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Justin Wilcox is officially leaving Madison after one year.
On Saturday night, Cal made the announcement that it was hiring the Wisconsin defensive coordinator as its new head coach:
Welcome to Bear Territory Coach Wilcox.#GoBears pic.twitter.com/2g1YpJJxSt
— Cal Athletics (@CalAthletics) January 15, 2017
This will be Wilcox’s first head coaching job. He was a defensive coordinator for five different teams, the last of which was Wisconsin. He was rumored to be the top choice all week after a banner season in Madison.
The Badgers finished 2016 with the No. 4 defense, despite the fact that they had key injuries on the defensive end and faced a brutal schedule.
Wilcox’s departure will leave an opening on the Wisconsin defense for the second straight year. Last year, the Badgers lost Dave Aranda to the same position at LSU.
It remains to be seen who the Badgers will turn to this time.
Thank you, Coach Wilcox.
Best of luck with @CalFootball! pic.twitter.com/OOK41DhdBn
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) January 15, 2017
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.