Officials Acknowledge a Need to Put Their House in Order

When the Big Sky Conference invited Cal State Northridge to join, its two biggest requests of Northridge were that the school produce a better football team and build a nicer football stadium.

Northridge seems to have met the first requirement, having surpassed everyone’s expectations in on-field success.

As for the second, it’s a little murkier.

Northridge athletic officials had hoped money from redevelopment of the North Campus property would be enough to finance a new stadium. But those plans fell though when development proposals showed projected profits less than initial expectations.

The school is now looking at prospective sites for a new stadium and how it could be paid for, with no serious plan on the drawing board.

“It’s very preliminary, but there’s a sense of urgency everyone understands about the project,” said Paul Bubb, Northridge athletic director.

Bubb said the school has ruled out merely renovating North Campus Stadium--a rickety collection of bleachers that, packed to the gills, can seat a little more than 7,000.

Bubb said he hopes to have new lights and a renovated press box at the current stadium, which would patch up the most serious problems until a new stadium can be built.

“I think we all realize that we will be in that facility another two seasons and maybe it might even go as many as three,” Bubb said, “but my hope is that within that time frame we would be getting into a new facility.”

Doug Fullerton, Big Sky commissioner, said the conference would be satisfied if Northridge has shown a “commitment” to a new stadium within three years.

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Most people around the athletic department had to breathe a sigh of relief because of the size of the crowd at Saturday night’s game against Montana State. The 5,631 in attendance represented the largest crowd at North Campus Stadium since the program had been elevated to Division I-AA in 1993.

“I had hoped with our move into the Big Sky and with an improved schedule that we would average around 5,000,” Bubb said. “I was pleased with the crowd we had. I would like to have seen 7,200 people, but at the same time it’s a step in the right direction.”

Northridge has averaged 4,659 in three home games. Last season the Matadors averaged 2,240 in five games.

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Next year’s schedule might be undergoing some changes. Northridge has a signed contract to open the season Aug. 30 at Boise State. But Boise State’s renovation of its football stadium is behind schedule, so the Broncos have asked Northridge to move the game to October. That would require Northridge to reschedule one of its conference games.

Boise State is willing to keep the game in August if Northridge can’t accommodate the move, Bubb said.

Northridge’s only home nonconference game, against Southern Utah--the contract for which has not been signed--now seems in jeopardy. Southern Utah recently lost a home game because of a conflict, so the Thunderbirds were trying to replace their game at Northridge with one at Cedar City, Utah. Northridge doesn’t want to give up the home date either.

All that’s certain is the Matadors will play at New Mexico State on Sept. 20. The Big Sky games are scheduled to be in the same order as this season, with opposite sites.

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Defensive lineman Hernan Santiago suffered a a slight shoulder separation during Saturday night’s game and may not be able to play this week at Cal State Sacramento. A final decision will be made Thursday.

Receiver Cameron Perry missed practice Tuesday because of a sprained right medial collateral ligament, but he is expected to play Saturday. Running back Chad Marsalek, who had been out for three weeks because of a fractured right foot, practiced and is expected to play.

Defensive lineman Mike Greslie will undergo an MRI today to determine if he will be able to return this week. Greslie suffered a fractured left shoulder against Northern Arizona on Sept. 28.

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Northridge players took it upon themselves last week to add black Ns and black stripes to their helmets, which had been red with no decals. Each player chipped in $3 for the Ns. The helmet question has been one of mysterious controversy the last few years, with the school refusing to put Ns on the helmets for reasons that are unclear. “The official logo of the university is the Matadors,” Bubb said. The school had a plain red helmet painted at the 50-yard line before Saturday’s game. No one is quite sure who sneaked onto the field and added a black N on Friday night. The players all touched the N before the game. . . . Northridge’s 24-17 loss to Montana State dropped the Matadors from 28th to 42nd in the Division I-AA poll. . . . Quarterback Aaron Flowers has fallen to fifth in Division I-AA in total offense, averaging 284.57 yards a game. . . . David Romines continues to lead I-AA receivers in catches per game (9.71), though he’s coming back to the pack. With 134.14 yards per game, Romines has fallen behind Montana’s Joe Douglass (136.83).