Paul Chryst (born November 17, 1965) is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers football team from 2015 to 2022. Prior to his head coaching tenure at Wisconsin, Chryst was the head coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2012 to 2014. He has also held numerous assistant coaching positions at various collegiate and professional levels throughout his career, predominantly specializing as an offensive coordinator.
Early Life and Playing Career Chryst was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville, where he was a four-year letterwinner.
Coaching Career Chryst's coaching career began in 1989 as a graduate assistant at West Virginia University. He held several assistant coaching roles before making a name for himself as an offensive coordinator.
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Assistant Coach (1989–2011): Chryst served as an assistant coach at various institutions, including Wisconsin, Oregon State, Illinois State, Cincinnati, LSU, Oregon, and West Virginia. He had multiple stints with the Wisconsin Badgers as an assistant, notably as offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2011, where he oversaw a productive offense that often ranked among the best in the Big Ten Conference. He also had a brief NFL experience as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Riders of the World League of American Football (WLAF) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (tight ends coach, 1999).
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Pittsburgh Panthers Head Coach (2012–2014): Chryst accepted his first head coaching position at the University of Pittsburgh in December 2011. During his three seasons with the Panthers, he compiled an overall record of 19–19 (10–14 in conference play). He led the team to three bowl appearances, finishing with a winning record (7-6) in his final season.
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Wisconsin Badgers Head Coach (2015–2022): In December 2014, Chryst returned to his home state to become the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, replacing Gary Andersen. Under Chryst, the Badgers continued their tradition of strong defense and run-heavy offense.
- He quickly found success, leading the Badgers to a 10-3 record and a victory in the Outback Bowl in his first season (2015).
- His tenure included three Big Ten West Division titles (2016, 2017, 2019) and appearances in the Big Ten Championship Game.
- Wisconsin achieved two 10-win seasons (2016, 2017) and an 11-win season (2017), which included a No. 6 final ranking in the AP Poll.
- Chryst amassed an overall record of 67–26 (.721) at Wisconsin, including a 43–18 (.705) conference record. His 67 wins rank him fourth all-time in program history.
- Despite consistent success, Chryst was fired early in the 2022 season after a disappointing 2-3 start to the year.
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Texas Longhorns Offensive Analyst (2023–present): Following his departure from Wisconsin, Chryst joined the coaching staff at the University of Texas as an offensive analyst in 2023, working under head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Coaching Style Chryst is known for his offensive mind, typically favoring a pro-style offense with a strong emphasis on running the football, play-action passing, and utilizing tight ends. His teams are generally well-coached defensively and excel in physical play.