It's a great question, and to my knowledge, there has never been a thread dedicated to the discussion. It's also hard to hold a discussion when some are very defensive of the status quo and will resort to name-calling. There is a definite pattern that repeats itself each year, and I have been posting each year to remind those that don't want to hear it. Basically, it starts with optimism, followed by disappointment, then next year will be better. What I'm certain of is that nothing will change if nothing changes.
I've tried to have a discussion about how the program operates and have been met with resistance (putting it mildly). The people here either don't know, don't want to know, or are afraid to know. I'd be very happy to engage in a civil discussion, and I would hope that those involved with the program might learn from it. Based on recent years, it's doubtful. More people are now questioning, which is good, but there is the loyal faithful that cast stones and call names similar to what we see in politics today: you're a racist, Nazi, fascist, or even worse: you're a Penn State fan. Then giggle about it.
NJ is indeed one of the top three wrestling states in the nation. Rutgers gets an occasional top recruit, like Soldano, Peterson (indirectly) and Poz. Some come and fall on their face. Unfortunately, many don't progress after their first two years. The majority of the top guys go elsewhere. The reasons vary but are mostly for their best chances for success or sometimes education when Ivies are an option. Rutgers cannot offer the coaching or resident athletes that other programs do. I think, based only on what I read, that many of the kids who train at the SKRTC, say that Rutgers is in their top five, then go elsewhere. To fully understand why, honest questions must be asked and answered honestly. It would not be terribly difficult for a qualified person to do a competitive assessment. I've never heard of that having been done or even considered.
I do believe Rutgers could be a great wrestling program. It must first figure out how, then take action to make it happen.
