Tag: Jim Leonhard

Every coordinator Paul Chryst has worked with and where they are now

Since Paul Chryst began his first full year as Head Coach for the Wisconsin Badgers back in 2015 his team is 53-16, good for a winning percentage north of 75. Related: A Nebraska radio station had an awful theory about why Saturday’s game was …

Since Paul Chryst began his first full year as Head Coach for the Wisconsin Badgers back in 2015 his team is 53-16, good for a winning percentage north of 75.

Related: A Nebraska radio station had an awful theory about why Saturday’s game was canceled

Since he took over at the helm there has been an understandable lack of turnover on his coaching staff. In simple words: when a team wins a lot nobody gets fired.

What is more surprising, though, is how his coordinators have for the most part stayed in their current positions.

If you look at the Alabama’s of the world you see Head Coach Nick Saban lose coordinators every year. Minus a couple of exceptions, that has not been the case in Madison.

Here is every coordinator Paul Chryst has worked with and where they are now:

How Wisconsin’s defense will find success against Illinois

Wisconsin football and good defense: words that are seemingly inseparable. Tomorrow the new-look Badger defense will take the field and…

Wisconsin football and good defense: words that are seemingly inseparable.

Tomorrow the new-look Badger defense will take the field and look to build upon their impressive 2019 campaign, though obviously will do so without the services of Zack Baun and Chris Orr.

As I wrote in my five keys to victory, there are two major things the Badger defense must do tomorrow if they want to shut down the Illinois Fighting Illini and help the team come away with a victory.

Related: Players to watch in the Illinois vs. Wisconsin matchup tomorrow

The first: they must hold Illinois to under 3 yards-per-carry.

As Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard said this week, “for us it always starts with stopping the run. When we do a good job of stopping the run we can dictate a little bit more, we can be a little more aggressive.”

Any Badger fan when asked about what the defense needs to do well would cite the run game, but it’s more than just shutting down the opposing running back. If they can hold the Fighting Illini to under 3 yards-per-carry they will force the issue in the passing game and create turnovers, get their opponent to third-and-long scenarios and get off the field and, overall, allow the Badger offense to dictate the football game.

You don’t need me to tell you this, but the unit did not do that last season when they visited Illinois as they allowed 141 yards on the ground with a clip of 4 yards-per-carry.

This isn’t only about last year’s contest between the two, though, as holding opponents to less than 3 yards-per-carry last season actually had a significant effect on whether the Badgers won each game.

Their record last season when they held their opponent to less than 3 yards-per-carry? 8-1 with the only loss coming against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Their record last season when didn’t? 2-3.

It sounds obvious at first, but shutting down the Fighting Illini in the running game will dictate whether the defense is effective.

Related: Breaking down the strangest stat from last year’s loss at Illinois

Now on to major focal point No. 2: taking Illinois wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe out of the game.

Last year Imatorbhebhe was the Fighting Illini’s leading receiver with 33 catches for 634 yards and 9 touchdowns, one of those catches being a 29-yard touchdown against the Badgers.

Leonhard returns his entire secondary from last season–a unit that projects to be one of the best the conference has to offer. So, for them to shut down the Illinois passing attack on Friday they must take Imatorbhebhe out of the game.

The wide receiver is a big, physical, point-of-catch, big-playmaking wide receiver with late-round NFL Draft potential. Oh, and he averaged an insane 19.2 yards-per-reception last year.

Leonhard’s secondary has the talent to shut him down but it will need to be done on the field if the defense is going to play a complete game and have success.

 

If the Badger defense comes out on Friday and consistently wins in the trenches against Illinois in addition to shutting down Imatorbhebhe they will have a successful outing. If not? It could become a close game and give Badger fans scary flashbacks to last year’s contest.

Coach Bostad raves about an under-the-radar key piece to the 2020 Badger defense

Heading into the Wisconsin Badgers’ 2020 season, much of the talk on the defensive side of the football has revolved around junior…

Heading into the Wisconsin Badgers’ 2020 season, much of the talk on the defensive side of the football has revolved around junior linebacker Jack Sanborn, the talented veteran secondary and who will replace Zack Baun and Chris Orr’s sack production.

