2016

[waretown]

2016 will be known as the year of the flips and decomits after ov's. we have lost a lot more than what we have gained, this staff better be able to coach up talent or we are in fora bad season. i just cant see why they couldnt hold on to our commits, i will give them that they are new so going after players is going to take time, but losing our best commits? there has to be a reason for this

 

[blazebro]

I think the key is relationships in recruiting matter, and the kids that flipped to other programs must have felt more comfortable there.

From the get-go this staff was competing against the clock. They didn't have the luxury of time to build a strong relationships with the existing recruits like Flood's staff did. At the same time they are spending a lot of effort recruiting new talent and juggling a million priorities at once until signing day. Then the guys who built the relationship that lead the recruit to commit are knocking on the door at their new schools. Who would you believe? The folks who built that trust relationship from the ground up or a new, unknown staff that just met you?

I still don't get it though, you'd think that Ash and co. would be able to sell a vision that's more convincing. Keeping 2-3 staff members from the old regime probably would have helped retain some recruits at the cost of (hopefully) long-term success for the program.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

2016 will be known as the year of the flips and decomits after ov's. we have lost a lot more than what we have gained, this staff better be able to coach up talent or we are in fora bad season. i just cant see why they couldnt hold on to our commits, i will give them that they are new so going after players is going to take time, but losing our best commits? there has to be a reason for this

We were in for a rough 2016 regardless. Recruiting problems didn't begin when Ash was hired, hence, no big expectations for next year were ever in most minds.

As far as "losing" our best commits:

Rene - was gone regardless of who was HC once he got better offers
Russo - replaced with a kid much better fit for the new O
Wright - tough loss, yes, but followed EJ/Russo to Temple, but WR's like him are a dime a dozen.

 

[Dpgru]

Nuts, you and I went at it last week over the staff. Maybe you and the other posters are exactly what you say they are: honest. It is possible (and I started a thread about this before I read your post) that these kids are being told the truth about what is expected of them with no lies or enticing promises and didn't like what they heard. It could be that simple. I obviously don't know as I am not there but it very well could be that simple and this staff may simply be honest and upfront. Take or leave it, so to speak.

 

[rutgersal]

its impossible to build up relationships in two weeks to a month, which is why we have so many decommits. we just don't have the trust yet, but that will be built over time.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Nuts, you and I went at it last week over the staff. Maybe you and the other posters are exactly what you say they are: honest. It is possible (and I started a thread about this before I read your post) that these kids are being told the truth about what is expected of them with no lies or enticing promises and didn't like what they heard. It could be that simple. I obviously don't know as I am not there but it very well could be that simple and this staff may simply be honest and upfront. Take or leave it, so to speak.

Ash has hid nothing about this so far and, yes, he expects kids to leave. He believes in UM's "10 80 10" approach (see link) and my guess is that, for this class, he fully expected the #'s to be skewed a lot more to the final "10" # on the high side.

http://www.campusrush.com/ohio-state-leadership-training-urban-meyer-1311015832.html


**** looks like 1 of the very recent de-commits was never going to cut it under Ash.

 

[jakeknight]

If you are going to change the culture you might as well start day one, if you lose a bunch of kids from a class rated in the 70's that don't share your vision then so be it. I really didn't expect much this go round.

 

[RUSK97]

I think the key is relationships in recruiting matter, and the kids that flipped to other programs must have felt more comfortable there.

From the get-go this staff was competing against the clock. They didn't have the luxury of time to build a strong relationships with the existing recruits like Flood's staff did. At the same time they are spending a lot of effort recruiting new talent and juggling a million priorities at once until signing day. Then the guys who built the relationship that lead the recruit to commit are knocking on the door at their new schools. Who would you believe? The folks who built that trust relationship from the ground up or a new, unknown staff that just met you?

I still don't get it though, you'd think that Ash and co. would be able to sell a vision that's more convincing. Keeping 2-3 staff members from the old regime probably would have helped retain some recruits at the cost of (hopefully) long-term success for the program.

