Paul Chryst is the new coach of Wisconsin football. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
Paul Chryst, a former Wisconsin Badgers assistant, was hired Wednesday as head coach, replacing Gary Andersen.
The school made an official announcement after 5:30 p.m. local time. University policy prohibited Wisconsin from officially hiring a coach before then.
Andersen announced last week that he was leaving Madison after two seasons to take the Oregon State vacancy created when Mike Riley left to take the Nebraska job.
Chryst, born in Madison in 1965, won a high school state championship at Platteville in 1983 and lettered three times as a quarterback for the Badgers. He left Wisconsin’s football program in the 2011 season as its offensive coordinator to take the Pitt job. He has a 19-19 record at Pitt in three years.
—Michigan offered San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh a six-year, $48 million deal to return to his alma mater, according to reports Wednesday.
The deal would make Harbaugh the highest-paid coach in college football. According to USA Today salary data, Alabama’s Nick Saban makes approximately $7.16 million per year.
Michigan is looking to replace Brady Hoke, who was fired Dec. 2 after four seasons.
—West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck will resign to take a second-in-command position under NCAA president Mark Emmert.
Luck, the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, was named to the newly created position of executive vice president of regulatory affairs on Wednesday. He will report directly to Emmert.
Luck, 54, will oversee the day-to-day operations as he brings academic and membership affairs, the eligibility center and enforcement under one umbrella.
Luck also was a member of the inaugural College Football Playoff selection committee as the Big 12 representative. Executive director Bill Hancock said Luck will be replaced by a Big 12 athletic director on next year’s selection committee by spring.
—Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu suffered a knee injury during Tuesday’s practice that will keep him out of the College Football Playoff, according to reports.
Ekpre-Olomu, named a first-team All-American this week and a finalist for the Thorpe Award, might have a torn ACL, Comcast SportsNet reported Wednesday. The senior has 63 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble for Oregon this season.
Ekpre-Olomu is the second-ranked cornerback prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft, according to NFLDraftScout.com.
The second-ranked Ducks (12-1) face third-ranked Florida State (13-0) in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The winner advances to the championship game on Jan. 12 against Alabama or Ohio State.
