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On the same day he was giving a vote of confidence by athletic director Julie Hermann, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood fired three assistants, among them defensive coordinator Dave Cohen.

(John Munson/The Star-Ledger)

Rutgers didn’t wait long after a disappointing 6-6 regular season to set its course for the Big Ten for next fall.

Kyle Flood will remain the head coach. But he will have at least three new assistants on his staff.

On the same day Flood was given a vote of confidence by athletic director Julie Hermann, who finally broke her silence regarding his job status and security, the Scarlet Knights’ second-year coach fired three assistants: Embattled defensive coordinator Dave Cohen, quarterbacks coach Rob Spence and offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski.

Flood said the dismissals “were the right moves for our program,” and said they were “strictly football decisions.”

Special teams coordinator Joe Rossi will add the role of defensive coordinator for Rutgers’ Dec. 28 game against Notre Dame in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, while offensive coordinator Ron Prince will assume the duties of quarterbacks coach for the game.

Hermann, in a statement issued by the school, signed off on all of the moves – while also endorsing Flood as the program prepares for its inaugural season in the Big Ten in 2014.

"Our football program continues to evolve and grow, as evidenced by the changes coach Flood just announced," Hermann said in her statement. "I support these moves and Kyle's leadership as we transition into the Big Ten.



"In two seasons, Kyle has led us to our first share of the conference championship and has guided our program to two consecutive bowls, including this season's highly anticipated New Era Pinstripe Bowl versus Notre Dame."

Flood said the search for new assistants would coincide with bowl preparations, although he said he is "not going to put a timetable on any of them."



"If we end up waiting until after the bowl game and sitting down with some people in the weeks following or in the new year, that will be fine, too," Flood said. "I've already got a list at each position of people that we are looking at and we'll start working through (it). We've already started the process of working through those names."

Cohen, 47, was let go after just one season as defensive coordinator, with the unit allowing 4,872 yards (third-most in school history) while shattering the program record for passing yards allowed by nearly 1,000 yards.

Ironically, his firing occurred less than 24 hours after Rutgers’ best defensive performance of the season in a 31-6 victory over USF on Saturday night, with the Bulls managing just 10 rushing yards and 151 overall.

Cohen was also the central figure in a controversy this fall with former defensive back Jevon Tyree, who accused the assistant coach of bullying him, threatening physical violence and using inappropriate language in his dealings with him.

The school is currently investigating the matter.

Spence, 55, was in his second year as quarterbacks coach but failed to coax any significant improvement out of junior Gary Nova. Senior Chas Dodd has replaced Nova the past two games.

Wroblewski, 37, was also in his second year on the staff.

“It was very difficult,” Flood said of the staff shakeup. “It’s a part of the job that when you do it you never feel good about doing it. But ultimately as the head football coach your responsibility is to the program and it’s my responsibility to make all of my decisions with the best interests of the program in mind, not just the ones that make me feel good or that I’m comfortable with.”

Flood said he was not necessarily looking for Hermann to offer public support for him but was pleased she did so. For the past several weeks, speculation has been rampant about Flood’s job status despite a 15-10 record for his two seasons.

Before beating USF to become bowl eligible on Saturda, Rutgers had lost five of six – three of those by 34 points or more.

“I think any time your direct reports come out with a statement to that effect it always makes you feel good,” Flood said of Hermann’s statement. “But it’s not something that I asked for, (it’s) not something that I was looking for.

“I’ve never felt anything but ultimate support in my nine years (seven as an assistant coach) here at Rutgers.”