My (late) thoughts on Wisconsin

[gef21]

Sorry for the delay. My son had a game on Saturday this weekend so I had to watch the game on film later on. I was also eye balls deep in film of a high school team I may potentially take over.

1. This is a nightmare season for a coach and I feel for the staff to an extent. The amount of injuries, for high level players, is really bad. 7 or 8 of our top 15 players are all out for the year or playing hurt. We are just not a program that can support that time of loss, but that is not really an acceptable excuse to an extent.

2. Scheme
a. Our defense scheme is a sound one, we force turnovers, we make some plays, but 5 of our best defensive players are out for the year or playing not nearly healthy enough. Our interior D linemen are getting pushed around and 3 of our 4 linebackers are consistently losing gap supremacy. We can not generate a pass rush consistently, and our best pass rushers can be double teamed.

b. I do not know what our offensive identity is. We are very predictable on most downs, and our OL is playing inconsistently at best. The fact that we truly only had 5 linemen who we could put on the field is a big issue. We have become almost too heavy of an RPO team. Our TEs can not block well, most of our older WRs can not catch consistently, we can not block in any phase consistently. I do not know the game plan, but it appears we are calling to a system and not to the players. I would love to see more misdirection plays, counters, screens, and leveled roll outs.

c. Special teams are struggling because, in my opinion, they do not have a consistent STC. We also are scared to return kicks/punts. I get the trauma of EL on kick returns, and the trauma of fielding punts. But we are giving up a significant part of what made us gritty. I do love that we block punts, and go after them, but the attention to details is missing on PR (for example the fake punt we gave up).

3. Our 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes have proven to be busts. I understand that recruiting at Rutgers is hard, and that we want to be a development program, but the coaches had to see the issues coming and we needed to attack the portal. If this is an NIL issue, then it is what it is. But those two classes are not great. 2023 appears to be a solid to good class and 2024 has a lot of potential, and if we can hold on to 2025 I think that is a great base.

This program had a chance to be special this year, but injuries hurt that considerably, and we do not have depth because our classes were a huge miss.

This weekend I will be getting to the game a bit late because of my son's game, but I am hoping to see us play hard and consistently. Wisconsin looked like the coaches at lost the motivation of the team, and the honestly the staff. I hope we can get it corrected, or this will be one of the hardest to swallow seasons as a Rutgers fan.

 

[Knight Shift]

Sorry for the delay. My son had a game on Saturday this weekend so I had to watch the game on film later on. I was also eye balls deep in film of a high school team I may potentially take over.

1. This is a nightmare season for a coach and I feel for the staff to an extent. The amount of injuries, for high level players, is really bad. 7 or 8 of our top 15 players are all out for the year or playing hurt. We are just not a program that can support that time of loss, but that is not really an acceptable excuse to an extent.

2. Scheme
a. Our defense scheme is a sound one, we force turnovers, we make some plays, but 5 of our best defensive players are out for the year or playing not nearly healthy enough. Our interior D linemen are getting pushed around and 3 of our 4 linebackers are consistently losing gap supremacy. We can not generate a pass rush consistently, and our best pass rushers can be double teamed.

b. I do not know what our offensive identity is. We are very predictable on most downs, and our OL is playing inconsistently at best. The fact that we truly only had 5 linemen who we could put on the field is a big issue. We have become almost too heavy of an RPO team. Our TEs can not block well, most of our older WRs can not catch consistently, we can not block in any phase consistently. I do not know the game plan, but it appears we are calling to a system and not to the players. I would love to see more misdirection plays, counters, screens, and leveled roll outs.

c. Special teams are struggling because, in my opinion, they do not have a consistent STC. We also are scared to return kicks/punts. I get the trauma of EL on kick returns, and the trauma of fielding punts. But we are giving up a significant part of what made us gritty. I do love that we block punts, and go after them, but the attention to details is missing on PR (for example the fake punt we gave up).

