Pros and Cons for Wisconsin Coaching Candidates

Paul Chryst, Al Golden and Darrell Bevell are among the leading candidates as the head coach of the Badgers.

Pittsburgh head coach Paul Chryst by Charles LeClaire—USA TODAY Sports.

Pittsburgh head coach Paul Chryst by Charles LeClaire—USA TODAY Sports.

After Gary Andersen surprisingly left the University of Wisconsin to return west and accept the head coaching job at Oregon State, the Badgers and athletic director Barry Alvarez are looking for a new head coach.

Here's a quick round-up of the candidates for the job, ranked by their likelihood to be hired:

 

Paul Chryst

Pros: The offensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 2005 to 2011, Chryst orchestrated some of the best units the program has seen, including back-to-back Big Ten championships and Rose Bowl appearances in 2010 and 2011. Chryst was born in Madison, played for the Badgers and was the tight ends coach for one season in 2002. The last time the Wisconsin head coaching gig was open, Chryst was only one season in at Pittsburgh and didn't want to leave. Three years later, the stigma of leaving a program too early is gone. If there's anyone for which this is a dream job, Chryst is it.

Cons: In three seasons at Pitt, Chryst has led his team to a 19-19 record and three unappealing bowl games in Birmingham, Ala., Detroit and Fort Worth, Tex.

 

Al Golden

Pros: Golden has connections to the conference as a player at Penn State from 1987 to 1992 and with James Franklin hired in Happy Valley last season, Golden won't be going back to his alma mater anytime soon. There's the connection between Alvarez and University of Miami president Donna Shalala, who was the chancellor at Wisconsin from 1988 to 1993 when Alvarez was hired and won a Rose Bowl. Golden navigated Miami through sanctions that took place before he arrived as part of the school's scandal in 2011. He's had moderate success in each of his coaching stops, including 9-4 records at Temple in 2009 and Miami in 2013, and hasn't had a losing record since 2008. Two of his assistants have connections to Wisconsin, defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio played for the Packers in 1992 and defensive line coach Jethro Franklin was an assistant from 2000 to 2004. His ties to recruiting hotbeds in Florida and Pennsylvania are highly attractive. His collared shirt and tie sets the tone for professionalism.

Cons: The bottom fell out on Miami in 2014 with a 6-6 record, a season in which they entered with high expectations, and the situation at Miami has increasingly become toxic. Golden's career record as a head coach is 55-55. His connection to Joe Paterno is now more of an anchor than a source of pride. And Penn State wasn't even a member of the Big Ten was Golden was a player.

 

Darrell Bevell

Pros: The offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawks last season, Bevell was an Alvarez protégé and a Rose Bowl winning quarterback during his playing days from 1991 to 1995. He also has ties to the state as an assistant for the Green Bay Packers from 2000 to 2005.

Cons: Bevell has never been a head coach, has few recruiting connections, and with the Seahawks making another playoff push, will Pete Carroll allow Bevell to interview prior to Alvarez's desire to have a head coach in place by the bowl game?

 

Dave Doeren

Pros: Along with Chryst, Doeren was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin for several very successful seasons from 2006 through 2010. After leaving to become the head coach at Northern Illinois, he led the Huskies to two consecutive MAC championships and an appearance in the Orange Bowl in 2013. Doren is also coming off his first season leading North Carolina State to a winning record, going 7-5 in 2014.

Cons: Since becoming head coach at N.C. State, Doren's record as the head coach of a Power 5 conference school is just 10-14.

 

Greg Schiano

Pros: Schiano had a good amount of success at Rutgers for the better part of a decade from 2001 to 2011 at a school that is now part of the Big Ten. From 2005 to 2011, Schiano only had one season with a less than .500 record and in 2006, he guided the Scarlet Knights to their first 10-plus win season since 1976. Schiano also has NFL experience as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012 to 2013, and it's possible former Wisconsin offensive line coach Bob Bostad will give him a recommendation. Bostad was hired by Schiano as his offensive line coach, and it's possible he could hire him again as an offensive coordinator at Wisconsin. Schiano is also unattached and can take his next job anywhere he wants.

Cons: Schiano had an 11-21 record as head coach of the Buccaneers and rubbed people the wrong way with his "my way or the highway" approach. His connections to the Big Ten are also rather loose as he only coached Rutgers as a member of the Big East.

 

Ed Orgeron

Pros: Orgeron has the reputation as one of the best recruiters in the country, something that is sorely needed in light of the 59-0 spanking Wisconsin received in the Big Ten championship game. He also has the reputation as a player's coach. Head coaching experience in Ole Miss from 2005 to 2007 and the interim job at USC last season. Oregron is currently unattached and can pick any program he chooses.

