University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema's staff is going to look dramatically different next season — and that's even before offensive coordinator Paul Chryst decides whether or not he is leaving for Purdue.

A source close to the program said Bielema fired defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz last week. Also, offensive line coach Bob Palcic on Monday took the same job at UCLA under new coach Rick Neuheisel.

The decision to not bring back Hankwitz, 60, who just finished his 38th season as a college coach, was performance-based, according to the source.

The Badgers had one of the best defenses in the nation in 2006, but had problems replacing the four departing senior starters from that team.

They struggled in the first half of this season, before playing better. They finished sixth in the Big Ten Conference in both scoring defense (23.2 points per game) and overall defense (356.6 yards per game).

Palcic, 59, and Neuheisel are friends who worked together at UCLA under Terry Donahue in 1993.

"I loved it here in Madison," said Palcic, who was also offensive line coach for the Badgers from 1978 to '81 under Dave McClain. "I'm going to miss it. But sometimes, you have to make a business decision. That's exactly what this is, a business decision."

The UCLA job is expected to be a better situation financially for Palcic, who made $182,500 this past season. But he said the biggest factor was the chance to work with Neuheisel, a close friend.

"We had talked about getting together, if the opportunity would ever exist," Palcic said. "It was a hard decision. I'm going to miss my players."

Palcic didn't hesitate to endorse UW tight ends coach Bob Bostad as his likely successor. Bostad, 41, coached the offensive line at New Mexico from 1999 to 2005, before coming to UW. During Bostad's tenure, 14 of his players earned all-conference mention.

"I like Bob Bostad," Palcic said. "I think he has a great future, I had a good relationship with him. I think he'll do a terrific job."

Bostad was named run game coordinator a year ago and worked with the offensive tackles during a couple of individual periods in each practice, doing combination blocks in the run and pass games.

"I think it would be the best transition for our guys," Palcic said. "Our players are familiar with him and they're familiar with his terminology. Hopefully, that will be the move Bret makes."

Dave Doeren, who spent the last two years as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, is the leading candidate to replace Hankwitz.

Before coming to UW, Doeren spent three years at Kansas, where he was the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2005 and that team ranked third nationally in rushing defense (83.3 ypg). He was responsible for recruiting many of the players that helped Kansas finish 12-1 this season.

Multiple sources said Chryst is deciding whether to go to Purdue, where he is the top choice to become the successor to Joe Tiller.

Bielema has options on offense, thanks to interim receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander, who filled in during the 2007 season while Henry Mason recovered from a spinal cord injury.

If Mason is ready to return to full-time coaching in February, Alexander could fill the tight ends job, which would be an easy transition. Alexander also has coached running backs, quarterbacks and special teams during his career.

"I'd sell myself that I could coach any position," Alexander said in a recent interview of his desire to stay at UW. "That's in the future. It's always uncertain. We'll deal with that when it comes."