Chryst’s choice for DC right fit
Leonhard picked to head defense
MADISON - Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst had no qualms hiring Jim Leonhard to oversee UW’s secondary last season despite the fact Leonhard had zero coaching experience.
After watching UW’s defensive backs flourish under Leonhard’s tutelage in 2016, Chryst had no qualms promoting Leonhard to defensive coordinator.
Chryst announced the move Thursday.
“To me, for a coordinator, there has to be certainly a football knowledge level,” Chryst said in a UW release. “Jimmy has far more than just a one-year level of coaching knowledge; X’s and O’s, scheme knowledge. In fact, I think he has got great football schematic knowledge.
“And, then, I think a big part of coordinating is connecting. It’s connecting the coaches and coming up with and coordinating the different units into a scheme. It’s
connecting the coaches to players. It’s finding ways to connect players to players and how you play.
“It’s connecting how one unit plays off the other two units. In this case, how does the defense play off of and with the offense and the special teams? Jimmy has a skill that he can connect groups of people. As a coach, teacher, I thought he’d be really good last year at this time.
“Now, I know that he’s a heck of a teacher.”
Leonhard, 34, replaces Justin Wilcox, who last month left UW after one season to take over the California program. Leonhard will continue to coach defensive backs, meaning UW must find a coach to work with the inside linebackers, which was Wilcox’s group.
A three-time AllAmerican safety at UW who enjoyed a productive 10-year NFL career, Leonhard excelled at teaching necessary techniques and the nuances of the game to his players.
“There is so much more I know they can learn from him, just sitting down and watching football,” cornerback Sojourn Shelton said when asked about the potential of the 2017 secondary under Leonhard.
UW intercepted 22 passes last season, the No. 2 mark among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams and was the team’s highest total since the 2002 season. Leonhard had 11 of UW’s 22 interceptions that season. The defensive backs had 16 interceptions last season.
Safety Leo Musso led the way with five, followed by safety D’Cota Dixon (four) and Shelton (four) and cornerback Derrick Tindal (three).
UW finished No. 10 nationally in pass-efficiency defense with 13 touchdown passes allowed, No. 4 in scoring defense (15.6 points per game), No. 7 in total defense (301.4 yards per game) and No. 3 in rushing defense (98.8 yards per game).
Shelton enjoyed his finest season at UW and was named first-team allBig Ten. In addition to intercepting four passes, he finished with 12 breakups.
“A year ago, if you were to ask me if this was going to happen, I’d probably would have laughed at you — not knowing exactly how it was going to go and how it would work out,” Leonhard said in a UW release. “Paul brought me in and asked me if I was interested. He thought I was ready and he thought I could handle it. I was excited about the possibility and kind of wanted to see where I was at — if I really wanted to entertain the idea . ...
“The longer I thought about it, the more excited I got about the possibilities and what could happen and I jumped at the opportunity.”