Jon Budmayr always has held Paul Chryst in the highest regard, from the time Chryst was recruiting the former Marian Central quarterback to when he coached him as Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator.

Likewise, Chryst has viewed Budmayr in a similar manner, from before he arrived in Madison until last year when Chryst, the head football coach at Pittsburgh, invited his protégé to work on his coaching staff.

“I think [Chryst] appreciates the amount of effort and work I put into [coaching],” Budmayr said. “But at the same time, it works both ways. He appreciates my knowledge of the game, but a majority of that knowledge has come from him. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without being able to learn and grow from him.”

So it’s no surprise Budmayr is back in Madison as a graduate assistant on Chryst’s staff. Budmayr, a 2009 Marian Central graduate whose Wisconsin career was riddled by injuries, will serve as, in essence, the Badgers' quarterbacks coach, a role he filled last year for Chryst at Pitt.

It’s more freedom than many graduate assistants might receive from their head coach, but it speaks to the tight relationship between Budmayr and Chryst.

“I appreciate a ton who he is as a person,” Chryst said. “I care about him like he’s one of my kids. It’s been fun for me to be working with him. It changes the dynamic of the relationship, and I’ve certainly enjoyed how that’s changed and progressed.”

Chryst says the two will coach the quarterbacks together, although with Chryst as head coach, Budmayr often will get to do a lot of the teaching.

“He brings a unique perspective because he’s played quarterback in the system and he’s been in their shoes,” Chryst said. “That makes him an even better coach and resource for them.”

To be “quarterbacks coach” at the age of 24 at a Big Ten Conference school seems young, but Budmayr made a career of being ahead of the curve. After his brother Brody graduated in 2005, after two years as Marian’s quarterback, Jon stepped in as a freshman.

Former Hurricanes coach Ed Brucker joked about how they would view game videos from the previous season and see their ballboy, who was now their quarterback. Budmayr played in the Class 5A state championship game as a sophomore. As a junior, he helped the ’Canes to the semifinals and threw for 1,000 yards in four playoff games.

His career took an unfortunate turn as a senior when he suffered a broken collarbone in the first half of the season opener. That seemed to set a tone for his college career, as well, where he fought through elbow and hip issues that never really allowed him to excel. He worked as a student assistant after he stopped playing, then got the offer from Chryst last year.

They had stayed in touch, and Chryst told Budmayr whenever he was ready there would be a coaching spot for him.

“I wanted to play as long as I could,” Budmayr said. “Once I started going through the injuries, I prayed a lot, kind of searching.' What’s next for me?' I couldn’t get the game out of my head. I love everything about it.”

When Budmayr arrived at Pitt, another former Badgers quarterback, Brooks Bollinger, was quarterbacks coach. But Bollinger got another job, and Chryst didn’t hire a replacement. Budmayr was it.

The Panthers finished 6-7 and lost to Houston, 35-34, in the Armed Forces Bowl with Chryst already back at Madison working on recruiting.

“We’ll do it just like we did at Pitt,” Chryst said. “He’ll be in there in meetings and there’s times when he’ll have them by himself. He’s real involved with all the drill work on the field, coaching points.”

Chryst said it is unusual for a graduate assistant to have those responsibilities, but it’s the best way to utilize the strengths of his staff.

Budmayr is not enrolled in classes for the spring semeste, but will be in the fall, although he is uncertain what master's program it will be. His longtime girlfriend, Kaitlyn Hartlieb, is finishing her nursing program at Madison’s Edgewood College, so everything seemed right about coming back.

Although Budmayr said he was considering other opportunities, Chryst knew he would be a Badger again and is pleased they are reunited.

“He loves and appreciates the game; he’s extremely knowledgeable,” Chryst said. “He’s a great communicator; he’s a worker. All the qualities that make a great coach, he has them.”

Budmayr’s father, Rick, has been Marian’s sophomore coach for a long time. Brody is his assistant. His mother Jackie was Marian’s girls basketball coach for several seasons, so coaching is in his blood.

It appears now that Budmayr will take that career path at a higher level.

“I couldn’t play the game anymore, what’s the closest I could be to it?” Budmayr said. “That’s a coach. All the knowledge I had gained from my dad at an early age or different coaches I’ve had or what Coach Chryst taught me, the best thing I could do was give that back. The way to do that is through coaching.

“I’d work for Coach Chryst for free. As good of a football coach as he is, he’s 10 times more of a person. I think the world of him and appreciate everything he’s given to me.”