Will we keep this class intact or will we go back to the early years of the Big East where all of the NJ talent went elsewhere?
Recruiting Impacts - what will happen if the beat down continues
- Thread starter NYCFootballFan
- Start date
IIRC, some of our best recruiting classes came at the end of our most disappointing seasons.
An outsider's opinion - Ash had to know this was going to be a though season and should have sold recruits on the impact they could make turning the team around with early playing time. Thus I expect your recruiting class to stick. You'll probably end up with a couple (2ish) of decommits but that happens everywhere.
As long as Ash keeps the kids motivated and all-in, this season will have a negligible effect on recruiting. Recruits are not dumb. They see what we see and understand that Ash needs a few years to shop for the groceries before making any judgements.
Flood had lost the team and the locker-room and this showed up on the field. This will not happen under Ash.
Flood had lost the team and the locker-room and this showed up on the field. This will not happen under Ash.
Ash has been very candid about or ability to compete against the top teams in the BIG. I am sure that same message is being coneveyed to recruits. I am not happy with getting blown out but not concerned about its effect. Ohio St does this to a lot of teams many of which who are much better than Rutgers.
Our best class was our lowest ranked class. Rice, the McCourty brothers et al. Secured before we started winning in 2005/2006.
Of course it matters. Simply pointing out that if the class is not held intact and/or NJ kids decide to take their talents elsewhere it's not something new (or since the early days of the Big East)
From what I read, Ash was brutally honest with this class. So they all knew this was coming, that is why we need them more than ever!
And you thought we were going to give OSU a hard time, especially without Grant?
Heres a huge part of the problem also, you have Tennessee, Alabama, and Michigan all top 10 teams....All playing on the biggest stages, in some of the most exciting games, in front of the biggest crowds..and in no way shape or form is JG, Peppers, Fitzpatrick, or Gary having a single regret being there...zero.
And in no way shape or form are their HS coaches disagreeing with them.
You can throw Wimbush on that list also....from his tweets his in love with South bend
And in no way shape or form are their HS coaches disagreeing with them.
You can throw Wimbush on that list also....from his tweets his in love with South bend
Incoming players have to be sold on the concept that they are not the long-term future of this program, they are the immediate future. Quality players will get playing time, Ash has shown no qualms about playing freshmen, and the pantry is bare enough right now that any top commit could be considered a 2017 starter unless proven otherwise. The future is bright, you'll play in front of your family and friends 6-7 times a year, Rutgers is an outstanding academic school, and we have proven that we put our best players in the NFL. What more could a top NJ recruit want?
Ash knows what's up. The recruits know what's up. We know what's up. The smart ones will stick knowing that they will almost all get a true shot to play next year. The ones that are going for glamor and a solid foundation may stray. Same as it ever was.
They guys committed with RU coming off a 4-8 season with an off season that was probably worse. It is 2016, everyone has decommits.
the way to get better at recruiting is to get better at player development. Take the kids you have and make them better and win some games. Kids will take notice that you can develop their skills and you'll keep getting more talent to buy in.
Is that the recipe to compete with Alabama in recruiting? Of course not. But it's how you go from the basement to the middle of the pack in the conference.
Is that the recipe to compete with Alabama in recruiting? Of course not. But it's how you go from the basement to the middle of the pack in the conference.
Again, IMHO:
- these kids aren't stupid
- these kids know that recruiting and football education took a big hit under the Flood "regime"
- Ash and Co are recruiting properly and actually sound like they have a clue
- Ash and Co have made sure there are no delusions about the next season or two
- Ash and Co have alluded to the fact that there will be lots of early PT to go around
- there, hopefully, won't be a slew of "in-house" issues starting to hit the program early in Ash's 2nd season as they did during the Flood "regime"
....etc, etc., etc.. Ash's first few classes will likely BLOW AWAY the 44-58-54-78th ranked classes at the heels of Flood's 4 seasons OTB. (EDIT): Bad losses happen. All the time. Every week. Even to Top 10 and top 25 ranked teams.
