Gary Andersen Leaves Wisconsin to Coach Oregon State

Gary Andersen, the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, has surprised everybody by bailing after just two years to coach the Oregon State Beavers, the Portland Tribune is reporting.

This one comes out of nowhere, as most college football observers would consider Wisconsin the better job. It’s difficult to recruit to Corvallis. Wisconsin is a perennial contender in the Big 10.

Andersen is from Utah, and spent much of his career and life out West, so perhaps it is a location thing. The Badgers now have to scurry for the second time in three years to find a replacement.

Among the first questions Andersen is sure to be asked: Bret Bielema left for Arkansas and complained the school was too cheap for him to retain assistant coaches … was that the same reason you left?