The University of Wisconsin (UW) plans on making Paul Chryst their next head football coach, but not until later in the month.
An unnamed source confirmed to ESPN that UW and Chryst, currently the head football coach at Pitt, have an agreement in place. But Barry Alvarez, UW's athletic director, said in a statement that Chryst cannot be offered the job until Wed. due to the school's hiring policy.
"We are continuing the process of finding our new head football coach. We have not offered the position to anyone," Alvarez said, noting the UW Board of Regents would also have to approve the hiring.
In their official job posting, UW noted that the "anticipated start date" for the chosen candidate would be "on or after December 17, 2014." Alvarez said UW started their search for a new coach immediately after Gary Andersen's abrupt departure to coach at Oregon State.
Chryst seems to be an ideal fit, as he was born in Madison, Wis., went to UW and played quarterback for the Badgers. Chryst was also the Badgers' offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2011 and went to the Rose Bowl in each of his last two seasons there.
"It is our practice not to comment on the personnel searches of other institutions," Pitt said in a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Paul Chryst is the University of Pittsburgh's head coach, has been recruiting all week on behalf of the program and will begin preparations for Pitt's bowl game this weekend."
The Journal Sentinel first reported Chryst's appointment at Wisconsin and cited a source who said he would be introduced by Friday. Pitt is scheduled to play Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl on Jan. 2 while Wisconsin will play in the Outback Bowl against Auburn on Jan. 1, a game Alvarez has said he will coach.
