RU Football recruiting: what happened?

[Morrischiano]

After 2 strong classes, recruiting has fallen off in 2023.
After 2020, which we will give a pass to the RU staff due to the late start, GS has pulled in:
2021: #32 ranked class
2022: #40 ranked class
2023: #62 ranked class

We didn't land one 4* recruit (yes ranking aren't the end all be all but it is relative to other schools like PSU who landed 13 4* recruits). What is the reason for the decline? Is it a one year anomaly or is it due to a bad team this year, loss of key recruiters on the staff, facilities, lack of NIL "bagmen"? What didn't work in 2022 that worked in 2020 and 2021 (although a few top signees from those classes have since left)?

 

[ScooterSports]

Losing Fran Brown probably didn’t help. There was a decent amount of staff turnover last offseason and then the new guys on staff have to build new relationships with recruits.

 

[tico brown]

No OC?

 

[Tango Two]

NIL

 

[brgRC90]

Bad play on the field. Sometimes good players will sign on for a new coach who looks promising. If that doesn't seem to be the case after a couple of seasons, it won't happen in the following years. It's why the idea that Schiano just needs more years to recruit "his" players is false. The good ones won't come.

 

[LETSGORU91]

$$$ (lack of) + no OC + no Brown = #62

 

[LeapinLou]

No single answer but here are some thoughts:
- 4 stars will want NIL deals.
- Fran Brown and Tiquan appeared to be ace recruiters.
- The transfer portal is becoming as important if not more important so attention there instead of on HS kids
- Focus on preserving our starters and not having them transfer
- Recruits didn't like what they saw from our offense

 

[Goo]

We will be fine.

2002 - 46

2003 - 44

2004 - 52

2005 – 68

2006 – 42

2007 – 37

2008 – 46

2009 – 38

2010 – 64

2011 – 32

2012 - 24

 

[rufamily]

We will be fine.

2002 - 46

2003 - 44

2004 - 52

2005 – 68

2006 – 42

2007 – 37

2008 – 46

2009 – 38

2010 – 64

2011 – 32

2012 - 24

that was against the Big East.

 

[RUChoppin]

IMO, Schiano's best hope is that the addition of USC/UCLA shakes up the divisions and leads to some years of easier conference scheduling. Playing 3-4 Top 15 opponents every year is a rough road.

Year-end CFP rankings:
2022: #2, #4, #11
2021: #2, #6, #10
2020: #4, #12 (Covid shortened year)
2019: #1, #10, #14, #16, #18
2018: #6, #7, #12, #22
2017: #5, #9, #11, #16
2016: #3, #4, #5, #6
2015: #3, #7, #14
2014: #5, #8, #13

 

[RUBlackout7]

NIL. We can’t really compete for 4 stars anymore.

 

[RUChoppin]

that was against the Big East.

That was more specifically against the recently stripped/rebuilt Big East.

Teams we faced with final AP Top 25 ranking during our turnaround years:
2004: #6 (0-1)
2005: #5, #19 (0-2)
2006: #6, #10 (1-1)
2007: #6, #17 (0-2)
2008: #17, #23 (0-2)
2009: #8, #25 (0-2)

 

[jkernpop]

that was against the Big East.

Remember what happened our first and best year for football in the big ten with those 32 and 24 ranking classes.

Realistically I think you need to be at least a 40 average ranking and get a few quality starters in the portal consistently to make a bowl and be competitive every year with our schedule.

Hoping the end of East/West happens soon because we start each year with 4 automatic L’s.

 

[RUChoppin]

Remember what happened our first and best year for football in the big ten with those 32 and 24 ranking classes.

Realistically I think you need to be at least a 40 average ranking and get a few quality starters in the portal consistently to make a bowl and be competitive every year with our schedule.

Hoping the end of East/West happens soon because we start each year with 4 automatic L’s.

2014 was also a down year for the Big Ten.

B1G Teams in final AP Rankings that season:
#1 OSU
#6 MSU
#13 Wisconsin

We went 0-3 against that group, getting outscored 138-20. Our 3 conference wins were against Maryland (7-6), Michigan (5-7), and Indiana (4-8)... and our OOC wins were against Navy (8-5), Washington State (3-9), Tulane (3-9), and Norfolk St (FCS). All culminating in a bowl win over UNC (6-7).

 

[jerzeyguy]

The coaches that made Rutgers attractive are gone. They didn't come here for Greg Schiano. Next years recruiting will look similar

 

[Mr_Twister]

Playing 3 or 4 games a year where the opposition has a comparable or better player at every position will continue for the foreseeable future.

 

[ru66]

I think many naysayers will be eating their words as usual since many in this class will do really well-- but some have "stars" in their eyes and blinded

 

[Knight Shift]

NIL

Is that the sum of 4 and 5 star recruits in this class, or something else? 😉

I'm not buying that as the sole or a major reason.

 

[Tango Two]

Is that the sum of 4 and 5 star recruits in this class, or something else? 😉

I'm not buying that as the sole or a major reason.

If we don’t have the money to compete then no one can keep pace.

Before NIL I gave Schiano a fighting chance being in the BigTen and all that entails but with no NIL money not sure how he or anyone can keep up here.

 

[RUGuitarMan]

I listened to a few RU connected podcasts on this recruiting class. The recruiting guys do not dislike this class. They think there are a number of underrated prospects. They also cited a “down” year in NJ this year. One speculated that it was one of the weakest in quite sometime. I guess the most disappointing thing is not signing a few explosive offensive playmakers, although a few recruiting guys really like WR Famah Toure, comparing him as a potential Kenny Britt type player.

