Can The Badgers Keep Jim Leonard?

Now that the unbeaten University of Wisconsin Badgers are top-ranked in the nation defensively, and just posted their fourth shutout of the season, how long will it be before a bigger fish comes along to pile up cash in front of defensive coordinator Jim Leonard?

Leonard will be 37 the end of the month. His defensive approach to football has the Badgers making history (most shutouts in the modern era since 1930!) and headlines. Granted, three of those shutouts came against South Florida, Central Michigan and Kent State -- hardly powerhouse offensive squads.

But Saturday at The Camp, Bucky took the Michigan State Spartans behind the woodshed and stomped on 'em. Giving up just 149 net yards on the day to a Spartan team that had the ball for only 20:50 and forcing a pair of turnovers -- one returned for a touchdown. Take away the 20-yard gain on the fake punt, and Sparty rushed 20 times for 10 yards!

By the way, that's the fourth defensive TD this season for Wisconsin -- which has only allowed four TDs as well.

How good does the defense look?

• has allowed 268 rushing yards, 44.7 per game
• has allowed 129 passing yards per game
• has allowed 173.7 yards per game
• has allowed 3.1 yards per 340 plays
• opposing teams have been successful on third down conversion just 15.66% of the time

Wisconsin, 6-0, is allowing 4.8 points per game. The big tests are ahead with Ohio State, Iowa, Purdue and Minnesota waiting in the wings.

This brings us back to my original thought -- can Wisconsin KEEP Leonard? He's not the highest paid defensive coordinator in the Big Ten, but he's not hurting, either. In 2017 he signed a two-year deal worth $1.25 million -- $300,00 the first year, $325,000 the second. The UW Foundation added $300,000 per year as well.

In comparison, LSU's Dave Aranda (who was at Wisconsin from 2013-2015) was making $1.8 million before getting a nice bump. With Texas A&M in hot pursuit, LSU gave Aranda a four-year, $10 million deal. That works out to $2.5 million a year. In second place is the D-Coordinator from Clemson at $1.7 million.

Shoot, Alabama head coach Nick Saban makes $11 million -- and that doesn't count benefits, like the house 'Bama purchased for him, etc.

So unless Leonard, once a Wisconsin walk-on, gives his alma mater a home town deal, Bucky may not be able to keep the salary wolves at bay.