Dec 18, 2014 02:22 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

A Madison, Wis. native and former Badger player and coach, Paul Chryst has made his return to the University of Wisconsin (UW) football team official.

According to the Associated Press, UW and the now former head football coach at Pitt reached an agreement Wednesday. After Gary Andersen left UW abruptly, Chryst's name quickly emerged as the frontrunner to lead the Badgers and it soon became a matter of "when" rather than "if."

"You know, I think that when you're talking about destination job, I think you've got to earn the right to stay that long where people qualify it," Chryst said at his introductory news conference. "Certainly there are two great examples. Coach Alvarez, (and) I think what Bo (Ryan) is doing right now with hoops, they've earned the right to make it a destination job. I sure hope to work to try to make it that. But, you've got to earn it, I believe."

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said when Andersen left that he would begin the search immediately. Almost just as quickly, Chryst became an obvious fit, as he was born in Madison, played quarterback for the Badgers and was the offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2011 under Bret Bielema.

"The first person I thought of when Gary Andersen informed me that he was leaving was Paul Chryst. Paul has worked with me in the past. I have a great respect for him as both a football coach and a person," Alvarez said at the presser. "He and his family will be great fits for our university and our community. I'm thrilled to welcome the entire Chryst family to come back to Madison, come back home, and formally introduce Paul Chryst as our new head football coach at the University of Wisconsin."

Mike Lucas reported for the UW athletic department's website that certain upperclassmen on the team remembered having Chryst as an offensive coordinator. But Chryst organized a brief, unscheduled meet-up with the Badgers players.

During that time, sophomore running back Corey Clement got some face time with the new Badgers coach. When Chryst asked Clement if the young tailback remembered him, he said he did. Clement had verbally committed to Pitt before choosing Wisconsin instead.

At that, Clement told Lucas, Chryst said; "You can't run away from me forever."

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