3. Our 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes have proven to be busts. I understand that recruiting at Rutgers is hard, and that we want to be a development program, but the coaches had to see the issues coming and we needed to attack the portal. If this is an NIL issue, then it is what it is. But those two classes are not great. 2023 appears to be a solid to good class and 2024 has a lot of potential, and if we can hold on to 2025 I think that is a great base.

This program had a chance to be special this year, but injuries hurt that considerably, and we do not have depth because our classes were a huge miss.

This weekend I will be getting to the game a bit late because of my son's game, but I am hoping to see us play hard and consistently. Wisconsin looked like the coaches at lost the motivation of the team, and the honestly the staff. I hope we can get it corrected, or this will be one of the hardest to swallow seasons as a Rutgers fan.

"but that is not really an acceptable excuse to an extent."

"we do not have depth because our classes were a huge miss."

"they do not have a consistent STC. "
"we needed to attack the portal"

There is one person who is the root of all of the above. His name rhymes with piano.

The OC needs to change the plan or be changed.

 

[mdk01]

One nit pick. There is an older WR who can catch consistently, Dremel. He is no deep threat but, but these are multiple WR sets and others are. They just have catching issues.

Otherwise, this is excellent.

 

[gef21]

"but that is not really an acceptable excuse to an extent."

"we do not have depth because our classes were a huge miss."

"they do not have a consistent STC. "
"we needed to attack the portal"

There is one person who is the root of all of the above. His name rhymes with piano.

The OC needs to change the plan or be changed.

Part of the issue was multiple players who medically retired. I am unsure if they were risks that we took them, or it happened after.

In the end everything is always on the head coach. If his staff, his players, and his program are not running how they should be, it is on him.

This is why 1.0 was a micromanager and burned coaches out.

That being said, the injury thing is insane. Sometimes it happens, but that means evaluation is needed to figure out why so many injuries are happening. If there is a true pattern, then there is a training issue. But sometimes injuries just happen.

 

[mdk01]

"but that is not really an acceptable excuse to an extent."

"we do not have depth because our classes were a huge miss."

"they do not have a consistent STC. "
"we needed to attack the portal"

There is one person who is the root of all of the above. His name rhymes with piano.

The OC needs to change the plan or be changed.

Does Rutgers have the NIL money to attack the portal? If not, is that the fault of the HC?

 

[mildone]

Good post, as usual.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the players and coaches were very demotivated by the 4th Q in that game. So many injuries to so many team leaders is an extreme test of the the chop philosophy. Everybody who has played team sports competitively knows how hard it can sometimes be to stay in the game mentally when you see even just a couple friends get badly injured. This game was more than just a couple.

Having backups thrust into larger roles is tough when it’s one or two. But you have all the experienced leaders surrounding those two less experienced guys, so you can make it work. But when it’s a handful of guys, all in one game, and all the most experienced leaders… the glue is gone and you have inexperience leading inexperience. That would’ve put even an elite talent-filled team like OSU back on its heels.

I think the week to adjust to the new reality will help a lot. But we will have a lot of relative inexperience playing the rest of the season. It’s gonna be a much bigger struggle than before. No “next man up” platitudes can change the fact that the next man is not yet as good as the one he’s replacing (or he would be been the starter).

My hope now is some backups, and backups to backups, emerge and shine.

 

[gef21]

One nit pick. There is an older WR who can catch consistently, Dremel. He is no deep threat but, but these are multiple WR sets and others are. They just have catching issues.

Otherwise, this is excellent.

I am at a bit of a loss at why CD was not in the field. I get the argument that he is a slot, and struggle to get off of the line with the press, but move Miller to the outside. Or take the TE off of the field and go 2x2 (that being said I am anti 4 WR sets but that is my bias). I would love to see a trips bunch set with CD, DM, and one of our big WRs (Ian strong preferably) opposite a TE and single back.

 

[RUPete]

"but that is not really an acceptable excuse to an extent."

"we do not have depth because our classes were a huge miss."

"they do not have a consistent STC. "
"we needed to attack the portal"

There is one person who is the root of all of the above. His name rhymes with piano.

