The Lack of Coverage Allowed by Schiano is Wild

[PSAL_Hoops]

Rutgers doesn't have the resources to get to that level that you want, the ceiling is eight wins, not the floor. Six wins and going to bowl games, with a random season of 8 wins every once in a while is probably about the best you'll do until serious money comes into the program.

Maybe - but the biggest criticism in front of Greg right now has nothing to do with money. He didn’t go bowling last season because his defense ranked 119th out of 138 (19th worst of all FBS teams). That’s hard to do as a power conference team - regardless of our peer resource gap. If we ranked 75th nationally instead of 19th worst, we absolutely would’ve won more games. We started 10-0 vs Washington and 14-0 vs Minnesota. Our defense collapsed game after game. Coaching was horrendous. It wasn’t that we suddenly couldn’t afford to be a middle of the pack defense.

In my view - showing real progress on defense is a major hurdle he must overcome this year after that debacle. Given how late in the cycle we hired someone, the paper talent doesn’t seem that different from last year which is why the concern is there. But look, maybe Johansen can work a miracle.

Let me add - while many fans are still frustrated by calls like “Ice the Kicker” that directly led to negative game outcomes, I do believe most would move on from that IF we addressed the defense and had a decent season this year (at least on a short term horizon - meaning most would want to see what Johansen could do with another year. You wouldn’t have many fans calling for his head in that case). If we’re awful again on defense, and win only 4 games that’d be a disaster with Raymond and Duff likely heading out the door. Would not be a good outlook ahead for 2027 in that situation.

 

[Anon1751565407]

They’re installing hundreds of blitz packages no doubt.Not sure how many true running QB’s there are on the schedule but you have to be able to sack and hurry the stationary QB’s.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Maryland and MSU are not very good, Wisconsin at that point might be in turmoil and their QB sounds like he might not be all that.

agree on MSU who we should smoke as they've lost a ton of production and depth isn't great. Wisconsin too is very winnable. MD makes me nervous because they are loaded with athletes that seem to make plays in batches and it's on the road. We need to see how we are playing before calling that game from my perspective. The other two as said, should absolutely be wins

 

[Shelby65]

As I've said on The Round Table, people won't want to hear this, but I don't see a realistic (key word here) candidate out there that can do a better job than Schiano given what Rutgers has resources wise.

False and the favorite excuse of Schiano apologists. No program ever knows if the next guy will do better than the fired guy but all the others know it’s worth trying once the the failures of the current HC are proved.

And if the next hire isn’t better, fire him too. That’s what schools that aspire to winning do.

Does anyone think he’ll go on an unprecedented conference win streak and get to 35% ?

The game show Lets Make A Deal: if there’s a goat behind the door the contestant picks first, he trades for an another door. Nothing to lose. Rutgers is happy with a goat. A goat who’s got nothing left to say except the stale and lame “Keep Choppin”!

 

[Ru-baby]

KC having them practice the qb run up to the line as if a play was being changed that results in 98% straight handoff?

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

He wasn’t until 2014, where then NJ.com reporter Dan Duggan wrote down every play by play of a scrimmage and published it in an article.

Add in working for Urban Meyer, who does a similar practice and you have what you have today. However I will say though, there’s more college programs out there that cut off media access from practice than you think.

Minnesota is only giving three practices to media, WVU is entirely closed to media, and only had two media sessions so far. The list goes on and on.

At least Cali stopped referencing NFL teams in his annual whine.

 

[kupuna133]

agree on MSU who we should smoke as they've lost a ton of production and depth isn't great. Wisconsin too is very winnable. MD makes me nervous because they are loaded with athletes that seem to make plays in batches and it's on the road. We need to see how we are playing before calling that game from my perspective. The other two as said, should absolutely be wins

3 gimmes 3 coaches on the hot seat and 3 first year coaches at their school. If you can’t find 7 wins in those 9 games I don’t know what to tell ya.

 

[Shelby65]

KC having them practice the qb run up to the line as if a play was being changed that results in 98% straight handoff?

Except this year it will be 97%, a brilliant playbook change which is why practices are closed. Can’t have the opponents expect that total offense overhaul. Genius!

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

Not Richie’s fault. I’m sure he would like to have actual real football content here. Look at this board. There is nothing to talk about because Schiano treats the program like Fort Knox.

