BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has always recognized the special connection that strength coach Ross Kolodziej cultivated with the players through his teaching style, general football acumen and background as a former Badgers D-lineman on Rose Bowl teams.
"Watching him work with not only a small group but your entire team on a daily basis, I gained a lot of respect for him and who he is," Leonhard said. "As much as anything, it's the day-to-day interactions that you have and the kind of juice and energy that he brought to those interactions."
Acknowledging strength coaches have more access to players than anyone else on the staff, Leonhard added, "You learn so many things about athletes in that role … on such a different level than even a position coach. You're training these guys and trying to set the mentality of the program.
"You're around them on a day-to-day basis, so you get to see those little things from a personality, learning, coaching, development standpoint … He's very in tune to our players and to what we ask them to do and how to hit the right buttons to get them better and improve."
It's why Leonhard is so enthused and comfortable about welcoming Kolodziej into his staff meeting room as Wisconsin's new defensive line coach. The 42-year-old Kolodziej replaces Inoke Breckterfield, who has moved on to Vanderbilt in the same capacity under new head coach Clark Lea.
"I have a ton of respect for Coach Nokes – loved his energy – he helped out this defense a ton," Leonhard said. "But I feel very confident Ross is going to step in and add his touch to that defensive line group within the scheme we play and hopefully bring some different ideas to help us push farther.
"The things that are non-negotiable to him, kind of his core beliefs, I've been able to pick up over time in conversation. That's why I'm excited, first and foremost, to get instilled into that group."
For Kolodziej, it's the culmination of a long journey to coach that group, the defensive line.
"You always think about, 'What happens after football?'" said Kolodziej, who competed 10 years professionally in the National Football League and the United Football League. "When I came back to finish my degree (at Wisconsin), I started out interning in the weight room."
In 2012, he moved into a different role as a graduate assistant under co-defensive coordinators Chris Ash and Charlie Partridge on Bret Bielema's coaching staff. "That was my every intention, to become a defensive line coach," Kolodziej said.
But he had to change his career path due to a coaching transition in 2013 with Bielema leaving for Arkansas and Gary Andersen taking over the Wisconsin program. Kolodziej wound up joining Paul Chryst at Pittsburgh and returned to the weight room as an assistant.
"My initial objective starting out was still to be a D-line coach and that was with every intention that I went to Pitt," said Kolodziej, a Stevens Point native. "I'd start in the weight room and eventually transition to the field when the opportunity presented itself."
At least that was the original thought process. But when Pitt's strength coach resigned, Chryst named Kolodziej as his replacement in 2014. A year later, Chryst was coaching the Badgers and Kolodziej was training them; a job assignment that he has thoroughly enjoyed the past six seasons.
"I invested into being the best strength coach that I could – every day coming in and being the same guy – reflecting the right way and right approach," he said of developing the UW's weight room culture. "We've had a track record of success and I don't think that's going anywhere.
"The Wisconsin way is the Wisconsin way. You've got to come to work every day and put in that effort, attitude, and approach … everybody has been here and knows how to do it to that level and that standard. I'm excited and looking forward now to my new role in helping us be the best we can."
When Chryst and Leonhard approached Kolodziej and asked if he would be interested in coaching the defensive line, he was flattered, "If they think it's the best fit in the program then absolutely, I want to do my part to maximize my role in whatever area is going to help the most."
After playing 10 seasons in the NFL, Leonhard was able to make a seamless transition from the field to the coaching ranks without any previous experience. In 2016, Chryst hired him to coach the secondary. The following season, he took over as the defensive coordinator. And he has flourished.
"There are some parallels there in not having the true coaching experience as far as a position coach at the college level," conceded Leonhard, who believes that it's offset by Kolodziej's "knowledge of the game from playing and being around multiple programs and multiple schemes."
Addressing that transition, Kolodziej said, "To begin with, I never thought – and I still don't see it – as this clear division between strength and conditioning and football. As a strength coach, you have to have a really good understanding of what the demands are of each position.
