when you walked onto the team and the HC was Doug Graber.
As a Rutgers football fan, you know you're old when.....
- Thread starter knight82
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I slaved over a wikipedia tome for seconds! I'm exhausted, time to have a scotch!!!
Still think Doug would’ve had a longer, more successful tenure here if had a modicum of academic support and he coached within the current bowl system - would’ve gone to three most likely.
Yup, we won the first game in its history vs. BC if I remember correctly. At the old stadium.
The October 5, 1973 Targum talked of quarterback Peil Pennington’s favorite target, “His leading receiver is Tim Berra (son of Yogi) who has already grabbed 26 passes for 338 yards and five touchdowns.” That Monday’s Targum reported Berra caught a touchdown pass after nearly breaking a run on a kickoff.
With two minutes left, Rutgers drove 96 yards and was at the two with 19 seconds remaining. The ball was given to J.J. Jennings who would have 230 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the game, “… slicing his way down to the goal, Jennings appeared to have scored but the officials didn’t agree. The ball was place on the one foot line… Rutgers hurried but was called for offsides with five seconds left…”
A incomplete pass to the tight end sealed a 25-22 loss to UMass. The October 8, 1973 Targum reported University trustee and booster Sonny Werblin, “…who has a history of heart disease, was in good condition at St. Peter’s Hospital in New Brunswick last night… Werblin became ‘woozy’ at the game and was hospitalized as a precaution… in the coronary care unit.”
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Rutgers taking an $80K payout to let Miami out of a game in 1984 so the defending national champs could schedule their game against BC and Doug Flutie later in the season.
. . . you remember the stadium with about as much grass and mulch as seating; no lights, boxes or amenities; and, students barely showing-up to games and when they did wearing gear from rival schools, regardless of who were playing. The stadium expansion took care of the first two small-time problems. Greg Schiano, a conscious effort to improve the culture and the Block R dealt with the rest. Our progress can be measured in light years since my days on the Banks in the very early-90's.
I remember early in his tenure they started putting out "Wear red to the game!" - back before him there was very little Rutgers gear available, outside of the student centers and bookstores it was hard to find.
I remember the the old stadium as a beautiful green gem, with a great game day feel.
Exactly as it should have felt given who we were.
We played tough good college football from the early 60s on.
IMO… The Ivy League and Eastern independents we played were a much better level than most think in that era.
Before a guy named Busch bequeathed $10 million to Rutgers upon his death in the early 70s.
By the way, if you reflect the picture of original Rutgers Stadium into a mirror, you'll see an "R"
You remember RU getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when the team horse ran on the field during an extra point against Army.
You remember the last time RU beat Penn State.
You remember Mike McQuery's spread covering TD pass with 50 seconds left.
You remember when an RU team that would finish the season 2-8-1 tied a Florida team that finished 9-0-1.
You remember Terry Shea opening a post game press conference after a blowout loss against Syracuse with the words "they pounded our lights out".
You remember having your own row during the Shea era.
You remember the last time RU beat Penn State.
You remember Mike McQuery's spread covering TD pass with 50 seconds left.
You remember when an RU team that would finish the season 2-8-1 tied a Florida team that finished 9-0-1.
You remember Terry Shea opening a post game press conference after a blowout loss against Syracuse with the words "they pounded our lights out".
You remember having your own row during the Shea era.
Lost out on a Cherry Bowl bid to a 6-5 Michigan State team that scored 6 points against Army.
Actually we lost the bid to Army, who we beat that season (1984). 2 of our 3 losses came against ranked teams. The reason we didn't get the Cherry Bowl bid is that at our last game against Colgate with a bowl bid on the line, we could not fill a 23K seat stadium. The bowl scouts were not impressed.
I remember that but was that game on the Saturday before Thanksgiving break? If that was the case, then no wonder back then. I know, I know, I’ll look it up! 😂
Yeah, I remember that Army could guarantee 10K tickets or something like that. Really weird we couldn't get people out to that game given that the week before we beat the toothless, inbred hillbillies who were ranked 18th at the time up in Giants Stadium.
I believe there is video of a great hit by one of our current board members in that game as it aired on NJN. 😉
Rutgers did beat Army 14-7 at Giants Stadium on October 13, 1984 and Army did get the Cherry Bowl bid.
However, bowl committees want lots of fans at their Bowl games. In 1984, Army went to its very first Bowl game. And since the Army has fans across the nation, I'm sure those factors also played a part in their selection. They also went to the Peach Bowl the next year and the Sun Bowl in 1988.
Rutgers was more deserving but Army had the metrics when it came to $$$$$.
Also, when you can remember when tuition at Rutgers was $200 a semester, plus $35 student fees.
I don't even wanna hear what it is now.
I don't even wanna hear what it is now.
That’s what it cost when I went, but didn’t have to pay the $200 because my father was an RU employee. Thinking fees were $64??
Still a great deal if you are a NJ kid. We are moving up the rankings and room board tuition is about 30G a year. Have to get in and it’s so much harder now compared to years past.
