Jumping the gun, just a little

First of all, there are a couple pieces still in the can for this site, but I will not be around during the next few days for obvious reasons (however, to anyone I’m still waiting to hear back from, I would appreciate it if you can get back to me when you have a chance).

I admit, when I saw that Sun Bowl story this morning, I flew into a rage. It had the perfect ingredients for paranoia – Notre Dame, backroom dealings in Providence, dismissive comments by the Sun Bowl rep. Given the definitive nature of his comments, I jumped to the conclusion that they were correct, and in that I was not fair to the Big East Conference. Well, word has come down from Oz. John Marinatto deserves a fair chance during the next year to earn our trust, and I sincerely hope that he succeeds. The fear right now on the football side is that Marinatto’s promotion was an endorsement of the status quo; a status quo where football is lacking to the point that it’s just plausible enough that the Big East would betray two of its members.

Mr. Folmer is dismissive of the Big East, but the part I hate most about that part of his comments is that they are right. He said what others are thinking. He WOULD readily drop a good West Virginia team for a Notre Dame squad that is quickly becoming a national punchline, if there was any possible way to get around NCAA and conference by-laws. I suppose there is inherent appeal in watching a brutal car wreck.

Folmer denies making the comments in question.

“I would be absolutely an idiot, or a drunk, to say something like that… That’s just not right. I’ve been doing this for 38 years. Come on – I didn’t just get off the turnip truck.”

However, he straight up lied to Aditi. Scroll to about 2/3 through this video. Hooray for the magic of the internet.

The Big East is not very attractive to bowls right now, and that is what hurts the most. Job number one for the new commissioner must be to upgrade the Big East’s sorry excuse for a bowl package. Draw your own conclusions as to how to best get to that point.

11/25 Recruiting Update

Things should heat up soon. Coaching staffs are finally allowed to contact players on Nov. 30, and they will start bringing prospects on campus for official visits. A couple were in attendance for Army, and more (including Corey Brown) will be in the stands for Louisville.

Gerald Hodges is still torn, but he knows that he wants to enroll next January.

Hodges confirmed Wednesday that not only will he graduate from the Gloucester County high school in January, but his college choice is now between Rutgers and Penn State.

The senior quarterback/defensive back made an unofficial visit to State College, Pa., for the Nittany Lions’ homecoming game against Michigan in front of 110,017 fans on Oct. 18.

“When I get to school, I want to be able to play spring football and get used to the system,” Hodges said. “I want to try and get on the field as quickly as possible.

Another source on Bunche:

Malcolm Bunche, a Newark High senior football lineman who verbally committed to Rutgers in August, said Thursday he has decided to re-open the recruiting process.

While Rutgers is still under consideration, Bunche said he will make official visits to Maryland, Miami and possibly Connecticut, as well as Rutgers.

His August commitment, made during a meeting with Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, made for a more relaxing senior year but, in retrospect, was probably premature, Bunche suggested.

It was evident he may be looking elsewhere when Michael Barrow, Miami’s linebackers coach, could be seen on the sideline during Newark’s Nov. 7 game against Middletown at Hoffman Stadium.

“I like Rutgers,” said Bunche, a projected offensive lineman at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. “The reason why I decommitted is I want to open myself up to other opportunities.”

In other bad news, lineman Oday Aboushi has committed to BC. You had to see the writing on the wall with Rutgers offering JUCO linemen Andrew Tiller and (unconfirmed) Jeff Vinson over the past month. Then yesterday, Aboushi named BC as his leader, and boom, commit.

Here’s some possible good news on Florida RB Donald Russell. He apparently has some good offers, but as of September at least Rutgers hadn’t yet offered.

Sunshine State RB Donald Russell told ESPN affiliate Web site KentuckyInk.com that Kentucky, Rutgers and South Carolina are his top three.

He said, “I’m still open, but it’s coming down to the wire. But these are the three I’m focusing on right now.”

Stabbed in the back

11:00 update: Scarlet Scuttlebutt is reporting that the Big East does not plan on letting this happen. Now Rutgers needs to do its part and win next Thursday.

The latest bowl update:

A Rutgers win also will mean that the Sun Bowl — the Big East’s runner-up spot now that the Gator Bowl plans on taking a team from the Big 12 — has no choice but to take a Big East team over Notre Dame.

That Big East team, according to a league official familiar with the Sun Bowl’s thinking, will be West Virginia.

A high-ranking bowl official told the Gannett New Jersey that the Meineke will invite Rutgers in this scenario.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl, scheduled for Dec. 27 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, will match up teams from the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference. Should North Carolina State win at home over Miami on Saturday, the Wolfpack would be the favorites to be the Meineke’s ACC representative, multiple officials said.

If N.C. State loses, as many as five ACC teams could be in play, including Clemson, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Virginia. According to a bowl official, the Meineke wouldn’t be adverse to pitting Rutgers and North Carolina — a rematch of a game won handily by the Tar Heels in early September.
…
In the latter scenario, the Meineke would take travel-proven West Virginia over Rutgers, a bowl official said.

The same bowl official said the Meineke is only eyeing West Virginia and Rutgers from the Big East. Pittsburgh and Connecticut are not options, the bowl official said. Should Notre Dame take the Sun and West Virgina take the Meineke, a 7-5 Rutgers team would go to either the PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., or to a bowl not affiliated with the Big East.

However, last night there was a disquieting report out of El Paso.

Sun Bowl selection committee chairman John Folmer said he has worked out a deal that will bring Notre Dame to El Paso on December 31. And having the Irish in El Paso will mean big things for the Sun City.

“It would be an amazing opportunity just to give El Paso a chance to see what it’s like to go to a Notre Dame football game,” said Chris Avila, president of the Notre Dame Club of El Paso.

In football terms, basically, Notre Dame has driven the length of the field. It is now fourth and one at the one-yard line and all they have to do is punch it in and Notre Dame is coming to the Sun Bowl.

“When we went into the arrangement with the Big East, we did it solely so we’d have an opportunity for Notre Dame. Period,” Folmer said.

He said he is working out a deal with the Big East that should send Notre Dame here, as long as the Irish lose to 29-point favorite USC on Saturday.

“Based on all the rules and the way the NCAA changes are and the things in the handbook, we’re gonna have Notre Dame,” Folmer said.

IF this report is true, and it’s a very big IF, as it contradicts what Nick Carparelli told the St. Petersburg Times over the weekend, one thing is clear. I, and every Rutgers fan, are finished with the Big East. Bob Mulcahy needs to be on the phone with Jim Delaney stat to negotiate a soft landing in the Big Ten. I was as firm an advocate of keeping the Big East strong and viable as anyone. If this were to happen, if Mike Tranghese, in his last act, were to sell West Virginia and Rutgers up the river, it would be the death knell for any future trust in the Big East conference.

RU alum Eddie Jordan being fired as the head coach of the NBA’s Washington Wizards is sure to start the rumor mill churning again.