Cons: There's a perception that Orgeron is best fit as an assistant and a recruiter rather than the leader of a program, as his 16-27 record as a head coach attests. If you take out his 6-2 record as an interim head coach, the record looks even worse.

 

Jim Tressel

Pros: Tressel led Ohio State to a national championship in 2002, four more at the I-AA level and six Big Ten titles with the Buckeyes. Despite the scandal that enveloped the Ohio State program under Tressel, he is still held in high esteem by many.

Cons: The show-cause penalty leaves no room for error lest Wisconsin fall under sanctions. However, the penalty goes away in 2016 and possibly even sooner if major college football schools break away from the NCAA as a governing body. Perception he's too old at 62.

 

Scott Frost

Pros: As the offensive coordinator at Oregon for the past two seasons and an assistant since 2009, Frost leads one of the most exciting and high-scoring units in the nation. Like Alvarez, he is a former player at Nebraska, including national championships in 1995 and 1997 as the Cornhuskers quarterback. Frost also has ties to the state when he was on the roster of the Packers in 2001 and 2002. He also has experience on both sides of the football, playing safety in the NFL. Young, up-and-coming.

Cons: Another candidate without head coaching experience, and could Wisconsin—with its tradition of having massive offensive linemen—adapt to a spread scheme like Oregon?

 

Rod Carey

Pros: A Madison native, Carey played his college football in the Big Ten at Indiana and was an assistant in the University of Wisconsin system at Stout from 2000 to 2006. He coached under Doeren at Northern Illinois and was promoted as head coach when he left. He led the Huskies to a MAC title last week in what many thought would be a rebuilding year in DeKalb. Has a 23-5 record as a head coach.

Cons: Wisconsin may not want to dip down to the ranks of the MAC for its next head coach as there are other other much bigger names on the list ahead of Carey.

 

Mel Tucker

Pros: Tucker has ties to the program as a player under Alvarez, graduating in 1995. He's been a defensive coordinator in the NFL since 2008 and was considered a candidate for the Wisconsin job the last time it came around. Wisconsin has never had a black head football coach, and Tucker may be the leading candidate of color on the list.

Cons: Since the last time the Wisconsin job opened up, Tucker has done an underwhelming job as defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. His experience exclusively in the NFL since 2005 leaves him without many recruiting contacts, however.

 

Tom Herman

Pros: Who better to coach the offense than the coordinator that just beat you 59-0 in the Big Ten championship? Herman's work at Ohio State under Urban Meyer has been impeccable and he now has intimate familiarity with the conference.

Cons: Another candidate who has never been a head coach, and his experience in the Big Ten spans just three seasons.

 

Not happening: Bo Pelini, Pat Narduzzi, Lance Leipold, Charlie Partridge, Mike Sherman, Lane Kiffin, Will Muschamp, Bob Bostad, Jon Gruden, Barry Alvarez (with the exception of the bowl game)

 

Brian Carriveau is the author of the book "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor at Cheesehead TV and its "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].

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Comments (6)

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D.D.Driver's picture

December 10, 2014 at 08:16 pm

Herman is my pick.

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Paul Ott Carruth's picture

December 11, 2014 at 08:01 am

Kirby Smart. Coach Smart has had to re-tool the Alabama defense on several occasions due to losing NFL talent on a consistent basis. He has a solid coaching pedigree starting at Valdosta, then stints in the SEC along with a stop at FSU. Most importantly he's a very good recruiter

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 11, 2014 at 08:06 am

Great Article Brian.

Anderson leaving is still shocking to me. Like most others, I didn't expect that one at all...

I hope they can find a head coach that will come and stay for a long time. In order to do so I think this time they will be looking to find someone closer to the program and the area.

I love the idea of Paul Chryst and Darrell Bevel, but i do have questions on them. Chryst is a great offensive mind. I would look at his record more based on talent he has, but has he been able to recruit and develop talent?
Bevel is another great offensive mind. I think he might be one that would be willing to stay a while.

Tucker might be a really good college head coach. I would place more blame on Chicago's talent level then his coaching ability.

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Bearmeat's picture

December 11, 2014 at 12:32 pm

Hire Bevell UW. Preferably 6 days before the SEA/GB NFC CG in GB. :)

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Norm's picture

December 11, 2014 at 05:08 pm

What, no Brad Childress recommendations?

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Amanofthenorth's picture

December 12, 2014 at 06:55 am

Hire Gil Krueger. Burning desire to win

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