Jim Leonhard Is Still A Perfect Fit For Green Bay

In 2019, Leonhard’s defense ranked second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and fourth in the nation. During the 2022 college football season, the Badgers fired Chryst after a 2-3 start and promoted Leonhard to head coach. Wisconsin finished that season with a 4-3 record and played in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. He served as the defensive coordinator for that game under Luke Fickell.

Leonhard left Wisconsin in 2022 and is a senior football analyst for the University of Illinois. The Packers offered him the defensive coordinator position after they fired Mike Pettine following the 2020 season, but Leonhard turned it down to stay at Wisconsin.

He has a track record of success, learned defensive schemes under some great coaches, and is young and energetic. That’s what the Packers may need to complement a young and energetic roster and Matt LaFleur, 44.

Assuming they offer him the job again, Leonhard would also benefit from taking Green Bay’s DC. It would be a step up for him to go from being an analyst at a college not known for its football program to being the defensive coordinator of one of the most famous organizations in the NFL, if not in all sports.

Many fans are asking for this to happen on social media because Leonhard has gained a lot of supporters for his time in Madison.

Leonhard ran a 2-4-5 while at Wisconsin, which relied on the linebackers to stay back to defend the pass primarily. But he would also use the 2-4-5 to dial up different linebacker blitzes to bring unexpected pressure to different sides because there were technically only two defensive linemen on the field.

Joe Barry also ran a 2-4-5 during the season. He said his main focus was defending the pass, which is why Green Bay’s run defense was subpar. That may sound concerning, but because Leonhard played for and learned from Rex Ryan through the 2009 to 2011 seasons with the New York Jets, he can adjust his scheme to a 3-3-5 to defend the run better, taking a linebacker off and putting a third lineman on the field.

Unlike Barry’s defenses, Leonhard’s unit played close and aggressively. There were so many times that Barry would have the corners play way off, even with five defensive backs on the field. That allowed the receivers room in their routes and to catch short passes. With Leonhard’s young energy and enthusiasm, he can force the secondary to play closer and to play to win instead of playing not to lose.

Now seems like the perfect time for Leonhard to return to his home state and coach the Packers.