Looking back, why was the 1993 season a failure?

[Extra Point]

The team was coming off a 7-4 season in 1992. They had Ray Lucas, Bruce Presley, Terrell Willis, Marco Battaglia and others on offense and Malik Jackson, Anthony Cauthen, Brian Sheridan and others on defense. How is it that the team only won 4 games?

 

[Brisket and Bourbon]

Three top 11 teams (state Penn, couch burners and Miami in its hay day)…otherwise that looks like an eastern football schedule. 5-6 wins would seem likely given that schedule.

 

[RUTGERS95]

issues with keeping players able to play
over confidence and the stupid slogan Ray came up with
and when we need the ball to bounce our way, it didn't

team was very cocksured

 

[Brisket and Bourbon]

Cocksure…won’t lie, had to look it up!

 

[RUnTeX]

First season of full round robin play in the Big East (first time playing Hurricanes and on the road in the OB). Also on the road at WVU and at VT. The latter was a barn burner iirc.

Playing the entire home slate up at Giants Stadium due to the stadium re-build didn't help.

 

[scarletrat]

No depth.
Not always linear
Played home games at old giants stadium

 

[DJ Spanky]

Let's not forget we had no home stadium advantage that year, as all of our home games were played at Giants Stadium as the upper deck was being added to Rutgers Stadium.

 

[LeapinLou]

All of those "Ray Lucas" seasons ('93, '94, '95) were disappointing. I really thought '95 could be the year to break the bowl hex but then we lose the opener on the road at Duke and it didn't get better from there. Ultimately, I agree that while Graber had good players, our depth was not good enough. Then we moved on to the Shea era and that didn't go so well.

 

[miket007]

NO DEPTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Plum Street]

All of those "Ray Lucas" seasons ('93, '94, '95) were disappointing. I really thought '95 could be the year to break the bowl hex but then we lose the opener on the road at Duke and it didn't get better from there. Ultimately, I agree that while Graber had good players, our depth was not good enough. Then we moved on to the Shea era and that didn't go so well.

Lucas was really not that good .
The second game of the season against Duke at giants stadium was a huge win . Lucas was awful and Fortay came in down 17 in the 4th quarter and rallied us to a a win . Big kick by John benestad to win it !
That sent us to 2-0 and gave us a nice payday primetime against Penn state the next week . I believe things with tv worked different those days and espn waited for the duke result . I also think we got some extra money being selected for that prime time Saturday night game at Penn state …remember the espn Saturday night game back then was pretty much a stand alone and the best game of the week with Ron Franklin and Mike gotfried . Think sec cbs 330 on steroids .
So we get the primetime game at Penn state . Graber starts Lucas (there was a qb controversy) and Lucas promptly stinks it up and we get trounced. Season basically ended there

 

[RUTGERS95]

All of those "Ray Lucas" seasons ('93, '94, '95) were disappointing. I really thought '95 could be the year to break the bowl hex but then we lose the opener on the road at Duke and it didn't get better from there. Ultimately, I agree that while Graber had good players, our depth was not good enough. Then we moved on to the Shea era and that didn't go so well.

people don't realize, grunniger was awful and we were playing 'big time' with a Patriot league budget. Most don't realize, there were only 2 academic helpers for all the sports teams. That alone should raise the eyebrows (I think one of them was designated for TW as he needed a guide to classes) lol

 

[DJ Spanky]

Most don't realize, there were only 2 academic helpers for all the sports teams.

This cannot be emphasized more. We had, what, 29 sports teams at the time? And only 2 academic assistants for ALL of them???

 

[kupuna133]

people don't realize, grunniger was awful and we were playing 'big time' with a Patriot league budget. Most don't realize, there were only 2 academic helpers for all the sports teams. That alone should raise the eyebrows (I think one of them was designated for TW as he needed a guide to classes) lol

This 100%. Also didn’t help that on any night you could find half the team out at either the rail, queens, Pete’s or corner tavern.

That team knew how to party!

 

[RUTGERS95]

This 100%. Also didn’t help that on any night you could find half the team out at either the rail, queens, Pete’s or corner tavern.

That team knew how to party!

haha yes, that was most certainly true

 

[Arizona Knight]

“Oug Graber… where’s the D?”

If I recall someone had a plane flying around with that sign trailing it. Hilarious.

 

[scarletrat]

2 advisors…..another in a long countless list of indictments against Gruninger….

