Paul Chryst Will Be The Next Wisconsin Head Coach [UPDATE]

Some athletic directors use a search firm. Barry Alvarez knows what he wants. Less than 48 hours after Gary Andersen left for Oregon State, former Wisconsin coordinator and current Pitt head coach Paul Chryst will be the Badgers’ next head coach. This was a no-brainer.

Wisconsin’s priorities were clear. Get someone who will embrace the challenges of coaching there, who will get along with Barry Alvarez, who will maintain the program’s physical identity and who, this is important, won’t leave. Chryst, a former Wisconsin quarterback, checks every box. He may have been the choice during the last search, had it been seemly for him to leave Pitt after one year.

The Power of Chryst as a head coach is an open question. His Pitt track record, 19-19 after three seasons, is mediocre. However, Alvarez is not entering this blind. Chryst’s job, rebuilding Pitt after three coaching changes in two years while jumping to a tougher conference, was not conducive to immediate success.

UPDATE: Wisconsin released a statement saying they have not hired Chryst. They are prevented, legally, from doing so until Dec. 17th.

Statement from Barry Alvarez on #Badgers head coaching search. pic.twitter.com/afCIdaLPoR
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) December 12, 2014