 

[Shelby65]

Remember what happened our first and best year for football in the big ten with those 32 and 24 ranking classes.

Realistically I think you need to be at least a 40 average ranking and get a few quality starters in the portal consistently to make a bowl and be competitive every year with our schedule.

Hoping the end of East/West happens soon because we start each year with 4 automatic L’

Just like so many others, you don't understand that division doesn't matter for us. We are at or next to the bottom no matter the conference schedule. Even if you got to pick our conference schedule you couldn't find any sure wins, not even IU is a win every year.

Humor us, create a schedule that would have gotten us 3 conference wins ? Remember, we didn't play Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue or Wisconsin.

 

[newwavedave1]

It's Rutgers. A third tier B1G program that will be mired in comparable recruiting rankings for the foreseeable future. We posters on this board are allowed to dream though.

 

[MGSA99]

Well I guess then by all these posts we truly are doomed to be the Vanderbilt of the B1G for our lifetimes. Nothing but cannon fodder/bye weeks for the rest of the conference.

 

[jtung230]

GS was honest about this. He knows we can’t compete with most on NIL. He just want enough NIL to retain our good players after he develops them.

 

[Shelby65]

Well I guess then by all these posts we truly are doomed to be the Vanderbilt of the B1G for our lifetimes. Nothing but cannon fodder/bye weeks for the rest of the conference.

With this coach, true. This ship is keel-up. Hopefully the next hire can bring us back from Schiano-inflicted life support.

 

[MGSA99]

GS was honest about this. He knows we can’t compete with most on NIL. He just want enough NIL to retain our good players after he develops them.

Which is why now our program state has zero to do with coaching. Without NIL $$$, it ain't happening here.

 

[Shelby65]

Which is why now our program state has zero to do with coaching. Without NIL $$$, it ain't happening here.

Pathetic excuse. Then What are we paying Schiano for? He’s trying to dodge blame. There are at least 300 better college QBs across the country than we have on our roster and Schiano is the reason. NIL has nothing to do with it.

 

[jerzeyguy]

Remember before the fallout at Pitt. Wandestedt and Hafley were destroying Schiano in recruiting. Greg fans boy were making excuses then too. "Oh but Pitt has so much rich football history." NIl is the new excuse. Funny how we didn't need NIl excuses last year- when Fran Brown brought all that talent here.

 

[RU Husky]

A piece of it may be that the quality of this year's NJ high school football recruiting class is in a bit of a swale. There seem to be fewer quality 4 and 5 star recruits in the NJ talent pool. I think Rivals identified only 5 four star and 0 five star recruits in the Class of 2023 and RU didn't get a whiff. They're off to Texas A&M, Florida, West Virginia, Texas and Ohio State.

 

[RU#1fan]

NIL

Not so sure that is the sole reason. NIL has some impact for sure. But it doesn’t seem to have hurt Northwestern, Illinois, Minnesota, etc. who all finished above us in the 2023 Recruiting Rankings. It’s probably more a combination of not having strong Recruiters on the Coaching Staff ( loss of Brown and Underwood) and concern about the future direction of the program under Schiano.

 

[knightfan7]

Pathetic excuse. Then What are we paying Schiano for? He’s trying to dodge blame. There are at least 300 better college QBs across the country than we have on our roster and Schiano is the reason. NIL has nothing to do with it.

He was hired before NIL hit correct? He did good enough recruiting before NIL also.

You really think any QB worth a darn wants to commit to the offense we saw this year?

 

[Shelby65]

Right, he’s deflecting blame from the terrible job he’s doing.

 

[MADHAT1]

It's a bad sign, no way around how this year's recruiting looks and portal activity not any better bringing in talent..
Only can hope the players that are comming can quickly be devoloped into the type ofd talent that brings home wins against all comers.

 

[RUforlife]

He was hired before NIL hit correct? He did good enough recruiting before NIL also.

You really think any QB worth a darn wants to commit to the offense we saw this year?

He didn't do the key recruiting that was Fran Brown. The loss of Brown has exposed Schiano, it is not likely to get better unless he starts winning.

 

[Knight Shift]

If we don’t have the money to compete then no one can keep pace.

Before NIL I gave Schiano a fighting chance being in the BigTen and all that entails but with no NIL money not sure how he or anyone can keep up here.

Maybe I'm stuck in the past. Sounds like another excuse to cut Greg some slack.

 

[RUBlackout7]

Pathetic excuse. Then What are we paying Schiano for? He’s trying to dodge blame. There are at least 300 better college QBs across the country than we have on our roster and Schiano is the reason. NIL has nothing to do with it.

You’re in denial

 

[mdk01]

Pathetic excuse. Then What are we paying Schiano for? He’s trying to dodge blame. There are at least 300 better college QBs across the country than we have on our roster and Schiano is the reason. NIL has nothing to do with it.

300? I'll only ask you to name the first 150.

 

[RUforlife]

300? I'll only ask you to name the first 150.

Name one P5 program that Wimsatt would start for at this point in his development? I will go further, I would say he would not start for the vast majority of FBS programs and many of the top FCS programs as well.

 

[Shelby65]

I underestimated. Did you look at college QB rankings ? Then add all the 2nd and 3rd string backups with too few attempts for the rankings but played better than any of our guys are capable of.

Throw a dart at a map lefty and blindfolded and you will find at least 3 better QBs at the nearest FBS campus.

 

[LotusAggressor]

NIL. We can’t really compete for 4 stars anymore.

How many of those players were coming here before?