|
Wisconsin knows exactly what it's getting in new head coach Paul Chryst, who played for the Badgers and served as an assistant for two different stints. And maybe more importantly, Chryst knows exactly what he's walking into with Wisconsin. This is a guy who, as he told it in his news conference on Wednesday night, delivered newspapers as a kid to Camp Randall Stadium. If anyone understands the culture of Madison and the Badgers athletic program, it's Chryst. That should help him hit the ground running faster than many new coaches. "You don't feel like you have to understand or learn the whole lay of the land," Chryst told ESPN.com in a phone interview. "We have our work cut out for us, and we look forward to rolling up the sleeves and getting to work. "But you should be able to draw on some of the experiences we've had. I know a lot of the high school coaches and a lot of the people on campus, so hopefully that can kind of shorten the learning curve a little bit." And it means that Chryst shouldn't be blindsided by some of the issues that have been blamed for Wisconsin unexpectedly losing its last two coaches -- Bret Bielema to Arkansas in 2012 and Gary Andersen to Oregon State earlier this month. One of Bielema's chief complaints was the lack of competitive salaries for his assistants. Chryst was making a little more than $400,000 as offensive coordinator at Wisconsin in 2011 when he was hired as the head coach at Pitt. He hasn't officially hired any assistants yet with the Badgers but said he will meet with coaches on Thursday. Retaining current defensive coordinator Dave Aranda remains a distinct possibility. "I'm really confident that we can put together a heck of a staff," he said. "There's no question in my mind that there is a commitment here, not just with the football improvements but throughout the whole athletic program. There's a true commitment. "I don't know honestly if [the salary structure] has changed since I've been here. I just feel real confident about the support we have had and will have here." Andersen was reportedly frustrated with Wisconsin's academic admissions standards that prevented him from bringing in certain recruits. Chryst said he's proud of his degree from the school and thinks the high standards should be viewed as an advantage. "I think every place has its uniquenesses," he said. "I've got to learn and see what are the differences from when I was last back here. But there's been a history here for a long time that academics are important. I think recruiting is all about finding a fit, and I feel real confident that we're going to find guys that are great fits with this university." And what of the rumors that athletic director and Hall of Fame coach Barry Alvarez casts too long of a shadow? Chryst coached under Alvarez once and then came back to join him for his final season. He views him as a mentor and vital sounding board. "I learned a lot from Coach Alvarez," Chryst said. "One of the big reasons I came back in 2005 was him. "He's a tremendous resource. He always shoots you straight and has had a lot of experiences you can draw on. And he also understands and knows who I am." Chryst stopped short of calling Wisconsin his dream job or that it was even a destination job. "I think you've got to earn the right to stay that long," he said. But it was clear from his memories of Madison that the city and the school have a strong tug on him, and he said even many of his Pitt players understood why he had to make the move. It remains to be seen whether Chryst's homecoming will turn out to be the fairy tale story it looks like. But one thing's clear: Both sides know exactly what they're getting.
|
