Chad Kauhaahaa confirmed Thursday that he is going to be part of the football coaching staff at Wisconsin.
Kauhaahaa will join the program after Gary Andersen is formally introduced as the Badgers' new head coach today.
The 39-year-old Kauhaahaa, a Baldwin High School graduate who coached the Bears from 2002 to 2004, will step down from his role as the defensive line coach at Utah, where he played collegiately, to take the same role at Wisconsin.
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Chad Kauhaahaa
Kauhaahaa was the defensive line coach at Utah State in 2009 and 2010 under Andersen, who has spent the last four years guiding the Aggies.
"The relationship that me and Gary have, it's not only professional, but a personal thing," Kauhaahaa said.
Kauhaahaa's college coaching career has been spent entirely in Utah - he was Weber State's defensive line coach from 2005 to 2008. He said he has never been to Wisconsin.
"I've done some research, and I'm really excited for my first fourth quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Trust me, I will be jumping around," he said, referring to the fans' tradition of dancing to the House of Pain song "Jump Around" before the final 15 minutes of home games.
Among the players Kauhaahaa has coached at Utah are Star Lotu-lelei, an Associated Press first-team All-American this year. Lotulelei was a Pac-12 first-teamer last season, along with defensive end Derrick Shelby.
"I think I've developed some pretty good defensive linemen at the University of Utah," Kauhaahaa said.
Utah listed Kauhaahaa's recruiting areas as Los Angeles, Hawaii and American Samoa.
"Recruiting areas haven't been discussed (with Andersen) yet," Kauhaahaa said. "I know how important Polynesian players are to him, though."
Andersen is replacing Bret Bielema, who left Wisconsin for Arkan-sas earlier this month. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, who coached the Badgers from 1990 to 2005, will coach in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 against Stanford.
* Brad Sherman is at sports@mauinews.com
