<p>MADISON, Wis. &mdash; Chris McIntosh played for Barry Alvarez on two of Wisconsin’s Rose Bowl championship teams and spent the last few years working as his right-hand man.</p>
<p>Now he is about to succeed his former coach and boss as the Badgers’ athletic director.</p>
<p>Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced Wednesday that McIntosh will take over when Alvarez finalizes his retirement. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-wisconsin-football-barry-alvarez-wisconsin-badgers-football-4fb0124ba47d6a72c80e0edddd6b2d9e">The 74-year-old Alvarez announced April 6 that he was stepping down,</a> and his retirement is expected to take effect at the beginning of July</p>
<p>“I owe so much to the University of Wisconsin, and I’m deeply honored to be able to succeed Barry Alvarez,” McIntosh said in a statement released by the university before an afternoon news conference. “We will build upon our legacy of success on the field of competition and support our student-athletes in the classroom, on campus and after college.” </p>
<p>McIntosh, a native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, has worked in the Badgers’ athletic department since 2014 and became deputy athletic director in 2017. His roles included day-to-day operations, student-athlete recruitment, business development, human resources and strategic planning.</p>
<p>Alvarez said during his retirement news conference that he’d be reluctant to campaign for McIntosh during the selection process but added that “people know how I feel about Mac.” </p>
<p>“Chris McIntosh was a player here,” Alvarez said at the time. “He loves Wisconsin. He understands it. It means something to him. Very bright. He’s been outstanding. I’ve given him a lot of responsibility. He spearheaded many of the things that we did in managing staff and how we managed everything throughout COVID.”</p>
<p>He was an offensive tackle and team captain when the Badgers won consecutive Rose Bowls in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. He was an All-American and Outland Trophy finalist in 1999 before the Seattle Seahawks selected him with the 22nd overall pick of the 2000 NFL draft.</p>
<p>McIntosh played three seasons for the Seahawks.</p>
<p>“He is uniquely positioned to continue our proud traditions of success on and off the field and doing things ‘the right way,’" Blank said. "Chris will build upon those traditions and has a strong vision for leading the program during a time of change in college athletics.”</p>
<p>McIntosh now faces the challenge of replacing Alvarez, one of the most prominent figures in the history of Wisconsin athletics.</p>
<p>Alvarez arrived at Wisconsin in 1990 as football coach and became athletic director in 2004. He briefly served in a dual role before stepping down as football coach after the 2005 season.</p>
<p>Wisconsin’s football team went 9-36 in the four seasons before Alvarez’s arrival but emerged as regular Big Ten contenders during his coaching tenure.</p>