T1B

Goober McTuber wrote:Shocker. I thought he got an inordinate amount of criticism from the Wisky fanbase. Maybe Paul Chryst will come back.

Sudden Sam wrote:I think Arkansas just f**ked up.

Sudden Sam wrote:Yep, instead of one hardass recruitin' school to deal with, he'll have 13.

Just for the record, I like the way you guys do it up there.

Killian wrote:So what's the word on the street as to who your next coach will be?

Sudden Sam wrote:I always get the feeling that Petersen is really, really happy living in Idaho.

Sudden Sam wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:UW Children's Hospital

Is that where they treat the freshmen with alcohol-poisoning?

Mace wrote:Goobs: Any word on how many assistant coaches he's taking with him?

Madison – We’re live from the Kohl Center media room on a wonderful Thursday morning to give you quick updates as Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez talks about his return to the sideline for the 2013 Rose Bowl.

Alvarez confirmed that several veterans asked him to coach UW in the Rose Bowl against Stanford after head coach Bret Bielema decided to take over the Arkansas program.

According to Alvarez, quarterback Curt Phillips and linebacker Mike Taylor were among the first players to reach out and request Alvarez to coach the game.

Phillips left a phone message and followed with a text. Taylor tried reaching Alvarez by phone.

Alvarez joked that when he looked at his phone and saw the call was from the Green Bay area he ignored it.

Not knowing the call was from Taylor, from Ashwaubenon, Alvarez didn’t think he needed to take a call from that area of the state.

Alvarez told the players they aren't going to screw around. They are going to California to win.

Sounds as if Alvarez will be a CEO of the staff. He will allow the coordinators to do their jobs but he will manage the team, manage the game on Jan. 1.

Alvarez added this is a one-game deal. He is not returning sideline full-time. Alvarez added he has been approached many times over the years about returning to coaching.

Alvarez was asked whether Paul Chryst, in his first season at Pittsburgh, would be a viable candidate to return to UW.

Not at this time.

Alvarez said he would not feel right hiring Chryst.

"Paul is going to stay at Pitt," he said.

Did Alvarez feel betrayed by Bielema? No, he said. However, Alvarez seems miffed that he wasn't approached by anyone from Arkansas seeking permission to talk to Bielema.

There are no hard rules about that. It's more of a professional courtesy.

Regarding the process of finding a replacement for Bielema, Alvarez said he is not in a hurry. He has reached out to people and will start interviews next week.

Having "ties" to Wisconsin is not a requirement for the new coach, Alvarez said. However, he will start with individuals who have head coaching experience.

He believes the program is on solid ground. All the current assistants will remain with the team through the Rose Bowl.

Alvarez, 3-0 in Rose Bowls, says he will enjoy every minute of going back out to Pasadena and coaching UW.

Alvarez reiterated he was blindsided by Bielema's decision to leave. Found out while in New York earlier this week. Bielema and Alvarez met and as the discussion went on, Alvarez realized his successor had already taken the Arkansas job.

Wow.

Asked about his time away from the game, Alvarez said: "The game hasn't changed."

He loves the matchup with Stanford because he respects the way the Stanford program is run. He believes the game will be entertaining.

Regarding Bielema's comments on not being able to pay assitants top dollar, Alvarez said UW has had good assistants, currently has good assistants and will continue to have good assistants.

How does the program today stack up to the program Alvarez left in 2005? Alvarez believes it is as good, if not better, today.

Alvarez insisted the heart of the program will not change with a new coach. UW will run the ball behind a powerful offensive line, defend the run, etc.

"You know what the plan is," he said. "It starts with those big palookas up front."

Regarding UW going to the Rose Bowl with five losses, Alvarez said no apology is needed. UW played by the rules, rules that every team knew before the season opened.

Phillips and Taylor both talked about how much respect the players have for Alvarez.

"This is the house he built," Phillips said.

Phillips, who has battled through multiple knee injuries, said he could not a better scenario than taking the field with Alvarez as the team's coach.

He also insisted that UW will thrive despite the turmoil of this week. He noted how the team has overcome injuries, personnel changes, etc., during the season and added UW will be a motivated team in the Rose Bowl.

