A Letter from Pat Hobbs

[RU4Real]

Okay, so looking at buyouts alone, instead of years/record:

Arizona State fired Todd Graham and bought out $12.3M
UCLA fired Jim Mora and bought out $12.2M
Texas A&M fired Kevin Sumlin and bought out $10.3M

What's your point? All of those schools have much deeper pockets than we do.

You guys really need to understand something very fundamental, here. If you want to play with the big boys, you've got to pay with the big boys. Unless you're into the program for at least $10k a year, you're a bystander. That's what big-time football is all about.

At Ben Hill Griffin every single seat carries a contribution value and the cheapest seat in the house is $380 for the season. We've got vacancies in the Audi Club - they have a sold out premium section 4 times as large that goes for $16,000 per.

Here, we have an entire message board full of people who don't give a dime, who never attend a game, all insisting that we fire our current guy and go $10 mil in the hole on a new guy.

With whose money?

 

[NotInRHouse_anon]

Like I said in the other thread I am glad he said something.

What really ticked me off, only one other person mentioned this, was the basketball facility comment.

What does the basketball facility have to do with losing to Buffalo and Kansas?

I think Hobbs does not grasp that Rutgers is primarily a football school. We want every sport to succeed but football drives the bus.

He is not going to get away with a shift of resources and mentality for much longer.

 

[Wolv RU]

It is not unprecedented to be fired after 3 years. However, it is unprecedented to buy out 5 years of a contract without donors paying. The issue is the 7 year deal, which inherently gave Ash a longer timeline - which is why he demanded it. So you are not wrong, but I think you are looking at it the wrong way. I do not disagree that 7 years was a mistake. But when we look at it now, that is the world we live in.

As to your cited examples:

Michigan is not comparable. They are massively profitable, and have no subsidy to support athletics. People who want to criticize the school for not stepping up and fixing this are ill-served to point at Michigan. Which institution supports athletics more? Michigan or Rutgers? The answer is Rutgers. Which alumni support more? Michigan by a massive landslide. As an aside, the school ponied up $2.5mm to buy out Rich Rod.

Kansas paid Weiss $5.63 million to leave. This is the best analogy you have.

ND - you must be joking. Not only do they have everything Michigan has above, but that was a different world. Ty Willingham was paid his base salary of $650k for the 2 years remaining on his contract. A grand total of $1.3mm buyout for the wealthiest athletic dept in the country.

All of the above deals were 5 year deals. Like it or not, with the 7 year contract, Ash got himself on a different timeline, and now we are feeling that pain.

I don't disagree with your overall point, but making such a buyout is not that unusual right now. Ash has 4 and 1/3 years left on his contract (really 4 football seasons). Fedora just got $12 million and Petrino $14 million. Louisville is paying a ton of buyouts right now actually. Kansas will be paying Beaty $3 million. Fedora's contract is particularly applicable here as he received an extension in 2017, the same year as Ash's present contract.

As you alluded to, the real issue is that whatever the number is, Hobbs should have made sure it was one he could live with in case he had to get rid of Ash. He didn't.

Another issue is that the additional year doesn't save that much.

It is what it is. Like Ash's contract, keeping him now is Hobbs' decision, but many will agree or disagree with it with their season ticket purchase. There will also continue to be a large group that will make their decision on a value perspective, like the customers of every other business in the world.

 

[RU4Real]

I think Hobbs does not grasp that Rutgers is primarily a football school.

I think this statement is genuinely debatable.

 

[newwavedave1]

Honest letter.

End the negativity.

Support the team!

Agree 100%. Also agree with Hobbs and I,for one, will be patient. All this freaking negativity is not helping but is understandable.

 

[NotInRHouse_anon]

I think this statement is genuinely debatable.

Which aspect...I thought you had mentioned previously that you understood him to believe we are going to be a basketball school. I doubted that at the time, but reading the letter it brought me back to that comment.

 

[Knight Shift]

He will not stoop that low but he could stoop as low as uconn..im still hoping for him here in 2020 after a full year of behind the scenes wooing

He may need to.
But here's a good deal for him if he does not have the DC job at tOSU next year and Ash fires Niemann and he has not other good offers.

DC of Rutgers, mentor to Coach Ash (like Jerry Kill was) and coach-in-waiting. Not what I want, and an unrealistic scenario, but would keep NJ.com distracted from writing negative stories about other stuff.

 

[Retired711]

Some of you are unbelievably impossible to please. Send a letter like this, which is as honest as could be, and you *****. Don’t send a letter ...and you *****...SMDH.

