Wisconsin Has Interviwed Willie Taggart for HC position- WHahhh!!!!

[Reliable Source]

I checked this 3 times to see if it said what I think it says. You make the call

New Badger football coach could be named this week

By ASSOCIATED PRESS Monday, Dec. 17, 2012

MADISON — Barry Alvarez’s birth certificate says he’s about to turn 66. The bounce in his step on Wisconsin’s practice field suggests differently.

Trading his red sports coat, slacks and loafers for sneakers, sweat shirt and a whistle, the Badgers’ athletic director has balanced trying to find a new head coach with preparing Wisconsin for its third straight Rose Bowl appearance.

“It’s fun to be around these kids,†Alvarez said Sunday following Wisconsin’s fourth bowl practice. “It’s just a great group of guys. It’s fun for me to be around this staff, be a little closer to this staff. It’s been enjoyable.â€

Alvarez, whose birthday is Dec. 30, will lead the Badgers on Jan. 1 against No. 8 Stanford. Wisconsin has lost the last two Rose Bowls.

Two days after his hand-picked successor, Bret Bielema, accepted the head coaching job at Arkansas, Alvarez announced earlier this month that he would end a seven-year absence on the sidelines.

Wisconsin’s seniors asked Alvarez to coach them in their last game. It was a natural decision for them to choose Alvarez, who led Wisconsin to all three of its Rose Bowl triumphs (1994, 1999, 2000). He has an 8-3 record in bowl games, the best mark in college football history among coaches with 11 bowl appearances.

His players are responding to the energy.

Shortly after the first practice under Alvarez, junior tight end Brian Wozniak tweeted that it was Wisconsin’s best practice of the year, and subsequent players have agreed.

“They were shorter, more crisp and attacked the practice a little more knowing they were shorter,†receiver Jared Abbrederis said. “We were really getting after it and getting some good work in.â€

Alvarez said he thinks he is close to finding a replacement for Bielema.

Although he toyed with the notion of returning for the 2013 season—for “like a day,†he said—Alvarez has interviewed two candidates.

Speculation is that South Florida coach Willie Taggart and current Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mel Tucker have spoken to Alvarez, and he is expected to meet with another one this week.

An official announcement of the next head coach could come sometime this week.

“I feel good about the candidates we have interviewed,†Alvarez said.

While Alvarez is having fun on the field, he has become irritated that he’s lost five assistant coaches in the past week, most of whom were given hard deadlines to decide their futures.

Officially, Bielema has hired defensive coordinator Chris Ash and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge to the same position at Arkansas.

Receivers coach Zach Azzanni (Tennessee) and offensive coordinator Matt Canada (North Carolina State) have also accepted other jobs.

The list is expected to rise, as reports surfaced Sunday that linebackers coach Andy Buh was going to become the defensive coordinator at California.

When asked if he planned to make a run at some of those assistants when a new coach is in place, Alvarez didn’t commit.

“We’ll see when that time comes,†he said.

http://www.gazettext...-be-named-week/

ESPN says this

Alvarez said he has one more coaching candidate to meet with before deciding "on the best person." He reportedly has met with two candidates -- Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mel Tucker and recently named South Florida coach Willie Taggart. Tucker said early last week that he's not interested in the position, although his name keeps coming up. It seems unlikely Taggart would make another move after accepting the USF job on Dec. 7.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/74087/alvarez-no-need-to-panic-about-uw-search

Edited December 18, 2012 by Bullwinkle

[Florida Bull]

Already?!

[theman123]

That would be absolutely devastating.

[HOTbull]

I thought it was reported that they had interviewed him around the same time we did.

[fuhbull11]

I thought it was reported that they had interviewed him around the same time we did.

this

[Nebolsky]

If he interviewed after being hired by USF... I would question his loyalty to the program, we don't need a coach that is using us as a stepping stone.

[Triple B]

Good Lord ... I thought it was pretty common knowledge that WT was rumored to have interviewed for the Wisconsin job back before he accepted the position here. http://www.sbnation....coaching-search

[Nebolsky]

Sigh of relief... lol

[WoolyBully]

If he interviewed after being hired by USF... I would question his loyalty to the program, we don't need a coach that is using us as a stepping stone.

USF IS a stepping stone, not a destination.

[Triple B]

From the ESPN article in the original post:

Alvarez acknowledged that several potential candidates on his short list already had been hired by other programs,