Alvarez told the players they aren't going to screw around. They are going to California to win.

Van wrote:

Alvarez told the players they aren't going to screw around. They are going to California to win.

They've already tried that, to no avail. Maybe this time they ought to just screw around and have fun.

And what's with coaches bailing on their teams immediately before BCS bowl games? Jesus, guys, can't you at least stick around long enough to finish the job you started?

Sudden Sam wrote:No way can I picture Bielema chasing catching coeds.

Sudden Sam wrote:No way can I picture Bielema chasing coeds.

Van wrote:And what's with coaches bailing on their teams immediately before BCS bowl games? Jesus, guys, can't you at least stick around long enough to finish the job you started?

Sudden Sam wrote:No way can I picture Bielema chasing coeds.

Van wrote:

Alvarez told the players they aren't going to screw around. They are going to California to win.

They've already tried that, to no avail. Maybe this time they ought to just screw around and have fun.

And what's with coaches bailing on their teams immediately before BCS bowl games? Jesus, guys, can't you at least stick around long enough to finish the job you started?

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said he plans to put a clause in the contract of the next UW football coach that requires the coach to inform Wisconsin if another school contacts him for a job.

Alvarez does not want to go through again what happened in the case of Bret Bielema. Alvarez said he was shocked when Bielema told him at noon on Tuesday in New York he had taken the job at Arkansas.

All of the UW assistant coaches have told Alvarez they will be with the team through the Rose Bowl, Alvarez said.

Alvarez was interviewed Friday by Evan Cohen and Steve Phillips, who have a weekday show on SiriusXM Radio, “Evan and Phillips in the Morning.”

Here’s what Alvarez had to say:

Cohen: Before we get into details, how would you describe this week?

Alvarez: It’s been very hectic. Very hectic and all I can tell you is my adrenaline is running and I don’t get a lot of sleep.

Cohen: Why did you initially decide to bring in coach Bielema?

Alvarez: I knew his background. Bret had done a nice job at Iowa and also at Kansas State. I had lost my defensive coordinator, longtime defensive coordinator to Nebraska. And thought Bret would be a nice fit. After working with him a couple of years, I really liked the way he handled the kids and saw the big picture. I thought he would be the perfect person to come in and take my spot.

Phillips: When you made the decision to step in and take the spot, were there any other schools inquiring about possibly taking him away before you made that move?

Alvarez: No. No.

Cohen: So you gave him a head coaching opportunity when nobody else was thinking about him?

Alvarez: Well, he was still a very young assistant.

Cohen: So looking back at the whole tenure he had, the seven years at Wisconsin, was it better or worse than you anticipated?

Alvarez: It was very good. I turned over a very good program to him. We had a 10-win season with all the kids coming back, and primarily the key players. In his first year he won 12 games. But the program was in great shape when he took it and he was able to sustain it. Did a very good job for us.

Phillips: When did you find out he was leaving?

Alvarez: I found out in New York about noon Tuesday.

Cohen: Tell me about that conversation. That was him telling you that I’m gone or him telling you I have an offer?

Alvarez: That he had made the decision. That was my question. Are you asking to speak to them or are you telling me you’re taking the job? He said I took the job.

Cohen: During your tenure as head coach at Wisconsin, it’s been rumored, OK - Miami, NFL jobs, Nebraska, all these offers you had and you always chose to say. And I know your relationship with former AD athletic director Pat Richter was so great. When you got offers, when you were in that spot, did you tell Pat Richter about that?

Alvarez: Most of the time it didn’t go very far. People would talk to me. I think only one or two other people asked Pat for permission to talk. But there were a number of offers. Most of the time the athletic director would call Pat to ask permission to visit. In all cases I knew what I wanted to do. I had always established that I wanted to build a program, sustain it, be the athletic director there and watch it continue to survive and do well.

Cohen: So in that moment he is telling you that he is going, I’m leaving, I’m not even telling you about the offer. My new AD didn’t even call you about this. What is your emotion like in that moment?

Alvarez: Well, I was very surprised, to say the least. There’s not much you can say at that point. I’m one of these guys who move forward. My wheels started turning about my short list. I had just seen a representative for some coaches who I have on my short list upstairs (in the hotel), and started figuring out how I could find his number and get him up to my room.

