Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

Thought this might be of interest to BGSU fans.

http://www.channel3000.com/sports/4780622/detail.html

Hmmm... I will be very interested to see what this is.

Maybe he is doing a Bob Pruett.

There's been speculation for a while that Alvarez was going to retire from coaching soon (1-2 yrs) and possibly retain only the AD role. He has brought in a new OC this year and new DC last season, with most rumors and speculation indicating that one of these men will assume the job after Alvarez retires from coaching. My guess would be that Barry is announcing this is his final sendoff year, before moving on to purely doing the AD job.

If Alvarez does retire, I don't like this for more than one reason.

If the Falcons thrash Wisconsin and then go on to have a super season, then......

And if you were he wouldn't you...?

Salsa wrote:If Alvarez does retire, I don't like this for more than one reason.

If the Falcons thrash Wisconsin and then go on to have a super season, then......

Then ... what?

Alvarez Stepping Down As UW Football Coach

POSTED: 9:47 am CDT July 28, 2005
UPDATED: 11:51 am CDT July 28, 2005

MADISON, Wis. -- Barry Alvarez is stepping down as coach of the University of Wisconsin football team.


BARRY ALVAREZ

Bio?

2005 will be his last year, reported WISC-TV in Madison. He is expected to remain director of the athletic department.

Alvarez will officially make the announcement at a news conference at 1 p.m. today at the Kohl Center.

Alvarez became coach in 1990 and became the winningest coach in UW history with a record of 108-70-4.

During the past 15 years, he has been credited with turning a perennial second-division finisher to one that is nationally respected.

His family is expected to be at that news conference.

More details coming as they are confirmed.

ESPN radio just had it on. He will remain as the AD.
Let's send him out with a loss in his last home opener!

Two possible scenarios ...

1) It's a big emotional lift and helps push the Badgers to play exceptionally well.

2) It's a big distraction and proves to be their demise...

I think a combo of both. UW's defense is going to be shaky, but by the time the B10 season starts, will be a lot better. I don't see UW's secondary holding up against Jacobs, as long as Brandon keeps attacking and not going conservative like last years UT game.

Bielema is a good defensive coach, and losing him was a primary reason K-State sucked big time last year. He is the opposite of Alvarez on the sidelines--very, very fiery. A couple of times last year Barry had to separate him from the refs, or else Bielema would have got tossed.

However, I don't think an early loss to the Falcons will kill UW (which is good for BG). They should win the rest of their non-con games (I think they roll over UNC), and go 4-4 in the B10 and into the Music City Bowl. Voila--a 7-5 record, and will only help the computer ranking for BG.

Well, look at what happenned at the Independence Bowl for a good example of what will happen....

Looks like someone is already afriad oh is return visit to BG which will actually be in Cleveland

UW's defense is going to be shaky . . .

If he thought the defense was going to be shaky, I doubt he'd of named his DC as the next HC.

As far as emotions go, Barry has also tried to keep his teams on an even keel. Never too high or low. He lets them celebrate or morn 24 hours after a game, then it's back to business.

On pre-season paper, Wisconsin still is a 7-5 or 5-7 type team.

We'll see.

BAB,

I agree the defense will be a lot better as the games add up, but at the beginning of the season (at least the first two games) it will be a bit shaky, due primarily to the youth on the line. As far as the BG game, though, I think we will see a lot of points on the scoreboard--and that is due in part to BG having POSSIBLY the best offense Wisconsin will face this year.

It will be much better by the time Michigan comes to Madison. We do agree on the overrall range of success record-wise, however.

BigAppleBucky wrote:If he thought the defense was going to be shaky, I doubt he'd of named his DC as the next HC.

Regardless of the stabilty of the defense this year, Bielema was rumored to be Barry's top pick to succeed him when Alvarez took the AD position in addition to his coaching duties back in 2004. In fact, most Wisconsin fans, my brother included, said when Bielema came over from Kansas State, that he was there to replace Alvarez when he decided it was time to be an AD only. The only surprise here is that Alvarez made this decision a year earlier than most suspected. Most informed fans thought he would make this decision after the 2006 season, not 2005. So regardless of the defense's stabilty this year, Bielema was already being groomed to succeed Alvarez.

Hey, credit where credit is due. Alvarez was a heck of a coach, and he really built one whale of a program out there.