The OC needs to change the plan or be changed.

Why are you blaming Rich Miano? He has been retired since 1995.

 

[kupuna133]

I am at a bit of a loss at why CD was not in the field. I get the argument that he is a slot, and struggle to get off of the line with the press, but move Miller to the outside. Or take the TE off of the field and go 2x2 (that being said I am anti 4 WR sets but that is my bias). I would love to see a trips bunch set with CD, DM, and one of our big WRs (Ian strong preferably) opposite a TE and single back.

I agree to your comment earlier. Playing to a system rather than to personnel. It is no more evident than to relegate your most consistent and reliable receiving weapon last year to permanent fair catcher. You can find a way to get Dremel on the field. Agreed I don’t like 4 wr sets especially when you don’t use them effectively to stretch the field horizontally and vertically. Our 4 wr sets are nothing but window dressing.

The play calling is not working. Not asking for a complete overhaul but Kirk has been an enigma since he came back. He has been horrendous in design especially in the red zone. There is no urgency and as you said everything is predictable and easy to defend and plan for.

 

[Knight Shift]

Part of the issue was multiple players who medically retired. I am unsure if they were risks that we took them, or it happened after.

In the end everything is always on the head coach. If his staff, his players, and his program are not running how they should be, it is on him.

This is why 1.0 was a micromanager and burned coaches out.

That being said, the injury thing is insane. Sometimes it happens, but that means evaluation is needed to figure out why so many injuries are happening. If there is a true pattern, then there is a training issue. But sometimes injuries just happen.

But as we know every team has injuries. Wisconsin was missing their starting QB and RB, and they put up 40 plus points in each of the last two weeks. Adapt and overcome, or wallow and lose.

 

[Lerxst72]

Thank you, Gef, for your thoughts. Always appreciated.
Question for those who have played and/or coached - Roughly how many different plays should an Offense expected to know, be completely comfortable, and proficient at running? To the un-trained eye, it sometimes looks like the RU run less than 20 different plays, or variations of.... In short, seems like they have a small Offensive playbook.

 

[Knight Shift]

Does Rutgers have the NIL money to attack the portal? If not, is that the fault of the HC?

Yes. He could encourage donors to direct their money to NIL instead of things like the field house or the RFund generally.

 

[Shelby65]

I agree to your comment earlier. Playing to a system rather than to personnel. It is no more evident than to relegate your most consistent and reliable receiving weapon last year to permanent fair catcher. You can find a way to get Dremel on the field. Agreed I don’t like 4 wr sets especially when you don’t use them effectively to stretch the field horizontally and vertically. Our 4 wr sets are nothing but window dressing.

The play calling is not working. Not asking for a complete overhaul but Kirk has been an enigma since he came back. He has been horrendous in design especially in the red zone. There is no urgency and as you said everything is predictable and easy to defend and plan for.

Dontcha think the OC calls plays generally within the boundaries of what the HC requires ? KC uses Schiano’s approved playbook, obviously.

 

[gef21]

Dontcha think the OC calls plays generally within the boundaries of what the HC requires ? KC uses Schiano’s approved playbook, obviously.

Well this is very similar to how Minnesota called plays, so I would say KC has a lot of wiggle room.

 

[gef21]

Thank you, Gef, for your thoughts. Always appreciated.
Question for those who have played and/or coached - Roughly how many different plays should an Offense expected to know, be completely comfortable, and proficient at running? To the un-trained eye, it sometimes looks like the RU run less than 20 different plays, or variations of.... In short, seems like they have a small Offensive playbook.

So if I take the offensive high school playbook I have right in front of me it has 8 formations. Then it has a base run system that can be called for 3 different players to 6 different locations. Then an RPO system that can be called to look 3 different ways for 2 different directions. 3 flood packages, 3 sprint out packages, The passing tree 8 combo pass routes, 5 trips pass routes. 3 misdirections or counters, 4 screens, and a power play that can be run to 3 different players. At the collegiate level It is more terminology to change bits and pieces (a lot more specific verbiage and or choice routes).

