MADISON, WI (WSAU) Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator for the last two years will join Bret Bielema at Arkansas. Chris Ash was hired yesterday to run the Razorbacks’ defense – but he plans to stay through the Rose Bowl Game against Stanford on New Year’s Day.

Ash joined the U-W in 2010 as the secondary coach, and was promoted to the coordinator’s post in 2011. The Wisconsin defense is the 13th best in the nation, giving up 321 yards per game. And the Badgers rank 19th in scoring defense, allowing just over 19 points per contest.

On his monthly Madison radio show yesterday, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said he hoped to present an offer in the next two weeks to a new head coaching candidate to replace Bielema. But he said everything would have to fall right – and he won’t choose somebody just to meet an artificial deadline.

Without elaborating, Alvarez also said many of the candidates on his “short list” have found new jobs elsewhere. In his words, “I had the right guys … and everybody went after them.”