MADISON, Wis. – Paul Haynes,
Colin Hitschler and
Greg Scruggs will join the Badgers as assistant coaches, Wisconsin head coach
Luke Fickell announced on Thursday. Haynes will coach the Badger cornerbacks, Hitschler will lead the safeties and special teams units, and Scruggs will direct the UW defensive line.
"I'm really excited about being able to add Paul, Colin and Greg," Fickell said. "I have experience working with all three of them and they are tremendous coaches and people. They truly value the relationships with their players and will work diligently to help them develop both on and off the field."
Haynes joins the Badgers' staff after three seasons coaching the cornerbacks at Minnesota, also serving as co-defensive coordinator in 2022. Haynes, a coaching veteran with more than 25 years of collegiate experience, spent time with Fickell on staff at Ohio State. Haynes managed the Buckeye secondary from 2005-11, holding co-defensive coordinator duties in 2011.
Haynes also worked with UW defensive coordinator Mike Tressel at Michigan State from 2018-19. With Tressel as the defensive coordinator, Haynes coached the Spartan defensive backs in East Lansing.
With Haynes as co-defensive coordinator at Minnesota in 2022, the Gophers ranked seventh in the country in pass efficiency defense (108.5). UM also ranked No. 4 in the nation in scoring defense (13.8 ppg) and ninth in total defense (295.1 ypg). In 2021, Minnesota ranked eighth nationally in pass defense (181.2 ypg.).
In 2019, at Michigan State, Tressel and Haynes directed a defense that grabbed 12 interceptions, totaling 124 return yards and scored one touchdown. The Spartans allowed only 22.5 points per game and 207.8 passing yards per game.
In 2018, Haynes mentored a secondary that helped Michigan State rank No. 1 in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.2 ppg) and rank No. 10 overall in the FBS. The Spartans ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in pass break-ups (67) and passes defended (81), totals which also ranked among the nation's top 10.
Haynes was the head coach at Kent State from 2013-17 and also has collegiate coaching experience at Arkansas (2012), Ohio State (2005-2011), Louisville (2002), Kent State (1999-2000), Northern Iowa (1997-98), Ferris State (1995-96) and Bowling Green (1994). He spent the 2001 season as a defensive quality control coach with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.
Haynes played at Kent State, walking on in the fall of 1987 and going on to lead the team in interceptions as a freshman. In his sophomore season, Haynes led Kent State with 116 tackles. He missed the 1989 season with a knee injury, before earning All-MAC accolades as a junior and senior.
"It's exciting to be in Madison and a part of this staff," Haynes said. "I've obviously coached against the Badgers a number of times and it's a program I have great respect for. I can't wait to get to work with our players. They have a desire to be great in everything they do and that motivates me to try and be the best coach I can be."
Hitschler arrives in Madison after coaching at Cincinnati since 2018. Hitschler joined the Bearcats' staff in 2018 as a quality control coach before coaching the Cincinnati safeties from 2020-22. He also added co-defensive coordinator duties to his plate during the 2022 season. Hitschler was named one of the "rising-star assistants you need to know" by On3 for 2022.
In 2021, the Bearcats' defense was outstanding, ranking fifth nationally in scoring defense (16.5) and No. 10 in total defense (318.4). The Bearcats allowed only 4.5 yards per play to opponents, which was the fourth-fewest in the nation. Cincinnati had the nation's best pass defense, finishing No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense (103.37), No. 2 in passing yards allowed (169.2) and No. 3 in interceptions (19).
Prior to his role as safeties coach at Cincinnati, he had been part of a UC staff which helped lead the Bearcats to back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2018 and 2019, the 2019 American Athletic Conference East Division Championship and consecutive bowl-game wins in the 2018 Military Bowl and 2019 Birmingham Bowl.
Hitschler came to UC after four seasons at the University of South Alabama. He coached the safeties in 2017, served as the director of football operations from 2015-16 and was a defensive graduate assistant in 2014. Hitschler also made stops at Arkansas State (2013) and Widener (Pa.) (2012).