"You're coaching movement, you're coaching technique. And those things go hand-in-hand. So, I don't see it as a clearly defined big gap, if you will … again, watching human movement every day on the platform, and on the field, that carries over fairly seamlessly to watching football tape."
Leonhard had to get up-to-speed with recruiting. And so now will Kolodziej.
"Obviously, it will be new and different for him," Leonhard said. "But he's had such a heavy hand in the on-campus recruiting and a lot of the virtual stuff that we've had to do to interact with some of these kids (during the pandemic). He understands what today's recruiting is all about.
"As players enter the program, strength and conditioning is such a huge aspect. In a lot of programs, that's a big difference-maker for these kids' decisions. I think he's well in tune with what it's going to take to recruit even though he has not been in that role off-campus before."
There are a number of common threads between Leonhard and Kolodziej.
"We both played defense here. We both grew up in Wisconsin. And we both played probably longer than we should have at the next level," said Kolodziej, laughing. "We definitely understand what it takes to play at a high level – to play winning and championship defense.
"We're both students of the game. We're passionate about the game. Passionate about this program and what it means to be here and how to do it the Wisconsin way."
The Badgers take pride in having so many alums on their coaching staff. Kolodziej joins Chryst, Leonhard, offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph, quarterbacks coach Jon Budmayr and tight ends coach Mickey Turner. Only Air Force and BYU had more alumni on their respective staffs in 2020.
"It's certainly a different level of investment maybe," said Kolodziej, who had 45 starts at defensive tackle for the Badgers and played in back-to-back Rose Bowls in 1999 and 2000. "You're maybe too emotional at times. But that's a great problem to have, right?"
Before accepting the D-line job, Kolodziej consulted with wife Miriam. A prudent move, right?
"You always want to consult the head of the household first," he said, anticipating how the family might be potentially impacted (the Kolodziejs have four children). "There's a 'Wow' … part of you can't believe it's really real in a sense. You're already in fantasyland.
"In that role as a strength coach here at Wisconsin, it's pretty much the best job in the country. The next step on the ladder, in my mind, is the D-line coach. To have an opportunity to now get to do both is almost unfathomable."
Although the Badgers must replace Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand, both of whom were savvy, dependable contributors, there's a small but solid core returning with Matt Henningsen (who's coming off an injury), Keeanu Benton, Bryson Williams and Isaiah Mullens, among others.
"You look at the D-line as being part of the puzzle," Leonhard said. "I'm excited for this group."
More so for what he called "some growth that we're going to have" from youngsters.
Seeing it the same way, Kolodziej said, "Rand and Loudermilk were absolutely huge contributors to this defense. But whatever the situation may be, it's 'Next man up.' I'm excited for some of these young guys. This is their moment; this is their opportunity."
That would include true frosh Cade McDonald and James Thompson (also coming off injury).
"In some ways, it's a fresh start for all those guys," Kolodziej continued. "There are no favorites. The room is wide open. I'm looking forward to coaching this group up and really becoming disruptive and productive as we can be up front. I'm really fired up for the opportunity.
"Each and every year, the goal is to play at a continually higher level. Right now, for me, I'm just trying to learn the playbook. As that comes along, we'll deep-dive into the personnel and into the technique and the assignment/alignment football."
Leonhard, meanwhile, was fired up by those players who have re-committed to the Badgers and the defense by coming back for another year of eligibility. It's an impressive list: outside linebacker Noah Burks, inside linebacker Jack Sanborn and cornerbacks Faion Hicks and Caesar Williams.
"It's going to be huge for this team and our defense, obviously," Leonhard said. "They're great leaders and guys that have a ton of experience that can continue to push the culture of the program and the ownership of what this place is. I love it.
"Any time you get great players back, you become better coaches. It challenges you now to take them to the next level. They're back because they're committed to the team and they want that team success. They feel like they have unfinished business."
Kolodziej felt the same way before landing the job that he always coveted.
