Big East Drops Suit vs. TCU

TCU Football 2 comments

FORT WORTH (AP) - The Big East has dropped its lawsuit against TCU and will receive the $5 million it was seeking from the school after it bailed out on a commitment to join the conference.

The Big East filed the suit last month in Washington, claiming TCU failed to pay the league the $5 million it agreed to when the school reneged on an agreement to become a member and instead joined the Big 12.

Bloomberg News first reported the lawsuit had been dropped. The Big East confirmed it in a statement to the AP on Wednesday night.

“TCU has fully discharged its obligations to the Big East and the lawsuit is amicably settled without admission of liability of any party,” said a statement from the Big East.

Conditions of the settlement were not released, but a person familiar with it told The Associated Press the Big East will receive $5 million from TCU. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was to be made on the agreement.

Earlier in the day, Pittsburgh and the conference announced that the school will pay $7.5 million to join Syracuse in leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference on July 1, 2013. The Big East reached a similar deal with Syracuse earlier this week.

Earlier this year, the Big East and West Virginia settled dueling lawsuits, with the school agreeing to pay the conference $20 million to start competing in the Big 12 this year.

TCU was never an official member of the Big East but accepted an invite in November 2010 to join in 2012. The Big East contended TCU agreed to pay $5 million if it didn’t. TCU accepted an invite to the Big 12 in October and will start playing in the conference this year.

When the Big East filed suit against TCU, the school said in a statement that its “administrators were surprised by this lawsuit and believe it is premature. The University is hopeful for an amicable resolution of this matter.”

Briefly:

TCU’s Waymon James and Matthew Tucker have been named to the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, presented to the nation’s top running back.

James, an all-conference selection last season, topped TCU with 875 yards rushing. His 7.2 per carry mark ranked seventh nationally. The junior from Sherman, Texas, topped the 100-yard mark in three games, including a career-high 181 yards on just 12 carries at Wyoming. He ran for 136 yards against Portland State in addition to returning a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.

Tucker, also an all-conference pick in 2011, led TCU with 12 rushing touchdowns while placing third on the Horned Frogs with 702 yards. His 27 career rushing scores place sixth on TCU’s all-time list. A senior from Tyler, Texas, Tucker topped the 90-yard mark in three games last season.