Hobbs (c) is under fire for the school's prolonged football malaise that started after the '11 seasonGETTY MAGES
Rutgers' faculty council is "calling for the school to dismiss" AD Pat Hobbs and "make other significant changes within the athletics department in response to what it called a series of 'missteps, blunders, and errors in judgement,'" according to Stanmyre & Sargeant of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. The rebuke "blasted Hobbs and the athletics department for the football program's prolonged lack of competitiveness, a multi-million-dollar payout due recently fired football coach Chris Ash and the school's alleged weak response to accusations of widespread emotional and physical abuse within the university's softball program this fall." In the resolution, 58% of faculty members voted to have Rutgers President Robert Barchi "fire Hobbs and appoint an interim athletics director," and 34% voted for the university's BOD, Barchi and New Brunswick Chancellor Christopher Molloy to "'make whatever changes whatever changes are necessary in the administration of the athletics program.'" The faculty council also "called on Rutgers to tap outside consultants to 'conduct a complete review of the program's past failures and formulate a detailed action plan to reform its management and finances'" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/4).
CHOP THAT WOOD: Rutgers yesterday officially hired new football coach Greg Schiano, and in Newark, James Kratch writes Schiano landed a "historic deal upon his return," as he will be the "highest-paid coach in university history and will be given more resources than any of his predecessors." He signed an eight-year, $32M deal, but "it is not fully guaranteed." Schiano can earn "up to $200,000 annually in season ticket sales incentives." He earns a $50,000 bonus "when Rutgers crests the following sales milestones: 20,000, 24,000, 28,000 and 32,000 season tickets sold" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/4).