This talk has seen names including Izayah Green-May, Nick Herbig, Leo Chenal come up. What it has also done, though, is leave out a player who is set to have a huge role in Jim Leonhard’s defense.

Related: Wisconsin football 2020 projected two-deep depth chart, preseason edition

That player is senior inside linebacker Mike Maskalunas.

In inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad’s eyes, Maskalunas’ value to the team can be captured by one word: “priceless.”

“Mike’s done a great job,” Bostad said. “I can’t say enough good things about him.” His coach then continued to note the senior’s versatility–saying he’s able to play the MIKE, the WILL and be a leader on special teams.

Maskalunas doesn’t have much on-field experience under his belt, just 14 games played in his first three years and a total of 21 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss and 2 fumble recoveries.

Despite the linebacker not having starts under his belt, though, defensive leader Jack Sanborn shared his coach’s sentiment about Maskalunas’ importance to the team this year.

“[Mike] brings consistency,” Sanborn said. “[He]’s a guy that everyone on the team can rely on.” He then went on to note how the senior has progressed in understanding the defense and in understanding his own technique.

Although Sanborn and sophomore Leo Chenal are lining up to be the team’s primary starters at inside linebacker when Illinois comes town next Friday, just two guys never seems to be enough.

Coach Bostad finishing his comments by saying that he feels “rock-solid” about the trio–Sanborn, Chenal and Maskalunas–heading into the season says a lot about the Chenal-Sanborn duo, but it also indicates Maskalunas having a significant role in what he and Leonhard want to do on defense.

 

The Badgers are set to kick their season off next Friday night against the Illinois Fighting Illini in what has become one of the most long-awaited season openers I can remember.

It will be then when we see what the linebacker rotation looks like and what role Maskalunas has for Coach Bostad, Coach Leonhard and the 2020 Wisconsin Badger defense.

A Badger coach and player give high praise to DC Jim Leonhard

Earlier today Wisconsin defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield and senior defensive ends Garrett Rand and Isaiahh Loudermilk met…

Earlier today Wisconsin defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield and senior defensive ends Garrett Rand and Isaiahh Loudermilk met with the media and discussed the upcoming season.

Among the topics covered was their thoughts on Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard, a guy many Badger fans know well as a former player with the program and now one of the best coordinators in the nation.

“He’s smart,” Breckterfield said. “[He] does a great job finding the matchups and finding who those playmakers are and putting them in a position to win.”

Related: Coach Breckterfield and Isaiahh Loudermilk rave about freshman QB Graham Mertz

The Badger position coach continued to note that Leonhard “doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low and the players appreciate that. He gets the most out of the unit as a whole.”

For Loudermilk the answer to the question was clear and concise.

“He’s a genius,” the defensive lineman said.

2020 will be Leonhard’s No. 5 year with the program as a coach and his No. 4 as defensive coordinator after walking on as a player back in 2002.

While there is talent all over the 2020 defense, much of the coordinator’s work this year will be trying to recreate the defensive production that was lost with Chris Orr and Zack Baun going to the NFL. If there’s anybody up for the job, though, it’s Leonhard. “A genius” as Loudermilk said and many would agree.

Whether pursuing a head coaching job in the near future is on the table for Leonhard is anybody’s guess, but it’s clear through his results and the comments of those that work with him that he’s a special coach and a huge reason for the team’s success year after year.

A check-in on the Badgers’ class of 2021 after landing five-star tackle Nolan Rucci

Entering Tuesday the Wisconsin Badgers’ class of 2021 was lining up to be–or maybe already was–the greatest recruiting class in…

Entering Tuesday the Wisconsin Badgers’ class of 2021 was lining up to be–or maybe already was–the greatest recruiting class in program history.

With big names including four-star offensive tackles J.P. Benzschawel and Riley Mahlman, four-star defensive end T.J. Bollers, four-star safety Hunter Wohler, four-star tight end Jack Pugh and four-star quarterback Deacon Hill already part of the class, Paul Chryst and his staff were seeking a commitment from one final big name player, a guy many NFL analysts have called a future top-5 pick in the NFL Draft.

