MADISON, Wis. — If Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez is upset with the way his hand-picked football coach up and left the program, he kept those feelings on a short leash Thursday.

A day after Bret Bielema was introduced as Arkansas’ new coach, Alvarez admitted being “totally caught by surprise” when Bielema came to his New York City hotel room Tuesday morning and told him about an offer to move to the SEC and take over the Razorbacks. The two were in New York for the 55th annual National Football Foundation awards dinner.

“I said, ‘You’re not telling me you’re going to visit with the Arkansas people. You’ve already taken the job,’ ” Alvarez recounted. “The answer was yes.”

Alvarez said “no one contacted me for permission” but insisted he didn’t feel betrayed by Bielema.

“I know the business,” Alvarez said before complimenting Bielema on his 68-24 record and three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles with the Badgers.

Bielema was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State when Alvarez hired him for the same role with the Badgers in 2004. A year later, Alvarez named Bielema as his successor.

“Off the charts,” said Alvarez, who will coach the Badgers when they face BCS No. 6 Stanford on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl.

Still, those close to Alvarez say he was upset by statements Bielema made Wednesday during his news conference at Arkansas, specifically the insinuation that Wisconsin doesn’t provide competitive salaries for its assistant coaches and the belief that a national championship is more attainable with the Razorbacks.

Alvarez used restraint when asked about Bielema’s final meeting with Wisconsin players in which he apparently told them he was leaving for a better opportunity to win it all. Alvarez was asked if he could understand how a player in that room might feel unappreciated, and Alvarez said Bielema relayed the same sentiments to him before Bielema left his hotel room.

“I wish him well,” Alvarez said. “I thought we were very close to playing a national championship game a year ago. We just won three [Big Ten] championships. I don’t know.

“I don’t try to put words in his mouth, but I know where you’re coming from.”

Sports, Pages 24 on 12/07/2012