People -- at least NIRH and I -- wanted a forum like a press conference in which Hobbs would have to answer questions about his continued support for Ash. A statement like this is basically "don't give up the ship!" without explaining why he retained Ash.

 

[newwavedave1]

They're 1-11. 7 wins in last 36 games. Getting to bowls every year sounds pretty good to most, including me. Do that for half a decade and then worry about the next set of goals.

Agree. It's likely going to be baby steps, but who knows, we may catch lightning in a bottle sooner than expected.

 

[Wolv RU]

What's your point? All of those schools have much deeper pockets than we do.

You guys really need to understand something very fundamental, here. If you want to play with the big boys, you've got to pay with the big boys. Unless you're into the program for at least $10k a year, you're a bystander. That's what big-time football is all about.

At Ben Hill Griffin every single seat carries a contribution value and the cheapest seat in the house is $380 for the season. We've got vacancies in the Audi Club - they have a sold out premium section 4 times as large that goes for $16,000 per.

Here, we have an entire message board full of people who don't give a dime, who never attend a game, all insisting that we fire our current guy and go $10 mil in the hole on a new guy.

With whose money?

Again, the frustration as I see it is that none of this is new. Hobbs had to know (or should have known) when he inked the deal in the first place that if his hire was an abject failure record wise for three straight years, the Audi club would empty out. Any fan could have told him that.

Yes, his hands are a bit tied now. But he himself tied his own hands. Really this is just the downside consequences of the deal he agreed to coming home to roost for him.

Forget what people are saying on the message board. It could be the most positive place ever right now. That would not change the important facts, which are that ticket revenues have been declining and will continue to decline in 2019.

 

[Caliknight]

What's your point? All of those schools have much deeper pockets than we do.

You guys really need to understand something very fundamental, here. If you want to play with the big boys, you've got to pay with the big boys. Unless you're into the program for at least $10k a year, you're a bystander. That's what big-time football is all about.

At Ben Hill Griffin every single seat carries a contribution value and the cheapest seat in the house is $380 for the season. We've got vacancies in the Audi Club - they have a sold out premium section 4 times as large that goes for $16,000 per.

Here, we have an entire message board full of people who don't give a dime, who never attend a game, all insisting that we fire our current guy and go $10 mil in the hole on a new guy.

With whose money?

People just don't have a basic understanding of the situation.

 

[RU4Real]

Which aspect...I thought you had mentioned previously that you understood him to believe we are going to be a basketball school. I doubted that at the time, but reading the letter it brought me back to that comment.

Precisely.

This is, I think, a pretty firm dynamic within the context of Rutgers athletics. It's been spoken about numerous times over the decades.

At the program level we've had our greatest successes in basketball. An undefeated regular season & final 4 trip. Several other NCAA bids, a few NIT bids, at least one A10 tourney win, several other deep runs into conference tournaments - and that's just the men's team. We're not even talking about CVS and her success over the years.

Add to that the fact that it's easier to turn the corner with a hoops program, for a variety of reasons. When I made the comment that you're recollecting, my thinking at the time (and to this day) is that it's going to be easier - and faster - for Pikiell to bottle some level of success and start building the brand.

The follow-on strategy would be to then leverage the basketball goodwill to assist in a) fundraising and b) recruiting, as benefit the football program. Basketball success greases the skids for football. As a strategy, in and of itself, it has merit. Because Pat Hobbs comes from a traditionally premier basketball program that strategy has an additional synergistic quality.

 

[Caliknight]

People -- at least NIRH and I -- wanted a forum like a press conference in which Hobbs would have to answer questions about his continued support for Ash. A statement like this is basically "don't give up the ship!" without explaining why he retained Ash.

He isn't going to get up there just to say, yea, I would like to make a change but our financials don't allow it.

So he did this.

 

[RU4Real]

People just don't have a basic understanding of the situation.

Yeah, I've noted that you and I share an overall opinion on this situation.

Of course, I have yet to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

 

[RUforlife]

You may want to check the facts, clown. Se my post above. And I am not an Ash supporter, just trying to add some PERSPECTIVE.

Please, let's keep it real. You have been an Ash supporter since day one, don't be embarrassed, be proud, stand up and scream from the top of your lungs, "I still believe in you Chris Ash and your 6 year rebuilding plan!"

I love the fact that now we are going thru the phase where all the Ash supporters are starting their statements in defense of Ash with the phrase, "I am not an Ash supporter, but . . . ." Give it a month and if you happen to post anything that can even be perceived as negative about Ash you will be shouted down as a troll. It is the yearly cycle this board goes through when we have a lousy HC, as consistent as Old Faithful. By June most of these posters will be arguing that we can win 7/8 games next year because Ash is now in charge of the defense. Then we will play UMass and reality will hit them in the face and we will start the cycle all over again.

