By Pat Harty

Barry Alvarez just won’t go away, but that’s a plus.

I’m not complaining.

Because the Big Ten Conference needs his knowledge, his experience and his moxie to move forward in football.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren announced Thursday at the annual Big Ten Media Day event in Indianapolis that the 74-year old Alvarez will be a Big Ten football special advisor.

Alvarez will help the conference navigate through the ever-changing world of major college football where the impact from Name, Image and Likeness, conference expansion, the college playoff, and the global pandemic will present major challenges and obstacles for the foreseeable future.

The man who received his first big break when Hayden Fry hired him as an assistant coach at Iowa in 1979 is now a Wisconsin legend after coaching the Badgers for 16 seasons from 1990 to 2005, and to three Rose Bowl wins.

Even the Iowa fans that I know who still are bitter and resent that Alvarez raided Fry’s staff at Iowa for two valuable assistant coaches to help rebuild the Wisconsin program appreciate Alvarez’s contributions to the game, and respect his knowledge of the game.

Alvarez has been a winner throughout his coaching career, first as a high school coach then as an assistant at Iowa and Notre Dame, and then as the head coach at Wisconsin, which has been a model of consistency since Alvarez rebuilt the program in the early 1990s.

He is a gifted leader who speaks his mind and who understands what is best for the future of Big Ten football.

He’s proud. He’s arrogant. And he’s well-connected, everything you want in a leader.

Alvarez won’t make hasty decisions, nor will he allow the Big Ten to fall behind other conferences in areas such as conference expansion.

At least, those are my expectations based on how Alvarez has performed in his job as a football coach, and as the Wisconsin Athletic Director.

It’s hard to think of many cases in which Alvarez has failed to deliver.

Big Ten football needs a leader to act in the best interest of the conference, but more importantly, a leader who understands what is best for the conference.

“I trust Barry and we look forward to working with him on relevant football-related issues and building upon the strong relationships we have with the College Football Playoff, our broadcast and bowl partners, as well as our member institutions and student-athletes,” Warren said.

The Big Ten should benefit from Alvarez doing its bidding and negotiating on relevant football-related issues because he won’t back down, nor will he be intimidated.

If anything, Alvarez will be the intimidator, and that’s just what the conference needs to keep pace with the Southeastern Conference’s never-ending quest for more power and influence.

Kevin Warren still is new on the job, and has his hands full with the global pandemic still a threat.

He now can rely on Alvarez to help make key football-related decisions.

And look at it this way Iowa fans, Barry Alvarez is on your side again and will act in your best interest.

Of course, he’s loyal to the Badgers, but his loyalty now covers the entire conference.

Big Ten football took a step forward by hiring Barry Alvarez.