Wisconsin to hire Minnesota cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes

On3 Sports is reporting that new Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is set to add Minnesota cornerbacks coach and co-defensive coordinator Paul Haynes to his staff.

Haynes has been with the Gophers for three years and was first hired in February 2020 to replace former cornerbacks coach Rod Chance, who left for Oregon. Haynes was promoted to co-defensive coordinator at this time last year after previous co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Joe Harasymiak departed for Rutgers. I would assume Haynes will coach cornerbacks for the Badgers but it is unclear whether he will retain his co-defensive coordinator title. Fickell has already announced the hiring of Mike Tressel as his defensive coordinator.

Haynes has a history with Fickell, having coached with him at Ohio State from 2005-2011. This also isn’t the first time Haynes has left one Big Ten program for another, as he previously left Michigan State to take the same position at Minnesota.

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck now has two vacancies on his coaching staff, including running backs coach Kenni Burns leaving to become the head coach at Kent State.