Bo Ryan’s legacy, and the changing of the “Gard”

Wisconsin Badgers coach Bo Ryan has announced his retirement after over 14 years with the school.

Gard was coaching in the high school ranks and helping out at Platteville when he could when Ryan pulled him into his office following the 1993-94 season and delivered a message: You need to be with me full time.

During the offseason Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan announced that this would be his final season at the helm, only to go back on those comments shortly thereafter.

Ryan told reporters after the game that this was a decision months in the making.

The development with Ryan seemed to take the players by surprise, but forward Nigel Hayes said he noticed something different about the coach before the victory over the Islanders. “I know this is unorthodox to some people, but in the long run, [Gard] will have a chance to take over before the Big Ten season”. “I don’t think if I saw a national search for a new coach – when I think he’s such a good candidate – I’d be too happy”. “But I couldn’t make the decision at the time”.

During his time at Wisconsin, the Badgers made two Final Four appearances, including in 2015, when the team lost to Duke in the national championship game.

Sitting with a 7-5 record now, the Badgers will look to regroup without Ryan, and it won’t be easy.

“Greg’s ready”, Ryan said after the Badgers beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 64-49 at the Kohl Center.

“It is so emotional right now, and I’m trying to hold this together”, Ryan said at his postgame press conference.

Bo Ryan’s announcement came at a very curious time but it was likely for very selfless reasons. But along with Ryan, the longtime assistant will have plenty of cheerleaders in his corner.

Ryan finished with a career mark of 747-233, good for 27th on the NCAA career wins list when counting successful tenures at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Division III Wisconsin-Platteville.

Gard, 45, claims to be accustomed to the pressure of coaching for his job every year.

Ryan has said he didn’t want to be coaching this year. “As I’ve said before, I knew I might not be 100 percent, but I wanted to give it a go for my team. If I start treating if differently, and acting differently and weird and all that type of stuff, what does that message does that send to the team”, said Gard. “The biggest mistake I can make is not being myself”. That 14-year streak is the fourth most among active head coaches behind a who’s who of collegiate royalty.

“We’ve got to remember he’s an old guy”. “He has been yelling and screaming for quite some time”. I think it just speaks volumes to the program he’s built there. “But now that we’ve kind of seen what the young team’s going to be like, there’s going to be more forgiveness for him”. “That takes a toll on your health”. “This time, I guess we’ll stretch it just a little bit longer”.