Minnesota

[MCKnight]

Predicted bottom 4 of Big Ten, is now One of the last undefeated teams in the country at 7-0 with wins over Miss St, Pitt, Western Kentucky and Princeton. Nothing jaw dropping, but solid wins with a first year head coach Ben Johnson, former Xavier and Minn Assistant. But most noteworthy is he is doing it with 3 mid/low majorTRANSFERS.

Jameson Battle from GW
EJ Stephens from Lafayette
Luke Loewe from William and Mary

All starters And all taking lot of shots.


Just Showing it can and needs to be done via the transfer portal if you want to see immediate success in a bounce back season. RU may be looking at a similar opportunity next season.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

Predicted bottom 4 of Big Ten, is now One of the last undefeated teams in the country at 7-0 with wins over Miss St, Pitt, Western Kentucky and Princeton. Nothing jaw dropping, but solid wins with a first year head coach Ben Johnson, former Xavier and Minn Assistant. But most noteworthy is he is doing it with 3 mid/low majorTRANSFERS.

Jameson Battle from GW
EJ Stephens from Lafayette
Luke Loewe from William and Mary

All starters And all taking lot of shots.


Just Showing it can and needs to be done via the transfer portal if you want to see immediate success in a bounce back season. RU may be looking at a similar opportunity next season.

And you think Mr I won’t take anyone who asks about playing time will seize that opportunity?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

And you think Mr I won’t take anyone who asks about playing time will seize that opportunity?

I think Pikiell knows what he is doing. The results speak for themselves.

 

[kcg88]

I think Pikiell knows what he is doing. The results speak for themselves.

These sentences are incongruous this season.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

These sentences are incongruous this season.

His career here is more than 9 games. It is amazing people are so short sighted. What he has accomplished here is short of miraculous

 

[TDIrish27]

His career here is more than 9 games. It is amazing people are so short sighted. What he has accomplished here is short of miraculous

Agreed

Coach P has done an excellent job here at Rutgers.

Unfortunately we are in the era of " What have you done for me in the last 72 hours " and that's a shame.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

I think Pikiell knows what he is doing. The results speak for themselves.

My sarcasm meter is down. You’re not referring to this season, right?

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

Yes, what he has done here is truly amazing. However, the recruiting red flags have been there since right after Cliff committed. That’s 1.5 years now. It was masked by recent success and everyone (especially Pike) thought we would be focusing on a “bubble type” season this year. Last year’s recruiting class was abysmal and this year’s appear to be worse. This is almost hard to do when coming off our two best back to back seasons in 30 years. Something is very wrong with this program right now. Pike has certainly earned some good will in bringing us out of the depths of Jordan hell, but we could be looking at a last place finish with borderline D1 recruits coming in. If we are having this same discussion a year from now, he won’t be long here.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

Yes, what he has done here is truly amazing. However, the recruiting red flags have been there since right after Cliff committed. That’s 1.5 years now. It was masked by recent success and everyone (especially Pike) thought we would be focusing on a “bubble type” season this year. Last year’s recruiting class was abysmal and this year’s appear to be worse. This is almost hard to do when coming off our two best back to back seasons in 30 years. Something is very wrong with this program right now. Pike has certainly earned some good will in bringing us out of the depths of Jordan hell, but we could be looking at a last place finish with borderline D1 recruits coming in. If we are having this same discussion a year from now, he won’t be long here.

If things don’t go well this year we can expect to see changes for sure - at least one or all assistants will go. Hobbs (Pat) may also tell him he needs to start recruiting like normal schools do from the portal.

 

[zappaa]

His career here is more than 9 games. It is amazing people are so short sighted. What he has accomplished here is short of miraculous

Greenie,
We’re in a world of hurt this year and several years to come

 

[bethlehemfan]

Greenie,
We’re in a world of hurt this year and several years to come

Zap He’s demonstrated what he can do here and he’s done things here nobody has ever done. Not even close frankly. We get off to a bad start in what may be a rebuild post the Geo Harper era. Do you think that rutgers should be just reloading at this point and it’s time to move on or are you just explaining why people are losing their minds.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

Zap He’s demonstrated what he can do here and he’s done things here nobody has ever done. Not even close frankly. We get off to a bad start in what may be a rebuild post the Geo Harper era. Do you think that rutgers should be just reloading at this point and it’s time to move on or are you just explaining why people are losing their minds.

