Lonergan is a P4 QB and the game would have been competitive if he didn't get hurt.
The mistake, clearly (coaching), was thinking AJ was anywhere near ready to compete for QB1. We went out and purchased an insurance policy in Lonergan whose floor was at least having been a starter on another bad team. He was intentionally not planned as a high upside guy because it was framed to be a QB competition. But look - there’s no way it was ever close. It was on Greg and staff to recognize that AJ needed to be recruited over this summer to the full extent.
He was serviceable at BC. He became barely serviceable/virtually unplayable at RU.Lonergan is barely serviceable, and would be at best a backup anywhere else
And some went to the other team.Again, we have no P4 QB who is accurate. All throws were behind him or over the goal post.
That would be the Velvet Sausage aka Mr. Slice of Heaven.What Idiot posted that ?
The equivalent of William Tell getting a head shot on his kid with the arrow, instead of hitting the apple.And some went to the other team.
He was serviceable at BC. He became barely serviceable/virtually unplayable at RU.
Who would coach this?This might sound crazy, but with a passing attack that makes for a frown more than smile, it might be the best way for RU to be competitive
What Rutgers needs to do is to give up its passing game and stay mainly a running team passing around 10 times a game. ( 8 to Duff, Black targeted twice )
Use the updated Wishbone called the Flexbone triple option.
Give Raymond and Thevenin the bulk of the plays and put an extra TE in as blocking back, along with rotating Aiden Gibson in backfield with them and when Benjamin gets healthy again, add him to the backfield mix..
As for QB Lonergan when it's 3rd and 10 or more , any other time make the TFEX a wildcat (Jabu Package) or AJ operating as an option QB, rarely passing, pitching the ball to the RBs . I believe he was a pretty good runner in HS , so he might work out fine playing an option offense
Rutgers has some good recovers, but without QBs that can be trusted to get the ball to them, an offence designed for running most of the game is needed.
I remember Texas’ Wishbone with Jamie Street at QB , very little passing but the Langhorne’s running game blew the opponent away
I'm pretty sure Stearn is from PA, Ambler PA specifically!Probably the biggest indictment of the staff. It’s unbelievable the couldn’t get someone to get KJ the ball on the regular.
Dylan shows signs but is very indecisive.
Tim Polasek North Dakota State's HC runs a power spread offense that utilizes some option elements .Who would coach this?
Jeff Monken would be my choice for that kind of route and trust him to figure out how to adapt his offense to the P4.Tim Polasek North Dakota State's HC runs a power spread offense that utilizes some option elements .
NDSU often uses:
He might be able to run a flex/wishbone if he had to use what's available now at QB next year if he can't bring in a QB that can be considered a good one through the portal.
- Two tight ends
- Fullbacks and H-backs
- Heavy run-first philosophy
- Quarterback runs and option concepts
All 3 of the Service Academies HCs would fit the bill
My suggestion was made because Rutgers QB situation is usually lousy with few years having a passing game that can be counted on to make a difference
Developing QBs doesn't seem to be an RU strength .
AK was developed as a Gopher then helped Rutgers have a passing game after he came to Rutgers .
Jeff Monken would be my choice for that kind of route and trust him to figure out how to adapt his offense to the P4.
Also I’d say qbs haven’t really developed here for the most part is more to do with head coaches or OCs in the last 26 years than anything else. Hire coaches or OCs with a history of developing qbs consistently and you’ll probably see a better track record.
May be but he’s tried for lower to mid rung jobs in the past like Purdue, Kansas, GT to name a few. He came up short.Monken and Army is a perfect fit. No way.
Calhoun has been the HC at Air Force since 2007 and played for the Falcons as an AF Cadet , he's a lifer thereMonken and Army is a perfect fit. No way.
Calhoun was brought up in a pod I just listened to and was compared to sort of like Doeren. Both tried to leave and get other jobs but fell short and ended up staying longer than they may have wanted. Calhoun is resigned to the fact he’s pretty much there for the duration one way or the other.Calhoun has been the HC at Air Force since 2007 and played for the Falcons as an AF Cadet , he's a lifer there
So another one I was looking at bites the RU HC dust .
