And then, depression set in...

[greenknight]

Haven't been this depressed about the football program since the Shea Error. Left with 5 mnutes left in the 3Q, down 57-0 and didn't even know the final score until I saw the 78-0 headline on a post on the board. This was just beyond bad. 16 years after Schiano arrived and injected life into the biggest laughingstock of a 1A program in existence, we're back to square one or worse.

And after these two weeks of shellackings, I'm a little worried about if we have the right coach. I want to believe it and he started off well with a few decent recruits and a lot of good verbals before his first season and I like everything I read/heard about him instilling discipline and better strength and conditioning.

However, while I know the talent Flood recruited wasn't that great, I simply can't believe the talent gap is so wide we couldn't get a first down or execute anything at all or tackle anyone - this team gave up even worse than it did against OSU. Some of that has to be on the staff and that has me at least concerned. We're only 2 years removed from beating this team!

I do remember 80-7 and many other blowouts in Greg's first 2 years, but I really didn't think we had fallen to Shea levels, talent-wise. Maybe we have and maybe this year's OSU and UM are better, relatively speaking, than the #1 and #9 Miami and VT teams we lost to in consecutive weeks by 61-0 and 50-0 in Greg's first year, but I don't think that's the case (although I'd much rather that to be the case than the alternative that Ash isn't going to cut it).

Anyway, I knew we were that bad in Greg's first year, but I had loved the energy and discipline he had brought to the team, as well as the hope coming out of the "meeting" and the recruits he pulled in that year. I don't know that we're that bad this year, which is why I'm now so depressed about the state of the program and even the coaching staff. Somebody talk me down from the ledge, please. Thanks...

That's a big negative. There are not many junior or senior contributors on this squad. We are going to take our lumps for a couple yrs until the young guys develop and we get the players to fit out offensive and defensive schemes

Not worried at all as we replaced every LBer this year. All of this was expected put the knife back in the drawer

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

Anyone check in on delusionAL...?

I guess we can only win 8 games now...in his world![roll]

 

[RU-05]

Problem is our NJ High School coaching fraternity is nearly as impressionable as their players. They see results like this and they easily fall off the RU bandwagon (if there ever was one) as well. It takes a very resolute kid not to have doubts after outcomes like this.

Luckily people have pretty short attention spans.

Finish the season strong and we can point to this as our Alamo.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

#'s have you gotten a chance to check out this thread yet? After reading the OP's initial post please take into consideration the lack of P5 and FBS offers some of these kids, in those 3 classes and even in the 2016 class, had, and like me today, I promise, you won't feel as depressed (yes, I was so yesterday, even left early...very early...):

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/floods-3-recruiting-classes.109259/

 

[koleszar]

Yes. Never get depressed when a sports team loses. We had a lot of laughs on the car ride home.

It truly became a comedy act for my crew on what could we do worse. That's sad when your fans start making fun of your own team. It may sound mean, but that's the point we reached last night with a 78-0 loss.

I have no idea how a team comes back from this. The schedule makers did this team a huge disservice setting it up like this. We were doomed for failure before we even hit the field. This teams confidence is now shot and everyone is injured going into the easy part of our schedule. That was one f*cked up schedule we just went through, thanks B1G.

 

[rurichdog]

It truly became a comedy act for my crew on what could we do worse. That's sad when your fans start making fun of your own team. It may sound mean, but that's the point we reached last night with a 78-0 loss.

I have no idea how a team comes back from this. The schedule makers did this team a huge disservice setting it up like this. We were doomed for failure before we even hit the field. This teams confidence is now shot and everyone is injured going into the easy part of our schedule. That was one f*cked up schedule we just went through, thanks B1G.

At least we got a huge paycheck to pay for our high-flying coaching staff and new facilities.

Oh...

 

[koleszar]

At least we got a huge paycheck to pay for our high-flying coaching staff and new facilities.

Oh...

We're rolling in the dough now. Oh sh*t I just looked, they post dated our game check until 2021.[laughing]

 

[theRU]

I'm demoralized from trying to defend the program and keep everybody patient. Its hard to be an RU fan...its like we're cursed.

 

[koleszar]

I'm demoralized from trying to defend the program and keep everybody patient. Its hard to be an RU fan...its like we're cursed.

