re: Wisconsin Preparing for A&M to Make A Run at DC Jim Leonhard

no way. Agrunner said Elko has had a contract in hand for a week and would be signing today.

Money isn’t a concern to Leonard. He made plenty during his NFL career.

I’m suprised he’s not coaching at Wisconsin for free!

quote:

---

I agree with that. Wisky doesn't throw out huge contracts to assistants. I believe that is why Bielema left the program.

---

It's been the focus of discontent within that program for at least a decade or more

How much money did Leonhard gross in his playing career?

Yeah, no idea who he is

quote:

---

He currently makes about $600k a year. He is a Badger alum, so it would take a big number to pull him away.

---

Since Leonhard's name has started surfacing for other jobs, especially Florida State, its been said that it would take $1 million for him to leave Wisconsin. Depending on the program, even that number may not be enough to drive him away.

His predecessor, Justin Wilcox, was set to earn $925,000 in 2017 with an opportunity to accrue an additional $100,000 had he not taken the HC position at Cal. Knowing that number, and Leonhard's name being linked to other jobs, he'll get his raise.

Paul Chryst isn't retiring anytime soon, and Wisconsin fans recognize that Leonhard will be gone at some point, but many expect him to take over as Wisconsin HC someday. He is from Troy (WI), was a walk-on turned three-time All-American, and met his wife in Madison.

quote:

---

They hire from within

---

Paul Chryst has done well with this.
- He, Joe Rudolph (OC), and Jim Leonhard (DC) are all Wisconsin alumni.
- Other position coaches have connections to Wisconsin, too. John Settles (RBs) was at Wisconsin from 2006-2010, Mickey Turner (TEs) played at Wisconsin, Bob Bostad graduated from a UW system school and was previously at Wisconsin 2006-2011.
- Out of the ten Graduate Assistants and Quality Control staff, nine are former Wisconsin players.

quote:

---

recruit players who can meet their academic requirements

---

It's no Ivy, but academic requirements is a very real thing at Wisconsin and a primary, public reason that Gary Andersen left for Oregon State.

Wisconsin requires prospective student-athletes to take more core classes out of high school, including additional foreign language courses. Then, in addition to meeting NCAA Clearinghouse requirements, these same student-athletes must meet certain requirements set-forth by the school.

Couple recruits this cycle that were favoring Wisconsin will and have ended-up elsewhere after not having the scores to get into Madison. Another example is Jordan Stevenson, a four-star RB that committed to Andersen and stayed committed when Chryst came on-board. He was denied admission and went to Nebraska.

quote:

---

and focus on developing the players

---

One of the reasons Wisconsin seems to have a good defense each year is the developmental program. Players develop through Wisconsin's program over the course of four- and five-years. Because of that, starting spots for underclassmen are at a premium. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, but Wisconsin has physically- and mentally-mature players on defense each year, no matter who they lost the year before.

Wisconsin also has a storied walk-on program. As the only Division I team in the state, kids grow up wanting to play for Wisconsin. They'll turn down MAC, FCS and Division II offers to walk-on and develop through the program. Quite a few turn out to be productive college players, if not more (i.e. NFL).