Wisconsin interim coach Jim Leonhard, a candidate for the permanent coaching job, thinks the school will benefit from a decision soon on who will lead the program going forward.
Leonhard told SiriusXM’s “Big Ten This Morning” that “bigger conversations are coming soon” about Wisconsin’s permanent coaching role. He’s 2-1 as the Badgers’ interim coach after the team fired Paul Chryst on Oct. 2. Athletic director Chris McIntosh said he owed it to Wisconsin to conduct a full national search, although Leonhard, a decorated former Wisconsin player and the team’s defensive coordinator since 2017, has long been viewed as a potential successor to Chryst.
Leonhard credited McIntosh for stepping back “to let me coach” the first few games, as Wisconsin beat Northwestern, lost to Michigan State in overtime and beat Purdue last week. Wisconsin (4-4) is in an open week before hosting Maryland, which Leonhard said could be a good time to ramp up discussions.
“There needs to be decisions sooner than later, hopefully, to help with the uncertainty and not fall behind in recruiting or just your team,” Leonhard told host Matt Schick. “[Players are] all questioning and wondering what the future is going to hold for them. It’s getting closer to those times.”
Leonhard said he should primarily be judged on style of play and the team’s overall improvement. He thinks Wisconsin didn’t play clean football early this season but has smoothed out its performance lately. Leonhard, 40, also told SiriusXM that “the program needs to adapt” without losing its core tradition.
McIntosh on Oct. 2 praised Leonhard’s competitiveness and work ethic, which made him a clear choice to be the interim coach.
“There is uncertainty, that is true,” Leonhard said. “Hopefully, with the way we play this second half of the season, and started the last three games, will answer a lot of those questions about where the health of the program is, and hopefully the direction that the powers that be take it.”