![]() ![]() Landing a coach the caliber of Leonhard in any capacity is a win for Bielema and Illinois. Leonhard’s decision to join the Illinois staff would appear to give him the season to stay in the sport before earning a variety of potential opportunities, either as a defensive coordinator or head coach at the college level or coaching in the NFL. He earned the right to be choosy about his next destination, and some wondered whether he would take the year off, particularly after Leonhard was planning to undergo hip surgery and he and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed not to move forward with him as a candidate for the team’s defensive coordinator job in February. Leonhard, who took over as Wisconsin’s interim coach after five games last season, was passed over for the full-time job in favor of Luke Fickell and opted to move on from the Badgers after the season. Wisconsin consistently ranked among the best nationally in total defense and scoring defense and, in 2021, the Badgers allowed the fewest yards per game (239.1) by an FBS team since 2011. Leonhard served as the Badgers’ defensive backs coach in 2016, two years after retiring from a 10-year NFL career, and was promoted to defensive coordinator the following season. He established himself as one of the top assistant coaches in college football during a seven-year run at Wisconsin. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more overqualified person to serve in the role of senior football analyst than Leonhard. Welcome to the #famILLy, Jim Leonhard! #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy /EpTWrCrhVf Former Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst was fired the day after a 34-10 loss to Illinois last year. Leonhard was a three-time All-American safety at Wisconsin, and current Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was the defensive coordinator for his senior season.The 40-year-old Leonhard was passed over for the permanent head coaching job at Wisconsin when the Badgers hired Luke Fickell."Jim’s ability to step into a program after an incredibly difficult transition and inspire this team to play with passion and with heart the way they did throughout the season was incredible.Illinois has hired former Wisconsin defensive coordinator/interim head coach Jim Leonhard as a senior football analyst. "Stepped into a circumstance that was incredibly difficult and over-delivered. "Jimmy, first and foremost, did an incredible job for the program," he said. McIntosh saluted the work of Leonhard on the night Fickell was formally introduced as head coach. Leonhard has revealed that by deciding to stay at UW. ![]() What is in your heart and what is in your mind?" But that is what it really comes down to. But I do believe it was the right thing for me and the way that I did it and went out about it and it helped me become who I am. It takes a special person in some ways to get over a lot of those things. There’s a lot of things we all have to be able to get over. … That is going to help you to figure out where you want to be next year.’ You’ve got to figure out where you want to be in five years and where you want to be in 10 years. "I told him," Fickell said Monday: " 'You’ve got a lot of things to think about. The possibility of Leonhard staying at UW was discussed before Wednesday. The Buckeyes finished 3-5 in the Big Ten and 6-7 overall under Fickell and Urban Meyer was named head coach before the 2012 season.įickell was retained as co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach and held that title through the 2016 season before he took over the Cincinnati program. He served as Ohio State’s interim head coach in 2011, after Jim Tressel resigned as head coach in May. UW went 4-3 under Leonhard but athletic director Chris McIntosh went with Fickell.įickell understands Leonard’s dilemma as well as anyone. Leonhard was UW’s interim head coach for the final seven games of the regular season, after Paul Chryst was fired on Oct. More: What bowl will extend an invitation to Wisconsin on Sunday? Here are the two likely options for the 6-6 Badgers. ![]() More: Wisconsin Badgers offensive line coach Bob Bostad, wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted not expected to return in 2023 During that run, UW’s average rank was third in points allowed (17.3 per game), first in total yards allowed (284.8 per game), first in pass-efficiency defense (110.5 rating) and third in rushing defense (103.4 ypg). ![]()
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