Wisconsin AD Breaks Silence On Basketball Coach Greg Gard's Job Security
Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard's job is likely safe.
The Badgers are currently 16-11 with a Sunday afternoon matchup against the Michigan Wolverines. If the NCAA Tournament started today, the Badgers would be right on the bubble. Some projections have the team in. Others do not.
Given the disappointing season, some fans have wondered whether or not it's time for the Badgers to fire Greg Gard. I even tweeted after the Nebraska loss that the time for making excuses was over, and I'm historically a big defender of Gard.
Well, it's not going to happen, according to athletic director Chris McIntosh.
Wisconsin is sticking with Greg Gard.
"There has not even been a conversation about that," McIntosh said this week when talking about whether or not the school might make a change, according to BadgersExtra.com.
The Wisconsin AD further added, "Our fan base is passionate. We all share high expectations. None of the expectations are more ambitious than that of our team itself. I love the way this team battles, I love the way that they fight for every game and I love the plan that they’ve had. And sometimes you’ve just got to push through adversity and that’s what we’re doing right now. We’ve got a young team, and these experiences will pay dividends in the long run."
Wisconsin won't fire Greg Gard. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Should Gard be on the hot seat?
It's always important to take a step back and look at the facts when talking about a coach's future. Greg Gard is a great coach. That's simply a fact.
He's won two Big Ten regular season titles since 2020 and is 160-89 in his career in Madison since taking over for Bo Ryan. The major knock against Gard is his lack of tournament success. The last time the Badgers made the Sweet 16 was during the 2016-2017 season. That feels like a lifetime ago.
He has had a ton of regular season success, but struggled mightily in March Madness, which is ultimately all that matters to a lot of fans. The fact this season has been disappointing only compounds the frustration among the Wisconsin faithful.
Wisconsin AD shows support for Greg Gard. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
However, the reality is that the Badgers are simply not firing a coach who has two Big Ten titles since 2020. It's just not going to happen. Now, if Wisconsin misses the tournament, you can expect Greg Gard's seat to be very hot when next season starts. If the 2023-24 campaign goes poorly, a change will be made, but it's not going to happen this year. It's just not, and it shouldn't.
Gard has done more than enough to keep his job. His job performance speaks for itself.
Should Greg Gard be fired? (Photo by Graham Stokes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Badgers and Greg Gard play Michigan Sunday afternoon at 2:00 EST on CBS. A win will be a massive boost for the program's tournament hopes. A loss would spell disaster for the program's tournament hopes. Welcome to college basketball!