OT: Aiden Gibson picks Pedd State

Kbe4

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Nov 25, 2025
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Another case of Rutgers losing out to its big neighbor with the bigger stadium.
RU has also lost three quality New Jersey seniors to PSU as well....Carter Blatner, DE, Northern Highlands ( I really wanted this guy), Jonathan Galette, S, St. Joe's(Mont.), and Ka'Ron Ceaser, CB, Winslow.
If , as some of my pals claim, coaching is 90% recruiting...then the beat goes on. I'll forever bemoan last year's loss to the Nittany Lions.
 
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Kbe4

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Nov 25, 2025
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Hasn't that been going on for 50+ years? Franco Harris ad Lydell Mitchell come to mind. But RB is one position (and perhaps DB) where Rutgers seems to do all right.
Actually, Harris and Mitchell were recruits back when Rutgers wasn't yet trying to compete with the Big Boys in a Big Time conference and in a Big Time stadium with a Big Time budget. So RU had way less to offer recruits back then. But yeah....it's been going on forever.
But I always thought that it had to stop...or at least be curtailed...for Rutgers to compete with the top teams in the country. I still do. Anyone who thinks a second Indiana-type experience will happen anytime soon is being ridiculous.
Certainly if they're expecting it here in Piscataway.
One of the few things less impressive than Rutgers head football coaches here has been Rutgers choices in the hiring of head football coaches. There's a reason only one of our head coaches has parlayed his work here into an NFL head coaching job.
 

RUTGERS95

Heisman
Sep 28, 2005
32,257
46,863
113
given the changes to recruiting, I place more emphasis on the portal and older/more developed kids
 
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Anon1751457139

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Jul 2, 2025
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50 years of absolute futility. Penn State has been outrecruiting Rutgers for New Jersey players since the disco days. We have never had a football coach who knew how to do it.
 

rc1980

Redshirt
Aug 10, 2025
27
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Never count on nj hs football players to help Rutgers. In Schiano v1 if coach only went after nj athletes 2006 never would have happened and we would be in the AAC if we were lucky!
 

RU#1fan

Heisman
Mar 7, 2003
23,661
12,371
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Another case of Rutgers losing out to its big neighbor with the bigger stadium.
RU has also lost three quality New Jersey seniors to PSU as well....Carter Blatner, DE, Northern Highlands ( I really wanted this guy), Jonathan Galette, S, St. Joe's(Mont.), and Ka'Ron Ceaser, CB, Winslow.
If , as some of my pals claim, coaching is 90% recruiting...then the beat goes on. I'll forever bemoan last year's loss to the Nittany Lions.
But wait Schiano is a great recruiter in the state of NJ.
He has been getting his clock cleaned here for the last 4 years.
 
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Kbe4

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Nov 25, 2025
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50 years of absolute futility. Penn State has been outrecruiting Rutgers for New Jersey players since the disco days. We have never had a football coach who knew how to do it.
Did you ever think that's because it's an impossible task ?
 

Kbe4

Senior
Nov 25, 2025
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Never count on nj hs football players to help Rutgers. In Schiano v1 if coach only went after nj athletes 2006 never would have happened and we would be in the AAC if we were lucky!
No one is saying anyone should only go after nj athletes. I think that many think that it shoud be a significant area of focus.
 
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Jun 7, 2001
36,130
43,495
113
Another case of Rutgers losing out to its big neighbor with the bigger stadium.
RU has also lost three quality New Jersey seniors to PSU as well....Carter Blatner, DE, Northern Highlands ( I really wanted this guy), Jonathan Galette, S, St. Joe's(Mont.), and Ka'Ron Ceaser, CB, Winslow.
If , as some of my pals claim, coaching is 90% recruiting...then the beat goes on. I'll forever bemoan last year's loss to the Nittany Lions.

Penn State is writing bigger checks than we are. It’s as simple as that.
 

RU#1fan

Heisman
Mar 7, 2003
23,661
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No one is saying anyone should only go after nj athletes. I think that many think that it shoud be a significant area of focus.
Rutgers did not get one player of the NJ Top 20 recruits in the 2026 class. So far we have zero in 2027. In addition to the Bluebloods picking off the best players in NJ even Sara is getting some of the top 20. Nobody thinks we should get multiple top recruits in the state but getting shutout is ridiculous.
 