 

[gef21]

But as we know every team has injuries. Wisconsin was missing their starting QB and RB, and they put up 40 plus points in each of the last two weeks. Adapt and overcome, or wallow and lose.

Sometimes The Jimmys and the Joes just can not do it.

 

[gef21]

Does Rutgers have the NIL money to attack the portal? If not, is that the fault of the HC?

The HC absolutely has to be involved in NIL money, or the school administration needs to be also. If a coach is not involved, he will not be successful. NIL money is critical and Rutgers does not have a ton for football. The problem is that it is a self fulfilling prophecy. The more success we have, the more money we will get but we need more money to have more success.

 

[RW90]

Sometimes I think Schiano applies labeling RU as a "development program" is almost him waving a white flag on our poor recruiting and NIL. It's especially hard to swallow this excuse when the likes of Indiana and Illinois are having excellent seasons thus far.

 

[Shelby65]

Yes. He could encourage donors to direct their money to NIL instead of things like the field house or the RFund generally.

It’s more than that. Winning attracts sponsors and fans. Loser-coaching diverts support to winners instead. This is the NYC market. Lack of NIL, which probably isn’t even real it’s just mis-allocated, is 150% on the almighty Negative Two Point Zero.

 

[Shelby65]

Sometimes I think Schiano applies labeling RU as a "development program" is almost him waving a white flag on our poor recruiting and NIL. It's especially hard to swallow this excuse when the likes of Indiana and Illinois are having excellent seasons thus far.

Exactly. Sorry-ass pathetic blame deflecting excuse. It’s his philosophy fail. We could have afforded a real QB but he only wanted a more accurate version of a game manager than Wimsatt to hand off 35 times a game and QB run another 5 times. Why would top recruits come to play in his Pop Warner system ?

 

[Shelby65]

Well this is very similar to how Minnesota called plays, so I would say KC has a lot of wiggle room.

How is that wiggle room ? It’s the same Pop Warner offense.

 

[RU Cheese]

Why are you blaming Rich Miano? He has been retired since 1995.

Good call. I thought he was blaming Tom Chiasano but even Stern has moved on.

 

[Shelby65]

So if I take the offensive high school playbook I have right in front of me it has 8 formations. Then it has a base run system that can be called for 3 different players to 6 different locations. Then an RPO system that can be called to look 3 different ways for 2 different directions. 3 flood packages, 3 sprint out packages, The passing tree 8 combo pass routes, 5 trips pass routes. 3 misdirections or counters, 4 screens, and a power play that can be run to 3 different players. At the collegiate level It is more terminology to change bits and pieces (a lot more specific verbiage and or choice routes).

Nice. Re-write in 2nd grade vocab and send it to Schiano. Leave out the part about punt return team though. No point.

 

[gef21]

How is that wiggle room ? It’s the same Pop Warner offense.

I'm saying he calls what he wants without schiano dictating because it looks how his stuff always looked.

 

[Knight Shift]

Sometimes I think Schiano applies labeling RU as a "development program" is almost him waving a white flag on our poor recruiting and NIL. It's especially hard to swallow this excuse when the likes of Indiana and Illinois are having excellent seasons thus far.

How did Vanderbilt outscheme Alabama (much more talented), and Kentucky (arguably more talented)? Creative play calling and playing to their players' strengths instead of playing to a system.

On the NIL front, in the podcast @Richie O and @mb5789 did with the Wisconsin podcaster (an ex Wisconsin RB who seemed to have some inside scoop), it did not seem from at least what he knew (even though nobody knows for sure except the coaches) that Wisconsin was flush with NIL money.

Coaching and scheme matter when you have lesser talent than your opponents. That may be why Rutgers beat Virginia Tech and lost to Nebraska and Wisconsin. As for Washington, it seemed to be more poor execution (3 missed FGs) that resulted in the Rutgers win. But winning on the other teams' poor execution will not result in consistent winning.

