MADISON – Barry Alvarez, who established Wisconsin football as one of the top ten powers in the 1990s and has served as a full-time sports director since 2006, is expected to announce soon that he is retiring.
Several sources told the Journal Sentinel on Saturday that Alvarez, who turned 74 in December, will share his plan in the coming weeks.
Alvarez was due to receive a one-time payment of $ 375,000 on January 1, 2022. According to a source, Alvarez planned to stay until the fall, but recently changed his mind and decided to retire early.
“He was very comfortable with the decision,” said a source.
Chris McIntosh, UW’s deputy athletic director since July 2017, was prepared to succeed Alvarez.
According to sources close to the program and the UW Council of Regents, Alvarez’s preference is to see McIntosh promoted to athletic director.
“That is still his plan,” said a source. “And he has Tommy’s support.”
The source referred to former governor Tommy Thompson, who has served as interim president of the UW System since July 1.
According to sources, Alvarez believes that the UW needs a successor with ties to the state, the university and the athletics department.
However, UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank and others outside the athletics department can push for a national search.
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McIntosh, a graduate of Pewaukee High School and an offensive All-American tackle under Alvarez in 1999, joined the UW athletic management team in December 2014.
Vitaly Pisetsky, a kicker at the 1997-2000 UW, expressed support for McIntosh. He noted how then sports director Pat Richter chose Alvarez as his replacement in 2004 and the transition was successful.
“I think the continuity will be huge,” said Pisetsky. “I have seen many programs, both football and sports, lose their relevance because the wrong hiring was done.
“At the end of the day, Mac would still have to prove himself and chart his own path. But at least we know where his foundation was made. And being a guy from the state and a guy from the show, he knows these things. He grew up with They are a part of it.
“The end result is that, if it isn’t broken, there is nothing to fix.”
Scott Nelson, who started as a safety under Alvarez in 1991, 1992 and 93, also sees McIntosh as a perfect fit.
“Mac makes sense,” said Nelson. “He is a guy from Wisconsin. He played football, but he is smart enough to know that it is not just football that is part of this program. He understands the reach of Wisconsin athletics and expectations.
“I’m glad I’m not in a position to make that decision, but I certainly think Mac is qualified. I’m sure there are people outside of Wisconsin who are qualified, but my first choice would be someone who has been in the mix since 2014.”
If UW officers chase candidates outside the athletics department, an obvious name is Jamie Pollard, in his 16th year as athletics director in Iowa.
Pollard graduated from UW-Oshkosh and served as associate athletics director at UW from 1998 to 2003 and then as deputy athletics director from 2003 to 2005 before taking up the position in Iowa.
“Jamie is another guy brought up in Wisconsin,” said Nelson. “Sharp as a tactic. He took care of the finance department at a time when the budget was starting to explode. He did a really good job in the state of Iowa.”
Alvarez is in his 32nd year at UW. He compiled a record of 118-73-4 as a full-time coach from 1990 to 2005 and led UW to three Big Ten titles and three Rose Bowl championships.
He later went 1-1 as an interim head coach, losing to Stanford in the 2013 Rose Bowl and defeating Auburn in the 2015 Outback Bowl.
Alvarez, a native of Langeloth, Pennsylvania, served as athletic director and football coach from April 1, 2004 to January 2, 2006. He replaced Richter, who brought Alvarez to revive the football program after the 1989 season.
The revival of the football program has been at the heart of a strong athletics department.
Prior to Alvarez’s debut season as head coach in 1990, UW had played a total of six bowl games. In the four seasons before Alvarez was signed, UW had compiled an overall record of 9-36.
Alvarez came from Notre Dame to UW, where he was a defensive coordinator, and predicted that fans would need to buy tickets for the season if they wanted to see the Badgers’ success.
Was he right.
UW won a part of the Big Ten title in 1993 and defeated UCLA in the Rose Bowl 21-16.
Since that groundbreaking season, UW has played a total of 26 bowl games. This includes a streak of 19 in a row, the current highest score among the ten schools. UW has won six Big Ten titles since Alvarez’s arrival. Prior to Alvarez’s arrival, the school record for winning in one season was nine, last achieved in 1901. Since 1993, UW have won at least 10 games a total of 13 times.
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Alvarez was voted in the Athletic of Wisconsin Hall of Fame and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2009, the College Football Hall of Fame and the UW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in 2016.
After taking over from Richter and serving as a football coach and sports director, Alvarez announced on July 28, 2005 that he would step down as coach after the 2005 season.
He chose then defensive coordinator of UW, Bret Bielema, to take over the football program.
Since Alvarez became sports director, UW has won a total of 16 national team titles and 73 tournament crowns or regular conference seasons.
Since the 1993-94 academic year, UW has had a total of 49 appearances in bowling games (26) and NCAA men’s basketball tournaments (23). This is the maximum in the country, with Florida and Texas tied for second place, with 46 combined games. Prior to the 1993-94 academic year, UW had played six bowling games and two NCAA tournaments.
Steve Stark, an attacker led by Alvarez from 1992 to 1995, believes the department can continue to flourish with the right athletic director. He knows McIntosh and believes he is prepared for the challenge.
“I just think Mac fits the picture,” said Stark. “He fits … He’s Wisconsin.
“I don’t know if anyone coming from outside will have this type of hiding place. I’m sure there are brilliant and intelligent people who could get the job done. But they are not from Wisconsin.
“Mac seems like the right guy for me.”