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.
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.
About Phillip Bupp
Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.
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