The Texas Longhorns have made a move for former Wisconsin Badgers head coach Paul Chryst. The University of Texas has confirmed that Chryst has joined their football staff as an offensive analyst and officially as an assistant to head coach Steve Sarkisian. It presents a different opportunity for Chryst and a return to college football, but not leading the charge as a head coach.
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has hired former Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst as an offensive analyst, according to my sources. Sarkisian also hired veteran coaches Joe DeCamillis & Payam Saadat. Each will hold the title of Special Assistant To The Head Coach. pic.twitter.com/Qoi12Gzqrd
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) May 28, 2023
His Wisconsin Badgers Legacy
During his tenure with the Wisconsin Badgers, Paul Chryst established himself as a highly successful head coach. With his eight years at the helm for Badgers football, he accumulated an impressive 67-26 record while being 43-16 in Big Ten play. The Badgers also held a 6-1 bowl game record under Chryst. He ranked 4 times in the AP Poll for head coaches, reaching as high as number seven in 2017, and was the Big Ten coach of the year two times as well. Chryst also spent time as a player for the Badgers from 1986-1988 where he was a quarterback and was a two time football letter winner.
Chryst’s calling card during his time with the Wisconsin Badgers was the defense he was able to build across three different defensive coordinators. The defense was always ranked as one of the best in the country, averaging 16.5 points (second-best in the country) and 285.0 yards (best in the country) per game from 2015-2021.
The height of his career as the head coach of the Badgers was in 2017 when the Badgers secured another West Division crown, completing a perfect 12-0 regular season. They were ranked a program-high No. 3 ranking in the AP poll, a position not reached since the 1960s. The historic season concluded with a memorable victory over Miami in the Orange Bowl, culminating in a school-record 13th win and a consecutive New Year’s Six bowl title. Recognized for his outstanding coaching prowess, Chryst was honored as the Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year and named Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year by a vote of league media.
After a rough start to the 2022 season, Chryst wouldn’t make it to the end of the season as the Head Coach. On October 2nd, 2022, he was relieved of his head coaching duties. This left a vacant position for Luke Fickell to usher in a new era for the Wisconsin Badgers.