By BREANNA CASEY
STAFF WRITER
Rutgers students have mixed emotions about the recent hiring of new head football coach, Kyle Flood.
Many students have been concerned with the effect this will have on the morale of the university.
Kelly Loalbo, a sophomore at Rutgers, attended all of the home games this past season and regards herself as an avid football fan.
“I hope Flood can get the same excitement going,” Loalbo said.
Other students are less concerned with the environment that Kyle Flood will create and more focused on the financial aspects of his new role in the Rutgers football community.
Students questioned why Flood’s first year salary is reportedly $750,000 with a $100,000 increase every year for the following five years.
Former Coach Greg Schiano left the team earning a salary of $2.3 million annually.
Steve Shemesh, a junior lacrosse player for the university, hopes the initial decrease in the head coach’s pay will result in more funding for other athletic arenas.
“It’s cool that football gets so much money to do stuff, but maybe now that the new coach isn’t getting paid as much as Schiano was, the other sports will have a chance to get more funding from the school,” Shemesh said.
Lindsey McNabb, a junior soccer player, shared a similar opinion.
“Football always gets everything. I hope the extra money will be put into the other sports here, especially women’s sports,” McNabb said.
Some students are very happy with the staffing changes that were made on the football team.
Gina Trani, a sophomore Rutgers football fan, believes that Schiano’s departure from the football program was long overdue.
“Every year Schiano would be like, ‘yeah, we’re going to be great’, and then every year we were average if not awful. I’m glad they finally found someone new,” Trani said.
Many students simply didn’t know enough about the workings of the football program beyond attending tailgates and games.
Devin Aubrey, a member of the ZTA sorority, is only interested in Rutgers football for the party-fun atmosphere it provides.
“I really don’t care who the coach is. I go to the tailgates to have fun with my friends,” Aubrey said.
The die-hard Rutgers University football fans seem to be thrilled with this new coaching approach.
Brian Sichta, a junior who attends all home games and even travels to some of the visiting matches, is clearly excited to see what changes Kyle Flood will bring about in the 2012-2013 season.
“I’m pretty psyched to see what Flood is going to do with the team. I love Rutgers football and I have a feeling this guy is going to win us some games,” Sichta said. |
