Ryan announced Monday in a prepared statement that he discussed with Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez the possibility of retiring immediately. Instead, Ryan will work one final season as coach of the Badgers and then retire. He hopes that his place will be taken by his long-time assistant coach, Greg Gard, who has worked with Ryan since the two became colleagues at UW Platteville in 1993.

Ryan will turn 68 near the middle of his 15th and final season coaching the Badgers. In every one of the previous 14, Wisconsin finished among the top four teams in the Big Ten Conference standings and reached the NCAA Tournament.

Ryan’s NCAA trips with the Badgers represent 70 percent of the appearances made in the program’s history.

Ryan owns a 740-228 career head coaching record, which includes four NCAA Division III championships at Platteville. He reached the NCAA Final Four in each of the past two seasons, losing in the 2015 championship game to the Duke Blue Devils. He was a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this past spring, but was not elected for enshrinement.

“Back in the spring, in the days after the national championship game, Barry Alvarez and I discussed the possibility of me retiring,” Ryan said in the statement. “I’ve always been told that is not a decision to make right after a season is completed. Barry thankfully encouraged me to take some time to think about it and I have done that. I considered retiring this summer or coaching one more season.

“I’ve decided to coach one more season with the hope that my longtime assistant Greg Gard eventually becomes the head coach at Wisconsin. I am looking forward to another year with our program, including our players, my terrific assistant coaches, our office staff and everyone who supports Wisconsin basketball here in Madison, around the state and across the country.”

Why would you come back for just one more season coming off of 2 final four appearances and losing two first round draft picks? This would be the time to look for a long term contract for big bucks or bow out while on top.

Great question. Sounds like Alvarez convinced him to stay one more year, my guess with the agreement that his guy gets the job following him.

....and his guy is??

He hopes that his place will be taken by his long-time assistant coach, Greg Gard, who has worked with Ryan since the two became colleagues at UW Platteville in 1993.

Alvarez made an agreement with Ryan for Ryan to retire just before the NCAA tournament next year so that Alvarez could take over the team for a few weeks at a 500K salary.