(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Disgruntled Rutgers University football fans have set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise money and awareness for the need to change the coaching staff. Entitled, "Fire Coach Kyle Flood," the campaign raised several thousand dollars in its first day as word began spreading across the Internet.
Flood was hired as coach of the Scarlet Knights in 2012 after Greg Schiano was hired as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL. Since becoming head coach, Flood has had good and bad years while leading Rutgers from the Big East conference to the American Athletic Conference and finally into the Big Ten.
His coaching career began well with a 9-4 season in 2012 (including a 7-0 start) in the last year of the Big East. This was followed by a 6-7 record in the American Athletic Conference. While Rutgers' first year in the Big Ten was successful on some levels (8-5 final record), the record also included blow out losses to Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, and a 37-0 shutout by Wisconsin in Piscataway for Rutgers' homecoming game.
The 2015 season has basically been a disaster. Shortly before the season opener, six members of the football team were arrested due to a home invasion robbery in April 2015. Five players were dismissed from the team just before the opening game kickoff. In addition, Flood himself was investigated for violating university rules by personally contacting a professor in the hopes of getting a grade changed for a player. He was suspended for 3 games and fined $50,000 for conduct deemed improper by the university.
At the creation of the GoFundMe campaign, Rutgers football sits at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Big Ten play.
The website states:
Dear Alumni, Fans, and Friends of Rutgers,
#FIREFLOOD
We deserve better. The players deserve better. It is time to get serious about competing in the Big 10.
Show Barchi we care about R Football
According to the website, donations go straight to the Rutgers University Foundation. For more on the campaign or to donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/fireflood
