NCAA: Big East officials want streamlined conference

By Luke Doyle Sportsuperstarz.com Columnist

More than one week ago, the Big East voted to dismiss Temple from it’s football conference. They made the decision based on the fact Temple had low home attendance and they had no bowl appearances or winning seasons since the conference formed in 1991. According to a Big East official who spoke with Sportsuperstarz.com, the conference would like to streamline itself by sending another school to Temple’s fait.

According to the official, who spoke with Sportsuperstarz.com on condition of anonymity, the conference would like to dismiss the Rutgers football program as well. Temple’s 4-7 overall record was actually better than Rutgers’ 3-8 record and the Scarlet Knights were Temple’s lone win in conference play last season. Rutgers was the only team to go winless in conference play.

“We want to become a power football conference,” stated the official. “We got rid of one deadbeat team and now we would like to dismiss another. You look at us top to bottom, we got six pretty solid football programs. It is Rutgers and Temple that pretty much make the conference a laughing stock. If we can eliminate them, we suddenly become one of the toughest football conferences in America.”

Temple was the lone football only member of the conference, while Rutgers competes in all other major men’s sports. However, the official that we spoke with stated that would not be a bar to the Scarlet Knight’s dismissal. While Temple competes in Big East football; they compete in the Atlantic 10 ion all other sports. The official stated that a similar deal could be worked out with Rutgers.

The league’s members dismissed Temple after 7-0 vote. According to Big East sources we spoke with, the vote currently sits at 5-1 to dismiss Rutgers. The pole of course is informal. Temple went just 9-58 in their 9 seasons with the Big East and will have their final season in the conference next season. According to the official we spoke with, action against Rutgers could be taken following Temple’s official release from the conference, which is slated for June 30, 2002.

“We have been in a situation where we had two football programs that were eye soars,” he stated. “Both of them haven’t put up numbers. And both of them look like they are not going to improve. They distract from our league and really I believe it is time for us to make the second part of a very positive change. We got rid of one eye sore and now its time to remove the other.”

According to Big East sources, the number one reason for the Temple dismissal was lack of football success. The numbers are very similar for Rutgers. The Knights have had only 4 winning seasons since 1981 and have posted a 9-35 record over the last four seasons. In that same stretch they have gone just 3-25 in Big East Conference play.

The Knights posted back to back winning seasons in 1991 (6-5) and 1992 (7-4), however the program has slid since. The Knights have racked up just a 24-63-1 record since those back to back winning seasons. They have also posted a 9-46-1 record in those 8 seasons, which qualifies them as the worst in-conference team in NCAA Division 1-A Football.

The Big East is emerging as a great conference. With the success of Miami and Virginia Tech, the conference can now boast a legitimate distinction as one of the best in America. However, to be the best, you must be solid top to bottom. With the Temple dismissal, the conference took one step towards that goal. Is it time for them to take another one?

Article courtesy of Sportsuperstarz.com