Before Sunday night, the coaching carousel had been active but did not feature a true shocker. Wisconsin changed that by firing coach Paul Chryst.
Chryst was on no one's hot-seat list entering the season. Wisconsin's program seemed to be trending downward -- the team had not reached the Big Ten title game since 2019, its longest drought since the event launched in 2011 -- but the team still won nine games last year and returned talent on both sides of the ball. Chryst never had a losing season at his alma mater. He's as Wisconsin as it gets. Although the team had started slowly (2-3) for the second straight year, Chryst had turned things around in 2021 and seemed capable of doing so again.
The decision to fire Chryst despite a 67-26 record, three Big Ten West Division titles and six bowl victories, including the Cotton and Orange, elicited shocked reactions from throughout the college football world.
"What the hell happened? How can you do that?" a Power 5 coach texted.
Athletic director Chris McIntosh, a former Wisconsin player and UW lifer like Chryst, understood the magnitude of his decision and didn't make it lightly. On Wisconsin? This was as un-Wisconsin as it gets. A program built on coaching continuity isn't expected to cut ties with a coach who won 72% of his games. Even after a rough loss Saturday to Illinois and Wisconsin's former coach, Bret Bielema.
McIntosh's decision could go down as masterful, or Wisconsin might have just had its Frank Solich moment.
But McIntosh saw a regressing offense, the inability to keep pace with the Big Ten's best programs and a lag in recruiting. He also saw defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, a Wisconsin legend who had been pegged as Chryst's likely successor whenever that day came. Leonhard was the clear choice to be interim coach until the end of the season. Wisconsin is setting him up to land the permanent job if he can deliver success in the final seven games.
Still, McIntosh said Sunday night he owed it to Wisconsin to conduct a full search. Beyond Leonhard, Wisconsin has an interesting and robust candidate pool and plenty to offer. Starting with Leonhard, here's a look at the potential candidates at Wisconsin -- which will have some overlap with Nebraska's list -- from most likely to some long shots.
Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard: McIntosh very well could have made his choice Sunday in putting Leonhard in the interim role. He had high praise for the former Badgers star, saying Sunday, "The fit Jim brings to this program, his competitiveness, his work ethic, those are all gimmes. His ability to lead and his ability to reach, we were fortunate to have Jimmy on the staff that we're in a position where we can entrust this level of responsibility and leadership." Leonhard, a three-time All-America defensive back who played a decade in the NFL, had no coaching experience before coming to his alma mater in 2016. He became the defensive coordinator a year later and made an excellent unit even better. The 39-year-old has turned down higher-profile college coordinator jobs and even the Green Bay Packers to remain at Wisconsin. But with Nebraska looking for a coach and Wisconsin's turbulent trajectory, McIntosh perhaps wanted to give Leonhard a shot at the top job. "I became who I am at the University of Wisconsin and at this football program," Leonhard said Sunday. "I feel like I can take this opportunity and help this place grow. That's why I came back a number of years ago, and why I haven't left." Leonhard likely would be more aggressive and hands on with recruiting than Chryst, which Wisconsin needs.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold: The timing of Leipold's breakout year at Kansas couldn't have come at a better time for the coach. Kansas is 5-0 for the first time since 2009, ranked No. 19 in the AP poll and set to host ESPN's "College GameDay" for the first time this week. Nebraska is looking for a coach, and Leipold spent time there under Solich from 2001 to 2003. But he is much more tied to his home state of Wisconsin, where he played at Wisconsin-Whitewater and later coached the team to six Division III national titles in eight seasons. Leipold, 58, also served as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin early in coach Barry Alvarez's tenure. His offensive acumen being displayed with Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels could be exactly what Wisconsin needs.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell: He's another coach who likely will be on Nebraska's radar, too. But Campbell might prefer a job like Wisconsin, given the program's belief in player development and line-of-scrimmage excellence. He won't leave a great situation at Iowa State for many jobs, but Wisconsin likely checks a lot of boxes for the 42-year-old. Campbell also could give Wisconsin a fresh approach on offense and with quarterback play. He has guided ISU to five consecutive bowl appearances and a No. 9 AP finish in 2020. Campbell hasn't coached in the Big Ten but grew up around the league in Ohio and would adapt easily.