 

[rutgersguy1]

How did Vanderbilt outscheme Alabama (much more talented), and Kentucky (arguably more talented)? Creative play calling and playing to their players' strengths instead of playing to a system.

On the NIL front, in the podcast @Richie O and @mb5789 did with the Wisconsin podcaster (an ex Wisconsin RB who seemed to have some inside scoop), it did not seem from at least what he knew (even though nobody knows for sure except the coaches) that Wisconsin was flush with NIL money.

Coaching and scheme matter when you have lesser talent than your opponents. That may be why Rutgers beat Virginia Tech and lost to Nebraska and Wisconsin. As for Washington, it seemed to be more poor execution (3 missed FGs) that resulted in the Rutgers win. But winning on the other teams' poor execution will not result in consistent winning.

NIL is an easy scapegoat for any problem. Everyone points to it but most things are either lies or ambiguous or unknown regardless of what numbers are reported out there. There's no transparency. Are some players getting big money, sure but not everyone and some of these things are in kind as well not actual money and not even something you get to keep after the season or year is over. A lot of it is an unknown.

Also look at this regarding Alabama, an excerpt (the 2nd tweet) from the Athletic regarding what some coaches think of them before the Tenn game. I've been saying with NIL, portal etc..there will never be complete parity but it's better than ever. The talent is spreading around. I posted a quote from Smart awhile back talking about parity and the fact that qbs can move around is part of what's helping it.

 

[RuSnp]

The goal is a bowl. Given the injuries.

 

[Knight Shift]

NIL is an easy scapegoat for any problem. Everyone points to it but most things are either lies or ambiguous or unknown regardless of what numbers are reported out there. There's no transparency. Are some players getting big money, sure but not everyone and some of these things are in kind as well not actual money and not even something you get to keep after the season or year is over. A lot of it is an unknown.

Also look at this regarding Alabama, an excerpt (the 2nd tweet) from the Athletic regarding what some coaches think of them before the Tenn game. I've been saying with NIL, portal etc..there will never be complete parity but it's better than ever. The talent is spreading around. I posted a quote from Smart awhile back talking about parity and the fact that qbs can move around is part of what's helping it.

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Yes, it all starts up front. And to the extent the team has issues up front on offense, they need to adapt.

 

[gef21]

Honestly we still do not have an elite position group that can make up for another. At times our RBs can, but they can not do it all. We ran the ball well against Neb because KM made players miss in the back field, cut back against the grain and or created something from northing.

If we had an elite QB, or WR group, or TE group, or OL they would make up for other issues.

On defense our high level LBs made up for the fact that sometimes our DL got washed or couldnt get pressure, but now are are missing our best LB and second best LB is still recovering. Our DBs at times could play pass and run and make plays in the backfield. 3 of the starting 5 are hurt.

Look at the Neb game. They won because they have elite interior DTs and high level DEs. That is it. They made up for the fact that honestly the rest of the team could not do much at all.

2006 for us was a good year because we had an elite RB, and honestly an Elite OL with a good QB and good WRs/TE. On defense we had elite secondary and high level DL with LBs who set the tone, even if they were not elite.

 

[mildone]

View embedded media

What the tweet says about 'Bama's OL is telling. The OL and DL drive success. It's always been that way for everyone.

 

[gef21]

Yes, it all starts up front. And to the extent the team has issues up front on offense, they need to adapt.

Schiano appears to be working the same formula for our lines as he used in 1.0. The 2021 and 2022 classes us gave us very, very little. I am unsure if we were taking risks or it really just did not work out.

 

[mildone]

Honestly we still do not have an elite position group that can make up for another. At times our RBs can, but they can not do it all. We ran the ball well against Neb because KM made players miss in the back field, cut back against the grain and or created something from northing.

If we had an elite QB, or WR group, or TE group, or OL they would make up for other issues.

On defense our high level LBs made up for the fact that sometimes our DL got washed or couldnt get pressure, but now are are missing our best LB and second best LB is still recovering. Our DBs at times could play pass and run and make plays in the backfield. 3 of the starting 5 are hurt.

