Wisconsin Badgers interim coach Jim Leonhard reportedly won’t leave Madison anytime soon.
Though Leonhard was replaced last weekend by Luke Fickell, the Badgers defensive coordinator will stay on staff. The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune reported Saturday that Leonhard will intend to stay at Wisconsin as the team’s defensive coordinator.
The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune Twitter account posted, “Jim Leonhard plans to return to Wisconsin under new head coach Luke Fickell, likely as defensive coordinator.”
Jim Leonhard plans to return to Wisconsin under new head coach Luke Fickell, likely as defensive coordinator https://t.co/7rjQphiWxT
— Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (@wrtribune) December 3, 2022
Since 2016, Leonhard has been a member of the Badgers coaching staff. Paul Chryst made him the team’s defensive backs coach. Then, Chryst tabbed him as the defensive coordinator in 2017. Leonhard has held the position since then. Under him, the Badger defense has been among the best in the Big Ten and nationally.
Should Leonhard indeed stay on, he will be the second major Big Ten assistant to stay with their current team this hiring season. Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline opted to stay in Columbus after his name was floated as a candidate for the Cincinnati job.
Continuity on staff is always important for incoming coaches in college football. Keeping Leonhard in Madison would be a major win for Fickell while he builds his staff.
[Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune]
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Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022