One of Wisconsin’s own is set to return to Mad Town as a coach. Again.
According to reports from Rivals and FootballScoop late Friday night, Wisconsin is set to hire former Badgers safety Jim Leonhard as the team’s defensive backs coach. (Full disclosure: I also write for FootballScoop.)
Have not confirmed yet, but it looks like former #Badgers all-American Jim Leonhard will be #Wisconsin's new DB coach. Again, not confirmed.
— Jon McNamara (@McNamaraRivals) February 20, 2016
Can confirm that Jim Leonhard will be the new defensive backs coach at Wisconsin per sources https://t.co/sNnVtycOD5
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) February 20, 2016
Leonhard would make the fourth former Badger on Wisconsin’s coaching staff, joining head coach Paul Chryst, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Rudolph and tight ends coach Mickey Turner.
A former walk-on with zero scholarship offers, Leonhard more than won his way on to the field, eventually collecting 281 career tackles and 21 interceptions while leaving school with the Big Ten record for punt return yards, earning a spot as a team captain and receiving various All-America honors.
Leonard left Wisconsin after the 2004 season, forging a lengthy NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns before leaving the game in 2014.
Leonhard would replace Daronte Jones, who accepted a job with the Miami Dolphins earlier this winter.
Update: Wisconsin has announced the hire.
All-American. NFL vet. Now we're excited to call him "Coach." Welcome home, @jimleonhard!https://t.co/djWR1cB7rl pic.twitter.com/Pny09A4N7I
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) February 20, 2016
“Family is extremely important to me. But having a great relationship with Coach Chryst — knowing the family man that he is and how important it is to him to be a dad, to be a husband — I felt comfortable with the decision to coach,” Leonhard said.
“I can honestly say I didn’t want to do this anywhere else, I only wanted to do it at the UW.”