I’m goong to give whoever we play first game a big tip that may lead them to a win. We will fair catch the first kick and punt.

The free board was always dead and filled with useless topics even in the best of times. You were paying a sub for a reason until you had your hissy fit or whatever it was and canceled. Pay side has plenty of threads and discussions.

 

[Shelby65]

3 gimmes 3 coaches on the hot seat and 3 first year coaches at their school. If you can’t find 7 wins in those 9 games I don’t know what to tell ya.

I can tell ya. Rutgers is the gimme for half the opponents this year. That’s where your math fails, unfortunately.

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

Rutgers doesn't have the resources to get to that level that you want, the ceiling is eight wins, not the floor. Six wins and going to bowl games, with a random season of 8 wins every once in a while is probably about the best you'll do until serious money comes into the program.

And herein lies the problem with the fanbase, they don't understand where Rutgers sits in the hierarchy due to no whales and only a small cluster of significant donors. Zinn needs to triple the current fundraising to have a chance of getting there.

 

[Shelby65]

He has a crazy big buyout and right now the over / under 4.5 wins. Like all the other coaches, he would get another season to turn it around. If he strikes out in 2026 and again in 2027, that would likely be it if I had to guess.

define strikes out. is the last B1G bowl slot one year and 5 wins the other year your strikes out threshold ?

 

[Shelby65]

Rutgers doesn't have the resources to get to that level that you want, the ceiling is eight wins, not the floor. Six wins and going to bowl games, with a random season of 8 wins every once in a while is probably about the best you'll do until serious money comes into the program.

reasonable, but the ‘every once in a while’ ship left port already.

 

[Richie O]

define strikes out. is the last B1G bowl slot one year and 5 wins the other year your strikes out threshold ?

Four wins - His seat is hot in 2027
Five wins - he's safe
Six wins or more - he's here for the long haul

 

[Shelby65]

Four wins - His seat is hot in 2027
Five wins - he's safe
Six wins or more - he's here for the long haul

I meant over 2 years. What if 4 this year and 5 next ? Still the HC in 2028 ? 4 this year would likely mean 1-8 in conference.

Only a fraud program keeps a 1-8 HC with what would be at most a 25% conf win pct if that were to happen.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

3 gimmes 3 coaches on the hot seat and 3 first year coaches at their school. If you can’t find 7 wins in those 9 games I don’t know what to tell ya.

Those teams are still loaded with talent. Vegas clearly thinks 4 or 5 wins is the most likely outcome.

 

[MrsScrew]

Not Richie’s fault. I’m sure he would like to have actual real football content here. Look at this board. There is nothing to talk about because Schiano treats the program like Fort Knox.

Please, let's remember while we all like Richie , he also was the Rivals reporter for psu for awhile & was banned from practices by Ash? Schiano? for that specific reason. (And yes I know there were other writers at Rivals /On 3)


Meanwhile ,in Colorado

 

[Anon1751565407]

Jerry Sandusky is available, is a solid defensive mind in the mold of Matt Millen and certainly enjoys working with kids.

 

[kupuna133]

Those teams are still loaded with talent. Vegas clearly thinks 4 or 5 wins is the most likely outcome.

Loaded? Guess your definition of loaded is different than most. BC, Michigan state, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Nebraska,Maryland are hardly “loaded” with talent.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Loaded? Guess your definition of loaded is different than most. BC, Michigan state, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Nebraska,Maryland are hardly “loaded” with talent.

Northwestern has talent. Michigan has a new coach but very talented too. Wisconsin and Nebraska are beatable but we’re still not going to be favored on paper. They have more talent than us overall. On paper we’ll probably only be favored to beat Michigan State, Maryland and BC from the group above, but 2 of them are on the road so those games will be close to even money. I’m not saying there aren’t 7 games on the schedule that we “could” win, but will we? We would have to win at least 2 games we’re not expected to get to 7.

 

[kupuna133]

Northwestern has talent. Michigan has a new coach but very talented too. Wisconsin and Nebraska are beatable but we’re still not going to be favored on paper. They have more talent than us overall. On paper we’ll probably only be favored to beat Michigan State, Maryland and BC from the group above, but 2 of them are on the road so those games will be close to even money. I’m not saying there aren’t 7 games on the schedule that we “could” win, but will we? We would have to win at least 2 games we’re not expected to get to 7.

