College football is a “what have you done for me lately” sport and Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst learned the hard way. In his eighth season with the Badgers, Chryst was fired and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will be the interim head coach.
Overall, Chryst’s tenure was a winning one. He was 67-26, including wins in the Cotton and Orange Bowls, and never had a losing record. However, Wisconsin was 15-10 since 2020 and in the first five games this season, Wisconsin was 2-3. That included a 17-14 loss to the Washington State Cougars and a 34-10 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini this past weekend.
While Wisconsin obviously sees this as an important move, it’ll be a costly one. After signing an extension last year, Wisconsin must now pay him $16.4 million if he’s fired without cause.
Statement from University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh
📝 https://t.co/n7mOEAeTeM pic.twitter.com/Qz5AS72juf
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) October 3, 2022
The news elicited a wide range of reactions. Some were surprised, some feel it’s a mistake, and some think it’s for the best. Either way, it got people talking.
Paul Chryst is a Madison native and Wisconsin alum. He has spent 33 of his 56 years of life in town as either a kid, a Badgers QB or a UW coach.
He was 67-26 and 43-18 in the Big Ten. He won three B1G West titles and two NY6 bowls. He was a two-time B1G coach of the year.
Wow.
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) October 2, 2022
Paul Chryst’s greatest skill is that in every single photo of him, he looks like he just learned the neighborhood kid threw a ball through his glass window. pic.twitter.com/QS2Ec95oUS
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 3, 2022
Paul Chryst is a class act and a good coach. But the evidence suggests he lost the locker room when UW came out flat in the second half yesterday. That happens to good coaches, too. Leonhard has his shot and his team needs a jolt.
So here we go.
— Doug Russell (@DougRussell) October 2, 2022
If you squint hard enough, Paul Chryst looks like 2017-2018 Mike McCarthy. Good man, but the program has gone stale.
— Kris Burke (@KrisBurke) October 1, 2022
Can’t make this up: Jump Around plays at Lambeau Field as Wisconsin reportedly fires Paul Chryst. pic.twitter.com/4lqvW3ozpl
— Scott Grodsky (@ScottGrodsky) October 2, 2022
Last year, on this very week, Paul Chryst got a raise from Wisconsin.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 2, 2022
Firing Paul Chryst is a very Nebraska-like move by Wisconsin. It probably won’t work out like they think it will.
— James Kratch (@JamesKratch) October 2, 2022
Paul Chryst gets the axe (just not Paul Bunyan's) https://t.co/8DSWlVmDvh
— The Daily Gopher (@TheDailyGopher) October 2, 2022
local CBS going with the "NUKES ARE FALLING" font to tell us Paul Chryst is probably fired. Madison is wonderful pic.twitter.com/3CMsHn14Pc
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 2, 2022