Navy's Newberry is about the only one that has tun the flexbone exclusively that might leave the Service Academy he's at and I don't think he'd think about leaving Navy for Rutgers
Exactly and THAT is another reason why ‘not everything is NIL’ as Al’s NIL Manifesto claims. The program at some point matters and this program has made its bed with the QB position and it’s not good.No high upside QB would consider Rutgers. How did NW attract Chiles? Chip Kelly. What transfer QB would choose a school that has been a QB graveyard for 20 years except for Teel and Athan? It took Savage leaving Rutgers to realize his full potential.
But we can’t afford to spend 3-4 million out of 20 million for one player.I disagree. 1) Money talks - if we prioritized funding for a clear QB1 we could’ve gotten someone better. 2) our last QB was just drafted. 3) playing with Duff as a target also a big incentive.
Clearly - we wanted to give AJ the chance to earn the spot. It backfired. Not, of course, the reason we lost to UMass.
Fernando Mendoza has said he had higher offers than Indiana, and he specifically chose Indiana because he felt that would be where he would be developed to his full potential.Exactly and THAT is another reason why ‘not everything is NIL’ as Al’s NIL Manifesto claims. The program at some point matters and this program has made its bed with the QB position and it’s not good.
While Cignetti got a discount on Mendoza, Rutgers has to either pay more than market rate and in some cases players may not be willing, even if Rutgers offers to over pay.
Yep, let’s not reinvent the history. He was serviceable at BC.He was serviceable at BC. He became barely serviceable/virtually unplayable at RU.
Do you really believe when they brought in AK that the decision wasn’t essentially made already? You don’t really believe they thought that GW had any chance to win the job?No - he’s not. He’s nothing special and hardly a clear high major QB1 target anywhere but he’s exactly what we aimed for. A very similar target to what AK was at Minny except AK panned out better. In AK’s case - the decision made way more sense. Kirk had the prior relationship, and he wasn’t a surefire starter to boot GW - he had to earn it in pre-season. I didn’t agree with how GW was handled, but we had in that case convinced the kid to give up his senior year of HS so there I could sort of understand the effort to make sure he was given every possibility to step up. The same thing was seemingly done for Surace and in this case it was a big mistake. I can’t see how Greg didn’t realize AJ was nowhere near ready to win QB1. We didn’t just need a QB, we arguably needed to buy a back up too.
Schiano did BCU a favor. Gave Lonergan a pay day no other program was considering. BCU brought in a D2 guy, paid him very little, then beat Lonergan and Schiano. Very damning.See my prior post…..and this is why we were able to get him. Probably almost no other P4 wanted him as a starter.
Tootsie Rolls and errand of sports is less than 0. The highest level he’s ever gotten to was softball intramural team.Fake news
We have an elite and potentially (likely?) greatest RU QB ever in that room.
![]()
Isn’t this typical of Schiano. Overpaying for players nobody wants. NIL has passed by Greg by. Time to move on.Schiano did BCU a favor. Gave Lonergan a pay day no other program was considering. BCU brought in a D2 guy, paid him very little, then beat Lonergan and Schiano. Very damning.
NATIONAL CHAMPION Indiana! One of the more basketball of basketball schools…heck their name is synonymous with the sport and there’s even a movie with the name. The second losingest college football program ever (only better than the one that just kicked our a$$) remarkable what good coaching and a real plan can make.Fernando Mendoza has said he had higher offers than Indiana, and he specifically chose Indiana because he felt that would be where he would be developed to his full potential.
"I believe that you need to put the opportunity before the check size. That’s something that I stood by and something that I did in my transfer portal process. Indiana was not the highest bidder. However, I saw the greatest opportunity and I believed in the coaching staff, believed in my teammates and believed in the great culture there at Indiana."
Fernando Mendoza
![]()
Fernando Mendoza chose opportunity over money at Indiana—and it changed everything
When he entered the transfer portal following two seasons at Cal, Fernando Mendoza had a lot of suitors. He drew the attention of Power 4 teams across the counthoosierstateofmind.com
Lonergan didn’t play in that game.Schiano did BCU a favor. Gave Lonergan a pay day no other program was considering. BCU brought in a D2 guy, paid him very little, then beat Lonergan and Schiano. Very damning.
