When was the last time Rutgers’ defense was worse than what we saw this season? I’ve been a season ticket holder for 15 years and this was the worst defense I can remember.
Question for Long Time Fans
- Thread starter BRKnightsFan
- Start date
We lost 78-0 against Michigan with Chris Ash.
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Someone posted statistically its worse than Ash
The irony of it all is the stars aligned and we had a competent offense able to score points against B1G defenses - a senior QB with a decent arm /ability to throw downfield, great WRs, talented young RB, and an OL who did a decent job pass and run blocking. For a decade we watched Rutgers offenses incapable of scoring more than 10 points a game, developed from the stone age and so boring it was more exciting watching paint dry.
With this exciting offense, the Rutgers coaching staff combined it with a defense who could not stop a snail from walking uphill. Giving up explosive plays all over the place, unable to contain the edge on any running plays, a complete lack of responsibility covering a TE, players who appeared to be playing in quick sand and the tackling was worse then what we see watching pee wee football. This year made me hate Rutgers football. Please O Please ditch this Coaching Staff. When is Enough Enough. The fans deserve more then this garbage.
With this exciting offense, the Rutgers coaching staff combined it with a defense who could not stop a snail from walking uphill. Giving up explosive plays all over the place, unable to contain the edge on any running plays, a complete lack of responsibility covering a TE, players who appeared to be playing in quick sand and the tackling was worse then what we see watching pee wee football. This year made me hate Rutgers football. Please O Please ditch this Coaching Staff. When is Enough Enough. The fans deserve more then this garbage.
I took my family to WVU game in Morgantown. We were down 45-0 or something like that at halftime. wife said let’s go, two little kids I said let’s stay and see how it goes. Well we know. 36 year old daughter reminded me of that during this heartbreaker with her 4 year old on my lap. Current defense bad, competition at a different level though. What I still can’t figure out is it talent or coaching or combo of both? I know both.
Even if it is talent, who sourced the talent? The Coaching staff's responsibility is to find players and put them into a position to have some degree of success, as well as, develop the players. What we just witnessed week in and week out this season is the worst Rush defense in the country with zero accountability of stopping an outside rush. Even teams with similar or less talent (ie. both MAC opponents) were able to rush for 5-6 yards per carry. It's more coaching then talent.
It’s money now. We didn’t have money this year. It’s talent and coaching. You could see teams ran outside because they could outrun us. Faster teams. I’m not defending the coaching staff. It is more than coaching though.
Who's going to replace Greg? Any takers?
Most schools end up worse after parting with their HC. Not better. Wisconsin, UNC, Michigan, Washington, PSU, Alabama even come to mind.
I'm not saying we shouldn't move on from Greg. I'm saying the timing may not be there yet.
Most schools end up worse after parting with their HC. Not better. Wisconsin, UNC, Michigan, Washington, PSU, Alabama even come to mind.
I'm not saying we shouldn't move on from Greg. I'm saying the timing may not be there yet.
As stated even the MAC opponents ran outside for 5.3 yds./carry and over 6 yds./carry against this defense. Was that due to money? NIL money is a crutch for excusing a Coaching staff that put the players in a defensive system that resulted in failure, whether too complex, players out of position, missed assignments, etc. It was shocking to see how many opponent TEs this year would sneak off the line without a single defender either responsible for or completely blowing the coverage. How many plays did we see an offensive pass catcher downfield without a Rutgers defender within 20 yards of the player, including both MAC games? That's not due to inability to run faster than the pass catcher. That's either coaching (positioning) or eye discipline, both falling on the coaching staff to immediately fix. It never really got fixed.
Sorry. Concern that we're not getting anybody better then Schiano is Not a Reason to give up any expectations whatsoever and stick with a Coach whose ceiling is 5-7 Wins a year after 6 seasons. The sooner the band aid is ripped off the sooner the program can chart a new course, of which in the beginning may come with growing pains. Personally have a desire for Rutgers to every once in a while really contend with a 9-10 wins season. I desire more then what Schiano is capable of achieving. That's not happening under Schiano.
I was at the 80-7 beat down in ‘01 against WVU in Morgantown. Schiano’s first year. Absolute horrible defense. Even Terry Shea’s defenses were better.
I was a freshman during the infamous 0-11 season in 1997. The team which SI dubbed one of the top 25 worst American sports teams of all time (in any sport college or pro). They weren’t even this bad.
So who are we buying and with what money?
The "fire-Greg" camp acts like I don't want to see RU succeed. Of course I want to see RU become an elite program. But these programs don't just grow on trees. They're painstakingly curated with OCD level attention to detail. You need generational talent in coaching and athletes that every other school in the P4 wants. Who all, by the way, have more money to burn than RU.
