BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Reflecting on his hiring of Justin Wilcox as his defensive coordinator less than a full year ago, Wisconsin's Paul Chryst recalled how the decision was predicated on conventional qualities and experience — Wilcox had an abundance of both — to go along with it just feeling like the right fit.
As it turned out, Wilcox, an Oregon grad and native, also had the "it" factor.
As in Wilcox "got it."
"He got this place," Chryst said, "and appreciated this place and the players."
The second-year UW head coach was referring to his own alma mater — Wisconsin, i.e. "this place" — and the program's long-established foundation academically and athletically, not to mention how it's wired to go about business in terms of recruiting the right fit and developing personnel.
Chryst will now retrace some of his steps and reread his notes from last January in seeking a replacement for Wilcox, who has accepted the head coaching job at the University of California. Chryst hired Wilcox to replace Dave Aranda, who left Wisconsin for LSU shortly after the 2015 Holiday Bowl.
"I think the world of him," Chryst said of the 40-year-old Wilcox. "He's a heckuva coach and a great person. It's a good feeling when what you thought you were getting (from a new hire), you got and then some. He helped this group (the defense) maximize their opportunities. He did his job well."
Chryst noted that the soft-spoken Wilcox, who shied away from taking credit for the success that the Badgers had on defense, left a lasting impression on everyone. "He impacted our players and I know our players impacted him," he said. "He impacted our staff and I know our staff impacted him."
It worked out well that way even though Chryst and Wilcox had not previously worked together. But they knew of each other's work. Chryst was calling plays for Mike Riley at Oregon State when Wilcox was coaching linebackers for Jeff Tedford at Cal, his first full-time job (2003-2005).
"I felt like I knew him, or knew enough about him to know him," Chryst said. "Yes, I trusted the recommendations and him. Your thoughts are confirmed when you meet. And it's validated once you go through it. All those things that he was (built up to be by others), I felt he was."
During the Cal interviewing process, Wilcox bounced things off Chryst. "We've talked a bunch and we'll continue to," said Chryst, adding Wilcox asked the questions Chryst did when he made the jump from UW's offensive coordinator to Pitt's head coach. "Do I want to do this? Is the timing right?
"We're pretty similar creatures … why we coach and what we do."
That's why they meshed and the transition was so seamless. You won't find many coaches more well-grounded than Chryst and Wilcox. And now Chryst must find another defensive coordinator to replace Wilcox, who got results. The Badgers ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring defense (15.6) and No. 7 in total defense (301.4).
When pressed to provide some details on how he plans to go about his search and weed out the applicants, Chryst said, "I'll give you the same quotes as last year because it's the same process: You find who's the best fit for this team, for this staff and for this program going forward."
Here's what Chryst had to say last January about adjusting the defensive scheme to the personnel by first identifying, "Who are your best players and how do you use them?" From there, he said, "You have to be flexible enough to adjust. But you have a foundation and a starting point."
A year ago, Chryst had a list or a pool of potential candidates to replace Aranda. Is it still relative? "Your list from last year changed through that search process," he said. "Whether people are changing or getting to know them through research changes them up or down, it's really pretty fluid.
"You always have a list (in mind) or you have lists going," he went on. "But it's so different when you have a potential list and when you have to actually do it. You're writing down names and filing them away, but it's not even close to when you're doing it (for real)."
Does he have a timetable?
"You want to do it as soon as you can — thoroughly," he stressed.
In the next breath, he said, "I would never put a timetable on it."
After a pause, he delivered the punch line, "It's whatever you need to do to do it right."
Chryst will consider current members of his coaching staff. The holdovers are defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield, outside linebackers coach Tim Tibesar and first-year secondary coach Jim Leonhard. Tibesar, who interviewed last year, has previous experience as a defensive coordinator.
"You always want to start with what's best from within," Chryst said. "I feel really good with the staff that we have. But you owe to the program and the team to ask, 'Who else is in the pool?' And then you compare and make a decision based on what you think is best for the whole program."
Before coming to Wisconsin, Wilcox had been a defensive coordinator at four stops: Boise State, Tennessee, Washington and USC. "Experience is big, right?" Chryst posed rhetorically. "But, at some point, Justin didn't have any (as a coordinator). At some point, I didn't."
Chryst reiterated that it's still more about fit than formula.
"Part of being a coordinator is the schematic X's and O's — breaking down an opponent and creating a plan," he said. "It's also connecting people. It's connecting your staff. It's connecting your players. It's connecting that unit to the other units. It's more than just, 'Are you a 3-4 or a pro style?'"
Chryst connected the dots between his coaching staff, strength staff and support staff.
"I feel good with the group," he said. "You bring in the best people you can and, certainly, they have to fill and fit different roles. But you're trying to get the best people for Wisconsin. And then, it's how do you play off strengths and weaknesses to make it work, to make it fit, to make it go?"
How will Wilcox's departure impact Wisconsin's recruiting? National signing day is Feb. 1. "It will impact Justin a lot more than us because he has such a short window," Chryst said. "We'll send Jon (Budmayr, a quality control coach) on the road. We won't ever be on the road shorthanded."
Even after Chryst replaces Wilcox, he may not be done hiring. The American Football Coaches Association has recommended to the NCAA the addition of a 10th full-time assistant coach. It has received unanimous support. And you can include Chryst on that list of proponents to expand football coaching staffs.
"I think it's good for the profession and it's good for the players," Chryst said. "It's about improving the student-to-teacher ratio and building relationships with players. That's what you're here for. We were at 108 (on the roster) this past year with nine assistants (a 1-to-12 ratio)."
That 10th coach could be utilized exclusively as a recruiter. Or not.
"I think your job is all-encompassing," Chryst said. "But you could say that guy is just a recruiter. I've done that before where we had eight coaching and one personnel-driven guy. You play to the strengths of everyone on your staff and make an assessment. Any change will change how you look at it.
"But you always have to adapt to who you can get and how you can best use him."
An earlier and second signing period for high school prospects — the third Wednesday in December, coinciding with the junior college transfer signing period — has also gained wide-ranging support from the coaches. It would be paired with the present one: the first Wednesday of February.
A 72-hour signing period in June has also come up in discussion. But it doesn't have as much momentum. "I'm in favor of that — June, December and February," Chryst said. "It gives student-athletes an opportunity — if they know where they want to go — to sign and have it done with."
Chryst will spend the next two weeks recruiting and researching — viable coaching options.
"We'll be multi-tasking," he said, with one priority on both fronts. Finding the fit for Wisconsin.
