Badger Bits: Jack Cichy invited to NFL Scouting Combine; Dave Aranda gets paid ... again

2017 did not bring the redshirt senior season Wisconsin Badgers inside linebacker Jack Cichy wanted, but he will nonetheless get a chance to get to Indianapolis to meet with NFL teams later this winter.

As reported by the Wisconsin State Journal’s Tom Oates, Cichy received an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine that runs from Feb. 28 through March 5. That’s according to the former Badger’s agent, Ron Slavin.

What Cichy does at the combine remains to be seen after he suffered a season-ending ACL injury back in August. Injuries also derailed Cichy’s 2016 season after he sustained a pectoral injury in a win at Iowa, but he was still so productive in seven games that he tied for third in tackles for loss (seven) and fourth in tackles (60).

Cichy’s presence was still felt this season, as he was seen at times on the sideline and was also named one of the 13 team MVPs—all being seniors. He declared for the NFL Draft and announced he would forego any chance of applying for a sixth season of eligibility in a Players’ Tribune article on Dec. 12.

The former walk-on and team captain should have the opportunity to at least speak with teams during the week-long draft extravaganza starting in just under two months.

Dave Aranda makin’ that money ... again

Reports swirled on Wednesday about how Aranda, the heralded former Wisconsin defensive coordinator, was being pursued once again by Texas A&M.

Again, Aranda chose LSU—but also raked in a ton more money. As reported in The Advocate, he is the first assistant to make north of $2 million a year after he was supposed to make $1.85 million this season. That’s another pay increase of just under $700,000.

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron confirmed the news on Wednesday night as well:

How this changes the assistant coach pay scale will be something to watch in years to come, especially with Wisconsin having its own rising star in defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Welcome back to Utah, Gary

The man who brought Aranda to Madison, Gary Andersen, found his way back into college football earlier this week. Utah announced on Tuesday that the former Utah State, Wisconsin, and Oregon State head coach would return to his alma mater as a defensive assistant/associate head coach role.