MADISON -- Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez introduced Gary Andersen as the new Badgers head football coach on Friday morning, December 21st. He will take over for Bret Bielema, who left for Arkansas earlier this month.
During a Friday morning news conference, Andersen said he will be a ``fly on the wall'' during Rose Bowl preparations. Athletic director and former Badgers coach Barry Alvarez is coaching the team in the Rose Bowl against Stanford at the request of players.
Andersen says he will not interfere with Alvarez's preparations for the game on New Year's Day. Andersen says, ``These kids need to go win a Rose Bowl. The last thing they need for me is to hang around Coach Alvarez.''
Alvarez says he feels confident the former Utah State coach is a good fit for Wisconsin.
Andersen becomes the 29th head coach in Wisconsin football history. He spent the previous four seasons as the head coach at Utah State, leading the Aggies to a 26-24 record. In 2012, Utah State had the most successful season in school history, winning a school-record 11 games, going undefeated in the WAC and capturing its first outright league title since 1936. The Aggies defeated Toledo, 41-15, to win the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
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