 

[BigRnj]

He was DC of national championship team in P5.
He was qualified. same as Kirby Smart at UGA
Schiano had same qualifications, but better tesulre.

If we’re comparing, GS has a personality that ranks quite a bit higher than a door knob, and he can recruit a Jersey kid better than radar O’Rielly.

 

[BigRnj]

[sick]

My reaction to the email I received

 

[TODDB33]

Our goal is to turn our football program into one that is bowl eligible every year, that graduates young men of high character and that is a source of pride to the Rutgers community and our State.

Talk about setting the bar low. I guess he doesn't want to even be a top 25 programs let alone compete for championship. I guess he will be happy with 6-6 record and going to the no one cares bowl.

And I guess you were happy with the Pedophiles who were coaching your team in between molesting young kids.

 

[Stem]

Wow. Where to begin? My favorite line - "Chris Ash wanted to be the Head Coach of the Scarlet Knights."
I want to be King of the World. Unfortunately, I don't qualify.

I always thought you were King of the world!

 

[waretown]

Got this via e-mail

Dear Rutgers faithful:

When I arrived at Rutgers three years ago our Athletics Department was facing many challenges. Our programs, with notable exceptions, were struggling to be competitive. No significant investment had been made in facilities in decades. Fundraising needed a boost and morale was low.

Our football program, despite some early success in the Big Ten, was heading in the wrong direction. Recruiting was not at the level it needed to be. The practice fields, weight room and locker room were all in need of an upgrade. There was an ongoing NCAA investigation that would later result in sanctions and probation. Despite these challenges, Chris Ash wanted to be the Head Coach of the Scarlet Knights.

We knew this process would require hard work, patience and investment. Success would not happen overnight. We would have to recruit special young men dedicated to the challenge. We are in the Big Ten East, the toughest division of any conference in the country. Every year we go up against the most storied programs in the history of college football. Our goal is to turn our football program into one that is bowl eligible every year, that graduates young men of high character and that is a source of pride to the Rutgers community and our State. That remains our goal.

Over the course of the season, I have heard from alumni, donors and fans who expressed their frustration with the results on game day. Those calls came in loud and clear. Many were quite colorful. This was a disappointing football season for all of us - Coach Ash, myself, our athletes, our students, and you our loyal supporters. We had a goal and failed to achieve it.

Nevertheless, I remain extremely optimistic about the future of Rutgers Athletics, next year and beyond. You should be too.

Just look at what we’ve accomplished together in the past three years. We’ve built strength and conditioning facilities at the Hale Center and the RAC. We opened a new baseball and softball practice facility. The Marco Battaglia Football Practice Complex is the best in the nation. In July, we will open the RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center that will house our basketball, wrestling and gymnastics programs. In the spring, we will break ground on the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center and in August, start our celebration of the 150th anniversary of college football with the grand opening of the Brown Family Football Locker Room. These are long overdue investments that will pay dividends for many years to come.

Our football program has a solid core of young talent returning in 2019. Thirty of our first or second year student-athletes saw action for the first time and we return 18 players who have started. This provides a strong nucleus to build around as Coach Ash and his staff hit the recruiting trail this off season. We will recruit student athletes who love to play football, who excel in the classroom and who want to represent the State University of New Jersey.

Continuity is the key to accomplishing our goals. No one said this would be easy or straight uphill. There are many examples of programs and coaches who in the process of building experienced disappointment in year three. The critics will continue to say it can’t be done. They won’t deter us from our task.

There is something else you should know. Whether it’s football, basketball or any of our other programs, success is also dependent on you. Your continued support is essential. In good times and bad we need you. We’re Scarlet Knights. We don’t quit and we don’t flinch in the face of adversity. That’s Rutgers and that’s Jersey. From the season ticket holder who has been with us for over 30 years, to the young kids who welcome our team each week at the Scarlet Walk, to the alum who just pledged ten dollars to the Big Ten Build, your loyalty is appreciated and respected. It inspires me, Coach Ash and our entire Rutgers Athletics team to work hard every day to bring you the success you deserve.

Let’s go Rutgers nation! Shoulder to shoulder, we have work to do!

GO RU!

Patrick E. Hobbs
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Rutgers University

He wont admit we have regressed in football, our biggest revenue sport.

 

[MADHAT1]

Well-crafted. Let the stone-throwing begin.

On the recruiting front, we have this:

Zaun den Garten​

Does that mean 1-11 isn't good enough for Sweden ?

