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TagsBY MIKE VORKUNOV
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Ending over a week's worth of speculation since its season ended last Tuesday night, and as first reported by NewJerseyNewsroom.com, Rutgers announced that Fred Hill would come back for at least another year as men's basketball coach.
In a press release Athletic Director Tim Pernetti gave nothing more than a tepid endorsement for Hill's future.
"Fred Hill is under contract as our men's basketball head coach," Pernetti said. "We had a productive meeting and look forward to working together to build the program."
According to a source, the AD and coach met extensively Wednesday and Hill came out of the meeting with his job intact. According to several reports he was owed in the neighborhood of $1.5 million for the final three years on his contract, which is believed to have largely contributed to the decision to bring him back.
Afterwards, when asked about what the conversation was about, Hill was ambiguous."We talked about the program," he said. "That's what I'm excited about, where it's headed and what we are doing. He's doing a great job of soliciting donors. I'm excited about the facility renovations we have on board. I'm looking forward to moving the team forward."
Hill came under fire after an 0-8 start in the Big East, which had been preceded by program cornerstone Gregory Echenique transferring out after a dispute as to how his eye injury was handled, and a former player's comments about Hill that became a viral Internet sensation.
In his four years at Rutgers Hill has a 47-77 overall record, just 13-57 in the conference. Hill did not say whether any benchmarks were discussed for next season.
"No, there is no sense of urgency on my part for anything except to move the program forward," he said.
Hill was also non-committal about his own previous declarations that the Scarlet Knights should be expected to reach the NCAA Tournament next season. He explained that when he said it in the past it was as homage to senior center Hamady N'diaye.
Instead he gave a new, lower level of expectations.
"I've never mentioned [goals] before because I never felt it was realistic in my first four years to talk about where we wanted to take the program," Hill said. But I've said it and I've felt confident about it: We can be a .500 team in the Big East next year, finish 9-9 and hopefully finish in the top eight. If you finish in the top eight, then you're an NCAA Tournament team."
Hill will be coming back next season with a bull's-eye on his back. By most declarations, he is expected to improve on this year's 5-13 record in the Big East. Before the last game of the season he threw out that an improvement akin to South Florida's this year – from four wins to nine – was reasonable.
He will also face a fan base that seemed to be, by majority, disappointed with his return. Already, at times last year the environment at the RAC was inhospitable at best.
Still, Hill was resolute.
"It was never uncomfortable for me," he said.
For more Rutgers and Seton Hall basketball news, follow Mike Vorkunov on Twitter at @Mike_Vorkunov