Right now, getting another coach and buying Schiano out isn't in the cards. The program physically does not have the funds. If you fire him now, you end up with a MAC level team because the next HC replacement isn't going to have the skill or experience to build a team from the ground up with zero support and finances. There's also the fact that most people just flat out do not want to or envision themselves living in NJ playing for Rutgers.
If you want more successful seasons, you need more money and a bigger fan base that shows up at every game, win or lose. And has donors who will spend money. Just like Michigan, Indiana, Louisville, most SEC teams, etc. Ours struggles with this right now. That's just how it is until we grow as a fan base. Firing Greg without a future strategy doesn't fix that right now.
And I'm not saying keep Greg. I'm saying grow our program first, find a young and determined coach like Dan Lenning or Marcus Freeman who hasn't had a shot at the P4 yet, and then make your moves. Firing Greg before then sets the program back to the Flood-Ash era of RU. And who knows if we can climb out of that again. Which by the way, I was around for. And I also do my part and show up to games.
Are you doing that too as you post on the boards about our losses?
While I think it's obvious that it's both, I have friends whose knowledge of the game I respect greatly that will tell you that in college football it's 90% recruiting.
I might point out that NIL has radically changed the game with Billionaire Alumni funding college football teams.
Wakeup call! Changing the head coach is not going to change Rutgers Football fate.
More NIL money will give Schiano a fair chance to compete and build to a higher level program.
Rutgers needs a billionaire of our own or find a big corporate sponsor(s) with top Alumni in management.
FYI: The state of NJ is one of the lowest states in percentage budget in funding its state university - Rutgers.
- Oregon (Phil Knight)
- Michigan (Larry Ellison)....the Freshman QB is being paid $3 Million per year (Dave Portnoy offered $3 million to find a QB)
- Indiana (Mark Cuban)
- Texas Tech (Cody Campbell)
- Texas (Robert Rowling)
- Ohio State (Les Wexner)
- Penn State (Terry Pegula)
Wakeup call! Changing the head coach is not going to change Rutgers Football fate.
More NIL money will give Schiano a fair chance to compete and build to a higher level program.
Rutgers needs a billionaire of our own or find a big corporate sponsor(s) with top Alumni in management.
FYI: The state of NJ is one of the lowest states in percentage budget in funding its state university - Rutgers.
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It's the AD's job to go find the money, as all her peers do at other schools, not me or anyone else on a message board. As for who, there are literally thousands of coaches in the profession. Go google College Football, top young coaches, rising stars, or maybe read threads where other posters have identified coaches at lower conferences that have had success and are waiting for an opportunity.
Your point about growing the program under Schiano first before making a move is not going to happen. He's already had 6 years to beat a team with a pulse and that hasn't happened, with no indication that it will happen. So you'd rather sit in **** due to fear of what the unknown means instead of taking the risk.
I've been going to games and supporting the Athletics program long enough to know that I as a fan deserve better then what we're getting. As stated in a prior post I have no visions of Rutgers becoming elite. However, not contending at least once in over a decade of playing Big Ten football and no real hope of that happening, is unacceptable. Let the AD bring in her Coach and renew hope within the program. 5-7 no pulse wins under Greg is not going to cut it.
I was on vacation somewhere and did not,watch or follow the game
I put,the,tv on and the sportscaster said, sports after the,next commercial, including a game where a team got 80 points
I went back out saying, it couldn't be us, please don't let it be us, etc
I mean,what are the chances when there are so many games on that Saturday, etc
Yes, I found out later, it was us!
Indiana Athletics did not receive 1 penny of Mark Cuban's billions until after they made the Playoffs last year. However, Cignetti's hiring and subsequent rhetoric did spark hope for the future resulting in significantly larger donations prior to the 2024 season. So yes, a new Head Coach did get Indiana off the ground in a state where nobody rooted for Indiana football, attendance was not good and donations were sparse. I occasionally attend Indiana games as my daughter is an Alum.
Actually it's on all of us to donate.
Who is a coach we can afford that is going to improve things? Understanding we probably have to fire both bball coaches as they are in for much worse seasons?
Finally, GS has actually beaten good teams which is more than can be said of his predecessor, who we ended up with because we were in a bad way after yet another terrible hire. There's no need to fire a coach because of one bad season.
Also, if Athan doesn't fumble, we make the FG against Minnesota and Iowa doesn't get that phantom hold, is GS all of a sudden a fantastic coach? Would that mean indications of success? The margin is pretty thin, again, versus what we had before.
Which good teams? Which good teams with a winning record has Greg beat?
Stop
Greg must go
Oh, it's blame the fans time again. Ha, ha. It's the fans' fault. OK.
Back to the original question:
2025
Total defense: Rutgers #128/136. 432.8 yards/game, 7.6 yards per play.
