Oregon State lost one head coach to the Big Ten. As it turns out, the Beavers landed a coach from the Big Ten as well.
Wisconsin head coach Gary Andersen will be the new head coach of Oregon State, the school confirmed. Andersen reportedly was one of five finalists to fill the coaching vacancy at Oregon State after Mike Riley accepted a job offer from Nebraska. The 50-year-old head coach is certainly a good fit for Oregon State out west, and it is certainly a surprise to see Wisconsin lose another coach to another power conference program buried in its respective division. Wisconsin also lost Bret Bielema to Arkansas just a few years ago.
Just as shocking as Nebraska hiring Riley from Oregon State, the Beavers luring a coach away from one of the top Big Ten programs in recent seasons is a bit of a shock.
Andersen is coming off a brutal loss in the Big Ten championship game. Wisconsin lost to Ohio State, 59-0, after powering its way to a Big Ten West Division championship.Wisconsin was 10-3 under Andersen this season, and his brief two-year stint with the Badgers comes to an abrupt end with a record of 19-7. Including his time at Utah State, Andersen has a record of 45-31.
Now, Wisconsin is back on the prowl for a new head coach. Paul Chryst at Pittsburgh would seem like a logical choice. The head coach of the Panthers was an assistant at Wisconsin under Bielema.
Wisconsin joins Michigan in the search for a new head coach in the Big Ten.