7 reasons for Keeping Pikiell

[NickKnight 1]

We have won some games lately and the Pikiell
haters have gone away ( for a while). So to get ahead of the game, I have prepared a list of
Seven reasons to keep him.
Coaches after Tom Young (1973 to 1985)
1. Craig Littlepage
2. Bob Wenzel
3. Kevin Bannon
4. Gary Waters
5. Fred Hill.
6. Mike Rice Jr
7. Eddie Jordan

 

[RUsojo]

Pike can certainly succeed with a path of getting a couple good classes in a row using them to make an early round tourney run then struggle when they graduate and use playing time to get good but not great recruits and do the same cycle again

A lot of schools do that model

 

[rubjk]

Pike can certainly succeed with a path of getting a couple good classes in a row using them to make an early round tourney run then struggle when they graduate and use playing time to get good but not great recruits and do the same cycle again

A lot of schools do that model

And now you also have the portal which can shorten the rebuilds.

 

[NickKnight 1]

And now you also have the portal which can shorten the rebuilds.

Or it can work against you as well.

 

[rtabachk]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Harper next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

 

[knight82]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Baker next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

Have to hit a home run in the portal. Didn't do well there last year because of all the returning players and guys want to transfer somewhere they know they are going to get major playing time

 

[NickKnight 1]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Baker next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

It is easy to say poor recruiting. The kids out there want to go to the best. Not "what's a Rutgers."
So far it has not been an easy fix. So Pike has to show some more winning and stability.
37 years have gone by since Young, that is a lot of futility.

 

[rtabachk]

It is easy to say poor recruiting. The kids out there want to go to the best. Not "what's a Rutgers."
So far it has not been an easy fix. So Pike has to show some more winning and stability.

This is not your father's Rutgers. We are actually a competitive team and have been to the NCAA tournament. Recruiting should not be more difficult now, than it was under Fred Hill or Mike Rice. Also a brand new practice facility. A lot more to sell now.

 

[BigRnj]

SMH on the thought behind the OP, only idiots with a need for instant gratification would consider canning Pike. Regardless of how this season unfolds. Were any of the anti-Pike folks fans for more than 3 or 4 years?

 

[NickKnight 1]

This is not your father's Rutgers. We are actually a competitive team and have been to the NCAA tournament. Recruiting should not be more difficult now, than it was under Fred Hill or Mike Rice. Also a brand new practice facility. A lot more to sell now.

That's what I am saying, keep Pike he is the
one that got us the two tournaments.

 

[rtabachk]

That's what I am saying, keep Pike he is the
one that got us the two tournaments.

For now yes but next year and the really the next few years unless we hit the lottery with the portal, we are going to struggle. Will Pike survive two sub .500 years? Maybe...maybe not if the future isn't bright and recruiting isn't fixed.

I would hope that this is not the peak of RU basketball. I'd hope for more.

 

[RW90]

Pike has been a miracle worker when compared to our past regimes going back to Wenzel. That said, there is no denying we have room for improvement on the recruiting front. And by no means are these mutually exclusive statements.

 

[MadRU]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Baker next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

Can’t believe we are losing both Geo and Baker.

 

[knight82]

Can’t believe we are losing both Geo and Baker.

Actually if you lose one you are definitely going to lose the other

 

[RW90]

Actually if you lose one you are definitely going to lose the other

They are rather tight. One might say they're almost joined at the hip.

 

[rtabachk]

Can’t believe we are losing both Geo and Baker.

You know what I mean. When they graduate we lose arguably our two most potent scoring threats. Who fills in that gap?

 

[RUInsanityToo]

You know what I mean. When they graduate we lose arguably our two most potent scoring threats. Who fills in that gap?

I would guess that we would really only lose like 1/2 of each.

 

[Perricone7]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Baker next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

Don't necessarily disagree, but there is an avenue to success. It's on Pike to land one major transfer. If he can do that, I can get behind a core of Omoruyi, Caleb, Paul, Mag, Hyatt, and Reiber.

 

[RUenvsci]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Baker next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

Jones is likely transferring? Only he would know that… there will be lots of playing time for him to compete for next year.

 

[eddynyse_anon]

Instead of talking about keeping him (like there is a better option) we should be talking about the salary increase him and his staff should get for all of the success and competitive games we have had.

Anyway, I really like Pikiell philosophy on defense, much easier to find and coach talent than just a complete focus on scoring. Reminds me of University of Virginia and coach Bennett's philosophy (lots of success because of it). I also think the focus on defense makes sense in the B10. Plus we really can't complain too much, the guy got us into the tournament in 2020 and 2021 after waiting over 30 years to make it back.

Again, feels a bit ridiculous to talk about why we should keep him like we have a better option.

 

[BillyC80]

You know what I mean. When they graduate we lose arguably our two most potent scoring threats. Who fills in that gap?

Geo is gonna be tough to replace, but Baker is very inconsistent.

 

[rtabachk]

I would guess that we would really only lose like 1/2 of each.

1/2 of each and then 1/2 of both Ron and Harper.

 

[S.W.A.I.N]

He's done great to date. Future not so bright given poor recruiting lately and we're losing Geo and Harper next year. Who do we have that's going to replace them? Jones is likely transferring after this season. Mawat Mag going to put up 30pts next year?

And by “likely” you mean a total assumption with no basis in fact, right? Hyatt can certainly step in to fill some scoring needs.

 

[superfan01]

Why the hate for Gary waters? Sheesh. Good coach.

 

[KnightTerrors]

You know what I mean. When they graduate we lose arguably our two most potent scoring threats. Who fills in that gap?

Graduating top scorers is the norm in college basketball. That being said Pike needs to have success in the portal this off-season.

 

[NickKnight 1]

Why the hate for Gary waters? Sheesh. Good coach.

I don't see any hate for Gary.
As a mater of fact I don't see hate for any
coach.