Not zap but there’s no excuse from being a tourney team to a completely inept one. And recruiting should be better considering the last two years. In fact, it’s gotten worse.

 

[zappaa]

Zap He’s demonstrated what he can do here and he’s done things here nobody has ever done. Not even close frankly. We get off to a bad start in what may be a rebuild post the Geo Harper era. Do you think that rutgers should be just reloading at this point and it’s time to move on or are you just explaining why people are losing their minds.

I’m concerned by the gross over-evaluation of his team that had nothing to do with coach speak.
I’ve never called for his firing and don’t think we should move on from Pike.
However, he needs to recruit better and he should NOT have obvious low D-1 and D-3 players on scholarship….these aren’t just recruiting misses, these are huge wiffs that render you non-competitive

 

[bethlehemfan]

Not zap but there’s no excuse from being a tourney team to a completely inept one. And recruiting should be better considering the last two years. In fact, it’s gotten worse.

I think a program like rutgers is going to struggle to recruit when there is not a clear line of sight to playing time.

 

[bethlehemfan]

I’m concerned by the gross over-evaluation of his team that had nothing to do with coach speak.
I’ve never called for his firing and don’t think we should move on from Pike.
However, he needs to recruit better and he should NOT have obvious low D-1 and D-3 players on scholarship….these aren’t just recruiting misses, these are huge wiffs that render you non-competitive I personally believe there is more to unpack in his comments than just a poor evaluation.

Thanks I personally believe there is more to unpack with respect to his comments than a mis evaluation.

 

[zappaa]

I think a program like rutgers is going to struggle to recruit when there is not a clear line of sight to playing time.

?
Good players play and contribute immediately.
Just heard Coach K say, you probably won’t compete without true freshman stepping in and contributing.
getting playing time here is not difficult? All you need is a little talent

 

[zappaa]

Thanks I personally believe there is more to unpack with respect to his comments than a mis evaluation.

Like what?
I’ve been around big time sports for 60 years.
No coach has ever done what he did, creating expectations like he did was absurd

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

I’d listen to the man.
BTW, zap, I was very happy about Gil Hodges getting to the HOF yesterday. Your thoughts?

 

[zappaa]

I’d listen to the man.
BTW, zap, I was very happy about Gil Hodges getting to the HOF yesterday. Your thoughts?

Just posted my thoughts about Gil on the free board Lou

 

[bethlehemfan]

?
Good players play and contribute immediately.
Just heard Coach K say, you probably won’t compete without true freshman stepping in and contributing.
getting playing time here is not difficult? All you need is a little talent

We aren’t duke.

 

[Scarlet Blind_rivals]

Minnesota has a very experienced 7 man rotation doing well in the non conference schedule part but as we have seen year after year in this conference, doesn't hold up in the grind of a 20 game schedule

 

[bethlehemfan]

Like what?
I’ve been around big time sports for 60 years.
No coach has ever done what he did, creating expectations like he did was absurd

I didn’t say it was correct. But I think there are other reasons that contributed. You apparently think he’s just clueless.

 

[RUSCFORMERLYRULOU]

I didn’t say it was correct. But I think there are other reasons that contributed. You apparently think he’s just clueless.

Empirically there’s no other conclusion

 

[bethlehemfan]

Empirically there’s no other conclusion

Apparently after a career of winning and doing things here no other coach was able to do ever he is simply clueless. You think that’s a good conclusion?

 

[willisneverrana43]

. . . Just Showing it can and needs to be done via the transfer portal if you want to see immediate success in a bounce back season. RU may be looking at a similar opportunity next season.

It's still recruiting, whether through the portal or out of HS. Just identifying one of the areas that players come from doesn't fix the problem. Figuring out how to get them to come, that'd be nice.

 

[RUonBrain]

I didn’t say it was correct. But I think there are other reasons that contributed. You apparently think he’s just clueless.

What other reasons?

 

[zappaa]

I didn’t say it was correct. But I think there are other reasons that contributed. You apparently think he’s just clueless.

I think he definitely believed what he said, and even he thought it no coach should say it….
If you believe it was an attempt to motivate his players or something along those lines, tell them in confidence

 

[bitnez]

We would’ve been better off if Geo and Ron moved on. They clearly kept the program in neutral during the off-season, and likely scared away portal players who wanted to play. And, this mix (with Geo and Ron) is not working.

