MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Chris McIntosh’s emergence as Wisconsin’s athletic director after playing football for the Badgers and working as predecessor Barry Alvarez’s right-hand man seemed to indicate things would stay essentially the same at a school that prides itself on stability.
It hasn’t worked out that way.
McIntosh has put his stamp on things over the last year by making coaching changes in football and men’s hockey, firing alums in the process.
McIntosh, an offensive tackle for two of Wisconsin’s Rose Bowl championship teams, said he made these moves based on his understanding of what’s expected here.
“My own personal experience here, at a time when we were operating at a championship level, certainly creates a backdrop for that,” McIntosh said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I believe that these programs are important. They’re bigger than any one person, including myself. And we’ve got a responsibility as well as an opportunity to pursue excellence and to live up those expectations.”
He’s taken a couple of big swings.
New football coach Luke Fickell went 57-18 and earned a playoff berth at Cincinnati. New men’s hockey coach Mike Hastings made two Frozen Four appearances with Minnesota State.
“As we sit here today, I couldn’t be more excited about the addition of those two coaches within two programs that are really prominent here and vitally important,” said McIntosh, who took over as athletic director in the summer of 2021 after Alvarez's retirement.
McIntosh acknowledged the decisions he made were “incredibly difficult” because of relationships he’d established with the coaches who were fired or passed over.
Former football coach Paul Chryst and ex-hockey coach Tony Granato played for the Badgers. McIntosh hired Fickell over Jim Leonhard, a former All-America safety at Wisconsin who had been interim head coach after Chryst’s midseason exit.
Chryst, who went 67-26 at Wisconsin, was the first Badgers football coach to get fired since Don Morton in 1989. Chryst's exit came one day after a 34-10 loss to Illinois that dropped Wisconsin's record to 2-3.
Granato was 105-129-16 in seven seasons.
“There’s no doubt that an alum of this program, that’s been around this program and experienced success in one form or another – as a player, as a coach – clearly they have a tendency to understand the culture, the fit, the history,” McIntosh said.
Although Fickell and Hastings didn’t have previous Wisconsin connections, McIntosh believes they should thrive.
“It was paramount that they fit, that they meshed with that culture,” McIntosh said. “That’s not to say they’re going to do it the same way, but they need to believe the same things are important.”
The sign of change is evident from Fickell’s decision to bring in new offensive coordinator Phil Longo and his fast-paced “Air Raid” attack to a program best known for running the ball.
McIntosh said Wisconsin’s offensive strategy was “front and center” in his discussions with Fickell. McIntosh noted the running game will remain a priority, something Fickell and Longo also have said.
“I think the term ‘Air Raid’ has kind of overshadowed really what it is that we’re trying to accomplish,” McIntosh said. “Simply put, one of the ways to more effectively run the ball is to be more opportunistic about when you run the ball. In order to do that, you need to present threats in other areas of the field to try to give the defense more than one thing to worry about.”
McIntosh’s first few years have featured some championships as well as coaching changes. The women’s hockey team earned its seventh national title this year. The women’s volleyball program won it all in 2021.
Wisconsin’s overall success in women’s sports has made its women’s basketball struggles noteworthy over the last decade. Wisconsin hasn’t had a winning season since 2010-11, though McIntosh likes the strides the Badgers have under Marisa Moseley, who was hired in the final months of Alvarez’s tenure.
“I think she and I see the opportunity the same way, which is to say we’ve had other programs here, other women’s programs here operate at the highest level,” McIntosh said. “Why can’t women’s basketball be one of those? That’s what we’re striving for. But the program that she took over was at a far different stage than many of the others. There’s been a lot of work that needed to be done there. She’s rolled up her sleeves, dug into it and done a good job.”
The men’s basketball program has won a share of the Big Ten title two of the last four years but is coming off a 20-15 season that included a rare NCAA Tournament absence. McIntosh remains confident in the state of the program under Greg Gard.
“There’s a tremendous amount of momentum in the offseason,” McIntosh said. “I thought while the season didn’t finish the way anyone had expected it would or wanted it to, I’m encouraged that it will prove to be really valuable for our team and our program in the future.”
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