Wisconsin badgers

TRENDING: Wisconsin Football Unveils Their New Position Coaches

Published

5 months ago

February 9, 2024

This offseason, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team added a few significant additions to the coaching staff. While some were driven by need, others did so in an effort to improve output.

Colin Hitschler (Alabama) and wide receivers coach Mike Brown (who accepted the same position at Notre Dame) are gone, as is Jack Bicknell Jr., who was moved to a new position within the team. The winners of all three positions have been declared on social media.

For the first time since being hired, Badgers assistant coaches Kenny Guiton (wide receivers), AJ Blazek (offensive line), and Alex Grinch (safeties) were available to the media on Wednesday.

Here’s a look at what each Wisconsin Badgers assistant had to say.

Wisconsin Football Co-Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch

Alex Grinch, a former defensive coordinator for USC and Oklahoma, was hired by Wisconsin football to take Colin Hitschler’s place as safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Because the Trojans’ defense, which allowed 34.4 points per game, threatened to fire him in the middle of the season, some Badgers supporters weren’t very enamored with the position of co-defensive coordinator.

“I think you’re always learning,” Grinch told reporters. “I think what happens is when you don’t have success that you expect that you can circle that and highlight that and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But it also creates a chip on your shoulder.

“I’m not sure there’d be anyone in the country with a bigger chip than what I have…Sometimes, when you don’t have success, then that becomes circled as if that’s the only season that you’ve ever coached.”

Previously, Grinch was Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach (2018) and Washington State’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2015–2017). Additionally, he served as Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2019 to 2021. From 2022 to 2023, he continued in the same capacity at USC under Lincoln Riley.

Despite this, Grinch has a stellar career record and has been nominated four times for the Broyles Award, which is given to the best assistant coach in the country.

Grinch was drawn to Wisconsin in part because of the football program’s high national reputation and widespread respect. Now, he will get the opportunity to work with a group of seasoned safety that includes Preston Zachman, Austin Brown, Kamo’i Latu, and Hunter Wohler.

Wisconsin Football Offensive Line Coach AJ Blazek

In as many years, AJ Blazek becomes the fourth position coach to join the Wisconsin football program.

“Can’t express how excited we are as a family to be a part of the history here at Wisconsin, but also to help move it forward and take the jump forward from where we’re at right now on the o-line and help the offense,” Blazek told reporters.

His career as a coach includes stops at Rutgers (2016–2018), North Dakota State (2019–2020), Vanderbilt (2021-23), Western Illinois (2013–2015), Winona State (2009–2012), Fort Hays State (2005–2008), and North Dakota State (2019–2020).

“As a new coach, you’ve got to acknowledge what’s been done good here so they know they’re a good group and then here’s the couple things we can fix,” Blazek said. “There’s some schematic little wrinkles that I think you can clean up. There are fundamental things that we can clean up and pass pro at times, but the biggest one is just building that confidence in them to where that they take the field with a swagger.”

Joe Huber, the offensive guard, and starting tackles Riley Mahlman and Jack Nelson are back for Wisconsin football. That provides a strong base upon which to build. Jake Renfro, the team’s leader in the clubhouse, will also be returning for the Badgers, starting at center.

Wisconsin football Wide Receivers Coach Kenny Guiton

The appointment of Arkansas-born wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton by the Wisconsin Badgers was another significant move in the program’s coaching history.

After three seasons as the receivers coach at Arkansas, Guiton was named the team’s acting offensive coordinator when Sam Pittman fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos following eight games in the regular season.

Back when Guiton was a quarterback at Ohio State, he was already romantically involved with Luke Fickell. During that time, Fickell served as OSU’s linebackers coach, co-defensive coordinator, and acting head coach.

“The versatility, man,” Guiton told reporters. The room right now, I think we’ve got a lot of versatility with a lot of guys that can do different things and step in and pick up some slack.

“We got some guys that got some really good production in the past, and then we got some guys that I think are ready for their moment, but they got to develop a little more and step up and be ready when that time comes next fall.”

“I’m really big on the tough and disciplined and being nasty,” Guiton said. “I’ve played against this school a few times, and that’s what you think of them when you come in to play them [Wisconsin]. You know, you’re getting into a dog fight, and so that’s who I want to be, and that’s how the leadership will be in that room.”