Peter J. Liacouras - Intercollegiate Athletics

Intercollegiate Athletics

Liacouras was notable for his strong support of intercollegiate athletics. He saw this as part of his strongly held beliefs in urban social and economic development, and a vehicle for successful marketing of the University. His hiring of John Chaney as head basketball coach -- an outspoken critic of the NCAA and advocate for access to higher education -- led to many NCAA Tournament appearances for the Temple men's basketball team, including several appearances in the "Elite 8" (notably losing to the Duke Blue Devils in 1999).

However, Liacouras was less successful in intercollegiate football. He was pilloried for making comments about wanting to see Temple's football team in the Sugar Bowl by the mid-1980s (this was before the current Bowl Championship Series concept).

The main success of the football team came under coach Bruce Arians, whom Liacouras hired from Bear Bryant's staff at the University of Alabama (now a coach in the NFL), in the early to mid-1980s. Minor success was had for a year under coach Jerry Berndt (hired from the University of Pennsylvania). After the 1990s, the football team was considered non-competitive, and eventually the University was kicked out of the Big East football conference. Critics assailed Liacouras' for his support of football as embarrassing to the University (for the lack of consistent success on the field, even if some players wound up as successful NFL players) and a drain on University resources that could be invested into academic facilities.