By Matt Foster and Ricky Thompson
Peter Roby, who became athletics director last July, said he has met with coaches and staff to evaluate his department “in relation to where we’d like it to be and where it should be.”
“You have to weigh the needs of the Athletics Department in order to achieve and sustain excellence,” he said. “It’s not enough to have this roller coaster thing, where you end up sinking to the depths of the league.”
Roby, in an interview with The News, indicated last week the possibility of eliminating an athletic program in an effort to realign his department’s financial resources.
“Nothing is off the table, but we haven’t made the ultimate determination based on what we need and how we are going to make that happen,” Roby said, recalling President Joseph Aoun’s mandate for each department “to try and be distinctive and excellent.”
Roby, who assumed his post after former Athletics Director Dave O’Brien left Northeastern to pursue an academic position at Drexel University, could be poised to shift funding to another program in order to make it more competitive.
Before he became involved in Northeastern athletics in 2002, Roby spent 11 years at Reebok International and 12 years as a collegiate basketball coach, including six seasons as head coach at Harvard University.
Roby declined to speculate on the likelihood that one of his programs would come to the chopping block, saying the move is “a possibility,” one of several options his department is considering.
Despite his history on the court, Roby downplayed that scenario, saying he wanted to avoid “a situation where one sport is more important than another.”
Tom Yeager, commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), said last week he had not received a formal notice from Northeastern administrators about a program being eliminated, which would be required by conference protocol.
“Usually that will come through the athletic director, but on occasion that’ll come through the president,” he said.
After a lackluster start to the season, some speculated that Husky football fans may not have the option to wait for next year.
“I think that the way Roby has worded it is that nothing is sacred,” said head football coach Rocky Hager. “Anything could happen for any of the programs, and I guess we’re part of the any.”
Joey Fiore, president of the Student Government Association, said he has heard similar rumors about the possibility of football being eliminated for four years, but would fight “tooth and nail” against any cut.
“Since my freshman year, I’ve been hearing that they’re going to cancel the football program,” he said. “I guess because it’s a lot of overhead, as far as the money you have to pay for equipment, staff, promotions and all that.”
The football players, like junior quarterback Anthony Orio, said they are remaining calm, holding off speculation until an official announcement is made.
“You hear a lot of things,” he said, “but until something happens and until it’s made formal, you take it with a grain of salt.”
Hager echoed his player’s sentiment.
“Ultimately, we just got to keep working hard to build toward what we’re trying to get accomplished here,” he said. “And if there’s any decision made, I hope we’re able to continue.”
