WISCONSIN BADGERS

Bob Bostad back at UW to coach ILBs

Jeff Potrykus
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Bob Bostad (right) in 2006 as a tight ends coach for Wisconsin.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Bob Bostad, who served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 2006 through ’11, is returning to the UW staff.

A UW source confirmed that Bostad is joining Paul Chryst’s staff to coach defense (inside linebackers). The hire was first reported by footballscoop.com.

Bostad, 50, coached tight ends and fullbacks at Northern Illinois last season.

“He is excited to be back,” a UW source said. “He was always high on Paul’s list.”

Bostad, a native of Pardeeville, began his coaching career overseeing the offensive line at UW-Stevens Point, his alma mater, in 1990.

He has only coached offense but he played linebacker for the Pointers from 1986-’89.

Bostad was UW’s tight ends coach/run-game coordinator in 2006 and ’07 and was the offensive line coach/run-game coordinator from 2008-’11.

He worked closely with Chryst, who was UW’s offensive coordinator, from 2005’-11.

Bostad fills the vacancy created when defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox left UW’s staff to become the head coach at California. Wilcox also coached inside linebackers.

Defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard was promoted to defensive coordinator.

Bostad joined Chryst and Joe Rudolph at Pittsburgh in 2012 but was named offensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the season started.

He was in Tampa for two seasons and then coached offensive line for the Tennessee Titans in 2014 and ’15 before moving to Northern Illinois.