 

[Stem]

Letter was well written and hit some keys points. But it all comes down to recruiting and coaching. Some strange game decisions by the staff this year, particularly QB and running back. I hope this staff can get it done, but haven't seen anything to believe they can. It will be interesting to see how many players leave this off season. I hope for the best, but see this as a long process given the league and division we are in.

 

[NotInRHouse_anon]

Precisely.

This is, I think, a pretty firm dynamic within the context of Rutgers athletics. It's been spoken about numerous times over the decades.

At the program level we've had our greatest successes in basketball. An undefeated regular season & final 4 trip. Several other NCAA bids, a few NIT bids, at least one A10 tourney win, several other deep runs into conference tournaments - and that's just the men's team. We're not even talking about CVS and her success over the years.

Add to that the fact that it's easier to turn the corner with a hoops program, for a variety of reasons. When I made the comment that you're recollecting, my thinking at the time (and to this day) is that it's going to be easier - and faster - for Pikiell to bottle some level of success and start building the brand.

The follow-on strategy would be to then leverage the basketball goodwill to assist in a) fundraising and b) recruiting, as benefit the football program. Basketball success greases the skids for football. As a strategy, in and of itself, it has merit. Because Pat Hobbs comes from a traditionally premier basketball program that strategy has an additional synergistic quality.

You raise some good points.

However, two issues I see with this approach. We had good football recently- more recently that we had good basketball. We had a solid decade of pretty decent football. A lot of people who graduated during that period are hitting their financial stride. They remember and enjoy football likely a lot more. And generally, if attendance is any indicator, there are more football fans, and I think in this area, there are more football fans. Not that attendance was good, but I could not believe how many RU fans showed the last two games. There are more football diehards- a lot of people will show up for a bowl team.

Secondly I think there are just a small handful of basketball first type programs, and those are the real blue bloods, like Kentucky, Kansas, UNC...our struggles in basketball are the worst in the p5. And we also have to contend with 3 BE teams essentially being local rather than in football where until this year outside of Central PA the rest of the Northeast seemed to be as bumbling as we were in football.

CVS succeeded because she is a really good coach, at least at her prime. Maybe Pickiell is that guy, but that is a very risky bet. If football continues like this and every indication is it will, he will need to win quick to create a distraction. Possible, sure, probable, hope I am wrong but I do not see it.

 

[Retired711]

He isn't going to get up there just to say, yea, I would like to make a change but our financials don't allow it.

So he did this.

Oh, I understand why he did the e-mail rather than a press conference. But I think he avoided accountability to Rutgers fans by doing it the way he did.

 

[sunsetregret]

With whose money?

The school's 1.2 billion dollar endowment?

 

[Caliknight]

Yeah, I've noted that you and I share an overall opinion on this situation.

Of course, I have yet to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Unfortunately for this situation, it's a bad thing. I wish things were different. I would classify it less of an opinion and more of just simple facts.

 

[Retired711]

The school's 1.2 billion dollar endowment?

All hell would break loose.

 

[Caliknight]

Oh, I understand why he did the e-mail rather than a press conference. But I think he avoided accountability to Rutgers fans by doing it the way he did.

Standing on a podium and saying we want to fire the coach but can't because of finances would do irreparable harm. The fact he sent a letter is the best it's going to get.

As they say, things are what they are.

 

[MADHAT1]

Hobbs addressed the situation and explained his reasoning.
Might not agree, but appreciate his sending the e-mail.
Especially the part where Hobbs acknowledged the dissatisfaction many of us have , instead of ignoring it in his letter.

 

[Retired711]

Standing on a podium and saying we want to fire the coach but can't because of finances would do irreparable harm. The fact he sent a letter is the best it's going to get.

As they say, things are what they are.

He would never say that, and would deny it vociferously if he were asked if money was the reason. But he would have to explain exactly what he sees that's positive about Ashy and staff.

 

[Rufaninga]

If we’re comparing, GS has a personality that ranks quite a bit higher than a door knob, and he can recruit a Jersey kid better than radar O’Rielly.

agree Greg has better personality and was able to recruit NJ. His ability to recruit was not proven before being hired.

My original post was more to say a DC of a National Champion that had other B1G experience was "qualified" for a shot as a HC. Fans want a coach with HC experience, but that isn't the only way to be qualified.

 

[Caliknight]

He would never say that, and would deny it vociferously if he were asked if money was the reason. But he would have to explain exactly what he sees that's positive about Ashy and staff.

He just told you in the letter. It's lipstick on the pig. Don't try to make more of it than it is. It's exactly why you DON'T hold a press conference.

 

[T2Kplus10]

Standing on a podium and saying we want to fire the coach but can't because of finances would do irreparable harm. The fact he sent a letter is the best it's going to get.

