Joe Rudolph Calling Wisconsin's Plays A Change from Chryst's Past

MADISON, Wis. – Paul Chryst’s rise up the coaching ladder came from his success as an offensive play caller at the University of Wisconsin. He realized that his growth as a head coach, however, must come with relinquishing some of his offensive duties, including this season giving the job of calling plays on game day.

Chryst confirmed to the media Monday that offensive coordinator, and long-time confidant, Joe Rudolph took over the play-calling role this season for No.25 Wisconsin.

“I think it’s a number of different factors that go into it,” Chryst told reporters. “There was a lot of time spent in the offseason as we were getting ready for it where you weren’t able to do all the, in my opinion, all the necessary homework and preparation. Where your time needed to be spent. Also, that combined with the trust and confidence I have in Joe and the offensive staff. Felt like I am still am in a position where I can truly help and assist, but I thought that there comes a time where you have to be a little bit careful of what is your job.

“It still starts with the whole team and the program. I didn’t want to comprise anything there and shortchange another.”

During Chryst’s seven seasons as offensive coordinator at Wisconsin (2005-11), Wisconsin averaged a Big Ten-best 34.1 points and 416.3 yards per game. Calling plays in his first five seasons, Chryst’s teams have a record of 52-16 (.765) and the offense has averaged 30.6 points per game, including averaging 34.1 points per game last season.

Rudolph was on the same staff as Chryst at Wisconsin from 2008-11 as UW’s tight end coach before being Chryst’s offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh (2012-14). When Chryst returned to Wisconsin, Rudolph came as his associate head coach/offensive coordinator/offensive line coach.

Referencing that the offensive staff primarily sets the game plan together throughout the week, Chryst was likely referring to quarterback coach Jon Budmayr, tight end coach Mickey Turner, wide receiver coach Alvis Whitted and running back coach John Settle.

“There is a confidence,” Chryst said. “Certainly knowing it’s different because people are different, but I do feel Joe is really smart and has a good sense of things. You can’t make that decision if you didn’t feel like there was someone who could do it.”

Through four games of their COVID-shortened season, the Badgers (2-2) have either been hot or cold offensively. Wisconsin scored 45 points against Illinois and 49 against Michigan in its first two games, but the Badgers have been limited to one touchdown and 13 points over their last eight quarters, a product of UW playing tougher defenses and being forced to play younger players due to injuries.

The Badgers have also lax in ball security. After committing only one turnover in the first two games, Wisconsin has committed seven in losses to No.15 Northwestern and No.8 Indiana.

“They are some positions that there are some guys getting a lot of snaps or we’re leaning on them,” Chryst said. “There is some learning going on while we’re playing. With all that being said, it does come down to we still have opportunities. That shouldn’t be and don’t want to have any type of an excuse. We’ve got good players and we’ve got to do a good job of coaching and helping them and find ways to complementing our team to give our team a chance to win.”

The challenge this weekend falls in the toughness category. A series that has been typically defined by physical, defensive-minded games, the Badgers have won the last four games in the series but the average margin of victory in the last eight games has been 8.9 points.

On Saturday, the Badgers still rolled up 342 yards of offense and went 8-for-16 on third down but settled for two field goals on three red-zone trips. That drew the ire of the social-media quarterbacks who complained the play calling was too vanilla and put the offense in challenging situations.

Quarterback Graham Mertz took a different approach, saying it was a myriad of execution issues that need to be cleaned up with footwork, timing and location before facing at Iowa defense that is third in the Big Ten against the run (115.0) and fourth against the pass (211.4).

“I think (Coach Rudolph) has been doing great,” Mertz said. “I think during the week we do a great job of forming a great game plan. In the end, it’s the players. We just got to execute. I think he’s done a great job of calling plays this year and in my two-year span here, I think it’s been great from a play-calling standpoint.”