While Barry Alvarez doesn’t have the tenure of the last opposing coach to visit Ryan Field, Penn State’s Joe Paterno, he is one of the deans of Big Ten football.
In his 16th and final season at Wisconsin, the only school where he has been a head coach, Alvarez began the season 5-0 for the fifth time. This is the second year he lost the sixth game after beginning the season with five straight wins.
Although he is 113-71-4 in his career, Alvarez is 7-7 against NU and lost three of the last four in the rivalry.
“I don’t think there’s a team that’s better coached, plays harder or plays more physically than Wisconsin,” Walker said.
Alvarez won three Big Ten titles, is the only Big Ten coach to win back-to-back Rose Bowls, is 3-0 overall in Rose Bowl games and has 10 bowl appearances. He was the 10th coach in conference history to earn at least 100 wins at one institution.
Alvarez took over as Director of Athletics of Wisconsin in 2004, and will continue in that capacity when he retires from football at the end of this year.
“The job he’s done at Wisconsin the last 16 years is just unbelievable,” Walker said. “We’re all going to miss him in the coaching profession and what he’s given to college football.”
Timmy McTackler
Although the Northwestern defense struggled as a whole, senior linebacker Tim McGarigle had a career day.
McGarigle, the fourth leading tackler in the country, recorded a career-high 25 tackles, 15 of which were solo. He also notched three-and-a-half tackles for a loss, totaling 13 yards lost for the Badgers.
The effort earned him the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week award for the second time in his career.
“They’re going to have to throw a hand grenade underneath him to stop him,” NU coach Randy Walker said. “If there is picture of intensity, of focus – he scares me when he walks by me. He’s got those eyes that look right through the back of your head.”
McGarigle sacked Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco two times in the game, equaling his career sack total.
“I haven’t blitzed too often in the past,” McGarigle said. “They called my number a couple of times today. It felt good getting in there and getting a couple of sacks.”
McGarigle is 44 tackles behind former linebacker Chuck Kern for the NU record for most career tackles.
To run or not to run
Kickoffs don’t normally come to freshman running back Gerard Hamlett’s side of the field, he usually blocks for Brandon Roberson. But Hamlett made his chance count. The running back, who earns his stripes on special teams, had an 81-yard kickoff return to Wisconsin’s 14 in the third quarter.
Hamlett stayed on his feet and cut across the field despite four tackling attempts. The freshman showed the composure of an upperclassman by directing blockers, including Roberson, as he made his way down the field.
The return was his career best and a season long for NU.
Notes
In Sunday’s edition of the polls, the Cats received 13 points in the Coaches Poll and three in the Associated Press Poll – NU’s offense hasn’t been this explosive since its Big Ten championship season in 2000. Its 51 points were the most it has scored since dropping 61 on Illinois in 2000 – Sam Cheatham recorded his first career reception on a 33-yard catch – Kim Thompson’s 52-yard touchdown reception was the longest of his career – The win was the third straight for NU at home against Wisconsin.
Reach Abe Rakov at [email protected].
