Wisconsin Football Loses Another Coach, Jim Leonhard Update, More

It’s been a busy couple of days for the Wisconsin football program, but fear not because Badgernotes.com can help get you back up to speed with a roundup of some important Badgers news you may have missed.

Wisconsin Badgers Lose DL Coach Greg Scruggs to Michigan

Wisconsin Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell will need to begin his search for a new assistant for the fourth time this offseason. 

Defensive line coach Greg Scruggs is taking the same position at the University of Michigan under new head coach Sherrone Moore, according to a report from Wolverines insider Sam Webb.

Scruggs and Moore have a personal connection that stems from their time together at the University of Louisville. Coach Scruggs is expected to receive a sizable raise to leave the Badgers. 

In his first recruiting cycle with the Badgers, Scruggs landed two four-star defensive linemen in Ernest Willor Jr. and Dillan Johnson. Before his arrival, Wisconsin football signed two composite 4-star DLs since 2016.

Fickell has a solid track record for hiring quality assistant coaches, so I have no doubt he’ll be able to find a reliable replacement. However, the Badgers have seen several staffers targeted by programs with deeper pockets and hope to establish some continuity moving forward. 

Former Wisconsin Football Coach Headed to the NFL

Former Wisconsin football coach Jim Leonhard is returning to the NFL, landing a role with a team he knows well — the Denver Broncos, where he previously played during the 2012 NFL season.

NFL insider Dan Graziano first reported the news. Leonhard is expected to serve as the secondary coach for the Broncos, a position that will also include responsibilities as the team’s defensive pass game coordinator.

Having carved out a successful career in the NFL as a player for ten seasons and then cementing himself as one of the top defensive coordinators in college while with the Badgers, Jim Leonhard will now step into a coaching role in the league for the first time.

He joins a team striving to regain its winning form, coming off an 8-9 season under head coach Sean Payton.

Other Wisconsin Football News

Former Wisconsin football star linebacker Leo Chenal won his second straight Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday with a 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers. 

By winning Super Bowl LVIII, Chenal is now the 24th Wisconsin alum to become an NFL champion and the seventh Badgers standout to win more than one ring.