2016
Total Defense: #97/128 . 450.7 yards/game, 6.35 yards per play
Back to the original question:
2025
Total defense: Rutgers #128/136. 432.8 yards/game, 7.6 yards per play.
2016
Total Defense: #97/128 . 450.7 yards/game, 6.35 yards per play
So, maybe a new coach isn’t in the playoffs year 1 or 2 but a competent HC has 1-2 additional wins each of the past 2 years.
2nd half adjustments and just boneheading coaching decisions lost multiple games.
2nd half adjustments and just boneheading coaching decisions lost multiple games.
GS has beaten good teams? In 6 Years he has a beaten a total of 2 B1G Teams that finished with winning records. 2024 Minnesota finished at 8-4 (1 good win for Rutgers) and a 2023 NW team finished strong with a winning record. Rutgers beat NW in Game 1, the first game of David Braun taking over the program. That's it. Otherwise, Rutgers has beaten nobody else with a winning record under the GS regime. That's just plain sad. Don't quote me back with OOC wins. It's lower conferences against weak opponents. It's a shame VT, BC and Temple were busts when Rutgers played those schools.
As for Athan not fumbling, bad snap in Minnesota game etc. it's all excuses. Close is not good enough.
It's on the team to perform and win games, followed by the donations. Nobody likes supporting a loser. Most people don't burn good money thrown after bad. A new Head Coach brings hope and an increase in donations. Otherwise sit in purgatory with Schiano and waste another decade.
As an RU fan since the late sixties I totally agree.
In the past the Admin didnt act in a way to satisfy the winning wants and needs of the RU fanbase. No kidding.
But with the LSU 2 now running the show, maybe there’s a chance of holding the FB program accountable to B1G winning standards? Not right away, but hopefully soon.
Let’s face it, Greg is nearly untouchable to be accountable to the new AD for a few years. In the meantime Kelli can clean up the other sports with coaching before Greg’s time becomes due.
Im generally negative about Greg as the coaching answer in FB, but yesterday I give him credit for a strong performance.
But he is still a 5-7 win B1G HC with 3 cupcake wins every season. Shouldn’t RU fans aim higher than that?
no they are there but Rutgers has done a poor job of building those ties and those ties start day 1 freshman year. It's why I say we need a top down approach that is holistic. Also, lots of those big money guys don't want to chase bad results with good money. I don't know any billionaires but know quite a few that could give 6 figures and lots more than could give medium to higher 5 figures. If we can't find a Pickens, open the net and numbers of the next wrung, plenty out there
I don't believe one play decides a game, it's a set of plays and calls
that said, what teams has he beaten that are good teams in 2.0? 1.0 doesn't matter, different decades and different era. I don't see any good teams he's beaten. I do see 4 games against good teams we lost to that we should have beaten, 2 in spectacular fashion with one being ranked that was 100% on his decision.
all resources need to go to football, no other sport really matters in the grand scheme of things. We need a Pentagon style approach to managing this.
Agree. Our Defense gives up 10 yards per carry to PSU yet some want to blame AK for a poor play from a highly productive passing game that deserved to win RU the game?
The bloom is clearly off the rose for 5-7 to 7-5 seasons from Greg for many RU fans. The Gaslighting about program development is suspect when RU is paying top dollar for one year starters to make the 2 deep in the portal imo. Jett Elad is a case in point.
Completely agree with you. As a fan, I'm not asking for or expecting Elite level. I know we're not Ohio State or Oregon level, winning 10+ games a year consistently. It's fair to expect Rutgers to truly contend with a 9-10 wins season every once in awhile (roughly every 4-5 years time period). It would result in making some more interesting bowl games over time, increased interest and attendance at the home games and fans that would actually want to donate to a program that provides hope for the future. Today we do not have that.
What angered me so much about this season was Rutgers finally, after a decade of playing in the Conference, fielded an Offense that was talented enough and able to put up points on opposing B1G defenses. After watching 10 seasons of Rutgers offense scoring 10 points a game in the most boring schemes possible of which did not include the invention of the forward pass, Rutgers finally had a great opportunity to really do damage in the Conference. Instead all was wasted by this monstrosity of a defense.
agree on all counts
the whole 'developmental program' in year 6 is just an excuse. We have aspects of the athletics department that need a massive overhaul but Greg is failing here and in year 6 to have this defense and special teams is not about being a developmental program, it's about bad personnel choices by the head coach.
Definitely Ash. I just remember the defense not being able to do something as simple as settling an edge on D (much like this defense).
It doesnt even have to be a ru alum..just a nyc bigwig who wants access and to buy a team
Those thinking our tiny fanbase of donors and season ticket holders can make a dent are totally oblivious to what is going on and needed
That’s something I’ve said. Just local people who like sports and may have interest in supporting/creating higher profile college sports in the area.
The Towers aren’t RU alums iirc. She’s a Wisconsin alum.