Football Recruiting at CSUN Hurt by State of Suspense

Recruiting for the Cal State Northridge football team has been hurt by doubt cast over the future of the program by school officials, Coach Bob Burt said Wednesday.

Burt expected to sign about six high school players by this week, but has signed no players and expects to sign none until at least March 1. That is the deadline imposed by a new West Coast-based multi-sport conference that will include Division I-AA cost-containment football.

In deciding whether to keep the football program, President Blenda J. Wilson commissioned a blue ribbon panel that determined that Northridge should retain the program at the I-AA level. Wilson has scheduled a public forum Monday to discuss the viability of the football program. She also is asking for comments on a new 1993-94 athletic budget that was slashed at her request by $304,500, a 10% cut.

Before Wilson’s announcement Feb. 5 that Northridge might not field a football team in 1993, Burt planned to sign players overlooked by Division I recruiters.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that this has caused some concern and some setbacks,” Burt said. “But we’re still going to try to sign players.”