Mondays blow after games like this. Everyone knows I'm a huge RU fan and all I get is, "What happened". This is when I look at them and say, "What would you like me to tell you that we suck? Or would you prefer we're the worst Power 5 school in the country". After this loss I have no defenses left.

 

[rufeelinit]

Mondays blow after games like this. Everyone knows I'm a huge RU fan and all I get is, "What happened". This is when I look at them and say, "What would you like me to tell you that we suck? Or would you prefer we're the worst Power 5 school in the country". After this loss I have no defenses left.

Yep. I know that feeling.

 

[DHajekRC84]

Schiano was smart. He started the re-build with his edge in Florida. We've lost Florida now.

Ash may get it done down the road and with Jersey kids..but noting worse than being a Rutgers Football fan of 43 seasons. (actually I felt pride during the Burns years and a few here and there).

 

[retired711]

Many thanks to our encouraging friends from the midwest. We have been trying for years to " build a wall around New Jersey," and so far it hasn't worked. Our only success came when we had Schiano who had an in with Florida high school coaches. We can't even build a wall around New Jersey for non-athletes; more good NJ students go out-of-state than should; we are thought of by many as a safety school. And Rutgers, perhaps because of the name, is not known to all as New Jersey's equivalent of Michigan and OSU. Our problems in sports are not peculiar to sports, and those problems have been issues for Rutgers for decades.

 

[Knightmoves]

talked off the ledge by fans of conference foes. We have hit rock bottom.

In my experience when conference opponents are talking you off the ledge on a message board it means that they are very happy with your current predicament and would like you to stay there. If we were winning would these trolls be posting on our board ? Of course not.

Just confirms how sucky we are right now.

 

[RUinPinehurst]

Luckily people have pretty short attention spans.

Finish the season strong and we can point to this as our Alamo.

Hmmmm... the Alamo? There were no survivors. They all died.

 

[RP78]

Get the high school coaches tuned in to Rutgers football, make them look less than desirable when a guy goes outside Rutgers. State pride is first and NJ and NY have some good players. The lineman you may need to get from the midwest, but you might be able to beat MSU for OSU's second best.

While your spirit is admired, I think you are a bit naive about the ability to turn our reputation around. You might want to talk to a few HS coaches first. State pride is a rare commodity for a variety of reasons.

Recruiting from outside this area is theoretically a good idea, but it's time and money intensive.

If we can win out this season, it would make Ash's job of recruiting in Jersey a lot easier. I don't think anyone sees that happening, except for maybe RutgersAl.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

While your spirit is admired, I think you are a bit naive about the ability to turn our reputation around. You might want to talk to a few HS coaches first. State pride is a rare commodity for a variety of reasons.

Recruiting from outside this area is theoretically a good idea, but it's time and money intensive.

If we can win out this season, it would make Ash's job of recruiting in Jersey a lot easier. I don't think anyone sees that happening, except for maybe RutgersAl.

"win out"? Nobody - not even Ash - expects that and, the most important this is, neither do the recruits.

 

[RP78]

"win out"? Nobody - not even Ash - expects that and, the most important this is, neither do the recruits.

Hey nuts, do you get your post count so high by replying to posts where I actually said exactly that?

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Hey nuts, do you get your post count so high by replying to posts where I actually said exactly that?

Uhm, I QUOTED the post in which YOU actually stated "if we can WIN OUT...". My point is that nobody is, nor ever was, expecting that to happen following this season's 1st 6 scheduled games. That's all. Not sure you need to be snarky.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

You mean you were blissfully happy before yesterday:flushed:

 

[AreYouNUTS]

You mean you were blissfully happy before yesterday:flushed:

Oh nooooooooooooo.....lol

 

[hailtoyourvictor]

Harbaugh hates Rutgers guys. He wanted to run up the score. That's the "wut"

Harbaugh took out his starting QB at halftime and rotated his 2nd and 3rd string QBs in the rest of the game. Just about all the starters were out after the 1st drive of the 2nd half. Michigan threw the ball 3 times the entire 2nd half and Harbaugh was playing guys I've never heard of by the 4th quarter.

Did you expect him to take a knee the entire 2nd half? Because that would be stupid.

 

[RU848789]

Cut the guy some slack. He's trying to talk you down from the ledge... as requested.

