How Paul Chryst’s firing affects Ohio State football

When talking about the Big Ten West, no program has been more consistent than Wisconsin. They have been the main threat to the Ohio State football program from the West since divisions were created back in 2014. But the Badgers haven’t been able to beat the Buckeyes in big spots.

Now just two weeks after the Buckeyes destroyed the Badgers in Columbus, Paul Chryst is out as the head coach. Jim Leonhard has taken over as the interim head coach. This is a surprising move made in the middle of the season, even if it is the right one for their program.

So how does this move affect the Ohio State football program? For one, I think it makes Wisconsin better. Leonhard is one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the country. He has consistently had his defense rated in the top ten in the country.

This also shows that the Badgers know they need to make a move to get better quickly before USC and UCLA join the Big Ten. Ohio State is still king of the conference, but the Badgers think they can knock them off every few years with the right coaching. They think Leonhard is that coach.

I don’t think they are right but that doesn’t matter. What matters is they are giving Leonhard a chance to prove he’s the right guy for the job. If he doesn’t finish the season well, Wisconsin could try to grab Lance Leipold from Kansas to take the job instead.

It’s the first big move to happen in the Big Ten this season and it’s a surprising one. You have to wonder if the Buckeyes broke Chryst’s shot to keep his job after beating him down so badly. Only time will tell if they can indeed compete with the big boys of the Big Ten with a new coach.