 For most of its existence, the football team was not associated with any formal football conference and remained independent even when the first football leagues were forming.At present, Rutgers participates in Division I FBS and joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014, after more than two decades in the original Big East Conference and one season in its football-sponsoring offshoot, the American Athletic Conference.Current coach Chris Ash replaced Kyle Flood, who was let go from the program after a poor 2015 season.