- these kids aren't stupid
- these kids know that recruiting and football education took a big hit under the Flood "regime"
- Ash and Co are recruiting properly and actually sound like they have a clue
- Ash and Co have made sure there are no delusions about the next season or two
- Ash and Co have alluded to the fact that there will be lots of early PT to go around
- there, hopefully, won't be a slew of "in-house" issues starting to hit the program early in Ash's 2nd season as they did during the Flood "regime"
....etc, etc., etc.. Ash's first few classes will likely BLOW AWAY the 44-58-54-78th ranked classes at the heels of Flood's 4 seasons OTB. (EDIT): Bad losses happen. All the time. Every week. Even to Top 10 and top 25 ranked teams.
Last edited:
Really? How have we gotten softer? Please give me examples. Because from what I've seen, is even though we're getting beat, the guys aren't quitting anywhere near as much as they did under Fudd.
We will have faced 3 top 5 times in our fist 6 games. That's just insane. I can't imagine that Ash doesn't get a pass here by 100% of our class.
Sure, it CAN hurt, but I don't believe we're going to see kids dropping in droves. Everybody loses kids in classes these days, it is what it is, I gave reasons I don't believe a couple of bad games against Top 5 opponents will hurt our recruiting over the next couple of classes. Thought that was pretty obvious.
Probably depends on how we play the last 6 games rather than just OSU and Michigan.
Will we lose one or two kids? Maybe. Twelve or thirteen recruits like the 2014 class? Absolutely no way. Unless there is a major off the field scandal here which I don't foresee with Ash as he's already had to "take out the trash" a couple of times before it festered and did not hesitate to do so. This class will be fine and I think it will only get better from here on out.
This. He's selling the RU dream right now and these kids are coming in expecting to be able to earn early playing time and turn the tide. IMO, they probably prefer to see you stinking it up. That story will get old as the years go on.
Yep. You are either selling winning or selling hope. 9 times out of 10, new coaches are there because the last guy didn't win or didn't win enough, so you are selling hope. Now schools like Texas, LSU, etc.who are about to make changes... they can sell their storied traditions along with that hope. We cannot. So we sell early playing time.
Yeah, I generally call it the Return to Glory pitch and that is what Franklin had going for him. Still, Ash is selling himself and his energy and passion about where he wants to take the program and that comes through whether you've done it in the past or not. Probably becomes a harder sell to the higher rated recruits when you don't have a lot of recent success but still.
What matters is retaining the 4 star recruits who are the potential playmakers that Rutgers surely needs.
All I know is that Melton was talked about by the NJ coach on our board starting last year and he was drooling over him. Said he is in the same class as Charles and Johnson and better than both of the T10 NJ WRs last year.
That's why it's always easier in the case of Storied Program because you have 2 things to sell plus more than likely you already have things in place (i.e. facilities, boosters etc...) in the case of Franklin he had a easy pitch the sanctions. I think RU will be fine with regard to recruiting and the hope at least is that in the areas of immediate need (WR, LB's) there are no de-commits. I'm pretty the sure the staff is on the line after every game with Recruits.
I have to believe this. Flood had no vision and no credibility. So when he started tanking seasons, there wasn't much of a draw. From all we've heard and seen, Ash has much more vision and is working to build a program for the long haul. We had some pretty bad first seasons under Schiano, but he was able to build recruiting momentum.
Yep. His first real class was lights out. Then last year the wheels came off at the end. Now this year we have struggled and the level of commit isn't as high (ratings/offers wise) as the prior two years. We are going to be in a lot of close games this year and he is going to have to overcome the challenges on defense and sneak out some wins like he did on Saturday. Some people will say that win was a joke but I'll take them any way I can get them. A lot better than losing (PITT). Like it or not, we're down four LBs including all the starters and started a 6'3, 200 lb true FR at MLB this weekend.
At least he was probably a 4*! You are preaching the choir, listen RU had one playmaker/WR who got hurt the next best WR/is a RsFR part-time baseball player. Most likely this week RU will start at LB a True FR who played DE in HS. Not to mention that the starting MLB should actually be playing WLB. RU doesn't even a B1G caliber MLB on the entire roster.