Sorry, he's not "talking down from the ledge" with regard to our current level of talent being as bad as it looked the last two weeks, which is what I was clearly referring to with my ledge comment. He's lecturing on how to get back to respectability and beyond, which anyone who's been around to watch Schiano do it, knows how it gets done. And he's got 20-some posts with an OSU handle and his condescending attitude is nearly identical to that of several well known trolls, like NCAAballsinmouth, so sorry if I'm a little skeptical.

 

[RU848789]

Depressing? Sheeesh. Don't tie your self-worth to your team, in defeat or in victory. Keep perspective. It's a game, afterall. That's a tough proposition for a "fanatical." Sure.

That said, want to do improve the product? Increase your donation. $$$ = victories, assuming these $ are managed competently. Until then, until "we" have working capital equal to UM and OSU, reset your program expectations. RU is a long way away from the top B1G programs.

Keep Calm. And Donate On.

I think it's fair to compartmentalize sports feelings and real feelings.

In sports terms though last night doesn't compare to the heartbreak of Louisville 2012 or PSU 2014.

Pinehurst - c'mon, give me a little more credit than that. This is exactly what Levaos said - "compartmentalized sports depression." I had an enjoyable evening after the game and sports results are inconsequential with respect to real life, but for my RU football addiction, it's certainly depressing to see how far we've fallen. I was also embellishing a little...

 

[HarbsVengeance]

Harbaugh took out his starting QB at halftime and rotated his 2nd and 3rd string QBs in the rest of the game. Just about all the starters were out after the 1st drive of the 2nd half. Michigan threw the ball 3 times the entire 2nd half and Harbaugh was playing guys I've never heard of by the 4th quarter.

Did you expect him to take a knee the entire 2nd half? Because that would be stupid.

To be fair you're expecting alot of intelligence from someone that just got off 4 hours delivering pizza.

 

[mildone]

I'll assume you mean well, but lecturing a fan base, which just got embarrassed 2 weeks in a row, about extraordinarily obvious things gets old quickly, especially when we went through all of those steps under Schiano, who showed how to turn the worst team in 1A into a pretty successful program. You've said nothing most of us don't already know.

To read the board the past couple weeks, anybody could be forgiven for thinking we don't already know all this. I'm on the board all day and I'm not convinced that we already know this.

The guy's (presumably) trying to talk you back from the ledge - which is what you asked for.

 

[mildone]

In my experience when conference opponents are talking you off the ledge on a message board it means that they are very happy with your current predicament and would like you to stay there. If we were winning would these trolls be posting on our board ? Of course not.

Just confirms how sucky we are right now.

I feel like I've had a different experience.

Over the years, fans from opposing team's we've beaten have come on our board and congratulated us, and fans of programs with which we were de-facto rivals have written supportive posts when we've been down, even in seasons where we've beaten them.

There are certainly going to be trolls. But I don't think everybody visiting our board is a troll.

 

[RU848789]

To read the board the past couple weeks, anybody could be forgiven for thinking we don't already know all this. I'm on the board all day and I'm not convinced that we already know this.

The guy's (presumably) trying to talk you back from the ledge - which is what you asked for.

You obviously didn't read my original post closely or my follow-up, post 62, above - my "ledge" comment had nothing to do with how to improve the team and was only in reference to our current lack of talent - his answers were all about what we need to do.

 

[albanyknight]

#'s. I blame it all on the weather. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

 

[mildone]

You obviously didn't read my original post closely or my follow-up, post 62, above - my "ledge" comment had nothing to do with how to improve the team and was only in reference to our current lack of talent - his answers were all about what we need to do.

Actually, I did read your post and your earlier reply.

You had an intent when writing your OP. It's entirely possible the guy that replied misunderstood your intent or overlooked some detail in that OP. These things happen constantly even in person, let alone in internet forums.

You think his intent was to lecture. I disagree. I think his intent was to address your ledge comment, more or less reassuringly. In any event, if he (or I or anybody else) didn't understand your precise intent, does it really matter that much if the intent of the response was to be helpful in some way?

And if his response came across to you as lecturing, so what? It was still an attempt to help.

 

[IL Lusciato]

If people don't have at least some questions about our OC at this point they are lying to themselves.

