Leonhard eager to coach in Rose Bowl after missing it as player
LOS ANGELES – Jim Leonhard came within one victory of experiencing the Rose Bowl as a player.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator quipped.
Yes, 15 years have passed but Leonhard still remembers the 30-7 loss at Iowa that cost UW a Big Ten title and a berth in the 2005 Rose Bowl.
Leonhard, in his third season as defensive coordinator and fourth season on Paul Chryst’s staff, is set to make his Rose Bowl debut when No. 8 UW faces No. 6 Oregon on Wednesday.
“Obviously, the landscape of college football has changed as far as the bowls go since I played,” said Leonhard, who played at UW from 2001-04. “But growing up, that’s all you heard about. That was the best of the best, going to the Rose Bowl.
“Not having the opportunity to go there as a player definitely hurt. Because that is what you grow up on.
“Having an opportunity to go as a coach, it is unbelievable how many people have reached out, talking about the experience that I’m going to have, that this team is going to have, it is definitely going to be special.”
Even after a delay of 15 years. UW entered the 2004 regular-season finale 6-1 in the Big Ten and 9-1 overall. A victory over the Hawkeyes would send UW to Pasadena.
Leonhard did all he could by intercepting two passes on Iowa’s first six offensive plays and finishing with 10 tackles.
His first interception of quarterback Drew Tate gave UW the ball at the Hawkeyes 32 just 1 minute 31 seconds into the game.
The Badgers gained 2 yards on three plays and then botched the scoring chance as Mike Allen lined up to try a 47yard field-goal attempt. The snap was off the mark and by the time holder Ken DeBauche corralled the ball all he could do was heave a pass that was incomplete.
Leonhard’s second interception came on Iowa’s sixth offensive play and UW took over at the Hawkeyes 35, just 3:31 into the game.
UW’s offense managed 1 yard on four plays and Allen missed a 51-yard fieldgoal attempt.
The Badgers finished with 186 yards on 69 plays in the loss and wound up losing to Georgia in the Outback Bowl.
“It is one of those games you never missed growing up,” Leonhard, who played at Flambeau High School before walking on at UW, said of the Rose Bowl. “I don’t care if you watched every bowl game or cherry-picked which ones you watched. You never missed the Rose Bowl.
“So it’s going to be exciting to go there.”