He is five-star offensive tackle Nolan Rucci, the No. 14 player in the class of 2021.

Well, on Tuesday the Badgers received a commitment from Rucci and cemented the 2021 class as the best the program has ever seen.

So we can project that the group will be looked upon fondly when it’s all said done, but where do they lie now in the national and conference recruiting rankings?

The answer: the No. 16 class in the country and No. 3 in the Big Ten behind only Ohio State and Michigan.

Listen to some of the schools with classes currently ranked higher than Wisconsin’s: Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Oregon, Clemson, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, USC, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.

Those are some of the blue blood programs in college football, teams who are often left at the end of the season battling for a national championship.

Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badgers are now entering the conversation with those schools thanks to this class and the recruiting momentum they’ve gained in recent years.

Is a national championship on the horizon? Who knows. But this class and the ones to follow will at least give the program a better shot at winning their first Big Ten championship since 2012.

They obviously need to come in and show it on the field. But if we’ve seen anything during the Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard era it’s that the player development is tremendous, the coaching is tremendous and the success will come no matter who is on the field.

Going forward, now, those guys on the field will be one of the best groups in the country. The sky is the limit for this program going forward and landing Rucci on Tuesday was only the beginning.

Badgers offer three-star 2022 cornerback from Florida

Offers, offers, offers. That’s much of what this week has been with the 2022 recruiting blitz now in full swing. The next offer for…

Offers, offers, offers. That’s much of what this week has been with the 2022 recruiting blitz now in full swing.

The next offer for Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin Badgers is three-star 2022 cornerback James Monds III.

Monds III is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 506 player in the class of 2022, the No. 49 cornerback and the No. 62 recruit from his home state of Florida.

It can’t be ignored, though, that a crystal ball prediction has him committing to play for Mel Tucker and the Michigan State Spartans.

Other offers on the cornerback’s card include Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Miami, Michigan State and Minnesota.

I’d go on about the history of the Wisconsin Badger defense under Leonhard but earlier this morning Monds III posted a video that tells more than enough about the pedigree of the defense and of the program:

The Badgers currently have one commit in the class of 2022–four-star safety Braelon Allen–but have now heated up their 2022 push as they try to build upon their impressive 2021 recruiting season.

 

For everything Wisconsin Badgers and the class of 2021 check out the 2021 commitment tracker and follow @thebadgerswire, @benzkenney and @alow_33 on Twitter.

Where the Badger defense ranks among the Big Ten’s best over the last three years

The Big Ten conference is most commonly known for its old school-style play, cold weather and stellar defensive units…

The Big Ten conference is most commonly known for its old school-style play, cold weather and stellar defensive units.

The Wisconsin football program is probably the perfect embodiment of all three, finishing near the top of the conference in nearly every defensive category year after year.

On average over the last three seasons each Big Ten team has allowed 671 points. The Wisconsin Badgers? 492.

As seen above that mark is good for second behind Iowa’s 476 and ahead of Penn State’s 494, Michigan State’s 524 and Michigan’s 552.

What’s crazy to think about is that the best years may be yet to come for Jim Leonhard’s unit, as the program has landed commitments from top defensive prospects including Braelon Allen, Hunter Wohler and T.J. Bollers.

What we do know at this point, though, is for however long Leonhard stays around on Paul Chryst’s staff the defensive unit will be one of the best in the conference and in the country. After his time in Madison is done? Who knows. But the unit right now has been great and seems to be only getting better.

A way-too-early look at the 2022 Wisconsin Badger defense

Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badger coaching staff have been making waves on the recruiting trail during the last few months, landing…

Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badger coaching staff have been making waves on the recruiting trail during the last few months, landing big defensive names including Braelon Allen, T.J. Bollers, Hunter Wohler and Darryl Peterson.

Their 2021 class currently stands at No. 14 in the nation and No. 3 in the conference, both marks placing the class as the best the program’s had since the online ranking era began.

Every college football fan knows that the Badgers pride themselves on their defense and they–no matter who is out there on the field–always seem to have one of the conference’s best defensive units.

With all of the question marks surrounding the upcoming 2020 football season I’m looking into the future at the 2022 defensive unit, one which at this point is lining up to be an absolute sight to see.

