Report: Alabama Set to Hire Wisconsin Badgers Safeties Coach Colin Hitschler

In a huge staff shakeup, safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler is departing after one season with the Wisconsin Badgers football program.

According to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Alabama is set to hire Hitschler as the Crimson Tide continues to rebuild its coaching staff under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. 

Sources: Alabama is expected to hire Wisconsin safeties coach/CO-DC Colin Hitschler as an assistant coach.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 19, 2024

Hitschler’s departure marks the third staff shakeup of the off-season, as former OL coach Jack Bicknell was re-assigned and WR coach Mike Brown joined Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

Wisconsin Badgers Safeties Coach Colin Hitschler Set to Join Alabama

Hitschler came to the Wisconsin Badgers in 2022 when Luke Fickell took over the program. He was with Fickell at Cincinnati from 2018-2022 and was instrumental to the Bearcats’ 13-0 run to the College Football Playoffs, where they lost to Alabama.

Prior to that, Hitschler spent four seasons at South Alabama, serving as a defensive graduate assistant in 2014, director of football operations in 2015-16, and safeties coach in 2017. He was also named to On3’s “rising-star assistants you need to know” list in 2022.

Hitschler has ties to the program due to his time spent with new Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, who served the same position at South Alabama from 2016-2017.

In his one season with the Badgers, Hitschler oversaw a safeties group led by Hunter Wohler and Preston Zachman. Wohler was named to the All-Big Ten First-Team by the Associated Press after his best season yet, where he logged 120 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, seven pass breakups, and three interceptions. Zachman also provided some very quality reps in his sophomore campaign, recording 49 tackles, 1.0 TFLs, three pass breakups, and two interceptions. 

His coaching led to some strong play on the field, but Hitschler’s absence will really be felt in recruiting. He acted as the lead recruiter for some of the Wisconsin football program’s prized commits in the 2024 class, including Dilin Jones, Kevin Heywood, Omillio Agard, Gideon Ituka, Raphael Dunn, and Ryan Cory. 

Whoever Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers staff bring in will have big shoes to fill, especially on the recruiting trail.

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