Looking back, why was the 1993 season a failure?

[RUTGERS95]

I did not realize that Burns and Anderson also slept with al's girl.

they are all such narcissists!

 

[Plum Street]

For those knocking Fred , Rutgers thinks highly of him . He’s the kinda guy this school puts in its hall of fame

 

[koleszar]

Graber was exposed to the NFL. Any NFL team is greater exposure than 99% of major college football. His lack of success spoke more about the ma-and-pop leadership in the athletic department and school president. You had an AD who fought you at every step of the way and a school president who was aloof. If Graber didn't go above Freddy G's head, Rutgers might still be playing in that old stadium or all of its games at the Meadowlands. Even Dick Anderson, who was at Penn State, knew what it took to build a program and got little to no support.

Doug Graber tried to convince Freddy G and company to spend money to keep most of the team on campus during the summer for workouts and summer school. He was denied, and that was part of the problem with several players having issues staying eligible. Any given summer, you might have had 20 players on campus for anything. Until a change in the AD, Rutgers was stuck in minor league sports. It wasn't as if the previous coaches before Schiano didn't try, they just didn't have support in critical positions. Mulcahy made it much easier for Schiano to fulfill his demands to build a successful program.

There's no "I" in team, but there is a "ME".

 

[koleszar]

Terry Shea literally inherited a bare cupboard, which is why Corey Valentine was our opening day starter, but Mike Stephen’s finished up, Chad Bosch was our starting running back, and Steve Harper was our leading receiver in 1996. We’ve had awful seasons, but 1996 was probably the most most awful I can remember,

Did he take the two week vacation before or after he looked over the roster?

 

[RUScrew85]

There's no "I" in team, but there is a "ME".

 

[Extra Point]

If you go towards the beginning of the thread, you’ll see that I said it first. 😉

Lots of revisionist history in this thread. I don’t care if Graber had the best AD and best support in the world. Graber never would have:

• Held players and coaches accountable like Schiano does
• Recruited Florida like Schiano does
• Implemented a thorough recruiting process like Schiano has. Every recruit has been thoroughly vetted, which takes lots of man hours, to ensure they are self motivated
• Sent as many kids to the NFL from Rutgers as Schiano has
• Had ties to area coaches like Schiano has
• Toted the snake oil like Schiano does
• Had players that academically achieved like Schiano’s players have
• Worked as hard as Schiano does

The first point is most important.
the biggest reason why Schiano has succeeded at Rutgers is because kids and coaches know if they’re not doing the right thing, his foot is going to be up their you know where, so fast. Unlike Graber, He holds people to account.

That’s why this year, we are going into the season with the strongest, most prepared Rutgers Football Team ever assembled. I don’t have to worry about whether our players:

• Spent enough time in the film room
• Spent enough time in the weight room
• Spent enough time in the classroom
• Spent enough time on homework

I have the luxury of taking these things for granted, thanks to Greg Schiano. Didn’t feel the same way under Doug Graber.

Even the Penn State Fans who were with me were impressed with the size of our players, as they made their way to the Beaver Stadium Field. One thing our team does not lack for is work ethic. Now it’s a matter of continuing to build the talent base.

Well, Schiano never beat West Virginia, Graber beat WVU twice with limited support.

 

[Extra Point]

I am a Schiano supporter, I think he is a good coach and is doing a good job.

 

[Rutgers NJ]

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

Wasn't he was from Elizabeth HS?

 

[scarletrat]

Wasn't he was from Elizabeth HS?

Yes and he had INT return for TD if memory serves in 94 vs WVU that was difference in a 5 pt win

 

[e5fdny]

Did he take the two week vacation before or after he looked over the roster?

The funniest (or saddest) part about that initial time period was when Bill Walsh called to give a great and glowing recommendation of Terry Shea.

Except he called the AD at RU-Newark. 🤷‍♂️

 

[RUTGERS95]

I am a Schiano supporter, I think he is a good coach and is doing a good job.

he's ok as a hc imho, GREAT program leader however

 

[e5fdny]

For those knocking Fred , Rutgers thinks highly of him . He’s the kinda guy this school puts in its hall of fame

When you read the resume it makes sense.

Rutgers Mourns Former Athletic Director Fred Gruninger - Rutgers University Athletics

scarletknights.com

 

[kupuna133]

The funniest (or saddest) part about that initial time period was when Bill Walsh called to give a great and glowing recommendation of Terry Shea.