IMO, the 37-36 loss at cuse in 94, after opening the season 2-0 beating Kent St I think and then WVU at home, was the gut punch and one that took years to recover….still wonder if RU should have kicked the EP to tie…wouldn’t have mattered for bowl game since finished 5-5-1…

 

[DJ Spanky]

“Oug Graber… where’s the D?”

If I recall someone had a plane flying around with that sign trailing it. Hilarious.

Was that it, or was it: "Hey Oug, where's the D?"

 

[rutgersal]

The team lacked championship caliber habits and culture. Anyone who says Doug Graber was a good coach is a fool. Kids didn’t always go to class, for starters and there was academic attrition.

It is very sad when potential goes unrealized, but that’s exactly what happened. This team has a solid base, foundation, and culture. True Schiano got more support. But Schiano also knew how to negotiate for it and maximize it. His experience at Penn State and Miami was very helpful in this regard, because he knew what to ask for.

 

[RU#1fan]

“Oug Graber… where’s the D?”

If I recall someone had a plane flying around with that sign trailing it. Hilarious.

Exactly
Any resemblance of a Defense and that team would have been in a Bowl.

 

[Arizona Knight]

Was that it, or was it: "Hey Oug, where's the D?"

Could have been. Hilarious either way.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Doug was a great coach, awesome recruiter and well liked. He had zero admin support. If he had half of what Greg had, RU would be much different today

 

[Plum Street]

This cannot be emphasized more. We had, what, 29 sports teams at the time? And only 2 academic assistants for ALL of them???

I mean shouldn’t these kids be students first ? Why would they need academic assistants anyway 😆

 

[kupuna133]

The team lacked championship caliber habits and culture. Anyone who says Doug Graber was a good coach is a fool. Kids didn’t always go to class, for starters and there was academic attrition.

It is very sad when potential goes unrealized, but that’s exactly what happened. This team has a solid base, foundation, and culture. True Schiano got more support. But Schiano also knew how to maximize it.

Doug could coach. Just couldn’t manage the program without institutional support. Problem was Graber had to take chances on some academic flyers and he wasn’t given the ability to keep better surveillance.

Grunninger was a gym teacher running a d1 athletics program.

 

[RUTGERS95]

The team lacked championship caliber habits and culture. Anyone who says Doug Graber was a good coach is a fool. Kids didn’t always go to class, for starters and there was academic attrition.

It is very sad when potential goes unrealized, but that’s exactly what happened. This team has a solid base, foundation, and culture. True Schiano got more support. But Schiano also knew how to negotiate for it and maximize it. His experience at Penn State and Miami was very helpful in this regard, because he knew what to ask for.

you have no idea what you are talking about yet again

there was zero admin support and if he had half the support of Greg, Greg would be an after thought. Doug has almost no support but was an outstanding football mind, recruiter and evaluator of talent

you are the most delusional, ill-informed, wanna be know it all loser on this board. That says something as there are quite a lot here to keep you company. You're an embarrassment to our university

have you on ignore for a reason but saw a response to you and just had to click to see what other stupidity you'd spout off about.

back to the moron button for you

 

[DJ Spanky]

Doug was a great coach, awesome recruiter and well liked. He had zero admin support. If he had half of what Greg had, RU would be much different today

Completely agree. And although Grunninger shoulders a bunch of the blame, a lot of it also goes to the Rutgers Administration who wanted to play Big Boy Football on a shoestring budget.

 

[rutgersal]

you have no idea what you are talking about yet again

there was zero admin support and if he had half the support of Greg, Greg would be an after thought. Doug has almost no support but was an outstanding football mind, recruiter and evaluator of talent

you are the most delusional, ill-informed, wanna be know it all loser on this board. That says something as there are quite a lot here to keep you company. You're an embarrassment to our university

have you on ignore for a reason but saw a response to you and just had to click to see what other stupidity you'd spout off about.

back to the moron button for you

ClueLess as usual, just like your hero, Doug Graber. I will take kupunas word that he was a good coach as far as X’s and O’s.

I lived next door to the football players in the Busch Suites, so i have the 411, and you don’t. I know exactly what they did and what they should have been doing.

Graber didn’t know his ass from his elbow, as far as the day to day in running a college football program. He also lacked the attention to detail that Schiano possesses and failed to instill discipline in the program

Schiano took what he learned from his Penn State and Miami experience and built the foundation of this program. This was especially key in bolstering our academic support and ensuring kids attended class.

