Wisconsin football players ready for last ride with DC Jim Leonhard

Leonhard’s time at the University of Wisconsin is coming to an end soon. The former three-time All-American safety and UW hall of famer is not returning to the program after he was passed over as the team’s head coach in favor of Luke Fickell. His last game with the Badgers is set to be the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, and the players he led as interim coach for two months this season sought to commemorate their time with him.

Linebacker Maema Njongmeta came up with the idea of having the entire team sign a football, which they gave to Leonhard late last week before the team made its way to Arizona for the bowl game.

“(We) presented (it) to him as a way of thanks because after bowl games, it moves pretty quick,” the redshirt junior said. “Get the bowl-game trophy, do the ceremony and then get to the locker room and everybody kind of splits up.”

Leonhard’s reaction?

“He made a joke,” Njongmeta said. “Just coach Leonhard. But you know it’s heartfelt and appreciated.”

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That Leonhard’s tenure with the Badgers has an end date seems odd, but so little about UW’s season has been by the book that perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that one of the program’s greatest success stories won’t be on the sidelines past Tuesday.

Discussions of Leonhard’s future must be tagged with caveats like “maybe,” and “at least for now,” because he hasn’t made a public comment since Fickell’s hire outside of announcing he wouldn’t return after the bowl game. Fickell did offer Leonhard the role of defensive coordinator on his new staff, but Leonhard declined the job.

Players lobbied for Leonhard to be the next coach after taking over for Paul Chryst after he was fired on Oct. 2. UW went 4-3 with Leonhard at the helm, but he alluded to changes he had in mind for the program if he were to be hired. As they prepare for their last game with Leonhard on staff, players were grateful for the time spent with him.

“It means everything, honestly, because coach Leonhard is the reason I've had success here,” senior safety John Torchio said of playing for Leonhard a final time. “With his defense and how smart he is as a football coach … to send them off on the right note would mean everything and I know that's what we all want to do. And I know that's what he wants to do, go out on a high note. So that's really important. And we've been enjoying the last couple of weeks together, for sure.”

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Leonhard was known for his straight-forward approach to speaking with players. He let them know where they stood, how they could improve and what he saw for them. That honesty endeared him to them, and the Badgers would celebrate wins under Leonhard by blasting “Jimmy Cooks” by Drake and 21 Savage through locker-room speakers.

His on-field career path of walk-on to star college player, to undrafted NFL free agent to 10-year veteran gave him instant credibility when he joined the UW staff in 2016. He compounded that by becoming one of college football’s top defensive coordinators after being promoted to coordinator in 2017.

“I'll run through a wall for coach,” senior running back Chez Mellusi said. “And I still would even if he wasn't my coach. I love that dude. What he's done for this program, what he's done for the state of Wisconsin, I don't think anyone can really top that. He's that guy. I just think him being around, he's made me a better person, a better player.”

Multiple players said Leonhard hasn’t been different around them since the Fickell hire.

“It was never about him,” Njongmeta said. “It was always about … even when he became the interim coach, it was always, ‘What am I going to do to make your experience better to help you become the best version of yourself?’ It's always been about us.”

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Fickell went through a similar situation in 2011 at Ohio State. He coached the entire season and was a candidate for the Buckeyes’ job before Urban Meyer was hired. He said that Leonhard has been a great communicator and has helped him learn how UW has operated.

“You would think sometimes maybe, ‘Well, I'm gonna avoid some of these awkward situations,’” Fickell said. “And if you would see where I go to meetings every day, I usually sit in his meeting, because he doesn't mind and it gives me a better grasp on what they've done and how they've done it.

“And that just showed me that he wants what's best for the program. He wants what's best for all these kids. I'm not saying that that isn't normal, but I'm saying that it's not easy. He has been phenomenal for me and I truly believe moving forward. He'll be really, really, really good for me because there's a lot of things that … whether he's around here or he's not around here in Madison, I'll rely upon him.”