According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Badgers coach Mike Eaves let go assistant coaches Gary Shuchuk and Matt Walsh on Tuesday.
Reportedly, this development evolved out of discussions Eaves had with UW athletic director Barry Alvarez.
“This falls under the category of taking extreme measures to make sure that we get out of this and get the program back where it needs to be,” Eaves told the paper.
Alvarez was asked by the Journal Tuesday night if he gave Eaves an ultimatum to make changes on his coaching staff or risk losing his job and Alvarez declined to comment.
Eaves, whose five-year contract is up for review by the UW Athletic Board, denied there was an ultimatum and said he broke the news to Shuchuk and Walsh them face-to-face after his meeting with Alvarez.
“It was a range full of emotions, I can tell you that,” Eaves said.
Shuchuk just completed his fourth season with the Badgers and Walsh just finished his second full season with Wisconsin. Both now-former assistants, like Eaves, played for Wisconsin during their playing days.
“We wanted to make sure that our fan base and people know that this was not the kind of year we want to be about,” he said. “Again, it was felt that significant changes had to be made to let everybody know that we’re going work to get this [fixed].
“We are in a tough business. We’re in the entertainment business. Our record was 4-26-5, and that’s not what this program’s about. Significant changes was the course we decided to take.”
