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Former Badger Jim Leonhard joins Brett Bielema at Illinois

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FILE - Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Penn State in Madison, Wisc., Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. Wisconsin has produced defenses that have ranked among the nation’s stingiest virtually every year since Jim Leonhard took over as coordinator in 2017. Leonhard faces perhaps his biggest challenge in maintaining that standard this year. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Former Wisconsin defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jim Leonhard will join the Illinois staff as a senior analyst, coach Bret Bielema announced Tuesday.

Leonard was the Badgers’ defensive coordinator from 2017-22 and served as the interim coach after Paul Chryst was fired Oct. 2 following a 34-10 loss to the Illini. Leonhard led Wisconsin to a 4-3 record the rest of the regular season and expressed hope he would get the permanent job.

Wisconsin hired Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell instead. Leonhard announced on Dec. 6 he wouldn’t be part of Fickell’s staff in 2023, although he stayed on as defensive coordinator for a Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory over Oklahoma State.

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