Except he called the AD at RU-Newark. 🤷‍♂️

That’s because when he called Fred’s office he wasn’t there as per usual. He was at his “real office” the Rutgers golf course.

Mentioned on here before family friend was an AD at a D1 school that was on our schedule. A young AD was trying to schedule a game with Rutgers and reached out to Fred and Fred wasn’t around and didn’t return his call. Young AD Asked the family friend for help getting in touch with him. Told him to call the Rutgers pro shop and ask for Fred. Schedule was complete.

 

[RUBOB72]

Wasn't he was from Elizabeth HS?

Yes

 

[RUScrew85]

Always pee on the Gruninger stone on #11.

 

[rutgersal]

Well, Schiano never beat West Virginia, Graber beat WVU twice with limited support.

WVU was beatable at the time. He never beat Syracuse because Syracuse was unbeatable at the time. Yet Schiano was able to beat Syracuse several times as that program lost its luster, after coach p was sacked.

 

[patk89]

And there it is.

That’s the point of the whole discussion.

Without the support, probably nobody succeeds.

But again, no one before him had it.

GS would never have taken the job with Freddy G as AD. That is very clear. He insisted on improvements and Mulcahy agreed. Just like he insisted on additional things before taking the job the 2nd time. Graber (I really liked him but things collapsed) and Shea (just a horrible selection by any metric) didn't have GS's leverage.

 

[e5fdny]

GS would never have taken the job with Freddy G as AD. That is very clear. He insisted on improvements and Mulcahy agreed. Just like he insisted on additional things before taking the job the 2nd time. Graber (I really liked him but things collapsed) and Shea (just a horrible selection by any metric) didn't have GS's leverage.

Again, there it is. You answered the question too. Thank you as well.🙂

That was the point of the whole discussion…there was no lever to pull.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

The coaching staff was terrible (except for Graber) and while the team had leaders, some of its best players were self-interested malcontents.

 

[mildone]

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

you don't like it, just move on

So you cannot move on and instead call it like you see it but he, if he doesn't like it, should move on? 😀

Are you gonna call me a... a... (gasp), a "liberal" again 'cause I find so much self-awareness-lacking hypocrisy in a short single post hilarious? 🤣

 

[e5fdny]

WVU was beatable at the time. He never beat Syracuse because Syracuse was unbeatable at the time. Yet Schiano was able to beat Syracuse several times as that program lost its luster, after coach p was sacked.

But Terry Shea did. 🤷‍♂️

And that sara team, coached by Paul P no less, ended up in the Music City Bowl that year. Which they won against SEC Kentucky.

No wonder that guy went into the stands. LOL

 

[patk89]

WVU was beatable at the time. He never beat Syracuse because Syracuse was unbeatable at the time. Yet Schiano was able to beat Syracuse several times as that program lost its luster, after coach p was sacked.

Big Dude, your long support of RU football is very much appreciated. The perfect guy to sit aside watching RU play in a bowl. If only our program had more like you...

 

[Plum Street]

But Terry Shea did. 🤷‍♂️

And that sara team, coached by Paul P no less, ended up in the Music City Bowl that year. Which they won against SEC Kentucky.

No wonder that guy went into the stands. LOL

Shea did in 99

The roid- rage bc guy that went into the stands was after a schiano game later on. Scanlon
Actually I started a thread on it a few years ago

2003 Syracuse’s Rich Scanlon tried to fight fans

Anyone else remember this ? This was schiano’s third year. We finally beat them on a really windy day and Syracuse linebacker and Bergen Catholic grad Rich Scanlon went into the stands after the game at Rutgers Stadium to try to fight some fans . A couple of other Syracuse guys joined him . It...

rutgers.forums.rivals.com

 

[DJ Spanky]

Are you gonna call me a... a... (gasp), a "liberal" again 'cause I find so much self-awareness-lacking hypocrisy in a short single post hilarious? 🤣

Shaddup you libatious goat-raping pansy.

 

[mildone]

Shaddup you libatious goat-raping pansy.

I protest! I would *never* rape or otherwise engage sexually with a goat. That would be beatiality, and deeply immoral. 😐

Sheep, OTOH, are an entirely different thing. It's not even possible to rape a sheep 'cause it's a known fact that they always want it. They were literally designed with sexual consent built right in.

 

[RUaMoose]

Graber seemed caught up with all the stadium hoopla which took his attention away from recruiting coming off back to back winning seasons. Just my observation from back then