CS Fullerton on Verge of Dropping Football

Cal State Fullerton’s football program, which has survived as a major college team for years despite its bare-bones budget, is on the verge of being discontinued because of state funding problems, school president Dr. Milton A. Gordon said.

The school announced Friday that Gordon has received an athletics council recommendation to drop the 21-year-old program, even as construction of the Titan Sports Complex, which will feature a 10,000-seat football stadium, continues on campus.

“No decision has been made on the matter and none will until I conclude meetings with representatives of the University Advisory Board, the Titan Athletic Foundation, the City of Fullerton and other parties,” Gordon said in a statement issued by the athletic department. “These meetings will occur as early as next week.”

However, Titan coaches don’t appear to be holding out much hope that the program will be saved. Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy and his assistants would not comment for the record, but a makeshift sign tacked onto the front of the Titan Football House Friday said:

WE LOST OUR LEASE. CLEARANCE SALE MONDAY. PRICES SLASHED. 50% OFF.

According to Mel Franks, sports information director, Fullerton recruits were informed Friday that the program was being dropped and they should pursue other schools. Those recently signing with the Titans were released from their letters of intent.

Larry Manfull, who was fired as a Titan assistant last month but is a long-time friend of Murphy, was in the football office Friday and said he saw Murphy phoning current players and telling them the sport was being dropped.

“I got home, and there was a message on my machine from Coach Murphy that the football program had been dropped,” said Phil Nevin, Titan kicker who also is a member of the baseball team. “I was shocked. I never thought it would happen, especially with the stadium going up.”

Construction of the $10.2-million stadium began in October and was supposed to be completed for the opening of the 1992 football season.

Nevin said that scholarships for players choosing to remain at Fullerton would be honored for at least one more season, but he didn’t expect many to remain. Murphy has two years remaining on his contract and his salary is guaranteed, but if the program is dropped, six full-time assistants will be released.

Fresno State Coach Jim Sweeney said Murphy called him Friday morning to inquire about job openings for Titan assistants.

“What he told me was that it was over,” Sweeney said.

News of the recommendation shocked other Fullerton coaches, who were called to an emergency staff meeting Friday morning. They were expecting budget cuts for all teams, but not this drastic.

Several coaches interviewed said Ed Carroll, Fullerton athletic director, outlined the reasons for the recommendation during the 15-minute session.

Carroll would not comment on the situation, but Leanne Grotke, associate athletics director, said a “very severe budget cut” was passed on to the athletic department by the university president Wednesday, forcing the school to trim more than $500,000 from the athletic budget. The football program has an annual budget of about $1.3 million.