 

[AshSaturday]

I don't know your history under flood. But, it is absolutely the first step to get your high school coaches to want your players to go Rutgers. No doubt. Ohio is all about Ohio State (unless you're Toledo, some of those asses should be charge with treason ;)) You build this program with the populace. Pride in your state. Pride in NJ football. Pride in your HS players. What can they do better at UM or OSU? Eliminate it. Convince them to stay home. Tall task in short term, but long term it can be done.

Tell that top Ohio U. (I'm also assuming Kent State is outside of Ohio. Always tough teams. What about Cinci? I haven't looked at the roster but I bet you it isn't close to 100% Ohio HS players .Ohio State, as well as anyone benefits vastly from A successful TRADITION (THUS THEY CAN RECRUIT NATIONALLY) and being the only game in town (compared to NJ).

Ohio is a great percent of blue collar relatively poor undereducated state compared to NJ. Angry blue collar workers outdated in the job market who can't sleep tonight because they still have hard ons from Trumps (one of the yee hah states still uneducated enough to be in his corner) P-grabbing comment let alone saying he'd put Hillary in jail!

New Jersey for the most part is extremely educated with the #1 or #2 highest per capita income in country. Also among the most diverse which was (and maybe still is to a very limited extent) a downfall of Rutgers' reputation for many years. Also Rutgers is adjacent to a not so nice city-hurts recruiting a lot. The high majority of wealthy in NJ send their kids out of state and for a long long time and still today Rutgers doesn't have that traditional, generational "homer" crowd other states have (i.e. In North Carolina for most families attending Carolina or "state" is a legacy).

Football isn't basketball where 1-3 top recruits can make all the difference. The 1989 Seton Hall basketball team proved that\ (whom many though got shafted by the refs and deserved the National Championship). Got themselves a one year ringer (Gaze) and big center (who could play but couldn't read or write-and didn't have the mental stability to be in high school let alone college, pros, or work. Seton Hall, pre Big East (only accepted because RU stupidly declined three offers) was a county college reputation like commuter school that Rutgers basketball used to beat by 25-35 ponts on a routine basis.

With football you need a good 10 4-star recruits MINIMUM yearly to be a top team-or close. New Jersey high schools oft have but sans Schiano (and he never dominated recruiting in NJ-at least on a regular basis) nobody has ever come close. Also with Schiano you got a coach many think could not coach-and had a reputation of being difficult to work for.

The way NJ demographics are (and with a lack of tradition) Rutgers realistically perenially may only have the upside of maybe a Michigan State or current Nebraska .
I thnk most fans would be thrilled with that and who says RU can't have a special team once in awhile like 2006 (as I predicted a decrease in season tickets 2-3 yesrs into the B1G many fans were and would be just as happy to be bowl eligible- in the B1G for the most part that means much better bowls than the Big East or AAC).

 

[sherrane]

We know all that - been through that with Schiano and after a few years, he delivered, building a program we were all proud of. But it looks like that's all gone now and I know it's mostly due to Flood's bad recruiting, but I'm worried that's not all of it...

I'll probably get ripped for this, but the strength of Schiano's teams in respect to the B1G is an illusion. We have NEVER played teams like Ohio State and Michigan in back to back weeks before joining the B1G. In 2006, we played #3 Louisville and then four weeks later played #15 West Virginia. The toughest three game stretch may have been in 2007 when we beat #2 USF (30-27), lost to #7 WVU (31-3), then lost at #13 UConn (38-19). It is important to remember that both USF and UConn finished the 2007 season unranked while WVU finished #6, so the difficulty of that stretch wasn't what it appeared to be at the time.

 

[miketd1]

If people don't have at least some questions about our OC at this point they are lying to themselves.

Honest, non-flame question.

Other than slowing things down -- which I would do -- what can be done with a QB who can't throw, a line that can't block, and receivers who can't consistently get open and/or catch the ball..?

There was immediate pressure in CL's face even when Michigan went ultra conservative to save us some face and sent only 3 guys.

And on defense, we couldn't stop Michigan when they TRIED to bleed the game out. They literally went almost exclusively to power running with their 3rd teamers in the second half and still plowed their way through effortlessly.

 

[IL Lusciato]

Honest, non-flame question.