Kent State coach Sean Lewis: If Wisconsin wants to hire one of its own but adopt a dramatically different offensive philosophy, it should call Lewis. He played tight end at Wisconsin before starting his coaching career at his high school alma mater outside of Chicago. Lewis, 36, runs a high-tempo, pass-oriented offense that looks nothing like what Wisconsin has operated over the years. But perhaps some change is in order, especially because Lewis has led Kent State to its first bowl win and two of its five all-time bowl appearances. Despite playing brutal nonconference schedules every year, Lewis has kept Kent State competitive in the MAC, winning the East Division title last season.
NC State coach Dave Doeren: After NC State's loss Saturday at Clemson, there's a sense Doeren possibly has taken the program as far as he can. Although he remains in a great situation with the Wolfpack, a move to the Big Ten and to familiar surroundings might be enticing for the 50-year-old. Doeren spent 2006 to 2010 at Wisconsin, leading a recruiting effort that set up the program for three consecutive Big Ten championships. The former Badgers defensive coordinator has flexed his recruiting prowess at NC State, which is 68-50 under his leadership.
Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock: The run game has been at the core of Wisconsin's success over the decades, and few embrace it better than Hammock. A former NIU running back, he coached the position throughout his career, including a three-year stint at Wisconsin and additional Big Ten experience at Minnesota (2007 to 2010). Hammock engineered one of the nation's biggest turnarounds at NIU, which went from 0-6 in 2020 to a MAC championship last year. His overall record (15-22) could hurt his chances, but he knows the Wisconsin program very well, beginning his career as a graduate assistant there.
Baylor coach Dave Aranda: The pull of the Big Ten is real, even for a coach who just won a conference championship. Aranda is in a great situation at Baylor, which has rewarded him well and will soon begin building a football operations center. But Wisconsin would give Aranda a bigger spotlight, especially when the College Football Playoff expands. He served as Wisconsin's defensive coordinator from 2013 to 2015 and began the defensive renaissance in Madison that Leonhard has continued. Aranda, 46, enjoyed his time in Madison. He's a long shot to return but absolutely should get a call if McIntosh is indeed running a widespread search. Aranda is 17-11 at Baylor.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien: He beat Wisconsin in both seasons that he led Penn State, including as a 24.5-point underdog in Madison in 2013. O'Brien seemingly is set to return to a college head-coaching gig after mentoring Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and overseeing a potent Alabama offense. He could also factor into job searches at Georgia Tech and Nebraska but could see Wisconsin as an easier place to compete for CFP spots. O'Brien, 52, has impressive credentials with quarterbacks and offense, and would give Wisconsin some name recognition on the recruiting trail.
Chris Petersen: The Fox analyst might be done coaching, but Wisconsin is the type of program he would consider for a return to the sidelines. Petersen was masterful at player development and culture-building at Boise State and Washington, and would find many of the same ingredients at Washington. He would bring the offensive acumen needed to help the unit better complement the defense. Petersen, 57, has never worked in the Big Ten and spent only one season east of Boise, but he would be a strong choice for McIntosh, depending on his true interest in a return.
Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule: The Panthers fell to 1-3 on Sunday, and Rhule's time there could be winding down if there isn't a turnaround soon. If Rhule doesn't last with Carolina, he likely will return to the college ranks, where he had incredible success at Temple and Baylor. He could be drawn to a school like Wisconsin, which has a track record of winning and doesn't need a total overhaul to return to form. The NFL schedule doesn't line up well with the accelerated college recruiting/transfer cycle, so Rhule, 47, might need to be fired early to be a realistic contender at Wisconsin. He won 10 games in each of his final two seasons and led an incredible turnaround at Baylor, which reached the Big 12 title game two years after going 1-11.