NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley of St. Anthony’s High in Jersey City, N.J., would consider taking over the Rutgers basketball program on a caretaker basis for a year or two.
The 65-year-old Hurley told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday that his wife, Chris, and his daughter, Melissa, have encouraged him to take the job if approached, and he indicated he would do it on a short-term basis to stabilize the program that was rocked after a video was aired last week showing now fired coach Mike Rice kicking and grabbing players while uttering anti-gay slurs.
The scandal also led to the resignation of athletic director Tim Pernetti.
Despite the need for a full-time athletic director, Rutgers interim Carl Kirschner has elected to look for a coach first. He began, ironically, by approaching Hurley’s son, Dan, the coach at Rhode Island, Monday. Later in the week, Hurley agreed to a contract extension at the Atlantic 10 school.