Even if Graber or Terry Shea had the support, it’s takes knowledge and leadership to properly direct and allocate it. Any additional support that would have been provided to them would have been a waste.

The one thing I will Grant Graber is that he got the Football Stadium built, and that was huge. Just like Chris Ashes enduring legacy is getting the outdoor practice fields done.

 

[ScarletNut]

you have no idea what you are talking about yet again

there was zero admin support and if he had half the support of Greg, Greg would be an after thought. Doug has almost no support but was an outstanding football mind, recruiter and evaluator of talent

you are the most delusional, ill-informed, wanna be know it all loser on this board. That says something as there are quite a lot here to keep you company. You're an embarrassment to our university

have you on ignore for a reason but saw a response to you and just had to click to see what other stupidity you'd spout off about.

back to the moron button for you

Why not just rebut his post without getting down and dirty. No need to get so personal. You have a habit of doing that.

 

[newwavedave1]

1993? Ancient history.

 

[Yeah Baby]

I liked Graber. I liked his high scoring offenses and the talent he brought in. Those teams were so close but it was the 7-4 snub that did him in. Joe Pa went in to kids houses and pointed out that snub.

Doug did have talent on D but depth was the issue as mentioned above. He also did not run a tight ship as also mentioned. I would compare Doug to Flood all around but Flood did get us bowling with a very tough BIG schedule. As much as I liked Flood and Graber their lack of discipline led to attrition and the guys who took their places did worse but the program was heading south for both of those guys.

Say what you want about Greg. One could say "hey Schian where's the O?" But he came in twice and rebuilt this program. Anyone with eyes can see this. Some refuse to admit it.

 

[WhiteBus]

people don't realize, grunniger was awful and we were playing 'big time' with a Patriot league budget. Most don't realize, there were only 2 academic helpers for all the sports teams. That alone should raise the eyebrows (I think one of them was designated for TW as he needed a guide to classes) lol

If you think Gruninger had any say in the Athletic budget you are way off base.

 

[Arizona Knight]

I don’t know what year it was, but I witnessed when Rusty Schwartz got in a car accident on his motorcycle on the Busch Campus.

 

[RUBOB72]

Fred Grunninger was a nice guy but in no way should he have ever been an AD. This topic has been rehashed several times over the past 10-15 years. Playing an enhanced schedule with little to no ammo. Whose fault ? Rutgers did very little to change the program's trajectory. I no longer blame Fred and I and many others here have been critical of his leadership. As for the attrition factor and lack of depth pick your poison. We had NO money to speak of.Ray Lucas somehow managed to hang around the NFL for 7 years. Truth is those before did little until Mulcahy and Schiano came along.Graber was a very good football coach. Doug loved Rutgers even years afterwards.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Anyone with eyes can see this. Some refuse to admit it.

He could change water into wine, and those people would complain about the vintage.

 

[RUBOB72]

One of my favorites on those Rutgers teams was DE / LB Alcides Catanho who got a cup of coffee with New England in 95

 

[ScarletNut]

We had 3 QBs on Graber's roster that made it to NFL camps. Lucas, Fortay and Robert Higgins (who had the strongest arm of the 3 and almost made the Charger's roster). What I'd give to have 3 NFL type QBs on our roster.

 

[Yeah Baby]

One of my favorites on those Rutgers teams was DE / LB Alcides Catanho who got a cup of coffee with New England in 95

Elizabeth HS was very good to RU back then. Coach Jerry forget his last name made every player put RU in their Top 5.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Completely agree. And although Grunninger shoulders a bunch of the blame, a lot of it also goes to the Rutgers Administration who wanted to play Big Boy Football on a shoestring budget.

100%!!!!!!

 

[RUTGERS95]

If you think Gruninger had any say in the Athletic budget you are way off base.

lololololol oh whitebus, always looking to argue

 

[RUTGERS95]

Why not just rebut his post without getting down and dirty. No need to get so personal. You have a habit of doing that.

call it like I see it and he's an absolutely fking moron

you don't like it, just move on

 

[WhiteBus]

We had 3 QBs on Graber's roster that made it to NFL camps. Lucas, Fortay and Robert Higgins (who had the strongest arm of the 3 and almost made the Charger's roster). What I'd give to have 3 NFL type QBs on our roster.

Many guys make it to NFL camps. Doesn't mean they made it to the NFL like Lucas did.