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ACC confirms Pittsburgh, Syracuse to join

Louisville AD Tom Jurich said Big East 'trusted' Pittsburgh chancellor

By Thomas O'Toole, USA TODAY
Updated

Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich said at first he doubted the news that Pittsburgh and Syracuse are leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"I didn't believe it because Pittsburgh was involved, and I didn't see where the value (is) they would bring to that league at all," he told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "That's no slap at Pittsburgh. I just couldn't see where that fit was."

In addition, Jurich said he was surprised because Pitt's chancellor, Mark Nordenberg, is a leader within the Big East: "He was keeping everybody together and asking everybody to be unified. I think everybody trusted him."

Other current Big East members also expressed surprise.

"I probably had a lot of scenarios in mind," Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told reporters at the Irish-Michigan State game, "and this was not one of them."

Cincinnati president Greg Williams said his school remains committed to the Big East. "The Big East is a viable organization," Williams said. "I think they can survive. Syracuse and Pitt are great schools, but the Big East is a strong conference."

That does not mean he isn't surveying the landscape.

"We're always trying to get information about what's going on. We're not trying to jump to another conference. We're committed to the Big East. We think the Big East is a great conference, one that's really right for us. That's what we're committed to and hopefully that will be able to continue. If not, we're still going to be (well) situated because we're a strong athletic and academic program."

After the 2003 raid that ultimately led to Louisville joining the Big East ", the conference raised its exit requirements for schools to a $5 million fee and a 27-month notice.

Contributing: Cincinnati Enquirer, Louisville Courier-Journal, wire reports

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