PRINCETON, N.J. — Every scandal needs a scapegoat and Bob Mulcahy appears to be the scapegoat for the scandal surrounding the finances within the Rutgers athletic department.
Mulcahy, 72, will step down as the school’s athletic director at the end of the month, following the football team’s appearance in the PapaJohns.com Bowl Dec. 29 in Birmingham, Ala.
After 10 years on the job, Mulcahy may be on his way out, but he’s not going quietly.
“I was asked to resign,” he said in a statement released Wednesday night by the University. “I have not offered my resignation.”
Rutgers men’s basketball coach Fred Hill choked up for several minutes and held back tears when asked to comment on the news in the wake of his team’s 49-44 victory Wednesday at Princeton.
“It’s emotional for me,” Hill said. “He gave me the chance of a lifetime and so he’s always been there for me. And I’ll certainly always be there for him. It’s just a very sad day for me personally.” It was Mulcahy who gave Hill his first head coaching job in the post-Gary Waters Era, and it was Mulcahy who last May gave Hill a two-year extension through the 2012-13 season at $500,000 per year. The Scarlet Knights were 11-20 last season, including 3-15 in the Big East. After the Princeton win, the Knights are 6-3 this year but have lost home games to St. Bonaventure, Lehigh and Binghamton. “It doesn’t matter who we lose to and who we beat,” Hill said. “We’ve got a team right now that’s still trying to find the way, find the pieces. We look to grow from every experience. It’s a lot more fun to teach from a win and grow than it is a loss. But losses are going to happen for us right now.” Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano, who would appear to be completely safe in his position, also voiced support for Mulcahy. “I will always be grateful to Bob for helping me grow as a coach and as a man,” Schiano told The Star-Ledger. “He was always willing to listen and give his advice and then let me figure it out. “The partnership Bob and I had is one I will forever cherish. Bob is a man of integrity and loyalty.” A special review committee three weeks ago issued a report criticizing Rutgers for allowing the athletic department to operate without oversight in order to bring big-time college football success to the state university. Rutgers president Richard McCormick appointed the committee after The Star-Ledger wrote a number of stories detailing hundreds of thousands of dollars in off-the-books spending that never appeared in the Rutgers budget, secret contract enhancements given to Schiano, and a no-bid deal with a sports-marketing firm retained after it put the son of the athletic director on its payroll. Now Mulcahy will pay the price. “Bob Mulcahy has provided outstanding leadership for … a decade,” McCormick told The Ledger. “I applaud his accomplishments and tireless efforts. Bob’s successor will build on all he has achieved.” One potential candidate to replace Mulcachy could be Tim Pernetti, who went to high school with Schiano at Ramapo. Pernetti played tight end (90-94) at Rutgers University and has served as the game analyst since 2001 on the Rutgers Football Radio Network. Pernetti also serves as Executive Vice President at CSTV, College Sports Television where since its startup in 2003 to its sale of the company to CBS in 2005 he has overseen the TV and multi-media rights and relationships part of CSTV’s business. (Photo courtesy John MUnson, STar-Ledger)