Former Wisconsin football head coach Paul Chryst has been a big name in the coaching rumor mill this offseason.
Chryst had completed multiple interviews for some head coaching jobs. He turned down the Northwestern head coaching gig and interviewed for Indiana and Oregon State’s openings. Chryst was also in the rumor mill for the Boston College head coach vacancy after former HC Jeff Hafley joined the Green Bay Packers as the defensive coordinator.
Chryst had also interviewed for the Iowa offensive coordinator position, but he decided to stay in his current role with the Texas Longhorns as an offensive analyst.
The Madison, Wisconsin native’s name continues to swirl in coaching vacancy rumors, and the most recent is a very interesting one. Multiple outlets have reported Ohio State offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is close to becoming the next head coach at Boston College, and Paul Chryst could be a name to watch to fill the role.
Paul Chryst Listed as a Potential Candidate for Ohio State OC Role
Chryst has a wealth of experience as an OC, serving as the co-offensive coordinator for Wisconsin in 2005 before taking on the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach role from 2006-2011. He also had OC experience at Oregon State, Illinois State, Division III UW-Platteville, and in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Chryst ran a throwback-style offense during his time as a coordinator, which would be a big pivot from the offense Ohio State has run in years past. However, he does have experience coaching at the Power Five level as head coach and offensive coordinator, which could be valuable.
During his time with the Wisconsin football program, Paul Chryst led the Badgers to a 67-26 overall record and a 43-18 record in Big Ten play. In his 12 total seasons on staff as a head coach and offensive coordinator, UW eclipsed the double-digit win mark nine times. He was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2017, winning the West division on three occasions.
The Buckeyes hiring Paul Chryst would be a huge change of pace for the offense, so it may seem unlikely. Regardless, it will be interesting to see if the two sides spark any talks going forward.
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