Other than slowing things down -- which I would do -- what can be done with a QB who can't throw, a line that can't block, and receivers who can't consistently get open and/or catch the ball..?

There was immediate pressure in CL's face even when Michigan went ultra conservative to save us some face and sent only 3 guys.

And on defense, we couldn't stop Michigan when they TRIED to bleed the game out. They literally went almost exclusively to power running with their 3rd teamers in the second half and still plowed their way through effortlessly.

Defense looks better overall in some ways. And they just were up against hell the last two weeks esp given how bad and quick the offense was playing in and out. They tackle better, they cover better, they look schemed better. They could have had us at 3-3 and should have.

What do you do with all the personnel problems on O? My answer is that you do something. Yes you slow it wayyyy down, then you reassess your strengths and weaknesses personnel wise and come up with a few new ideas. We have been running the same thing all year and it was never good and never fit the personnel aside from Grants freak athleticism. We have 2 good running backs, find ways to use then better. Split Hicks out, idk do something. Tossing Zack Allen in there to run and not throw that didn't help. Try Gio. Try anything.

Is anyone going to tell me they don't think that if we had Fridge right now we wouldn't be doing some things a bit different ? I'm not saying we would win or even compete vs UM and OSU, but we mighta beaten Iowa. Now I know Laviano sucks yadda yadda. But where I do see us improving as far as conditioning, defense, attitude, recruiting etc. I am not convinced regarding the O. It basically looks like in order to do well the O needs a QB that is a superstar in all facets, and if we don't have that we will be a quick three and out nonstop. The system itself doesn't look to create on its own, despite what Mehringer says, the system looks to be totally QB dependent, and folks if Lewis or Oden are not world beaters, we may never have a good O without any innovation or adjustment. I'm not saying the jury is out, but these are legitimate questions. I

 

[miketd1]

IL Lusciato: You don't need a superstar at QB. A number of notable and highly decorated college spread QBs flamed out at the next level simply because they can't read a defense or pass the ball very well. They faced simpler defenses because they posed a threat to get chunk yardage running. In the NFL, you can't expose your QB to those kinds of hits -- there's just too much $$$ invested in that position. You can get away with that in college because the roster turns over regardless when kids run out of eligibility.

One way to get receivers open and off press-man coverage is to bunch them in clusters and run natural rub routes/pick plays for them. However, bunch and compressed formations are basically from an entirely different offensive philosophy than what we are running here.

So I just say stick with the program, take our lumps and install our offense the way it needs to be run. That way we can hit the ground running next year and if we have a different QB under center the rest of the team is experienced and can help him work through things.

 

[cicero grimes]

Schiano was smart. He started the re-build with his edge in Florida. We've lost Florida now.

Ash may get it done down the road and with Jersey kids..but noting worse than being a Rutgers Football fan of 43 seasons. (actually I felt pride during the Burns years and a few here and there).

This. I have been a fan and coming to games since 1980. I know your pain. The only consolation is we are losing like this as part of the B1G. It would be far worse losing like this as part of the AAC with no hope of ever improving.

 

[RP78]

Uhm, I QUOTED the post in which YOU actually stated "if we can WIN OUT...". My point is that nobody is, nor ever was, expecting that to happen following this season's 1st 6 scheduled games. That's all. Not sure you need to be snarky.

It was a hypothetical statement made for sarcasm.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

It was a hypothetical statement made for sarcasm.

ooooops....I literally was off this site since yesterday afternoon, until 4 minutes ago, and the alert for your post popped up and I thought "well that took a while" lol...

 

[RP78]

ooooops....I literally was off this site since yesterday afternoon, until 4 minutes ago, and the alert for your post popped up and I thought "well that took a while" lol...

So was I. The plus is we get a couple clicks on our post counts.

 

[NickKnight 1]

I'll assume you mean well, but lecturing a fan base, which just got embarrassed 2 weeks in a row, about extraordinarily obvious things gets old quickly, especially when we went through all of those steps under Schiano, who showed how to turn the worst team in 1A into a pretty successful program. You've said nothing most of us don't already know.

How many times did Gary beat Miami, W.V. Boston college, When those teams left, Schiano put in patsies, and his record
almost reached 500 enough of this Schiano hero worship.