Big East intact after college football upheaval

NEWPORT, R.I. - Despite the major-conference football realignment in June, the Big East enters the season intact. All eight teams are back.

The conference and commissioner John Marinatto took its first public step forward Tuesday without wanting to dwell on what could have been.

The ripple effect of the reshaping of the Big Ten, Pac-10 and Big 12 didn't reach the Big East after it was rumored that several of its members were contemplating leaving, most notably Rutgers to the Big Ten.

Ultimately, the reshuffling was limited to the departures of Colorado and Utah for the Pac-10 and Nebraska's move to the Big 10. There had been talk of a five-team Big 12 exodus for the Pac-10, headlined by Texas and Oklahoma.

Marinatto said he was happy his conference dodged the bullet amid the flurry of changes. He was unwilling, however, to discuss the Big East's approach to the future of realignment and expansion. He also made sure the coaches didn't discuss the issue at media day, when a poll picked Pittsburgh first.

"Historically, we like to do things quietly, behind the scenes," Marinatto said. "Publicly, we don't talk about it. But we are talking about everything from expansion to our own television network.''

The key is what the Big East can do to protect itself when the next round of realignment occurs. Marinatto said the main issue is capitalizing on its TV contract.

Though he wouldn't open up about the future, he said Big East fans should have faith in it. He said he thinks the conference is stronger than at any point in its 20-year football history.

Marinatto also discussed his and other commissioners' mind-sets during the shake-up.

"In the 10-day period in June, we all got extraordinarily weak," he said. "Most of us didn't want to have that kind of a change, we didn't think it was healthy for collegiate athletics as a group moving forward. So all of us in collegiate athletics that week kept in touch, maintained contact and were planning accordingly."