PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — Pitt head football coach Paul Chryst made a big hire Wednesday, naming Wisconsin linebackers coach Dave Huxtable as the Panthers next defensive coordinator.

Huxtable had maintained he was “100 percent” staying with Wisconsin leading up to the Rose Bowl, but since the game passed Chryst was able to coax him to Pittsburgh.

Huxtable is the second coach to leave Wisconsin for Pitt, joining offensive line coach Bob Bostad. Bostad is expected to be Chryst’s offensive coordinator.

Huxtable was a defensive coordinator before coaching the Badgers’ linebackers. He spent three seasons (2008-10) as defensive coordinator at Central Florida where his defense was ranked in the country’s top 10 in various categories each year.

Huxtable was also defensive coordinator at North Carolina from 2002-03 and at Western Kentucky in 1989. He’s been a college coach for 30 years.

Rumors are beginning to spread that Wisconsin tight ends coach Joe Rudolph may be on his way to Pittsburgh as well. He’s a Belle Vernon native and has been a candidate for the Badgers offensive coordinator job since Chryst took the head coaching job at Pitt.

However, Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell is now rumored to be a top target for the job. If Norvell gets the Wisconsin offensive coordinator job it may cause Rudolph to lean towards coming to Pitt.

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Chris Gates | Area 4-1-Zoo Blog
Twitter.com/Chris_Gates
Chris.Gates@cbsradio.com