Wisconsin Badgers: Potential Candidates to Replace Greg Gard As Head Coach

The Wisconsin Badgers have had Greg Gard as its head coach since the 2015-2016 season. Wisconsin prides itself on making the NCAA Tournament and they missed the tournament a season ago. The Badgers at one point were ranked sixth in the country this season and ever since then, it has been a downward spiral for them.

Wisconsin lost on the road against the Indiana Hoosiers 74-70 on Tuesday night. The Wisconsin Badgers now have a 18-10 record and a 10-7 record in BIG10 conference play, The fanbase is getting restless with Greg Gard as the head coach and they feel like a replacement is needed.

Greg Gard just received a contract extension last offseason and his contract isn’t set to expire until May 31, 2028. If the Badgers decided to move on from Gard after this season because they either missed the NCAA tournament or flamed out in the first weekend of March Madness, who are some potential replacements they could look at?

The Most Likely Thing that the Wisconsin Badgers Would Do Is Promote Joe Krabbenhoft to Head Coach to Replace Greg Gard

If Wisconsin were to make a move to replace Gard as its head coach, the Badgers would most likely keep the hire internally. That is what they did when they replaced Bo Ryan after the 2014-2015 season because he retired from coaching college basketball.

Greg Gard has been the head coach of the program for nearly a decade. Joe Krabbenhoft is only 36 years old and he was a former Badgers basketball player. He is a coach who can very well be on the rise in the ranks. Who knows, maybe they are training him to replace Gard anyway down the road.

Krabbenhoft is the associate head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. He is only 36 years old and has a lot of upside to him as a head coach at the Division 1 college basketball level.

Drake Bulldogs Head Coach Darian DeVries

DeVries has been with Drake’s basketball program since the 2018-2019 season. He has been to a couple of NCAA Tournament appearances. The only thing missing from his coaching resume is an NCAA Tournament win. The Drake Bulldogs could be on the verge of another NCAA Tournament appearance this season.

Darian DeVries is 48 years old. Drake has a 23-6 overall record and a 14-4 record in Missouri Valley Conference play. Whether or not Drake makes the NCAA Tournament this season, he is going to be a hot candidate to be a head coach at a bigger collegiate basketball program.

DeVries could be another big name to replace Greg Gard at Wisconsin if the Wisconsin Badgers decide to make a move. The only team ahead of Drake this season is Indiana State.

College of Charleston Head Coach Pat Kelsey

Kelsey has been the head coach of the College of Charleston for the past three seasons. He has worked his way up the ranks and was the head coach of Winthrop before taking that job. Pat Kelsey is 48 years old and lead his program to a 31-4 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance last season

They have a 22-7 record this season and a 13-3 conference record in the CAA. Kelsey is another coach who will get looks, especially if Charleston gets back to the NCAA tournament and at least wins another game or two in the tournament.

Pat Kelsey would be another good candidate for the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program. It will be interesting to see whether or not Wisconsin can get it together before a move is made.