There was one piece of the Gary Andersen puzzle missing as we headed into National Signing Day as the Badgers were without a wide receivers coach. Just over a week since then the Badgers have filled that position, according to a report by Tom Mulhern of the Wisconsin State Journal, with ex-Illinois co-offensive coordinator Chris Beatty.
It's a report that BTN.com's own Tom Dienhart is confirming as well:
I have confirmed a report by @tommulhernwsj that the #Badgers will hire ex #Illini co-OC Chris Beatty as WR coach.
— Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) February 13, 2013
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The timing of the hire shouldn't surprise anyone as Andersen said in multiple interviews on NSD that he wanted to have that hire done within the next week or so.
So, who is Chris Beatty? Well, besides being the co-offensive coordinator the Illini offense (god was that an awful group that he may not have actually controlled) for just one season Beatty has bounced around a lot and has a ton of experience at a lot of different positions.
He began his collegiate coaching career as the offensive coordinator/QB's coach for Hampton University (FCS) in 2006. That team went 10-2 and made the FCS playoffs. Following that year he left and took the running backs coaching position at Northern Illinois. He stayed for a season and saw Justin Andersen rush for 1,245 yards. Beatty then accepted a position at West Virginia as their RB coach, staying their from 2008-2010 when Bill Stewart was let go.
Following that season Beatty landed on his feet as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt under James Franklin in 2011.
Last season at Illinois the offense ranked last in the conference in scoring offense (16.7ppg) and total offense (296.7 yards per game). However, as the co-offensive coordinator it's hard to totally blame him for what went down in that sinking ship.
Wisconsin has yet to confirm these reports, but it shouldn't be long before that happens.
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