Alvarez says he’ll be ‘honored’ to coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl

Talk about it

Barry Alvarez said today that he’ll be “pleased” and “honored” to coach the Wisconsin football team in the Rose Bowl Game against Stanford on New Year’s Day in Pasadena.

The former University of Wisconsin coach and current athletic director told reporters he was only returning for one game. He said he’s doing it at the request of the team’s six captains.

Bret Bielema, the Wisconsin coach for the last seven years, left on Tuesday to take the head job at Arkansas. Alvarez said Bielema offered to coach the Rose Bowl, but the athletic director turned him down.

Alvarez said that to his knowledge, all of the Badger assistants will stay at least through the Rose Bowl. They’ll be able to plan their strategy against Stanford while Alvarez manages the game, and handles all the side details associated with the “Grand Daddy” of the bowls.

Alvarez was 3-0 in Rose Bowls during his 16 years as Wisconsin’s coach, ending in the 2005 season. He said his involvement would give the Badgers their best chance to win, and it will give the seniors a tremendous experience in Pasadena for their final game.

Alvarez was inducted in 2009 into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. He says he loves everything about the game and the events that lead up to it. Alvarez said that for him, it never grows old.

Chryst won’t be coming back

Paul Chryst is not coming back.

The former Wisconsin offensive coordinator has been rumored to be the top candidate to replace head coach Bret Bielema. But Athletic Director Barry Alvarez on Thursday firmly told reporters, “Paul’s going to stay at Pitt.”

Alvarez said he was given a favor so Chryst could have a foot in the door, and he would not feel right about luring Chryst away after just one year in his new job.

The AD said he has already contacted people on his short list. He said he’ll start interviewing candidates for the Wisconsin job next week.

Alvarez said there’s been a lot of interest shown by prospective coaches.

“It’s a great job with a solid footing, new facilities, and a very good nucleus (of players) coming back,” he said.

Bielema told his former players and others that part of the reason he left Madison was to try to win a national championship. Some observers thought it was a slap that Wisconsin would never have the chance.

Alvarez said, “I thought we were close to a national championship a year ago,” before the Badgers lost to Oregon at the Rose Bowl.

Alvarez wouldn’t criticize Bielema or his sudden decision to leave. He said he knows the business, and he does not feel betrayed.

Bielema also said the Badger assistant coaches don’t get paid enough.

Alvarez said he knows what the major college coaches and assistants are paid.

“I think our pay scale is more than competitive and fair,” he said.

Starks could return this season

It appears that Green Bay Packers running back James Starks will get a chance to return this season.

Coach Mike McCarthy says Starks will be out for an undetermined number of weeks after he injured a knee in last Sunday’s home win over Minnesota.

McCarthy has not disclosed the exact nature of the injury. The Green Bay Press-Gazette says it’s a deep bone bruise inside the knee which did not damage any ligaments.

Still, the injury was bad enough to get the Packers to sign Ryan Grant, who has not played any football for three months after he was cut by Washington.

Grant played in one game with the Redskins, after the Packers let him go at the end of last season. Grant is expected to back up Alex Green Sunday night, when the Packers host Detroit.

Meanwhile, rookie Don Barclay could get his first NFL start at right tackle against the Lions. The normal starter, T.J. Lang, hurt an ankle last Sunday. Lang sat out of practice Wednesday with no word as to when he might return.

Tags: wi sports, sports, proam