Rutgers basketball program 'in limbo'

Pernetti resigned as athletic director Friday. It was two days after the university fired head basketball coach Mike Rice after the coach appeared on a videotape physically assaulting his players, throwing basketballs and yelling antigay slurs at them.

Pernetti left in the wake of the controversy largely because there were calls for his firing from faculty and supporters after he and other university administrators elected not to fire Rice when the video surfaced last fall. Instead, the coach was suspended for three games and fined $75,000.

"I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved," Pernetti wrote in his letter of resignation.

According to university president Robert Barchi, an acting athletic director should be named sometime next week, and a men's basketball coach will be hired when the athletic director is named.

Assistant basketball coach Jimmy Martelli, son of St. Joseph's head coach Phil Martelli, resigned Thursday. Like Rice, Martelli was seen on a video in at least one incident pushing a player and using an antigay slur.

Meanwhile, questions abound about the basketball program. Norman Eavenson, a basketball recruiting analyst for Bob Gibbons All Star Sports publications, said the program is in "limbo."

"Even with talk that the president of the university can be next [to be fired], you just have a really, really unsettled situation that it is going to take a while for all of this to calm down," Eavenson said.

"Once they get a new face on board, they can start the reclamation process. You don't have any idea of who the AD is going to be. You don't know what type of criteria they are going to lay out to any prospective coaches. Are guys going to have to agree to stuff that they are going to sign on? Who knows?

"Now, obviously, the basketball program is in limbo."

Eavenson said the Rutgers community finds itself facing issues that are similar to what the Penn State people faced during and after the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal.

"However the difference is . . . the Penn State football program has a brand name, whereas the Rutgers basketball program has to develop a brand name," Eavenson said.

And once a new athletic director and coach are hired, the matter will become one for the public relations experts.

"You will try to create . . . an impression that you have a clean slate," Eavenson said.

It's fortunate that Pernetti orchestrated Rutgers move to the Big Ten in November and avoided the Scarlet Knights dealing with a fractured Big East, Eavenson said. He said Rutgers membership in the Big Ten will be the basketball team's best selling point in recruiting, starting with November's early signing period.

"And you will have your work cut out for you, because you still have to out recruit Big East and [American Athletic Conference] schools," Eavenson said.

Big Ten commissioner James E. Delany said the league will monitor the situation but it will have no impact to Rutgers membership.

But two major athletic donors told the Star-Ledger on Friday that they would reconsider future donations to Rutgers following Pernetti's resignation.

Contact Matt Breen at mbreen@phillynews.com and @matt_breen on Twitter.