Now if Pike strikes out on the portal after this season I will have major concerns.

 

[kcg88]

Minnesota has about three legitimate Big Ten players. The reason they're able to go on the road and beat a solid (not good but they're fine) team like Mississippi State is because Jamison Battle and Payton Willis are able to score 20+ points even when defenses know those are the guys to stop.

Battle has scored at least 13 points in every single game. Willis has scored at least 13 points in every game but one.

I would still bet that Rutgers finishes higher in the Big Ten standings, but it's closer than it has any right to be.

 

[zappaa]

By the way Beth, you keep saying I think Pike is clueless, I never said that.
I’m saying I’ve never heard a coach talk up his team like that without obvious big time talent in place for all to see

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Greenie,
We’re in a world of hurt this year and several years to come

We appear to be in a world of hurt this year.

I am confident in the future.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

My sarcasm meter is down. You’re not referring to this season, right?

More than your sarcasm meter is down. Your inability to process anything that isn’t in the short term is gone. Almost child like many on the board are crying because they are hungry or a toy is out of reach.

 

[FireBugOBJC]

Are we giving up on Geo? I'm not the biggest GB fan but doesn't him being out have something to do w the putrid play? I'm not saying he comes back and RU is a tournament team right away but he has to be an improvement, no??

 

[willisneverrana43]

Those who think that it wouldn't help to have Geo back have lost all sense.

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

I don’t think it does as much as others do. His main value right now is guard depth. He hasn’t been very good this year for the most part when he was there and doesn’t even look engaged to me. I wish we had the sophomore version of Geo back.

 

[S.W.A.I.N]

We appear to be in a world of hurt this year.

I am confident in the future.

Agreed. Not as if the cupboard is more bare now than when he took over from Eddie. He can turn this around more quickly than anyone we’ve ever had - because he’s already done it.

 

[bac2therac]

Zap He’s demonstrated what he can do here and he’s done things here nobody has ever done. Not even close frankly. We get off to a bad start in what may be a rebuild post the Geo Harper era. Do you think that rutgers should be just reloading at this point and it’s time to move on or are you just explaining why people are losing their minds.

its inexcusable to have to do a total rebuild again, what we have remaining going into next year really is only a bit better than what Jordan left Pike. We will have Jones and Cliff, Pike came in with Sanders and maybe Johnson/Williams

So many recruiting failures by Pike over the past few years and here we are.

I wouldnt want to fire Pike but the roster management and poor recruiting should make people lose their minds

 

[Joey Bacala]

Predicted bottom 4 of Big Ten, is now One of the last undefeated teams in the country at 7-0 with wins over Miss St, Pitt, Western Kentucky and Princeton. Nothing jaw dropping, but solid wins with a first year head coach Ben Johnson, former Xavier and Minn Assistant. But most noteworthy is he is doing it with 3 mid/low majorTRANSFERS.

Jameson Battle from GW
EJ Stephens from Lafayette
Luke Loewe from William and Mary

All starters And all taking lot of shots.


Just Showing it can and needs to be done via the transfer portal if you want to see immediate success in a bounce back season. RU may be looking at a similar opportunity next season.

Good thing Stephens transferred or Lafayette would have beaten us more easily.

 

[bac2therac]

Those who think that it wouldn't help to have Geo back have lost all sense.

did that help vs Lafayette or Lehigh....sure on paper the Geo we know he is capable of being would be a help but

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

its inexcusable to have to do a total rebuild again, what we have remaining going into next year really is only a bit better than what Jordan left Pike. We will have Jones and Cliff, Pike came in with Sanders and maybe Johnson/Williams

So many recruiting failures by Pike over the past few years and here we are.

I wouldnt want to fire Pike but the roster management and poor recruiting should make people lose their minds

Not a total rebuild. This is why I hate the notion of changing our primary defense. The foundation of this program is intact. The transfer portal will be needed to get 2 or 3 players playing starting minutes.

I don't want to really DIRECTLY state why we will be fine. Yes the newcomers have really disappointed me, but my biggest fear coming in to the season appears to be realized. It was for that reason I thought this really would be a transition season. Let's not forget the Pike program started to take off after our most talented players left the program.