MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin knocked off USC in the 2015 Holiday Bowl and Dave Aranda was all set to return to the Badgers for the 2016 season, just as many had hoped he would. Aranda even admitted he had multiple options at other schools, but at the time, none were going to pull him to leave the place he's spent the last three years building a national defensive powerhouse.

Aranda left Wisconsin after three seasons and will become the defensive coordinator at LSU in 2016.

Then LSU and head coach Les Miles called.

It was an offer of $1.3 million to be the Tigers' defensive coordinator in 2016 -- a contract that escalates with each passing season. The Tigers had just lost their defensive coordinator to SEC West rival Auburn and had Aranda on the top of their board.

As much has he loved Wisconsin, the city of Madison, his colleagues, and especially his players, Aranda couldn't turn it down.

He had to move on.

"It was very difficult," Aranda told Badger247. "Talking to all the coaches there, we talked about how fun it was this past year, how well everyone got along. When the staff is real tight, when the staff is trusting of each other, and success came from working off each other, I think that reflects a team.

"We were a very tight-knit group. That part was hard, man. We had a lot of fun. I'm going to miss them."

The grind of a power-five college football coach is unlike any other. Long hours at the office, on the field, and away from home. Even when the job on the field is done, breaking down film, establishing a game plan for the upcoming opponent, and recruiting is never finished.

But in Aranda's words, it didn't always feel like a job at Wisconsin.

Miles offered $1.3 million to get Aranda in 2016.

He'll remember defensive meetings with outside linebackers coach Tim Tibesar, secondary coach Daronte Jones, and defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield. Tuesday, they'd pump in country music while dissecting film and gearing up to play Wisconsin's next opponent. Wednesday was Elvis Presley.

Aranda will also miss the players he left behind.

One in particular, outside linebacker Vince Biegel, made a big push for Aranda to stay. Following the Holiday Bowl, Biegel told reporters he'd "take a bullet" if it meant Aranda would be around for his senior season.

But it was to no avail.

After accepting LSU's offer, Aranda called Biegel and had a heart-to-heart conversation that Aranda struggled to get through.

"I told him I knew it was a shock to him, I tried not getting emotional, but it's hard not getting emotional with that guy," Aranda explained. "I love Vince and I have so much respect for him.

"It was a difficult call."

Aranda said he also spoke with the likes of Chikwe Obasih, Alec James, Jack Cichy, Sojourn Shelton, Chris Orr, and T.J. Edwards, all faces he'll see during his first game with LSU when the Badgers take on the Tigers from Lambeau Field.

Aranda on facing Wisconsin in the 2016 opener: "It's the first thing I thought about."

While he'll be on the opposite sideline as their enemy, Aranda will feel at least some joy about any success Wisconsin's defense has against the Tigers on Sept. 3, knowing he was a big part of it.

"All those guys I have a lot of respect for and I know they're going to do everything to beat LSU coming up," Aranda said. "I've thought about it a lot, believe me. It's the first thing I thought about.

"I fully expect and fully know in my heart those guys are going to come hunting and cause havoc and disruption. That's what they do. They've been trained to do it and their insides tell them to do it. I'm going to enjoy watching those guys and see their developments.

"Jack is a great story, Chris is a great story, Vince is a great story, T.J. is a great story. Those kids, where they started, where they're at now, and how high of a ceiling they have is just so cool.

"I'm their biggest fan. I'm just looking forward to seeing them compete."

Following the conversation and offer from Miles, Aranda reached out to Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst for guidance. Aranda said he and Chryst talked at length about the pros and cons of leaving Wisconsin for LSU.

"That was pretty unique," said Aranda. "I don't believe there's a lot of relationships when you're doing that with your head coach. I respect him for that and thank him for that.

"That was hard, I have a lot respect for him," Aranda continued about leaving Chryst's staff. "He's a great coach, a better person. He and his family treated my family great. Anytime you break that stuff up, it's hard. It was a difficult deal.

Wisconsin did make an offer to keep Aranda, but couldn't come close to LSU's $1.3 million.

"I'm glad that it's over with, it was hard to go through."

Aranda said all talks with LSU occurred after his initial decision to stay at Wisconsin and following the Holiday Bowl. Aranda, who made $520,000 last season, which ranked No. 64 in the country and No. 13 in the Big Ten, more than doubled his salary at his next venture.

Wisconsin and athletic director Barry Alvarez did counter with a new offer for Aranda, but it wasn't going to be in the same ballpark as LSU.

