From the moment the season ended in deflating fashion for Wisconsin and Greg Gard, it's safe to say countless people have been calling for the Badgers to make a change in leadership. Plain and simple, Gard didn't get the job done, and it's not the first time an early exit has left people angry.
John Blackwell leaves the door wide open to leave Wisconsin this offseason
However, we all need to keep in mind that as much as this season may have been a disappointment, it's not going to cost peanuts to let Gard go. According to USA Today, the buyout for Gard if he's fired before May 31 of this year will be $8 million.
Yeah, that's not a small chunk of change. So, what should the Wisconsin administration do? Fire Gard and look for another coach who's going to help this group push forward, or save that money and use it in the transfer portal instead? Again, this is not an easy choice.
Greg Gard's buyout with Wisconsin if he's fired is set at around $8 million
Gard's start to his Wisconsin career was fantastic, with Wisconsin reaching the Sweet Sixteen multiple times. However, recent years have been a nightmare for everyone following the program closely. Last year, Wisconsin lost in the second round as a 3-seed.
The year before, a first-round exit was posted. Then in 2023, the Badgers weren't even in the NCAA Tournament. Because of that, anger has reached a new level among the Wisconsin fanbase and no one is happy about how the 2026 campaign came to a close.
It's quite frustrating because Wisconsin made noise in the Big Ten Tournament and it felt like this group had a ton of confidence with March Madness in full swing. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell were getting a ton of national buzz too, which was awesome.
All that was for nothing, with High Point breaking hearts. Moving forward, Gard's future with Wisconsin feels like it's totally up in the air. He's meant a lot to the program, but if the Badgers are serious about changing things up, it's not going to come cheap.