Inspiring Leadership

Rutgers just had their football coach hired away by the Tampa Bay Bucs, right before signing day. The response of their AD has been really interesting (quote after the jump or just read the whole article by clicking the link):

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20120127/NJSPORTS0210/301270041/Steve-Addazio-emerges-top-candidate-Rutgers

After learning of Schiano’s decision, the Scarlet Knights’ fourth-year athletics director filed the requisite NCAA paperwork to be an assistant football coach during this unsettled phase. It means he is allowed to visit recruits, and he wasted no time conferring with the bulk of Rutgers’ 17-player class.

"The only role I really can offer is to communicate directly with recruits and their families about the football program — what it is and what it’s going to be," Pernetti said. "It has nothing to do with being a football coach. It’s about the prospective student-athletes and their families being able to have a dialogue with me — who we are talking to, where it’s going, where we expect to end up. It’s really designed to give people comfort that we’re not looking to change all the things that have made us the class of college football."

Pernetti, who quipped that he’s "not a candidate" for the head coaching position, added: "We have a lot of people committed to bringing in the whole class, including me. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure we keep the group together."