Wisconsin football has undergone significant change since Oct. 2, 2022 — the day Paul Chryst was fired.
Of course, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard led the team as its interim head coach for the remainder of that 2022 season. Athletic director Chris McIntosh then hired Luke Fickell upon the regular season’s conclusion, before the program’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl matchup against Oklahoma State.
Fickell’s arrival represented a top-down program overhaul. He brought several assistants from Cincinnati, hired North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo and began to craft the program around his vision. Wisconsin fans are still waiting for the positive results of that vision, as the program is just 12-13 in two years under Fickell’s leadership, including a bowl-less 5-7 2024 campaign.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s 2022 coaching staff all left for opportunities elsewhere. Many remained in college, some even in the Big Ten, while a few jumped up to the NFL level.
As we have done each offseason since the start of the Luke Fickell era, here is where Chryst, Leonhard and Wisconsin football’s entire 2022 coaching staff are now, entering the 2025 season.
Head coach Paul Chryst
Current job: N/A (not coaching)
Jobs since 2022: Texas offensive analyst (2023)
Years at Wisconsin: 1986-1988 (playing), 2002 (TEs coach), 2005 (co-OC, TEs coach), 2006-2011 (OC, QBs coach), 2015-2022 (head coach)
Chryst spent one season as an offensive analyst under Steve Sarkisian at Texas. He has yet to take another job after leaving the Longhorns after the 2023 season. He was notably a top contender for Iowa’s offensive coordinator vacancy last offseason, indicating that programs likely still have interest.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard
Current job: Denver Broncos pass game coordinator/assistant head coach
Jobs since 2022: Illinois senior analyst (2023), Broncos DBs coach/pass game coordinator (2024), Broncos pass game coordinator/assistant head coach (2025-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2001-2004 (playing), 2016 (DBs coach), 2017-2022 (defensive coordinator), 2022 (interim head coach)
Leonhard was a hot name this offseason for NFL defensive coordinator vacancies. Instead, he opted to remain with the Broncos as the mastermind behind their top-ranked secondary. The Wisconsin legend will likely step up into a DC job at the college or NFL level. But as seen over the last few years, he’ll be extremely selective in doing so.
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bobby Engram
Current job: Washington Commanders wide receivers coach
Jobs since 2022: Commanders WRs coach (2023-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2022 (OC, QBs coach)
Engram was underqualified for Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator job in 2022. He had zero play-calling experience, let alone any as an offensive coordinator. He has since landed in a strong situation in Washington, coaching Terry McLaurin and one of the NFL’s better wide receiving corps.
Running backs coach Al Johnson
Current job: Temple offensive line coach
Jobs since 2022: Montana State OL coach (2023-2024), Temple OL coach (2025-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2000-2002 (playing), 2022 (RBs coach)
Johnson, like Engram, was a curious hire at the time. While he had extensive experience coaching the offensive line, he didn’t have any experience coaching running backs. The former Badger lineman returned to his position roots after leaving the program. He began at Montana State, then recently took the same position at Temple.
Wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted
Current job: N/A (not coaching)
Jobs since 2022: Utah WRs coach (2023-2024)
Years at Wisconsin: 2020-2022 (WRs coach)
Whitted spent two seasons at Utah after leaving the Badgers. As of May 31, he has yet to sign anywhere for the upcoming 2025 season.
Tight ends coach Chris Haering
Current job: West Virginia assistant special teams coordinator
Jobs since 2022: WVU assistant ST coordinator (2024-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2015-2021 (Special teams coordinator), 2022 (TEs coach)
Haering is one of many coaches on Chryst’s 2022 staff who were new to their position groups that season. Haering, who played at West Virginia, initially coached linebackers under Chryst at Pitt from 2012-13. He then took over as the Badgers’ special teams coordinator for most of Chryst’s tenure with the program. He has since returned to that focus at his alma mater.
Offensive line coach Bob Bostad
Current job: Indiana run game coordinator/offensive line coach
Jobs since 2022: Indiana RGC/OL coach (2023-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2006-2007 (run game coordinator, TEs coach), 2008-2011 (run game coordinator, OL coach), 2017-2021 (ILBs coach), 2022 (OL coach)
While Wisconsin’s current OL coach, A.J. Blazek, has done well in one-plus year with the program, Bostad is one assistant the Badgers were likely unhappy to see exit. He now coaches the offensive line under Curt Cignetti for an upstart Indiana program that made the College Football Playoff in 2024. Former Badger Trey Wedig was a big part of that group’s success.
Cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat
Current job: Iowa State cornerbacks coach (2023-present)
Jobs since 2022: Iowa State CBs coach (2023-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2021-2022 (CBs coach)
Poteat enters his third year as Iowa State’s cornerbacks coach in 2025. While he spent just two years with the Badgers, Poteat helped coach arguably the best defense in program history (2021).
Outside linebackers coach Bobby April III
Current job: Stanford defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach
Jobs since 2022: Stanford DC/OLBs coach (2023-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2018-2022 (OLBs coach)
April excelled during his five-year tenure with the Badgers, leading an outside linebacker position that seemed to produce major NFL contributors every year. He found a promotion after leaving the Badgers. He is now one of several former Wisconsin assistants leading the Stanford defense.
Inside linebackers coach Mark D’Onofrio
Current job: UCF linebackers coach
Jobs since 2022: Stanford ILBs coach (2023-2024), UCF LBs coach (2025-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 2022 (ILBs coach)
D’Onofrio followed April to Stanford after leaving Wisconsin. He has since moved to UCF, where he will coach linebackers under recently hired head coach Scott Frost.
Defensive line coach Ross Kolodziej
Current job: Stanford defensive line coach
Jobs since 2022: Stanford DL coach (2023-present)
Years at Wisconsin: 1996-2000 (playing), 2012 (graduate assistant), 2015-2020 (strength and conditioning coach), 2021-2022 (defensive line coach)
Kolodziej’s extensive Wisconsin career includes a playing career, six years as the program’s strength and conditioning coach and two as its defensive line coach. As mentioned, he currently coaches the defensive line under Bobby April III at Stanford.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Where Paul Chryst, Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin football’s entire 2022 coaching staff is now
Reporting by Ben Kenney, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