Phillips: Why is this process OK? Why is it OK for schools to reach out to coaches currently with another program and have the appropriate contact, ask for permission, have the conversation? Who is wrong? Is it the other AD? Is it the coach? Who’s wrong in this process?

Alvarez: Lots of times there is a middleman. Most coaches today, because the money is so big, most coaches today are represented by an agent or firm. Many times the coach is not involved in the interview or the initial contact period. So a lot moved forward before it even got before the coach.

Cohen: Why did coach Bielema tell you he was leaving?

Alvarez: Said he thought he had a better chance to win championships there.

Cohen: I find that fascinating. I’m biased, yes, because I went to the University of Wisconsin. I’m a fan of you and your program. Steve went to Michigan so he is pro-Big Ten. Here’s the thing I don’t understand. The University of Wisconsin has been to more BCS games than Arkansas. All right, you want to fight me off and say Arkansas is a basketball school. Our school has been to the Final Four more recently than Arkansas. Does Arkansas have a better chance of winning a championship than we do at Wisconsin?

Alvarez: Well, I thought we had a chance to play in the national championship a year ago. And we are going to third straight Rose Bowl. I mean that should answer a lot of questions. Six Rose Bowls since ’94.

Cohen: Assistant coaches. . . He said money for assistant coaches. He said he has had a tough time getting money for assistant coaches. . . .

Alvarez: All I can say to that is I know what the salaries are around the country. Are salaries are very competitive. I was able to keep a staff together for 15 years.

Phillips: Do you regret hiring Bret Bielema now?

Alvarez: No I don’t. Bret did a good job for me. I’ll move on. We’ll be just fine. I’ll hire a good coach and we’ll move forward. I’ve got a good program, got a great place to sell. Got a good nucleus coming back, good kids. He did a good job. I understand this business. I’ll get a good coach in place.

Phillips: Is there anything you can do to set up with the new coach so this doesn’t happen again? That there’s an understanding if there is any contact made that it’s got to come through the university first and not just a decision and then inform you later?

Alvarez: We’ve discussed that already here as an item in the contract. Before discussion with any other program, that we have to be contacted.

Cohen: So meaning it’s a violation of the contract immediately?

Alvarez: Right.

Cohen: Let me go back to the assistant coaching thing. So people wanted to work for you. People did work for you. People wanted to run through a wall for you. Isn’t that more on him than it is on the dollars, that assistant coaches kept leaving him?

Alvarez: Well, I’m not going to go there. You decide that.

Cohen: I think I did.

Phillips: This obviously came as a surprise. Do you know if any other schools had reached out to Bret Bielema as well prior to this one?

Alvarez: I know he talked to a pro team a year ago. I don’t know about any other teams, if his agent had talked to schools or not.

Cohen: When we look at the future of the University of Wisconsin now, the next seven years, whoever the coach is will (he) have a chance to win the national championship?

Alvarez: Yeah, I do. I do.

Phillips: It baffles me the NCAA does not have some legislation about the appropriateness of contacting employees, coaches, coordinators, for other schools. There should be some legitimate protocol and there shouldn’t be this under-the-radar stealth move. For somebody to leave without preparing the university for it. Is it something that can be addressed at the NCAA level?

Alvarez: Rather than legislate that, I would think that would be something administrators come to agreement upon.

Cohen: You are going to coach one more game for Wisconsin. Would you be shocked if you coached two more game for Wisconsin?

Alvarez: One and done.

Cohen: Is there anything you look back upon and said maybe I didn’t make it as employee friendly for Bret Bielema as I could have?

Alvarez: No. And you know what? I think Bret would tell you that. Bret was like a son to me. I was a mentor to him. We talked every day. We went to dinner regularly. For the seven years he was here we walked every Thursday and talked about different things. Talked football. Talked life. Talked about everything. So, no, I don’t think so. And I think sometimes maybe change is good. As I told my players, there’s nothing wrong with change. We look at it as opportunity and we’ll make it a positive.

Phillips: How hurt are you personally this?

Alvarez: You know what, I’m fine with it. I’ve moved on. I’m fine with it. I was shocked. I’m rejuvenated. I’m fired up.