By establishing a solid foundation, adhering to fundamentals and demanding an uncommon toughness from his players, Alvarez became the architect of three Rose Bowl triumphs in the ‘90s and became the school’s all-time winningest football coach. While changing the culture of the sport on the Madison campus, raising expectations to heretofore unthinkable levels, Alvarez left an indelible mark on the Badgers during his 16 seasons on the sidelines. Not only did Alvarez take over a Big Ten footwipe and build the program into national prominence, but he sustained the success by sticking to a plan rooted to his upbringing in Western Pennyslvania and his exposure to three legendary coaches, Nebraska’s Bob Devaney, Iowa’s Hayden Fry and Notre Dame’s Lou Holtz.
In his autobiography — Don’t Flinch — Alvarez talks about the lessons that he learned from his mentors, the hurdles that he had to overcome as a young assistant and high school coach, and the challenge of taking over his own college program while living in a fishbowl, especially from his family’s perspective. Alvarez maps out a strategy and game plan for young coaches who are seeking to achieve similar goals, and he also talks about his future as Wisconsin athletics director, and the future of college football.
