Wisconsin Badgers fans once again are unhappy with head coach Greg Gard after Chucky Hepburn entered his name in the transfer portal on Thursday right after A.J. Storr announced he was playing next season for the Kansas Jayhawks. Connor Essegian is the other player that has entered the portal this offseason and Wisconsin is in a bad spot.
A season ago, the Badgers finished with a 22-14 record and it appears as if this could be the last time in a while they could be in the NCAA Tournament. They did make it to the BIG10 Conference Championship this season before losing to the Illinois Fighting Illini. Flaming out against the James Madison Dukes in the NCAA Tournament is probably what caused some players to hit the transfer portal this offseason.
Gard has been the head coach of the program since 2015-2016 after Bo Ryan retired. They have not been to a Final Four appearance since he retired. A lot of fans want a change at the helm.
Wisconsin Badgers Fans Want Greg Gard Out As Head Coach
It is not a surprise that Badgers fans once again are calling for Greg Gard to be fired as head coach. They felt like it is time to make a change within the basketball program, especially when the shocking news of Chucky Hepburn hit the transfer portal on Thursday. This is what the fans had to say about the move:
Greg Gard 10+ loss seasons: 7/8 full seasons
Bo Ryan 10+ loss season: 5/14 full seasons
Bo Ryan set the standard and Gard has failed to meet those standards year after year
— Nathan (@NathanJH31) April 18, 2024
Greg Gard get ready to learn Field of 68 buddy https://t.co/ggQmgM9SM5
— Chris Schutte (@ChrisSchutte3) April 18, 2024
Done with @BadgerMBB until gards gone. I hate NIL, i hate the portal. But greg gard cannot lead us through this. All my alum friends donate to wisconsin but none of them are going to again until hes fired. Sad but true.
— hello (@m03396199) April 19, 2024
While it might be true that the NIL may have a role to play in their leaving, the Badgers have to step up their game to either keep them around, or this may be a coaching issue. Back in 2021, there was a similar issue with the Florida Gators when they lost to Oral Robers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Florida Gators fans wanted Mike White fired as head coach and a lot of players entered the transfer portal. The following Florida season, they missed the NCAA Tournament and White was finally let go. This could be a similar situation with Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers.
He is feeling the heat from the fanbase. Wisconsin has to get to at least the second weekend next season in March Madness or wholesale changes might be made within the basketball program and that is something that would not really bother the fanbase one bit.
