Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh confirms Greg Gard's job is safe

Wisconsin has not had the best season, currently finding itself on the bubble. A huge game against Michigan looms on Sunday afternoon as ESPN’s Joe Lunardi currently has the Badgers part of the ‘Last Four In’ group. A win in Ann Arbor will give more breathing room heading into March.

More than just the short-term future of the program is being thought about, though. The job of head coach Greg Gard has been questioned by fans and many want a change to be made by athletic director Chris McIntosh. Unfortunately for that sector of Wisconsin fans, McIntosh has no intentions of moving on from Gard.

“There has not even been a conversation about that,” McIntosh said of firing Gard via Jim Polzin of Badgers Extra.

Gard took over for the legendary Bo Ryan during the 2015-2016 season and endured early success. He made two consecutive Sweet Sixteens, with the latest coming in 2017. However, the Badgers have not made the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since then.

Wisconsin could be in danger of missing out entirely this season. They currently sit with a 16-11 overall record and are a game under .500 (8-9) against Big Ten opponents.

After Michigan, Purdue and Minnesota remain on the schedule. Then, a potentially crucial Big Ten Tournament will take place in Chicago, IL. While Wisconsin will obviously want to pick up some games, Gard will not have the pressure of winning to keep his job.

Jim McIntosh thinks young Wisconsin team will pay off

If there is one positive about the Wisconsin program, it’s the youth Gard has at his disposal. Only two players are listed as seniors. The star of the show — Chucky Hepburn — is just a sophomore and averages over 12 points a game.

McIntosh thinks the youth the Badgers deploy is going to pay off in the future. Whether ther is a surprise tournament run this season or Wisconsin has success beginning in 2023-2024, the AD has confidence.

“Our fan base is passionate,” McIntosh said. “We all share high expectations. None of the expectations are more ambitious than that of our team itself. I love the way this team battles, I love the way that they fight for every game and I love the plan that they’ve had.

“And sometimes you’ve just got to push through adversity and that’s what we’re doing right now. We’ve got a young team, and these experiences will pay dividends in the long run.”