It was long rumored that Chris Ash was the only current Badger assistant coach that Bret Bielema had requested contact with about joining his staff and one week to the day that he was hired as the new Arkansas head coach he announced that Chris Ash would be joining him.
Ash was the co-defensive coordinator at Wisconsin for the past two years after coming on board originally as a defensive backs coach before the 2010 season.
This season Ash helped to lead one of the most consistent defenses in the country, ranking 13th in total defense (320.9yds/game), 19th in scoring defense (19ppg), 23rd in passing defense, and 21st in rushing defense (124.4yds/game). Wisconsin is one of a very select few defenses this past regular season to be in the Top 25 of all of these major statistical categories.
"I am excited to welcome Chris to our staff," Bielema said in a statement released by Arkansas. "In the last three years working together, I gained a great respect for the way Chris teaches the game and develops student-athletes.
"I've followed his career for a long time, and his knowledge of the way we run our program and specifically the defense will be valuable for us moving forward in our transition. Chris helped us improve drastically in our pass defense at Wisconsin where his defenses consistently ranked in the top 25 nationally in all the major categories."
According to the release Ash will stay with the Badgers through the Rose Bowl before assuming his duties in Fayetteville.
No other assistant coaches are known to be 100% on Bielema's radar from this current Wisconsin staff, but of course as with anything in this coaching carousel we're on anything can change.
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