Hitschler has National Football League experience as well, serving as a player personnel assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010 and as a training camp assistant the year before with the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I'm thrilled to become a part of the Badger family and look forward to building on the tradition of excellence," Hitschler said. "Growing up, I was coached by Badger legend Mike Samuel and always admired the program from afar. There is no better coach in the country than Coach Fickell and I am excited to be a part of another run of championships."
Scruggs joins the Badgers after one season as the assistant defensive line coach for the New York Jets. Scruggs joined the Jets' staff after four seasons at Cincinnati where he coached the defensive line for two seasons (2020-2021) and served as the director of player development from 2018-2019. Scruggs' coaching career began after a five-year NFL career that included two Super Bowl titles.
This season, the Jets ranked second in the league in yards per play allowed (4.84), joining the Philadelphia Eagles as the only teams to allow fewer than 5.0 yards per play. The Jets were the only team in the league to allow fewer than 30 offensive touchdowns this season and fourth-year defensive lineman Quinnen Williams earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
With Scruggs on staff at Cincinnati, the Bearcats posted a 22-2 record between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, the Bearcats ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense (16.5) and 10
th in total defense (318.4), finishing with 39 sacks.
Scruggs joined Cincinnati in 2018, serving as the director of player development and NFL liaison for two seasons, where he mentored Bearcat players and managed many of the program's off-the-field initiatives, including community service efforts.
A two-time Super Bowl champion, Scruggs spent five years in the NFL after entering as a seventh-round selection by Seattle (2012). Beginning his career as a defensive lineman and switching to tight end in his final season, he spent time with the Seahawks (2012-14), Bears (2015-16) and Patriots (2016).
Scruggs spent his collegiate playing days at Louisville, playing in 42 games at defensive tackle and defensive end for Louisville, totaling 61 tackles and 8.0 sacks over his four-year career from 2008-2011.
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to re-join Coach Fickell at Wisconsin and the opportunity to coach a group of young men who want to win in football and in life," Scruggs said.
| Haynes' Coaching Career |
| Year |
School/Team |
Position |
| 1994 |
Bowling Green |
Graduate Assistant |
| 1995-1996 |
Ferris State |
Defensive Backs |
| 1997-1998 |
Northern Iowa |
Running Backs/Defensive Backs |
| 1999 |
Kent State |
Defensive Backs |
| 2000 |
Kent State |
Associate Head Coach/Safeties |
| 2001 |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
Defensive Quality Control |
| 2002 |
Louisville |
Defensive Backs |
| 2003-2004 |
Michigan State |
Defensive Backs |
| 2005-2010 |
COhio State |
Defensive Backs |
| 2011 |
Ohio State |
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2012 |
Arkansas |
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs |
| 2013-2017 |
Kent State |
Head Coach |
| 2018-2019 |
Michigan State |
Defensive Backs |
| 2020-2021 |
Minnesota |
Cornerbacks |
| 2022 |
Minnesota |
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks |
| 2023-present |
Wisconsin |
Cornerbacks |
| Hitschler's Coaching Career |
| Year |
School/Team |
Position |
| 2009 |
Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) |
Training Camp Assistant |
| 2010 |
Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) |
Player Personel Assistant |
| 2011 |
Salve Regina (R.I.) |
Co-Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line |
| 2012 |
Widener (Pa.) |
Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs |
| 2013 |
Arkansas State |
Graduate Assistant |
| 2014 |
South Alabama |
Graduate Assistant |
| 2015-16 |
South Alabama |
Director of Football Operations |
| 2017 |
South Alabama |
Safeties |
| 2018 |
Cincinnati |
Quality Control - Defense |
| 2019 |
Cincinnati |
Senior Defensive Analyst |
| 2020-21 |
Cincinnati |
Safeties |
| 2022 |
Cincinnati |
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2023-present |
Wisconsin |
Safeties/Special Teams |
| Scruggs' Coaching Career |
| Year |
School/Team |
Position |
| 2018-2019 |
Cincinnati |
Director of Player Development |
| 2020-2021 |
Cincinnati |
Defensive Line |
| 2022t |
New York Jets |
Assistant Defensive Line |
| 2023-present |
Wisconsin |
Defensive Line |
