http://www.omaha.com/article/20100616/BIGRED/706179924
LINCOLN — Barry Alvarez’s belief that Nebraska would fit well in the Big Ten goes back further than six months ago, when the Wisconsin athletic director was dining with Commissioner Jim Delany and the topic came up.
Alvarez has believed it for more than 40 years.
Alvarez lettered as a Nebraska linebacker from 1965 through 1967. The Huskers played both Wisconsin and Minnesota during that time and had gone against Michigan just a few years before.
“We would have loved to play in this league back then,” Alvarez said Wednesday from Madison, Wis. “I would have loved to play Ohio State.”
Alvarez said NU will bring many of the same assets to the Big Ten that it could have offered then, but with an even stronger reputation for its football program built by the 408 wins and five national titles since Alvarez left Lincoln.
“When you talk about expansion, you have to bring something to the table to make it worthwhile,” Alvarez said. “And that brand is very visible and was, I think, very important in our decision to accept Nebraska.”
Alvarez reiterated other reasons that were thrown around last week as the Nebraska-Big Ten drama played out.
A good match geographically. Academics and philosophies that fit the ideals of the current 11 league members. A broad-based athletic department with commitments to sports other than just football.
“I just think it’s a natural fit,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez was visiting with Delany in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 2 when they started talking about schools that might be expansion candidates. Delany brought up Nebraska. They discussed it, and Alvarez wondered if NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne might be interested.
“It just so happened Tom and I talked the next day, and the ball just started rolling,” Alvarez said. “I brought up that our commissioner was asking about them.
“I told Tom I was there for any questions that he might have. We might have talked a few times after that.”
Alvarez said he didn’t think that anything would happen so fast. He complimented the work by Delany and the league and its presidents — “how nimble they were” — in adding Nebraska as the 12th member with a Big Ten start date of July 1, 2011.
“Decisions had to be made quickly, and they were,” he said. “That was pretty impressive.”
Both Alvarez and Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi envision a seamless transition for Nebraska, much like Penn State’s when it officially joined the Big Ten in 1993. Maturi was an associate athletic director at Wisconsin when the Nittany Lions came aboard.
“I remember it well, and I think this will be received similarly,” Maturi said. “I think people are excited about it. I don’t see any wrinkles about it at all.”
What should make it a smooth process for Nebraska, Maturi said, is the leadership in the Big Ten of Delany, the presidents, the athletic directors and the coaches. As for the 11 existing members, Alvarez said it’ll be best for them just to go about their business.
“Our league, we work very well together,” Alvarez said. “There aren’t any bullies in that meeting room. Everybody is concerned about the conference. Naturally you’re concerned with your program, but I think we work well together, and I think everyone understands the philosophies of our league.”