We are in agreement. There are 7 games that should be won. The roster on 6-7 of the teams mentioned are not significantly different than ours. That’s where it will come down to coaching. 3 coaches on hot seat. 3 new coaches. We should not be swept rather we should win 2/3. Thats why I don’t agree with your “loaded” comment. Very few teams on the schedule this year have “loaded” rosters.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Loaded? Guess your definition of loaded is different than most. BC, Michigan state, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Nebraska,Maryland are hardly “loaded” with talent.

disagree on MD, they absolutely have more athletes and players than us. They just lost two guys that are better than our #1s for instance. NW also has more talent than us but we're closer. agree on the rest

 

[kupuna133]

disagree on MD, they absolutely have more athletes and players than us. They just lost two guys that are better than our #1s for instance. NW also has more talent than us but we're closer. agree on the rest

There’s a difference between marginally more talented and loaded. Maryland has always had athletes under locksley. Locksley just has a way of neutralizing that advantage (hot seat). NW has talent but nothing that jumps off the page.

 

[Richie O]

I meant over 2 years. What if 4 this year and 5 next ? Still the HC in 2028 ? 4 this year would likely mean 1-8 in conference.

Only a fraud program keeps a 1-8 HC with what would be at most a 25% conf win pct if that were to happen.

Good question, I'd say probably, but hard to say depends on how the losses are in 2027. Are they blowouts? Or are the competitive?

 

[Richie O]

Please, let's remember while we all like Richie , he also was the Rivals reporter for psu for awhile & was banned from practices by Ash? Schiano? for that specific reason. (And yes I know there were other writers at Rivals /On 3)


Meanwhile ,in Colorado

Hold up just one minute! I was never banned from practices, we've always had practice access for this site under my watch. Yes I ran the PSU site for Rivals, but I was just the figurehead running the show behind the scenes, I wasn't the on the ground reporter or anything like that. The Rutgers site has always been my main priority, as that's home for me .

 

[RUTGERS95]

There’s a difference between marginally more talented and loaded. Maryland has always had athletes under locksley. Locksley just has a way of neutralizing that advantage (hot seat). NW has talent but nothing that jumps off the page.

I agree completely and he's their achilles heel, akin to Greg only worse (hard to imagine I know)

'I forgot I had Joe back'....GS

 

[RUTGERS95]

Hold up just one minute! I was never banned from practices, we've always had practice access for this site under my watch. Yes I ran the PSU site for Rivals, but I was just the figurehead running the show behind the scenes, I wasn't the on the ground reporter or anything like that. The Rutgers site has always been my main priority, as that's home for me .

my wife is a PSU alum, we all touch the dark side at one time or another

lol

 

[Richie O]

my wife is a PSU alum, we all touch the dark side at one time or another

lol

My grandfather was from PA and grew up a PSU fan, but my family all being Rutgers people, converted him over to the Scarlet Knights and he loved going to the games.

 

[RUTGERS95]

My grandfather was from PA and grew up a PSU fan, but my family all being Rutgers people, converted him over to the Scarlet Knights and he loved going to the games.

growing in PA it's hard not to be a PSU fan unless you're from Western PA. I get it....

I also get the allure for HS kids and my son looked at them but I wouldn't pay that oos tuition for that degree and that culture.

I hate the school so much, almost as much as Fredo and slightly more than Sarah so that's saying something. If a meteor blew that place up, I'd pay for the board to take a cruise and have one giant party.

 

[Caliknight]

Ton to talk about on The Round Table side of things fwiw.

If you need to go to a pay site to get intel on a Big Ten football program, it’s making the issue even more glaring.

 

[DHajekRC1984]

And this is why I only went to one game last season, and that was mostly to hang out with old college buddies. This program is hopeless.

I hadn't missed a home game (cept a couple here and there) over 46 seasons going back to frosh year 1977. About e years ago I just started to feel the same way and then I missed a couple each year and this year have already tossed a couple with at least 1 and maybe 2 more pending . So that would make it going to only as few as 3 and as many as 5 of the 7 this year. I guess that makes my over/under 4 lol. Such a shame.

 

[DHajekRC1984]

Hold up just one minute! I was never banned from practices, we've always had practice access for this site under my watch. Yes I ran the PSU site for Rivals, but I was just the figurehead running the show behind the scenes, I wasn't the on the ground reporter or anything like that. The Rutgers site has always been my main priority, as that's home for me .

