Wisconsin Football: An Ode to the Paul Chryst Crewneck

Wisconsin football head coach Paul Chryst is making the crewneck sweatshirt cool again in Madison

Whether it’s nine degrees or ninety, Paul Chryst can be seen roaming the sidelines on a typical Badger Football Saturday in his traditional gameday attire: khakis, curved Wisconsin cap, and crewneck sweatshirt. While Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh might steal headlines due to his obsession with Walmart khakis, Chryst has made a name for himself due to his reverence for dad-wear, with the crewneck sweatshirt being the staple of his wardrobe. As Chryst and his Badgers teams have gained notoriety for their excellence on the field, Chryst has rightfully gained some buzz for his demeanor on the sideline, led by his unique taste in gameday attire. There is a cult of Paul Chryst, and its reverence extends all the way down to his understated apparel. Here’s why.

To many Badgers fans, Paul Chryst is an extension of their Wisconsin family. His entire livelihood has revolved around the Badgers: He was born in Madison, played QB for the Badgers from 1986-1988, helped coach UW-Platteville, and became the Badgers’ OC in 2005 before his stint as the head coach of Pittsburgh. But his home is Wisconsin, which was why so many Wisconsinites rejoiced when he became the head coach of the Badgers back in December 2014.

When we was hired over three years ago, Chryst brought his simple yet innovative offense and a winning track record to the Badgers. He also brought his dad-like persona, which is ever-present in media interviews, his resistance to social media, and his functional-not-fashionable choice in apparel. You’ll never find him dancing in the locker room like Dabo Swinney or cursing out players like Nick Saban. He’s a stoic figure during games – sans a referee criticism or turnover chain critique which went viral on Twitter during last year’s Orange Bowl victory.

But his dad-like demeanor goes much further than his understated mannerisms and winning culture. Paul Chryst also has an affection for the crewneck sweatshirt. It’s comfortable for the temperature fluctuations of Camp Randall and epitomizes the no-nonsense, workman-like look of his team and of many workers throughout the state. There’s a reason this year’s tagline is “Nobody Cares, Work Harder.”

Paired with a nice set of khakis and a pair of white or black sneakers, Chryst often looks like he could be heading to church instead of leading the Badgers to victories. Wisconsin fans have predictably attached themselves to the simple yet successful persona of Chryst. ‘He’s one of us’ is a popular phrase muttered by many Badger fanatics throughout the season, win or lose, and his commitment to the crewneck might be one of his most endearing qualities. It even has a popular account on Twitter, though I doubt that he would be as vocal about certain rivalries as his sweatshirt avatar is:

While he’s rightfully earned the faith of Badgers fans, Paul Chryst and his unique apparel preferences have also earned him good favor with Under Armour, who is the official apparel provider of Wisconsin Athletics. As part of the $95 million dollar deal, Under Armour’s brand can be found on all official Badger uniforms and gear – it can also be found on their crewneck sweatshirts, which have surely received a bump in sales since Chryst came onboard.

“We think it’s great that Coach Chryst is a fan of the crew neck sweatshirt silhouette, and UA is proud to provide the gear that the Badgers staff, players and fans know and love. We look forward to seeing Coach in his crewneck this upcoming season and wish the team the best of luck,” said Under Armour’s Director of Collegiate Sports Marketing, Suzanne Williams.

With sustained success and heightened expectations for the 2018 season, all of Badger nation hopes that their team ventures into the unfamiliar territory of the College Football Playoff. As new players shine and new challenges present themselves, the one familiar image for Badger fans will be the calming presence of Chryst, silently pacing the sidelines in his familiar cotton-based crewneck.

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Every team in the College Football Playoff since its inception has had its apparel sponsored by Nike. Here’s to hoping Chryst can bring his Under Armour crewneck to the Playoff next year.