MADHAT1

Heisman
Apr 1, 2003
31,545
16,366
113
When I think of reasons why NJ Talent go to the Nits instead of the Knights ,
1) the PSU program has the local NJ media supporting it more than it does Rutgers
and some might feel its coverage of Rutgers is more negative than the articles put out about Penn St.
2) The fan support in Happy Valley makes recruits think the Nittany Lions can do no wrong and are a championship program
In New Jersey the fanbase interacting with them have doubts about their own program and are hopping that recruit can help fix it so Rutgers can have winning seasons , but the program being championship material is not the case..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but please state the reason why you disagree with my assessment .
 
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newell138

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
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If you have that choice why wouldn’t you pick PSU unless it’s about wanting to play early
 

Caliknight

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Sep 21, 2001
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It will only change when we get a coach with real stain. Seeing your coach yell at you because you didn't hand the ball back to the referee properly isn't really cool. In fact, it's lame.
 
Apr 8, 2002
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Rutgers did not get one player of the NJ Top 20 recruits in the 2026 class. So far we have zero in 2027. In addition to the Bluebloods picking off the best players in NJ even Sara is getting some of the top 20. Nobody thinks we should get multiple top recruits in the state but getting shutout is ridiculous.
How much success have NJ recruits had over the last decade? While I was coaching, I watched and listened to NJ kids think they were too good for Rutgers and wanted to experience "Big Time" programs. Most went and experienced it from the bench. Schiano has his faults, but one thing he has been good at identifying is the mindset of NJ kids. Most are front-runners who will quit when things go south. Recruiting budgets are not unlimited, so you have to understand what and who you can recruit to help you. I still think there is plenty of talent in NJ, but most aren't willing to put the work in to reach their peak. That's why Rutgers hasn't returned the favor of offering local kids just to stoke their egos.
 

RU#1fan

Heisman
Mar 7, 2003
23,661
12,371
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How much success have NJ recruits had over the last decade? While I was coaching, I watched and listened to NJ kids think they were too good for Rutgers and wanted to experience "Big Time" programs. Most went and experienced it from the bench. Schiano has his faults, but one thing he has been good at identifying is the mindset of NJ kids. Most are front-runners who will quit when things go south. Recruiting budgets are not unlimited, so you have to understand what and who you can recruit to help you. I still think there is plenty of talent in NJ, but most aren't willing to put the work in to reach their peak. That's why Rutgers hasn't returned the favor of offering local kids just to stoke their egos.
Isn’t that true with the most talented players from all areas ?
ND, Michigan, OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, etc. are all getting the talented NJ players.
 

Caliknight

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Sep 21, 2001
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disagree, d1, NFL draft, and rosters say otherwise

that said, going after HS kids is not going to yield the results we need in this era. we need to get older and more developed kids
Slightly dated but Maryland is producing more NFL talent

 
Feb 11, 2026
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Isn’t that true with the most talented players from all areas ?
ND, Michigan, OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, etc. are all getting the talented NJ players.

Slightly dated but Maryland is producing more NFL talent

You mean Baltimore lol
 
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ruvsi

Sophomore
Dec 31, 2007
327
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Top NJ players not even considering RU is disturbing. Did Schiano burn bridges with BC, Bosco, St. Joes, St. Peters, DePaul?
 
Jun 7, 2001
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When I think of reasons why NJ Talent go to the Nits instead of the Knights ,
1) the PSU program has the local NJ media supporting it more than it does Rutgers
and some might feel its coverage of Rutgers is more negative than the articles put out about Penn St.
2) The fan support in Happy Valley makes recruits think the Nittany Lions can do no wrong and are a championship program
In New Jersey the fanbase interacting with them have doubts about their own program and are hopping that recruit can help fix it so Rutgers can have winning seasons , but the program being championship material is not the case..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but please state the reason why you disagree with my assessment .

Penn State has been strongly investing in successful football for generations. That is why they have a stronger value proposition.