Bob Ligashesky | Football Coach

Bob Ligashesky

Title:
Special Teams Coordinator

Bob Ligashesky was named the Badgers’ special teams coordinator in March 2026.

Ligashesky comes to Wisconsin with nearly 40 years of coaching experience, most recently serving as special teams coordinator at Minnesota.

Ligasheksy spent 12 years of his career in the NFL, mostly coaching special teams. He has led special team units for the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers (2008 Super Bowl champion) and the St. Louis Rams. He has also coached special teams with the Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars and coached tight ends with the Denver Broncos.

The veteran coach also has extensive experience at the college level. In addition to Minnesota, he has coached at Syracuse, Bowling Green, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Kent State, Arizona State (graduate assistant) and Wake Forest (graduate assistant).

Ligashesky has mentored some of the best special team players in the game, as he has worked with NFL kickers Jeff Reed (Steelers), Connor Barth (Buccaneers) and Sebastian Janikowski (Raiders) and long snapper Jon Weeks (Texans) and punter Shane Lechler (Texans). In college, he coached standouts in Illinois punter Blake Hayes and Illini kicker Chase McLaughlin, as well as Bowling Green kicker Nate Needham.

At Minnesota, his most recent stop, Ligashesky’s kickoff unit posted a 77.1% touchback clip, the second best in the Big Ten trailing only Wisconsin (81.6%).

At Syracuse, Ligashesky’s units ranked second in kick return defense in the ACC in 2023 and third in the nation in kickoff return average in 2022.

LIGASHESKY AT A GLANCE

Coaching Experience
2026-present: Wisconsin – Special Teams Coordinator
2024-25: Minnesota – Special Teams Coordinator
2022-23: Syracuse – Special Teams Coordinator
2021: Bowling Green – Special Teams Coordinator
2018-20: Illinois - Special Teams Coordinator
2016-17: Illinois - Special Teams Coordinator
2013-15: Houston Texans – Special Teams Coordinator
2012: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Special Teams Coordinator
2011: Oakland Raiders – Special Teams Assistant
2010: Denver Broncos – Tight Ends
2007-09: Pittsburgh Steelers – Special Teams Coordinator
2005-06: St. Louis Rams – Special Teams Coordinator
2004: Jacksonville Jaguars – Assistant Special Teams Coach
2000-03: Pittsburgh – Tight Ends / Special Teams Coordinator
1999: Bowling Green – Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers / Special Teams Coordinator
1991-98: Bowling Green – Linebackers / Special Teams Coordinator
1989-90: Kent State – Outside Linebackers / Special Teams Coach
1986-88: Arizona State – Graduate Assistant
1985: Wake Forest – Graduate Assistant

Bowls / NFL Postseason Games Coached
2025 Rate Bowl (Minnesota)
2025 Duke's Mayo Bowl (Minnesota)
2023 Boca Raton Bowl (Syracuse)
2022 Pinstripe Bowl (Syracuse)
2019 Redbox Bowl (Illinois)
2015 NFL Wildcard Round (Houston Texans)
2008 Super Bowl (Pittsburgh Steelers)
2007 NFL Wildcard Round (Pittsburgh Steelers)
2003 Continental Tire Bowl (Pittsburgh)
2002 Insight Bowl (Pittsburgh)
2001 Tangerine Bowl (Pittsburgh)
2000 Insight.com Bowl (Pittsburgh)
1992 Las Vegas Bowl (Bowling Green)
1991 California Raisin Bowl (Bowling Green)
1987 Freedom Bowl (Arizona State)
1987 Rose Bowl (Arizona State)

Players Drafted
2004: TE Kris Wilson (Round 2, Pick 61, Kansas City)
2004: P Andy Lee (Round 6, Pick 188, San Francisco)

Playing Experience: Indiana University of Pennsylvania (defensive back), 1982-84

Hometown: McKees Rocks, Pa.
High School: Sto-Rox
Alma Mater: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1985
Wife: Shelley
Daughter: Sydney