MADISON, Wis. _ On the day he was introduced as the 30th head coach in the history of the Wisconsin football program, Paul Chryst was asked whether returning to his alma mater represented his dream job.
His response on Dec. 17, 2014: You have to earn that title.
Chryst is well on his way to accomplishing that in less than two seasons with a 20-5 overall mark and a berth in the 2016 Big Ten title game Saturday in Indianapolis.
And on Tuesday he was honored by his peers for his success, winning the Big Ten's Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year award voted on by conference coaches. The award is named after legendary Big Ten coaches Woody Hayes of Ohio State and Bo Schembechler of Michigan.
Penn State's James Franklin was named the Big Ten's Dave McClain Coach of the Year, an award voted on by the media and named after UW's coach from 1978-85.
The two coaches meet up in a few days when UW (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) faces Penn State (10-2, 8-1) for the conference championship at 7:17 p.m. Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Chryst joins Barry Alvarez (1993, '98) and Bret Bielema (2006) as the UW coaches to be named Big Ten coach of the year. Alvarez and Bielema were selected by the media.
"I think we've done some good things," Chryst said before the show when asked about his role in the success UW has enjoyed in the last two seasons. "And what is great about athletics is you've got to keep doing it. I sure as heck don't spend any time thinking about that or figure that out.
"I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what can we do to maximize this time, this opportunity."
Chryst, 51, is the first UW coach to win at least 10 games in his first two seasons. UW defeated USC in the Holiday Bowl last season to finish 10-3 overall.
Chryst replaced Gary Andersen, who left UW for Oregon State after the 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the 2014 Big Ten title game.
The UW players didn't need long to embrace their new coach.
"All coach Chryst had to do was be coach Chryst," redshirt junior wide receiver Jazz Peavy said. "I heard all the stories about him and he has lived up to all those expectations.
"He has been a great guy and a great coach and I feel like he has done a great job leading this team keeping everybody close and tight-knit and created this family we have now."
Peavy and others talked to veterans on the 2014 team, players who had worked under Chryst when he was UW's offensive coordinator (2005-11).
Senior cornerback Sojourn Shelton, a sophomore when Chryst was hired, talked to tight end Austin Traylor to get a scouting report on his new coach.
"He told me everything was going to be OK, that coach Chryst was a players' coach and he was fun to be around," Shelton said. "He truly cares about you on and off the field and I think it is easy for everybody to jump on board when you've got a coach like that."
Tailback Corey Clement had lengthy talks last season with Chryst and running backs coach John Settle about whether to return to UW for his senior season.
"Me and him have grown quite close," Clement said of Chryst. "He has made this decision to come back worthwhile.
"Coach Chryst has done an outstanding job just being patient with the guys. Once he got the job he just wanted to put this team on a positive path and he hasn't looked back ever since. That is what you want in a head coach."
