Wisconsin football: new roles official for Bob Bostad and Mickey Turner on the coaching staff

The Wisconsin Badgers football program announced Bill Sheridan as the new inside linebackers coach on Tuesday afternoon and also announced two internal adjustments to their coaching staff.

The first internal announcement by the program involved former inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad, who is now officially the new offensive line coach. The move has been in the works for quite some time, but the Badgers finally made a formal announcement.

A decorated offensive line coach, Bostad takes over for Joe Rudolph who took the Virginia Tech offensive line job following Wisconsin’s bowl game. With decades of experience both at the college and NFL level, the Wisconsin offensive line should be in great hands.

Paul Chryst had this to say about Bob Bostad in a press release shared by UW:

“Bob has continually proven himself to be an outstanding coach, and you’ve seen it again in the job he’s done with our inside linebackers over the last few years,” Chryst said. “We had the need arise for an offensive line coach and, in Bob, I knew we had one of the very best in the business just down the hall. We have a tradition of strong play on the offensive line, and I know from experience that the tradition is in good hands with Bob. I’m excited for those players to have the opportunity to continue to grow with him as their coach.”

The other notable shift in the coaching staff involves former Wisconsin tight end/fullback Mickey Turner, who has coached the tight ends for the Badgers the past sevens seasons.

Turner will no longer hold an on-the-field role, and instead will lead the recruiting department for the program, paving way for new offensive coordinator Bobby Engram to presumably coach the tight end room.

The move for Turner to the recruiting department has been discussed frequently by Tyler and myself on Bucky’s 5th Podcast, but it makes sense considering his personality and strong recruiting ability. Not only is Turner highly trusted by head coach Paul Chryst, but he has experience in the player development space after holding a similar role at Pittsburgh.

Here is what Chryst had to say about the move for Turner from the same press release:

“Mickey has the ability to make a major impact on our recruiting efforts as he moves into a role that allows him to focus on that aspect of our program,” Chryst said. “He has a track record as a strong recruiter and as someone who is honest and genuine in how he represents our program and builds relationships. I’m excited for him and the opportunity that he has to lead our efforts on that front.”

These two shifts are part of a big off-season for Wisconsin football, and it does not appear as though Chryst is done with potential moves. Earlier on Tuesday, Jake Kocorowksi of Rivals noticed a new job posting for a recruiting role, with an expected hiring date set for the next couple of weeks. The move aligns closely with Jack Cichy’s retirement from the NFL, so that is a personnel role to monitor.