Offensive Line Coach => Offensive Coordinator, BCS Program
Huxtable: Linebackers Coach => Defensive Coordinator, BCS Program
Alexander: WR Coach => Unknown, BCS Program (He's spent most of his life out west and his recruiting ties are out there, smart move).

Joe Rudolph was promoted to O-line coach and in-game run coordinator. Jay Norvell, CO-OC at Oklahoma, is the leading candidate to take over the OC position. He's from Madison and was an assistant here in the 90's. Would be a huge get. As for the the other positions, get some recruiters, no big deal.
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As much as I hate to agree with any poster with Badger in his name, he is correct that these moves really have nothing to do with Brett. The only one that would raise any eyebrows is the WR coach but again that could just be protecting himself from getting screwed when a new OC comes in. If anything it is a tribute to the success they have been having over there that their coaches are in high demand, HC at NIU and Pitt, plus guys moving to coordinator positions from position coaching spots.

What we have with Kill and his staff is very uncommon in this day and age. Assuming they do get things turned around it will be interesting to see if he can keep the staff together when some of the bigger schools come calling looking to hire them. Up till now that probably has not been much of an issue given that they have all been pretty obscure down in Illinois at the mid major level and lower. Of course if the coaches are in demand then it means things are going well for the team so I would be all for it.
 

Badger2010 said:
As for the the other positions, get some recruiters, no big deal.
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You now sound like optmistic Gopher fans when we were losing assistants during the Brewster years. I bet it becomes a bigger issue than you realize...
 

John Galt said:
You now sound like optmistic Gopher fans when we were losing assistants during the Brewster years. I bet it becomes a bigger issue than you realize...
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I don't really remember the situations at Minnesota, but I think i remember you guys replacing the OC and DC (maybe) a few times. These a positional coaches we are talking about here. Huxtable had been on campus for less than a year, Rudolph (the TE coach) is still on campus, but as the OL coach, Alexander is the WR coach, and his recruiting ability was lacking, and we haven't exactly had amazing WR's during his brief time here.

Just saying, it's not like the aforementioned guys were crucial to our success, like Chryst and Bostad were.
 

I was including Chryst and Bostad as significant losses. I'm guessing you agree with that?

While most of these coaches are leaving for better positions and undoubtably didn't just wake up all of a sudden and decide they don't want to work with BB, they also aren't showing undying loyalty to the program either.
 

The only time losing positional coaches really would have me worried are when they are supposedly great recruiters and when it comes right after losing coordinators. I think WI will be fine, but they will lose some of the continuity. It might take a little next season with Chryst and Bostad leaving the year after Doreen went to North Illinois, but with the right hires they'll be fine.

However, if I were WI, i'd stay away from Norvell. He was the offensive coordinator (I don't think he called plays) with Callahan in Nebraska. He is considered a Callahan guy (was on his staff in Oakland). That was brutal in Lincoln, then he moved onto UCLA and was brutal there. Did they not offer the job to Bostad?

If they did and he turned it down, then going from OC at WI to OC at Pitt is step down. If they didn't, that's strange to me.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Did they not offer the job to Bostad?

If they did and he turned it down, then going from OC at WI to OC at Pitt is step down. If they didn't, that's strange to me.
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I'm sure they did, but Bostad and Chryst are close, and his loyalties lie more to Chryst than Enema. If you ask me, I'd rather work with a buddy than a d0uchenozzle, even if it is a slightly less glamorous (and probably lower-paying) job.
 

TAW said:
Lose a game or two due to coaching; talent level is also less next year. I will be very happy with 9-3 next year, but expect more like 8-4. The East (or whatever L-name the damn division is) is pretty weak, so a 9-3 could possibly get you to Indy.
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A Buckeye friend of mine brought this up to me the other day. Wisky could go 4-4 in the BT next year and still be playing for the conference title in Indy. What a grease fire.

Soooo, for Wisky fans who don't think the coaching departures will have a big impact, let me see if I get this straight;

For essentially all of Bielema's tenure (and going back much further actually), Wisconsin football has BEEN the Offensive Line and the running game. The OC and the Offensive Line Coach/Running Game coordinator are leaving.... and this WON'T have a major impact? Get real. Chryst and Bostad were the only people left keeping BB afloat.

But I do agree that those departures may not be the cause of Wisky's struggles NEXT year; Wisky's problem next year will have more to do with not having a QB with any game experience. The coaching departures will be felt more the several years after next.
 