 

Defensive Line

Syndication: Milwaukee
Badgers nose tackle Keeanu Benton (95) and linebacker Jack Sanborn celebrate a fumble recovery by UW’s defense deep in its own territory during the first quarter against Michigan. Credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-Imagn Content Services, LLC

Defensive end: T.J. Bollers, Ayo Adebogun, Mike Jarvis, Cade McDonald

Nose tackle: Keeanu Benton, Rodas Johnson

 

Keeanu Benton showed crazy potential last season as a true freshman. He will be a senior at this point and the leader of a talented defensive front.

Bollers is a four-star recruit and will be coming to Madison in 2021 as one of the highest-rated recruits in the 2021 class.

This unit will have the skills needed to control the opponents’ ground game but even more significantly they will be an absolute force rushing the quarterback.

 

Next…the linebackers

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Three-star 2021 cornerback on the Badgers’ radar nearing his commitment decision

Three-star 2021 cornerback Robert Regan spoke to 247Sports yesterday and discussed his recruitment and the timetable of his commitment…

Three-star 2021 cornerback Robert Regan spoke to 247Sports yesterday and discussed his recruitment and the timetable of his commitment announcement.

“I don’t know the exact date, I’m still working things out but there’s a good chance it will be later this week, maybe by Friday,” Regan told 247Sports. “I’ve enjoyed the process and gotten to know some great coaches but I think I’m ready to do this.”

The California native is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 499 recruit in the class, the No. 35 cornerback and the No. 44 prospect from his state.

Schools in the running for the Orange Lutheran High School defender include Arizona State, Boise State, Kansas, Utah and Wisconsin.

Here’s what Regan had to say about Wisconsin and his visits to Madison:

“I visited Wisconsin twice and loved both trips. I was there in March for their Elite Day and it was a great experience. I camped there last June too so I have a great feel for the school and the overall environment. I really like coach Leonard, the DC a lot. He runs a great defense and I fit in really well with their schemes.

“I have a super good comfort level there with not just the coaches but the players too. On that last visit, I was able to talk with a ton of the guys on the team as well as some other players in my recruiting class. The family feel and culture there is incredible. I know every place you go talks about a family environment but you can really feel that at Wisconsin and it’s easy to see why they’re so successful every year.”

Though he spoke glowingly about Madison and the Wisconsin football program each of the crystal ball projections have the cornerback choosing to play for Herman Edwards at Arizona State.

Three-star cornerback Ricardo Hallman is currently the only player at the position in the Badgers’ 2021 class so the addition of Regan would be a significant one for Paul Chryst, Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin program.

The wait will soon be over as from what the California native told 247Sports it seems the decision will come some time later this week.

 

For everything Wisconsin recruiting and the class of 2021 check out the 2021 commitment tracker and follow @thebadgerswire, @benzkenney and @alow_33 on Twitter.

Where each Badger assistant stands in the Big Ten recruiter rankings

The Wisconsin Badgers currently have the No. 14-ranked 2021 recruiting class in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten…

The Wisconsin Badgers currently have the No. 14-ranked 2021 recruiting class in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten.

With a few more big names yet to announce their commitments the program already is set to have their best recruiting class since the ranking era began, with much of that due to Paul Chryst’s assistants’ work on the recruiting trail–with a required honorable mention for the class of 2021 group chat and the players’ efforts recruiting their classmates.

Here’s where each Badger assistant falls in 247Sports’ Big Ten recruiter rankings:

 

Chris Haering – No. 6

Syndication: Milwaukee
Wisconsin special teams coordinator Chris Haering will be sure to instruct his punt return troops to stay away from Michigan’s long snapper Saturday. Credit: Mark Hoffman-Imagn Content Services, LLC

Recruits:

  • four-star offensive tackle J.P. Benzschawel
  • four-star safety Hunter Wohler
  • three-star defensive end Ayo Adebogun
  • three-star running back Loyal Crawford
  • three-star running back Jackson Acker.

 

Next…Chryst’s offensive coordinator and one of the most consistent recruiters on the Badgers’ staff

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