The University of Wisconsin football team continues to revamp its coaching staff after a disappointing 5-7 season which resulted in the program missing a bowl game for the first time since 2001.
The ongoing process of filling out the staff for the 2025 season began when head coach Luke Fickell fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo after a close loss to Oregon in November. After firing Longo, the team stumbled across the finish line, kicking off an offseason with much to be addressed. Replacing Longo was the most notable change, but much has happened since the end of the season.
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Fickell worked relatively quickly to find his new offensive coordinator, hiring Kansas’ Jeff Grimes on Dec. 10. Grimes has served as the offensive coordinator at BYU, Baylor and Kansas, and looks to bring back the physically dominant offensive approach of past Wisconsin teams. Under Grimes in 2024, Kansas ranked 12th in the country in rushing yards per game and third in the FBS on third-down conversions, at 51%.
Fickell also hired a quarterback’s coach to work with Grimes. While a handful of names were mentioned as potential candidates, the Badgers went in-house and promoted Kenny Guiton into the role. Guiton served as the wide receivers coach this past season and will now work with the position he played at Ohio State from 2009-13.
Jordan Reid will take over as the wide receivers coach, joining the staff after a season in the same position at Western Michigan. Reid will be assisted by Blake Rolan, who comes to Wisconsin after a tenure as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Southern Illinois.
Joe Ludwig rounds out changes on the offensive side of the ball. Ludwig will assist Nate Letton with the tight ends this season after time as a quality control coach at Baylor.
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Defensively, the Badgers were left with an opening when safeties coach Alex Grinch was named defensive coordinator at UCF. Fickell went in-house with Grinch’s replacement as well, promoting Jack Cooper, who will be in his third year with the program.
Cooper will be assisted in the secondary by former Western Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Power, who will serve as an assistant defensive backs coach.
Tuf Borland, who joined the program as a graduate assistant in 2023, was also promoted and will serve as an assistant linebackers coach starting this season.
Fickell will also need to hire a new general manager this offseason. Max Steinecker, who has played a large role in recruiting for the Badgers since his arrival, accepted a position in the front office at Big Ten rival USC.
In an offseason riddled with transfer departures and arrivals, Fickell has revamped and will continue to adjust his staff as the Badgers look to bounce back in 2025.