I don't think that was a shot at you..... just a note to highlight the sensitivity.
And sorry for all the "sad" replies.... that wasn't your fault either... just what you were saying was making me feel so .... over and over and over so I stopped lol.

 

[e5fdny]

growing in PA it's hard not to be a PSU fan unless you're from Western PA. I get it....

I also get the allure for HS kids and my son looked at them, but I wouldn't pay that oos tuition for that degree and that culture.

I hate the school so much, almost as much as Fredo and slightly more than Sarah so that's saying something. If a meteor blew that place up, I'd pay for the board to take a cruise and have one giant party.

I understand it too. Have family in PA who are State Penn alums, nice folks.

As for the hate, that I also get...especially after the "win with honor" illusion was proved to be a lie.

But for BCU and Sarah...they are more of an afterthought than anything else. Don't even care...

 

[Anon1754923206]

Northwestern has talent. Michigan has a new coach but very talented too. Wisconsin and Nebraska are beatable but we’re still not going to be favored on paper. They have more talent than us overall. On paper we’ll probably only be favored to beat Michigan State, Maryland and BC from the group above, but 2 of them are on the road so those games will be close to even money. I’m not saying there aren’t 7 games on the schedule that we “could” win, but will we? We would have to win at least 2 games we’re not expected to get to 7.

Will this make you feel better if we get boatraced by these clearly mediocre teams compared to the top of the conference? Our schedule is very conducive to 4-6 conference wins. Anything less than 4 should be grounds for a new coach…period.

 

[RU from Jersey_rivals]

Sounds like desperation to me from Schiano's perspective. I can't see a relatively new AD allowing for this coach to return with a 4 win season under his belt after 7 years.

 

[e5fdny]

Will this make you feel better if we get boat raced by these clearly mediocre teams compared to the top of the conference? Our schedule is very conducive to 4-6 conference wins. Anything less than 4 should be grounds for a new coach…period.

And that's why IMO the bolded below won't matter anymore...

Good question, I'd say probably, but hard to say depends on how the losses are in 2027. Are they blowouts? Or are the competitive?

A close loss is still a loss.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

disagree on MD, they absolutely have more athletes and players than us. They just lost two guys that are better than our #1s for instance. NW also has more talent than us but we're closer. agree on the rest

That and he left out Michigan who was the first team that came to mind in my “loaded” comment. PSU too. Just because they have a new coach does not make that a game we “should” win. It’s not impossible but would still be a pretty big upset.

 

[T2Kplus20]

I hadn't missed a home game (cept a couple here and there) over 46 seasons going back to frosh year 1977. About e years ago I just started to feel the same way and then I missed a couple each year and this year have already tossed a couple with at least 1 and maybe 2 more pending . So that would make it going to only as few as 3 and as many as 5 of the 7 this year. I guess that makes my over/under 4 lol. Such a shame.

+1
Sports are supposed to be enjoyable. How is watching this program fun in any way?

 

[Shelby65]

Good question, I'd say probably, but hard to say depends on how the losses are in 2027. Are they blowouts? Or are the competitive?

It’s hard to argue that this year 4-8 (1-8 conf) in year 7 merits keeping the job no matter how close the games. The guy’s conference record is nothing short of abysmal and if he goes 4-8 he should be fired the day after the season ends, else the RU doesn’t belong in the conference. Simple as that.

 

[Shelby65]

growing in PA it's hard not to be a PSU fan unless you're from Western PA. I get it....

I also get the allure for HS kids and my son looked at them but I wouldn't pay that oos tuition for that degree and that culture.

I hate the school so much, almost as much as Fredo and slightly more than Sarah so that's saying something. If a meteor blew that place up, I'd pay for the board to take a cruise and have one giant party.

It’s a solid degree. Shelby agrees it’s not worth the oos tuition compared to in state RU but no less worth it compared to most other state schools.

And it’s a two way street: RU is not worth the oos tuition for Pennsylvania students. College Rankings aren’t statistics. They are arbitrarily weighted measures of many different statistics. Lucky for RU, the current weighting model benefitted RU in a big way but it by no means suggests RU offers a better education than it did before. And by the same token it also doesn’t mean that schools ranked higher than RU now or in the past provide better education than RU.