Big East Football: John Marinnato Resigns as Commissioner

John Marinatto took over the Big East knowing he was leading a ship through troubled waters, and today the captain officially resigned from his post. It turns out Marinatto was pushed out by the schools. The crew turning against the captain? Too bad Marinatto doesn't have Blackbeard's magical sword from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

According to a report by CBSSports.com, Marinatto was asked by the league's presidents to resign on Sunday, two weeks before the conference's spring meetings.

In a press release from the Big East, Marinatto announced:

"

After a great deal of thought and prayer, I have decided to step down as Commissioner of the BIG EAST Conference and formally advised our Board of Directors. I have been associated with this league for my entire adult life and have had the tremendous honor of serving as its Commissioner since 2009. Our recent expansion efforts have stabilized the Conference for the long term, and we are likewise well positioned for our very important upcoming television negotiations.  As a result, I felt this was the right time to step aside and to let someone else lead us through the next chapter of our evolution.

"

By the time Marinatto took over as commissioner of the Big East, most of the damage was already done. Miami and Virginia Tech left the conference for the ACC in 2005, and Boston College followed a year later. The holes were already plugged with the additions of Cincinnati, Louisville, South Florida and both DePaul and Marquette as non-football members. But it was not enough to keep the Big East in a situation to thrive in the growing competition for television marketability.

ESPN still agreed to broadcast Big East football and other sports, but television packages being set by the Big Ten, Pac 12, ACC, SEC and Big 12 began to dwarf the deal owned by the Big East. In Marinatto's defense, the Big East had their deal in place before other conferences started to cash in with what Marinatto suggested was a cycle.

The Big East is ready to negotiate their next television package, and the hope is that by adding Houston, SMU, Central Florida, San Diego State, Memphis and Boise State (and Navy in 2015) will be enough to convince potential television partners at ESPN, NBC or FOX to open up their wallets a little bit. That remains to be seen.

Marinatto accepted the job as commissioner of the Big East on July 1, 2009. In that time, Cincinnati completed an undefeated regular season (2009) and the Big East had three co-champions each of the past two seasons. Big East schools went 11-6 in bowl games but recorded just one BCS bowl victory, with West Virginia smashing Clemson in this past season's Orange Bowl. West Virginia is heading to the Big 12 this season after the university and Big East clashed over legal threats.

The Big East is also losing Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC in 2013. With the loss of each of the most valuable programs to rival conferences (Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College), it was clear that a chance was probably needed within the conference's leadership.

You can't necessarily blame Marinatto for some of the problems the Big East faces, but for the long-term stability of the conference the Big East needs to bring in someone new to patch things up and find a way to expand on the Big East brand. 

A band-aid here and a band-aid there may help, but the Big East is currently in reconstructive surgery.

Quotes provided by Big East press release via email.

Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast, managing editor of Nittany Lions Den and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.