Scarlet Knights Going Down Hill Fast

Fred Hill is now on his way out as Rutgers head coach just weeks after being given a vote of confidence by athletic director Tim Pernetti, this after shouting profanities at an umpire during a Rutgers baseball game last weekend. (Photo courtesy of New York Daily News)

You are a winner if you had all three New York-area Big East basketball programs firing their head coaches after this season, as Rutgers' Fred Hill will become the latest victim of the ax after his well-documented harangue at an umpire during a Scarlet Knights baseball game last weekend.

The incident was not enough to save Hill's job, which appeared to be on solid ground after a meeting last month with athletic director Tim Pernetti that was positive enough to justify bringing Hill back for a fifth season. Hill will officially be fired "for cause," similar to Lane Kiffin's 2008 dismissal as head coach of the Oakland Raiders, guiding the Scarlet Knights to a 47-77 record in his four years at the helm after replacing Gary Waters following the 2005-06 season. A buyout has been extended to Hill, but Rutgers has yet to receive a response.

According to SNY's Adam Zagoria, a source close to the situation told Zagoria that Hill had little to no control over the team by season's end last year, stating that there was "not a single guy in that locker room that likes or respects him." Zagoria is also reporting that the Scarlet Knights are interested in former Manhattan and St. John's coach Fran Fraschilla, who turned down an offer to coach Iona to remain at ESPN. Other rumored candidates include Rhode Island's Jim Baron, Fran Dunphy of Temple, and Dino Gaudio, who was let go yesterday at Wake Forest despite taking the Demon Deacons to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Whoever takes the Rutgers job is facing a situation that is only getting worse. Besides the Hill incident, star shooting guard Mike Rosario is expected to get his release from the program either today or tomorrow, and could make a visit to one of the schools he is interested in transferring to this weekend. The sophomore from Jersey City is reportedly looking at Florida, USC and Michigan State as possibilities.