Inside Chryst's firing at Wisconsin...
The Athletic had an interesting piece on Chryst's firing. It's paywalled, of course, so I won't bother with a link. It was death by a thousand cuts. Some takeaways:
He was universally regarded as a great guy.
His biggest strength was also his greatest weakness--too nice. Wouldn't fire anyone.
He made Mork-like personnel moves rather than replacing people.
He was fired not only for the product on the field, but the trajectory of the program.
Recruiting was a mess--not organized and understaffed, and he didn't address it.
Jimmy Rolder visited for a game, and NOBODY even talked to him. Nobody even knew he was coming.
He put all his eggs in to Graham Mertz's basket and didn't bring in a grad transfer to challenge him. Caleb Williams reportedly was considering Wisconsin, and Chryst didn't even speak to him.
There was not a lot of accountability for the players.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:36 PM ^
Yikes…sounds like he hired Conrad, Connie, or Con to extend the space below his desk for some zzz’s.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:33 PM ^
Barry Alvarez comes in with his grandkids...CALL IN A BOMB THREAT
October 7th, 2022 at 6:10 AM ^
Heartbreaker, love taker, Brubaker run this prison like a man.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:37 PM ^
Yes, that's a lot of papercuts.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:45 PM ^
Caleb Williams reportedly was considering Wisconsin
As a transfer or when he was a recruit out of high school? I can't imagine him considering Wisconsin over following Riley to USC.
I feel for coaches, though. I admire loyalty and think it's an important trait. But, at the end of the day, you can't remain loyal to coaches that aren't getting the job done.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:51 PM ^
The piece said as a transfer.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:53 PM ^
Thanks. That's the only one of these points that doesn't pass the smell test. I can see all of the other points being true and a problem for Chryst.
October 6th, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
If I recall correctly, this was reported at the time after Riley took the USC job that Wisconsin was on the shortlist.
October 6th, 2022 at 9:12 PM ^
Yes and I believe the point the author of the piece was making was to emphasize the fact that Chryst *never once* talked to Caleb Williams even when it was reported there was “interest” from Williams in Wisconsin. It was just furthering the point that Chryst was clearly neglecting the recruiting areas of his program (the Jimmy Rolder anecdote is a more egregious mistake). I don’t think the author was saying that Chryst completely fumbled the bag on a high potential transfer since most everyone knew Williams would end up at USC. But for the head coach to not even attempt to do their due diligence in a major recruiting area was the problem.
October 6th, 2022 at 8:11 PM ^
"...you can't remain loyal to coaches that aren't getting the job done."
Ask Jeff Hecklinski. Brady did the hard thing, and - unfortunately - the hard thing is usually the hardest thing to do.
October 6th, 2022 at 8:21 PM ^
This is a situation Harbaugh has had to deal with, and he's done without fuss several times. Drevno was a long time assistant, let him go. Pep Hamilton was a long time friend, didn't even do that bad of a job (not his fault John O'Korn was playing QB because the other 2 dudes were injured). Jim still released him. Best example might be Don Brown, not a long time friend, but he was the best DC in the conference for a few seasons, but his scheme got scouted and Don couldn't adjust and Harbaugh took a huge chance on a rookie DC from the Ravens tree, which I'm sure wasn't an easy decision.
But this is what you sign up for when you're the guy in charge.
October 7th, 2022 at 3:39 AM ^
If I remember correctly, Drevno was the best man at Harbaugh's wedding.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:46 PM ^
Yeah I'm sure Caleb Williams was seriously considering Wisconsin over joining his coach at USC.
For Chryst being such a great guy, his teams head hunted about as much as peak Dantonio MSU teams. I'm sure that won't change under Leonhard either. I'm quite enjoying watching Wisconsin fall back to their rightful place of mediocrity.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:51 PM ^
How do you know the OP didn't mean when Williams was being recruited our if high school?