I also would love to predict this as being the beginning of the end of WI fb as we've come to know it... I just don't think I am that lucky. Here's to hoping...
 

I recall Limegrover say he would be interested in a head coaching job if it came along. No surprise there.
 

dpodoll68 said:
I'm sure they did, but Bostad and Chryst are close, and his loyalties lie more to Chryst than Enema. If you ask me, I'd rather work with a buddy than a d0uchenozzle, even if it is a slightly less glamorous (and probably lower-paying) job.
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Oh, I agree. I just think that goes against the Badger fans' claims that all of the jobs have been promotions. If Bostad chose Pitt OC over WI OC, he essentially took a demotion to stay with Chryst rather than BB.
 


Ogee Oglethorpe said:
For essentially all of Bielema's tenure (and going back much further actually), Wisconsin football has BEEN the Offensive Line and the running game. The OC and the Offensive Line Coach/Running Game coordinator are leaving.... and this WON'T have a major impact? Get real. Chryst and Bostad were the only people left keeping BB afloat.
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Except that Bostad was not the offensive line coach for the entire time that the offensive line has been dominant. It started when Barry came on, so has been going on 20+ years. Bostad came in either 2005 or 2006, so he continued a tradition that was already in place.
 

John Galt said:
I was including Chryst and Bostad as significant losses. I'm guessing you agree with that?

While most of these coaches are leaving for better positions and undoubtably didn't just wake up all of a sudden and decide they don't want to work with BB, they also aren't showing undying loyalty to the program either.
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Yes and yes. Agree 100% with you post.

I might add that, in coaching, showing undying loyalty to a program or a head coach, in regards to the discussion at hand, usually does nothing but limit your career. You are essentially eliminating the chance of progress in exchange for job security. There is nothing wrong with that by any means, but it's not common.

Most people in coaching have a desire to be "the guy" at some point in their career; it's a very common mentality amongst elite athletes, and a competitors in general. Very few quarterbacks, if any, play the game to be a back up, although it's an awesome job! Similarly, very few people get into coaching with the desire to become a WR coach or TE coach for their entire career; they take those positions to gain experience and knowledge and to eventually prove through hard work and success that they are capable of handling more responsibility and eventually become the leader of a team.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Oh, I agree. I just think that goes against the Badger fans' claims that all of the jobs have been promotions. If Bostad chose Pitt OC over WI OC, he essentially took a demotion to stay with Chryst rather than BB.
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Moderators on Wisconsin sites are saying that BB actually did not offer the job to Bostad because he wasn't ready to make that decision, and it would have resulted in the departure of Joe Rudolph to Pitt, and he is our best recruiter.

It is a big loss though, no doubt about it. The main reason I am confident that we will not take a big step back is that Rudolph worked extensively with Bostad over the past few years as the TE coach. Bostad was our TE coach before taking over the O-line, just like Rudolph. We also have some veteran leaders on the line coming back who can help make the transition smoother.

If we land Norvell as our OC, I would be estatic. He could be better the Chryst, although there is obviously no way of knowing, and Chryst was great.
 

Badger2010 said:
Moderators on Wisconsin sites are saying that BB actually did not offer the job to Bostad because he wasn't ready to make that decision, and it would have resulted in the departure of Joe Rudolph to Pitt, and he is our best recruiter.

It is a big loss though, no doubt about it. The main reason I am confident that we will not take a big step back is that Rudolph worked extensively with Bostad over the past few years as the TE coach. Bostad was our TE coach before taking over the O-line, just like Rudolph. We also have some veteran leaders on the line coming back who can help make the transition smoother.

If we land Norvell as our OC, I would be estatic. He could be better the Chryst, although there is obviously no way of knowing, and Chryst was great.
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That could be, but I think if they "chose" Rudolph over Bostad that's a mistake. Rudolph has obviously been a great coach, as WI's TEs are always good and like you said he works hand-in-hand with Bostad. However, Bostad coached arguably the best position group in all of the NCAA. I think that kind of coaching is more difficult to find than a good recruiter. Lastly, I don't really get how hiring Bostad would have cost them Rudolph. If they hired Bostad as OC and moved Rudolph to OL coach. Isn't that what the plan is with Norvell?

I am kind of surprised that Bucky fans would be pumped about Norvell though. I know he's a WI guy, but all of the Callahan stuff would have me worried.
 

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