"I know they did," Aranda said when asked if Wisconsin made an effort to keep him. "When I first called coach Chryst to tell him this was on the table, him and I talked for awhile. He was great working through all the angles with things, talking it through. He asked if he could contact coach Alvarez to see what he could do.

"A few minutes later he (Alvarez) called back and had some options on the table. But it's one of those things where the offer and the guarantees at where I'm going is pretty difficult to beat."

Wisconsin paid just two assistant coaches more than $500,000 in 2015, including Aranda. Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph ranked the highest at $570,000, a mark that stood No. 51 in the country.

Among the other seven assistants on Wisconsin's coaching staff, none of them were inside the top 300 salaries nationally, with wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore next at No. 319.

Aranda, who was very grateful of his time with Alvarez, declined not to comment on if the Badgers needed to increase their pay scale to better compete nationally.

In his final game with Wisconsin, Aranda held an explosive USC offense to 21 points and under 300 yards of total offense.

"It's hard, I don't really have an opinion on that," he said. "I understand the question.

"I have the most respect for coach Alvarez with how he treated me and what he's done for me. When coach Andersen (Gary Andersen) left and there was an opportunity to stay, coach Alvarez was instrumental in that, he really was.

"I'm thankful for everything he's done for me."

In fact, Aranda turned down a number of options likely offering more money, not just during the final month of the 2015 season, but the past two years, to stay at Wisconsin -- even when he didn't have a job in Madison during the previous coaching turnover from Andersen to Chryst.

Aranda stayed as long as he could.

"The month of December was tough with so many options," he said. "I've been on the other side of it when you don't have any options and you're waiting on them. You learn from that perspective that when there are options, you have to look at them for your family.

"I was quite blessed to have a few options the last two years."

Not only did Aranda leave Wisconsin with three returning starters at linebacker and a front seven that returns six of seven starters overall, he went out on a winning note -- although at the time he didn't know Wednesday would be his last appearance in the Cardinal and White.

Over the last three years combined, Wisconsin ranked top five nationally in all four major defensive statistical categories.

Against an explosive USC offense, Aranda's defense held the Trojans to 21 points and under 300 yards of total offense. Needing three consecutive stands against future pros Cody Kessler and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Badgers defense did just that to not only spark a comeback, but preserve the lead.

On Saturday, Aranda had a chance to reminisce one more time with Rudolph about Wisconsin's big win and 10th overall on the season against the national powerhouse.

"That was awesome," said Aranda. "The offense stepped up when we needed them. When we needed the defense to make stands, that's what they did. Joel (Joel Stave) gets kicked and bloodied up, comes back in, and makes plays. Rob (Rob Wheelwright) stepping up and making that big catch.

"That was just so cool. I think that happens when you have a tight family. You play for each other and that's why you get guys stepping up like that. That was real cool to see."

Fans knew sooner, rather than later, Aranda would be onto bigger and better things, but his three-year stint in Madison won't be soon forgotten.

Wisconsin ranked inside the top five nationally in scoring defense, total defense, passing defense, and rushing defense over the last three years combined. The case could be made the Badgers had the nation's best defense during Aranda's tenure -- at least on paper -- and Aranda was the best defensive coordinator in program history.

Despite his massive success in Madison, two games still eat away at Aranda, two games he wish he could do over again. Wisconsin's 31-24 loss to Penn State in the 2013 regular season finale and their 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the 2014 Big Ten Championship game are two defeats Aranda said he "still thinks about every day."

While fans were more shaken than shocked to hear Aranda would be leaving Wisconsin, he understands and offered up his words of appreciation to the hundreds of thousands who supported him during his time in Madison.

"I think right away of family," he said. "As excited as my family is to be seeing a new thing, I know it's going to be hard (to leave). I had all the kids in the neighborhood in the backyard during the summer time, there's been a lot of snow in the winter time (laughing), a lot of sledding and things like that.

"The second thing I'll remember is the players. Just the stories, special stories, there's a lot of them. I could go on and on and on. It's a special group of kids. I'm going to miss them.

"To the fans, I want to thank you for how you treated my family. I know my wife and my kids -- they're going to still be there till about June -- they always felt welcome and always felt at home.

"What great people, what great fans. Football is a crazy business and you never know how it's going to go. Whatever it was, good or bad, people always treated me fair after all that.

"I appreciate it."