With the hiring of Paul Chryst by Pitt to be all but officially announced (hint: 3 pm Eastern), there is already the first controversy. Will Paul Chryst continue to coach the offense for Wisconsin through the Day After New Years Day Rose Bowl? Predictably plenty are already saying/demanding that Chryst needs to step down right away and take over his duties at Pitt.
There are compelling reasons for the Pitt side. Shore up the recruiting. Put together a staff. Meet with the players. All the things a new, first-time head coach needs to do and learn. Not to mention becoming acclimated at a new place.
Well, I’m not trying to be contrarian. There are, however, plenty of compelling reasons for Paul Chryst to finish things in Wisconsin.
1. He is a Wisconsin grad. If all goes really well, this could be the last time he coaches for his alma mater.
2. Loyalty to the players there. We want a guy with loyalty and responsibility, then he should finish the season with them. Keep the continuity so they can play their best.
3. Owes it to Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez and HC Brett Bielema. According to the reports, Alvarez went to bat hard for Chryst to get the Pitt job. I wouldn’t want to just cut-and-run when my bosses and the organization actually backed me to get a better job somewhere else.
Chryst performed well during an interview last week, and Pittsburgh officials were impressed by a ringing endorsement from UW athletic director Barry Alvarez.
In addition, the source said Pitt men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon talked to UW coach Bo Ryan about Chryst on Wednesday. Ryan echoed Alvarez’s comments that Chryst would be a solid hire.
Chryst could not be reached Wednesday.
A UW source reiterated that although Chryst preferred to take a job in the Midwest – he recently interviewed at Illinois and Kansas – he would leave for the right fit.
With Penn State’s program struggling in the wake of sex-abuse allegations involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and Pittsburgh poised to move from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Panthers could make gains under the right coach.
“I wish he would stay,” a UW source said, “but you want to see him have a chance to run his own program and succeed.”
4. If reports are accurate that Chryst would want to bring other assistants from Wisconsin, that would really put Wisconsin in a bind to prepare for the Rose Bowl. Don’t get outraged at FraudGraham and the DickRod assistants for bolting immediately and without any transition, if you then expect those coming to Pitt to do the same.
5. $250,000. That is the annuity amount Chryst is due to receive from Wisconsin for finishing this season. Yes, it is very likely that he is going to make more than 6 times that every year at Pitt. But you don’t just walk away from money like that.
6. Waiver. Paul Chryst can apply for the the NCAA waiver to start some duties for Pitt — including contacting recruits — while still being the Wisconsin OC.
The Rose Bowl is in one-and-a-half weeks. Let Chryst finish his time at Wisconsin at the “graddaddy of them all.”
