Expressions of sympathy poured forth in the wake of Northeastern University football’s death Sunday night.

“It’s incredibly sad. Any time a university drops any sport it’s sad, but in a sport like football, which is so visible, it’s really sad,” said Joe Trainer, head coach at the University of Rhode Island. His Rams lost to the Huskies, 33-27, Saturday afternoon in South Kingstown in what turned out to be Northeastern’s program finale.

“Four days ago these kids were talking about the offseason and spring practice. Now they’re talking about picking up and going into new dorms and meeting new teammates. I can’t imagine what these kids are going through,” he said.

“I’m sure it was certainly a very difficult decision for Northeastern to make,” URI athletics director Thorr Bjorn said. “After going through sports cuts ourselves, (I know) the guys on that team are having a very difficult time accepting that decision. I wish them well.”

Tom Yeager, commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association, said, “Obviously we’re disappointed but at the same time understand the study and the analysis the university went through.”

Peter Roby, the Northeastern athletics director, spent two years analyzing his entire program before recommending that football be cut. The school’s board of directors approved the decision on Friday, and the players were told Sunday night. The announcement to the public occurred Monday morning.

Robey cited “significant obstacles” to achieving a level of excellence in football. Chief among them is the lack of a stadium on the school’s Huntington Avenue campus in Boston, dwindling attendance at Parsons Field in Brookline, and insufficient locker room space for visiting teams at Parsons Field. CAA officials had discussed those deficiencies with Northeastern.

Northeastern was spending about $3 million annually on football, and university leaders decided they could not afford the additional millions necessary to improve the program.

Sympathy for Northeastern players and coaches will pass quickly as other coaches try to lure NU underclassmen to their teams and as Rocky Hager and his staff find other jobs.

“It will be almost like a meat market, almost like a recruiting market again,” Trainer said, “except now we’ve got to recruit in a finite period of time.”

Unlike the courtship that occurs with high-school recruits, which can last more than a year, this round of dating will be quick.

“I’ve got to believe that 95 percent of those kids will transfer for the spring semester,” Trainer said.

In most cases, that’s about five weeks from now.

Not all of the scholarship players will draw interest. There is, after all, a reason Northeastern posted six consecutive losing records and this year finished 3-8. Teams will want players who can make them better in 2010, not 2012.

Trainer is acquiring information on at least a couple of Northeastern players. He wouldn’t identify them or their positions. The Rams can use help on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense. Outside linebacker Kyle Hunte (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) is a true freshman who earned rookie of the week recognition this season. Cornerback Jocquez Fears and nose guard Mike Laperriere are only sophomores. Strong safety Darryl Jones, a junior, made 68 tackles this season.

On offense, running back John Griffin, who led the CAA with 1,009 rushing yards, has a year of eligibility remaining. Wide receiver Jordan Batts, a freshman, was fifth in the CAA in receiving with 49 catches for 432 yards and five touchdowns.

The Rams can use help in the running game. All-America fullback Joe Casey missed the last two seasons with a broken leg and a dislocated ankle and has called it a career. Anthony Ferrer of West Greenwich led the Rams this year with 411 yards.

“We’ll scour the tape and not pass on anyone who can help us,” Trainer said Monday.

There were no Rhode Islanders on the 2009 Northeastern roster.

Northeastern’s decision means that the remaining five North Division teams will pick up another CAA South Division opponent for the 2010 season. The South has been the stronger of the two divisions in recent years. Richmond is the 2008 national champion at the Football Championship Sub-division level and is returning to the playoffs this season with Villanova and William & Mary. New Hampshire is also in the playoffs.

The move leaves the CAA with 11 teams and raises questions as to the future look of the league. Old Dominion University of Norfolk, Va., a CAA member in other sports, started football this season and will join the league in 2011. Georgia State of Atlanta, another CAA member, will launch its football program in 2010 and join the CAA in 2012. The addition of those programs will require a conference realignment at some point. If the North schools do not break away and form a new league, Philadelphia-based Villanova will probably join that division.

Yeager said Monday that the league’s athletics directors will begin discussing long-range planning during a conference call Tuesday. Bjorn said that division alignment is important to contain travel expenses.