Your second paragraph...kids sign with whoever initially recruited them and they feel comfortable, so they decommit and follow that person, yada, yada, yada. I agree. The problem is, our current coaching staff wasn't born yesterday. They came here after having coached somewhere else and they (presumably) recruited HS players somewhere else. Why the hell aren't at least one or two of those recruits following them to Rutgers?

 

[blazebro]

Your second paragraph...kids sign with whoever initially recruited them and they feel comfortable, so they decommit and follow that person, yada, yada, yada. I agree. The problem is, our current coaching staff wasn't born yesterday. They came here after having coached somewhere else and they (presumably) recruited HS players somewhere else. Why the hell aren't at least one or two of those recruits following them to Rutgers?

I wish I knew. Ash isn't exactly known as an ace recruiter compared his former counter-parts like Ed Warinner or Kerry Coombs at Ohio State, but still...you would think at least some recruits would follow the new staff.

 

[RUSK97]

I wish I knew. Ash isn't exactly known as an ace recruiter compared his former counter-parts like Ed Warinner or Kerry Coombs at Ohio State, but still...you would think at least some recruits would follow the new staff.

So we saw that RU offered a WR from Texas. I have to assume that's due to Mehringer's previous contact with him. So it's not like this idea didn't dawn on the staff and they're trying it. But trying isn't the same as doing and at the end of the day, results are what matters. I just hope they keep at it.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Once the football season gets started, no one will remember or care about a couple of de-commits. 2016 will be remembered or not based on what kind of trajectory the team has on the field compared to where it was under Flood.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

Your second paragraph...kids sign with whoever initially recruited them and they feel comfortable, so they decommit and follow that person, yada, yada, yada. I agree. The problem is, our current coaching staff wasn't born yesterday. They came here after having coached somewhere else and they (presumably) recruited HS players somewhere else. Why the hell aren't at least one or two of those recruits following them to Rutgers?

- partly because - this is a staff that - in almost all cases - is not coming here from a trainwreck - this staff is composed of a lot of rising successful coaches who come from successful programs - so the recruits that they brought in to their old school may be sad that their recruiting coach has left - but they have been left on a program that is strong / on the rise.
The legitimate issue here at RU with some recruits is that they had warm fuzzy feelings for Flood or another coach -- that coach got fired - and they are struggling to find feelings for the new guys.... and struggling to lock in on the positive vision for the future that they are presenting.

Have seen this in the corporate world - a VP gets the axe - and new guy is appointed & in a passive-aggressive way some of the staff holds it against the new guy... - just can't warm up to the new guy - because they liked the old VP - and if they let themselves like the new guy - they feel some how guilty - like they are betraying their old friend.

Ash is making the right moves - realistically - any compromises that might have been made to cling on to some handful of recruits for the sake of ... ??? .... would just impede the cultural transition that is imperative to happen.

 

[RUSK97]

Once the football season gets started, no one will remember or care about a couple of de-commits. 2016 will be remembered or not based on what kind of trajectory the team has on the field compared to where it was under Flood.

Unlikely I think. With this schedule and this team and the new everything, I think we'll be lucky to get back to 4 wins. Those complaining about the decommits will only get louder.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Unlikely I think. With this schedule and this team and the new everything, I think we'll be lucky to get back to 4 wins. Those complaining about the decommits will only get louder.

It's not just about wins and losses. It's about how the team looks and how it improves from September to November.

Either way, the de-commits aren't going to have much of an effect on this season and won't be how it's remembered.

 

[RU fan forever]

2016 will be known as the year of the flips and decomits after ov's. we have lost a lot more than what we have gained, this staff better be able to coach up talent or we are in fora bad season. i just cant see why they couldnt hold on to our commits, i will give them that they are new so going after players is going to take time, but losing our best commits? there has to be a reason for this

Fight, or ✈️