Edit: Per above, the article said as a transfer.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:56 PM ^
The summary said "grad transfer" which couldn't apply to Caleb since he's only a sophomore. Maybe it was just a typo... no big deal.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:29 PM ^
He was a high school grad transfer. Graduated high school and transferred to college
October 6th, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
I disagree about enjoying the Wisconsin fall. When they were on the UM schedule they were good and the game was tough. Now they rotate to OSU schedule and they suck.
October 6th, 2022 at 9:20 PM ^
Since 2011 OSU is 9-0 against Wisconsin, so I think they've faced their fair share of good UW teams.
October 7th, 2022 at 8:50 AM ^
Looking at the current streak, the worst Wisconsin team Ohio State had to face was 8-6 and four of those teams won 11 or more games. Ohio State played Wisconsin three times in the B1G championship game, including 2017 when Wisconsin finished 13-1.
Wisconsin is also 0-5 in one score games against Ohio State during that stretch, which has to hurt.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:49 PM ^
You’re right. It seems like Wisconsin always has one or two scrappy/dirty players in both hoops and football.
October 6th, 2022 at 8:09 PM ^
They always have a disproportionate ratio of gritty to athletic guys compared to other programs (BYU notwithstanding)
October 6th, 2022 at 8:22 PM ^
They’ve got a bunch of try-hard gym rats that punch above their weight.
October 6th, 2022 at 9:30 PM ^
Lots of coach's kid, lunch pail types.
October 6th, 2022 at 10:07 PM ^
Not the most athletic players, but always high motor guys.
October 6th, 2022 at 10:45 PM ^
A lot of Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, & Watt brother types
October 6th, 2022 at 10:08 PM ^
They are never short of a glue guy
October 7th, 2022 at 5:18 AM ^
They’ve got a bunch of try-hard gym rats that punch above their weight.
Or, in Brad Davison's case, below the belt.
October 7th, 2022 at 9:12 AM ^
I noticed Iowa was playing with 9-10 high motor kids at a time on offense last weekend.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
High football IQ. Plays the game the right way.
October 7th, 2022 at 11:12 AM ^
Williams went to high school and is friends with Dean Engram, who is a DB for Wisconsin and son of Bobby Engram, who is the current Offensive Coordinator for the Badgers.
It was widely reported that he was strongly considering Wisconsin because of his close ties to both a current player and coach. This isn't shocking.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:48 PM ^
Disorganized recruiting and lack of NIL setup is going to be a death knell for any major university moving forward. As good as a guy that Chryst may have been, Wisconsin was smart for addressing the problem right now before they get left behind even further.
October 6th, 2022 at 9:22 PM ^
But programs and AD's can hire staff to do these things if they have HC's with shortcomings. I mean PSU spent 2000-2012 paying people to recruit, coach, and change Jopa's diapers.
October 6th, 2022 at 10:46 PM ^
If only they could have hired someone to be his concience...
October 6th, 2022 at 11:32 PM ^
Recruiting is a much different animal today than it was then. With the addition of NIL, you need more hands-on it than ever. I don't think that methodology would be sufficient in 2022 and moving forward
October 7th, 2022 at 10:08 AM ^
The first shortcoming was lobbed against Harbaugh from 2019 until the strong Dec finish last year.
The second has been lobbed against Harbaugh the last 6 months and he openly responded in the affirmative that UM is not directly leveraging in recruiting.
The point: it seems like the shifting recruiting environment is testing “traditionalists” in CFB. UM and UW are in that mode. These complaints usually arise as messaging that boosters are not happy. Chryst and JH are closer to the old B1G model of running a program and boosters want a more aggressive approach.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:43 PM ^
I remember when we were recruiting Rolder he was described as similar to the many excellent linebackers that Wisconsin has had over the last several years. The fact they had him on campus and completely ignored him is staggering.
October 6th, 2022 at 6:48 PM ^
Where there's a firing, there's smoke. I'd bet most of this piece is an over-reach. I love today's journalism.
October 6th, 2022 at 8:55 PM ^
What you're saying is lazy and makes no sense. When someone like this is suddenly fired, at a place like Wisconsin, it makes more sense that it's because of a collection of issues rather than just "you lost three games."
