UW football notes: Bielema has linebackers coach, report says - Wisconsin State Journal

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema appears to have found a linebackers coach in Nevada defensive coordinator Andy Buh. But Bielema said he will likely not name the new linebackers or tight ends coaches until after 2012 recruits can sign National Letters of Intent on Feb. 1.

Buh, 38, returned to his alma mater in 2010 and also coached linebackers. He was a two-year starter at linebacker at Nevada in the 1990s and began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant in 1997.

Prior to coming back to Nevada, he spent three seasons at Stanford, including the last two as co-defensive coordinator.

It was first reported by Footballscoop.com that UW would hire Buh.

As for UW’s open offensive line job, that could be filled in the next couple days.

“It’s going to be extremely important,” new UW offensive coordinator Matt Canada said of finding the right line coach. “Obviously, you win up front. All of us quarterback guys like to act like it’s different, but we all know the truth. It’ll be an extremely important hire.”

Bielema said earlier he wanted to get Canada’s feedback on the line coach. But it sounds like Bielema knows who he wants to hire.

“I know Coach has got a great plan,” Canada said. “We’re certainly involved in discussing it, but he’s making those decisions. I’m certainly aware of where we’re going and what we’re looking at and the important parts of each guy and what they bring to the table.

“If you’re an offensive line coach, I’m guessing this would be a pretty good place to come to work. There’s some pretty good names.”

New wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, who grew up watching the Big Ten Conference in Utica, Mich., said he won’t ever take for granted working at a place like UW.

Azzanni spent a year at Florida under Urban Meyer in 2010, but the bulk of his career has been spent in the Mid-American Conference at Bowling Green and Central Michigan. He spent last season as the offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky.

“We don’t take any of that for granted, that we’re at a place like this,” Azzanni said of he and his wife, Julia. “We’ve seen some coaches that do and it makes my stomach turn.

“This is a great place, that people would cut off their right arm to coach at. I appreciate it and I don’t take it for granted.”