Most of our fans seemed to expect Surace to win the job. So did the TKR staff.Do you really believe when they brought in AK that the decision wasn’t essentially made already? You don’t really believe they thought that GW had any chance to win the job?
And same goes for bringing in DL. If they believed Surace was starting quality, they probably would have recruited a lower $ player as a backup.
Tells you all you need to know.Most of our fans seemed to expect Surace to win the job. So did the TKR staff.
Tells you all you need to know.
They didn’t bring someone and pay them to be a back up.I think the staff didn’t know who would win. They were hoping Surace would figure it out and decided to go for someone who wasn’t clearly going to replace Surace but had starter experience.
Yeah that’s probably true but at the same time it was the same crap as with Gavin. In both cases, the situation was that they didn’t want to bring in someone good enough where the incumbent would conclude he had no chance. When Gavin realized he wouldn’t beat AK he transferred.They didn’t bring someone and pay them to be a back up.
If you think that’s what happened I got a bridge to sell ya.Yeah that’s probably true but at the same time it was the same crap as with Gavin. In both cases, the situation was that they didn’t want to bring in someone good enough where the incumbent would conclude he had no chance. When Gavin realized he wouldn’t beat AK he transferred.
Well what do you think happened there? If Gavin knew from the beginning, why’d he stick around through spring? He could’ve left immediately.If you think that’s what happened I got a bridge to sell ya.
He was getting paid. And he knew no one else would pay him. This is not CYO basketball. It’s a business. Although Schiano treated Gavin with kids gloves annd catered to him especially when Gleeson was here. They knew they needed to move on from him to be successful.Well what do you think happened there? If Gavin knew from the beginning, why’d he stick around through spring? He could’ve left immediately.
He was getting paid. And he knew no one else would pay him. This is not CYO basketball. It’s a business. Although Schiano treated Gavin with kids gloves annd catered to him especially when Gleeson was here. They knew they needed to move on from him to be successful.
How is it a stretch? Do you get paid at your job? Why would he leave prior to losing his job? As soon as it was clear he would lose his job and he was no longer going to be coddled he left. He got paid while he was here. If he stayed he would have been paid to be the back up. But his handlers thought he was more valuable in his home state of Kentucky. That was also an epic failure.But he left before the season. Did we pay him to stay through spring the year AK arrived? That seems a stretch to me. He left before the season. He had no business starting the year before either but that’s a different conversation.
How is it a stretch? Do you get paid at your job? Why would he leave prior to losing his job? As soon as it was clear he would lose his job and he was no longer going to be coddled he left. He got paid while he was here. If he stayed he would have been paid to be the back up. But his handlers thought he was more valuable in his home state of Kentucky. That was also an epic failure.
Okay. They wouldn’t be in the market for a transfer, especially one with experience. Unless they knew they needed an upgrade. Both Wimsatt and to a lesser degree AJ (didn’t have real game experience) needed to be upgraded.Yeah exactly. I don’t think he knew for sure he was losing his job until AK was on campus and he beat him out. Then he decided to move on. That’s my point. AK did better at RU than he did his last year in Minn. it was a situation like with Lonergan where he didn’t come in with the best numbers which meant Gavin could theoretically have had a chance. We didn’t bring in a clear as day starter in either situation. Now maybe we just couldn’t get better but I think we just did a bad job managing the QB room.
I seem to recall that in a preseason podcast on this board they thought that Surace was gonna win the starting quarterback job for game #1.spot on
mind boggling if they really believed that AJ was a potential answer at QB.
The Knight Report
Rutgers Football versus Wisconsin Game Time Announced
The Knight Report
Join The Knight Report TODAY and get it for 60% off!
The Knight Report
Rutgers Football HC Greg Schiano's Michigan Postgame Press Conference
The Knight Report
Rutgers Football falls to Michigan in Halloween matchup
The Knight Report
AJ Surace set to start at QB for Rutgers versus Michigan