October 6th, 2022 at 9:27 PM ^
I think that's what he's saying. That the notions in the article seem a little light at reaching the critical mass of firing a guy who has never had a losing season since his first year coaching Pitt in 2012. Especially when this guy is the prodigal son of Wisconsin. This is about like the Pellini firing as far as symmetry between record and getting the ax, as in pretty asymmetric. But Nebraska has an elite tradition. Whereas, Christ is probably in the top 3 coaches in Wiscy history.
October 7th, 2022 at 8:55 AM ^
He's also the prodigal son with a new athletic director. This is pure and unadulterated speculation, but I think Alvarez would have given Chryst more time to fix the problems. I mean, Alavarez hired Chryst twice: as an assistant when Alvarez was head coach and as head coach when Alvarez was AD.
New AD Chris McIntosh was much less attached to Chryst.
October 7th, 2022 at 12:01 PM ^
No doubt. But I find it weird without something more on the inside. Wisconsin isn't a destination job for too many coaches. Even Bert bolted. Chryst won 72% of his games there. Even if someone new got 80%, which is almost impossible, that person would then be the target of blue blood programs coast to coast.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
I will be walking right by Camp Randall as I leave work, so I'll let you know if I obtain any other Chryst firing nuggets from sidewalk conversations.
My info will not be paywalled.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
Choices always were a problem for you
What we need is someone strong to guide us
Like Paul
Paul Chryst why don't you come save my life now
Open my eyes blind me with your light now.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:04 PM ^
My favorite Tool song. Opiate
October 6th, 2022 at 7:15 PM ^
My Paul's will becomes me
When he speaks he speaks through me
Paul has needs like I do
We both want to run iso on you
October 6th, 2022 at 9:15 PM ^
The only one darker than you, is Darker Blue.
Not really a song lyric, but I felt inspired. Seeing myself out...
October 6th, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
Black then white are all I see
In Paul's infancy
Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me
Fired me
October 6th, 2022 at 9:44 PM ^
My shadow's shedding Paul
I've been picking Leonhard again
October 6th, 2022 at 7:02 PM ^
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Chryst, Fitz, and Ferentz are the same coach.
Good coaches who are too stubborn to change their ways and adapt to the best ways to run a program in 2022.
Fitz, should fire everyone on his staff except his OL coach, Kurt Anderson (yeah, the Michigan OL).
Anderson fell into his lap, when the HC at Arkansas was fired. He's from Evanston and went to Evanston Township HS (I think).
Ferentz needs to move his son into an administrative role and hire an OC of this millennium. He's lucky he has Phil Parker or he'd be done at Iowa.
Hell, it sounds crazy, but fire your son and hire Scott Frost as OC. Hell, what's ol Tom Herman doing these days? He'd be an upgrade from little Ferentz and his Super Tecmo Bowl playbook.
I'm sure Iowa's recruiting is just like Wisconsin. Northwestern is starting to adapt in recruiting, but they have a staff of dinosaurs trying to learn on the fly.
Fitz should swallowed his pride like Harbaugh and went and got a young, dynamic staff...and while Harbaugh got "Michigan guys" they weren't Harbaugh guys except for the 3 JOHN Harbaugh guys.
Hart, Bellamy, Moore, Clinck...those are rock stars on any staff.
Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern have to change their entire program. Step into 2022. But those guys are so afraid to lose what "made them," they'd rather go down doing what got them there.
October 6th, 2022 at 7:28 PM ^
Good summation by lumping these three HC. Yes, these three do not think outside the box. Then there's Mel in E Lansing and you have to wonder what the hell is he doing? My take is he's taking too many shortcuts with all of these transfer/portal kids. He found lightning in a bottle with KW3. So he got one gold nugget in a world with mostly fool's gold.
And don't forget what caused Scott Frost's demise; bringing too many assistant coaches from UCF who weren't ready for B1G play. We could add them to the list.
Wisc, Iowa and NW are being left in the dust. NE and Wisc has hope with these interim HC. The next hot seat is Kirk Ferentz if IA gets blown out by IL on Saturday, say 31-0? It could happen. This will be fun.