Look at the Neb game. They won because they have elite interior DTs and high level DEs. That is it. They made up for the fact that honestly the rest of the team could not do much at all.

2006 for us was a good year because we had an elite RB, and honestly an Elite OL with a good QB and good WRs/TE. On defense we had elite secondary and high level DL with LBs who set the tone, even if they were not elite.

I agree to all that but would just add the caveat that the degree to which elite QBs, WRs, or TEs can help overcome a bad OL is dependent upon two nuanced factors: (1) just how bad the OL is and (2) how good the OC is. IMO, a truly bad OL is a very hard thing to overcome no matter the eliteness of the rest of the offense. Not impossible, but very hard.

I don't know if our OL is super bad, or just a little bad, or somewhere inbetween. They sure ain't good. I suspect they're probably not so awful that a combination of an NFL first rounder QB combined with NFL first round WRs and TEs and a really good and creative OC might be able to overcome our OL's deficiencies.

But that's purely hypothetical as our QB and WRs and TEs have not been nearly good enough to overcome our OL's level of play.

 

[mildone]

Schiano appears to be working the same formula for our lines as he used in 1.0. The 2021 and 2022 classes us gave us very, very little. I am unsure if we were taking risks or it really just did not work out.

Perhaps Flood was a really good OL coach. That's what people have said anyway.

 

[ashokan]

What the tweet says about 'Bama's OL is telling. The OL and DL drive success. It's always been that way for everyone.

The SEC thrives on fast big guys
The B1G thrives on strong big guys.
RU was lucky a few times but overall the lineman have been a weak link.

The current OL was looking good but with injuries and such there is some backsliding.
RU should make a goal of becoming OL U. of the eastern region.
The DBs/RBs are nice but QBs and OL/DL undercut them at RU.
Pacheco is a star with two Super Bowl titles but was often stuffed at RU.
He had to be run to the sidelines hoping for a crease

 

[gef21]

Perhaps Flood was a really good OL coach. That's what people have said anyway.

He was an elite OL coach. Terrible HC.

 

[mildone]

Nice. Re-write in 2nd grade vocab and send it to Schiano. Leave out the part about punt return team though. No point.

The hate just pervades your posts. 🙂

You know you're dying to tell us all the real reason you hate GS so much. We can all see how it's deeply personal for you. It's not good to keep that stuff bottled up inside. Get it off your chest, it'll do you some good.

 

[rutgersguy1]

What the tweet says about 'Bama's OL is telling. The OL and DL drive success. It's always been that way for everyone.

Yea but my point is even Alabama can’t be as consistently strong and dominant across the board be it the lines or whatever position regardless of NIL. Talent is spreading around.

They obviously have more resources than most but everyone has to figure out to make it work with whatever they have. The less you have the more resourceful and judicious you have to be.

 

[mildone]

He was an elite OL coach. Terrible HC.

That's basically what I've thought. But I don't have your football background with which to judge such things. So I gotta go with how we did with him here coaching the OL, how he's done with other teams OLs.

I would guess he has a pretty good mind for offense in general these days. Never gonna happen, but I wonder if him being our OC would result in us having a better offense. Yet another hypothetical.

 

[rutgersguy1]

That's basically what I've thought. But I don't have your football background with which to judge such things. So I gotta go with how we did with him here coaching the OL, how he's done with other teams OLs.

I would guess he has a pretty good mind for offense in general these days. Never gonna happen, but I wonder if him being our OC would result in us having a better offense. Yet another hypothetical.

He’s got the the OC title but Sarkisian is the one calling the plays. He might contribute to game planning but he’s not the playcaller. There have been others coaches like that on other teams as well.

 

[gef21]

He’s got the the OC title but Sarkisian is the one calling the plays. He might contribute to game planning but he’s not the playcaller. There have been others coaches like that on other teams as well.

he is probably the run game coordinator. but who knows.