As they say, things are what they are.

Hits the nail on the head. He can't say the real truth, for obvious reasons.

 

[S_Janowski]

Precisely.

This is, I think, a pretty firm dynamic within the context of Rutgers athletics. It's been spoken about numerous times over the decades.

At the program level we've had our greatest successes in basketball. An undefeated regular season & final 4 trip. Several other NCAA bids, a few NIT bids, at least one A10 tourney win, several other deep runs into conference tournaments - and that's just the men's team. We're not even talking about CVS and her success over the years.

Add to that the fact that it's easier to turn the corner with a hoops program, for a variety of reasons. When I made the comment that you're recollecting, my thinking at the time (and to this day) is that it's going to be easier - and faster - for Pikiell to bottle some level of success and start building the brand.

The follow-on strategy would be to then leverage the basketball goodwill to assist in a) fundraising and b) recruiting, as benefit the football program. Basketball success greases the skids for football. As a strategy, in and of itself, it has merit. Because Pat Hobbs comes from a traditionally premier basketball program that strategy has an additional synergistic quality.

This would be a great strategy if we were in the AAC.....maybeee the ACC.

BIG10? Terrible strategy.

Reasons being...

It’s a football conference.

We have such a long way to go to ever becoming a potential* true consistent power in basketball (5-10 years at least). We don’t have the facilities (8K arena) to maximize impact (ticket sales and fan support).

It’s a football conference.

I know you’re just stating what the AD may be thinking but this would be so dumb.

 

[Caliknight]

This would be a great strategy if we were in the AAC.....maybeee the ACC.

BIG10? Terrible strategy.

Reasons being...

It’s a football conference.

We have such a long way to go to ever becoming a potential* true consistent power in basketball (5-10 years at least). We don’t have the facilities (8K arena) to maximize impact (ticket sales and fan support).

It’s a football conference.

I know you’re just stating what the AD may be thinking but this would be so dumb.

The B1G isn't a football conference. That's small thinking. It's an athletic conference, and why the B1G is traditionally really good in a number of sports.

 

[S_Janowski]

The B1G isn't a football conference. That's small thinking. It's an athletic conference, and why the B1G is traditionally really good in a number of sports.

Yea I get it and agree the BIG has tons of great sports across the board (Basketball, Wrestling, Lacrosse, Volleyball).

But the reason the BIG is where it’s at financially and as a conference as a whole is because of football.

If Rutgers wants to belong athletically the focus needs to be on football just as much (if not more) than basketball.

Putting more attention and eggs into basketball to pay dividends for your football program in this conference would be backwards.

And I love basketball and am a season ticket holder.

 

[Caliknight]

Yea I get it and agree the BIG has tons of great sports across the board (Basketball, Wrestling, Lacrosse, Volleyball).

But the reason the BIG is where it’s at financially and as a conference as a whole is because of football.

If Rutgers wants to belong athletically the focus needs to be on football just as much (if not more) than basketball.

Putting more attention and eggs into basketball in this conference would be backwards.

And I love basketball and am a season ticket holder.

It's much easier to focus when you have $100MM in revenue.

 

[RU4Real]

But the reason the BIG is where it’s at financially and as a conference as a whole is because of football.

Due respect, I think this statement is more true of the SEC than the B1G. One of the things that makes the B1G appealing to its members and constituents is the fact that athletics is strong across the board, in all sports.

 

[TdogRU]

Please, let's keep it real. You have been an Ash supporter since day one, don't be embarrassed, be proud, stand up and scream from the top of your lungs, "I still believe in you Chris Ash and your 6 year rebuilding plan!"

I love the fact that now we are going thru the phase where all the Ash supporters are starting their statements in defense of Ash with the phrase, "I am not an Ash supporter, but . . . ." Give it a month and if you happen to post anything that can even be perceived as negative about Ash you will be shouted down as a troll. It is the yearly cycle this board goes through when we have a lousy HC, as consistent as Old Faithful. By June most of these posters will be arguing that we can win 7/8 games next year because Ash is now in charge of the defense. Then we will play UMass and reality will hit them in the face and we will start the cycle all over again.

Ole Cabbagehead is NOT a Ash supporter. Just realistic.

 

[RU Cheese]

fuxk-- can you guys ever stop--the same old bs for the last month--over and over again-ash sucks, hobb sucks ,ru sucks, we were 1-11, i'm not renewing, i'll show them--a broken record--even a two year old takes a nap--there's no new message/info in your posts

Can you ever stop? Every post you make, including multiple ones in this thread, is the same whining about everyone else’s posts. It’s incredibly hypocritical.