I know the portal is the hot new thing and Pike needs to be way better at it no doubt, but I still think this program will live or die with HS recruiting. I really think it’s as simple as hitting more Geo, RHJ, and Caleb’s rather than the Simpson, Griffiths, and Woolfolk’s of the world. If you think about it, Pike had an insanely high hit rate out of HS for those 2 or 3 classes. Geo, RHJ, Caleb, Myles, Paul, Cliff, Montez, Mag. All in a row and all impact players. Pair that with a couple great transfers like JY and Yeboah and that’s what leads to the super successful teams we had.

It’s the same approach Schiano is doing with Football now. Retain your good players and selectively add the right fits in the portal. That’s what Pike needs to get back to. We don’t have the money to play the portal the way Auburn hoops or Ohio State football does. Filling half our roster with transfers is never going to be successful. It’s been said by others, but the main reason this current team sucks(and last years) is because the HS recruiting from 21’-23’ was atrocious. You can’t whiff on recruiting for 3 years straight at a school like RU and expect to be good, even with Ace and Dylan. Hopefully Grant, Sommerville, and Dortch are the start of doing things this way again.

New Orleans: The Saints are promoting Phil Galiano to special teams coordinator.
· Rutgers (2003)
Graduate assistant
· Rutgers (2004–2006)
Defensive Ends/Linebackers
· Rutgers (2010-2011)
Defensive line/Tight ends
· Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2013)
Assistant special teams
· Rutgers (2014)
Director of recruiting
· Rutgers (2015)
Special teams/Tight ends

Galiano replaces Darren Rizzi, who departed the franchise after serving as interim head coach in 2024 following Denis Allen’s firing. Rizzi has since joined the Broncos as special teams coordinator,
Darren Rizzi
Rutgers (2002–2007)
Special teams coordinator