Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez and wife Cindy watch a video tribute to the coach after their last home game against Iowa. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Barry Alvarez is Coaching His Final Games for UW

Barry Alvarez, coach of the Badgers - The University of Wisconsin football team - has already made Wisconsin football history.

He began coaching the Badgers in 1990. Alvarez has gone 116-73-4 in that time. That is the most victories in the school’s history.

Alvarez has also led the Badgers to three Rose Bowl victories.

The Alvarez era, however, ends soon. The coach is retiring.

The Badgers tried to send Alvarez out a winner. They started the season 5-0. They just missed a shot at another conference title.

The Badgers were 8-3 after a 20-10 loss to Iowa November 12 — Alvarez’s final home game. The school honored Alvarez after the game. He said it was difficult to go out that way (losing the game).

“It’s hard after a loss to sit there and reflect on the 16 years,” Alvarez told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Big improvements

Alvarez brought the program a long way.

Wisconsin never won a Rose Bowl until Alvarez arrived. The previous coach was Don Morton. His career record was 6-27.

Alvarez started winning quickly. He won his first Big 10 championship in 1993. The Badgers also went to the 1999 and 2000 Rose Bowls.

“I am humbled,” Alvarez told fans. “It’s been a great ride.”

Alvarez is not completely retiring. He will keep his job as Wisconsin’s athletics director. The athletics director runs the entire athletic department. Defensive coach Bret Bielema will become head coach of the Badgers.

Coaches around the country have praised Alvarez.

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for Barry and his program,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz told the Journal Sentinel. “Our conference will miss him.”

(The Rose Bowl is one of more than 20 bowl games held each year in which division champions compete. Most years, the Big 10 champion and Pac-10 division champs play in the Rose Bowl.)

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel