Thoughts

[Knight Shift]

You need to stop shouting people down. It was a really ugly game (I was there) and fans can have a really ugly reaction to it. I wasn't expecting a win, but the lack of compete and weird offensive scheme is concerning. I'm by no means worrying about the long term, but today was ugly. People voicing their frustration on a message board isn't exactly surprising.

HEY. I AM NOT SHOUTING ANYONE DOWN. BUT I STAND BY WHAT I SAID. SOME OF THE REACTIONS HERE ARE SO OVER THE TOP. KEEP BLAMING FLOOD AND LAVIANO. THE PROBLEMS OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS RUN DEEPER THAN FLOOD.

RIDDLE ME THIS--HOW DID WMU BEAT A B1G TEAM TODAY? HOW DID APP. STATE ALMOST MEAT TENNESSEE? YOU THINK THEY WHINED ABOUT THE TALENT DIFFERENTIAL? NO, THEY WERE PROPERLY PREPARED AND COACHED FOR THEIR OPPONENT. RUTGERS WAS NOT NOT TODAY AND THERE WAS NO CREATIVITY IN THE OFFENSE. THERE IS NO ONE PERSON OR THING TO BLAME.

NEW COACH. NEW OFFENSE. ROAD GAME. TOP 15 OPPONENT. SHIT HAPPENS. DEAL WITH IT. STOP THE FLOOD AND LAVIANO BEATING.

 

[Knight Shift]

Patton?!?!? Patton is a playmaker? Who the f*** are you kidding? What the hell us Andre Patton ever done in CFB beside stand 6'3 and weigh 200+ lbs?!?!

Goodwin?! The guy who lost a starting and couldn't find a way on the field? Goodwin had 3 decent games 3 years ago and you think he's a playmaker.

Hicks?! A guy who is third on the depth chart behind the guy above. A kid who had one good bowl game, who has flashes in the 4th quarter against second team defenses, and hasn't "started" a game (maybe barring an injury I can't recall).


I agree that people need to relax, mostly you and others, but not me, as my posts above are true, aggressive, and a pleasure for me to type, but that yes it's only week one and we lost how we were supposed too. Other than that, you sir, are f****** moron just looking to stir the pot.

you can take you high and mighty attitude and your pot and shove it. grow up and stop acting like a baby. Man up.

 

[hbbsm713]

3 years of bad recruiting by flood is why you are seeing this product on the field. That is exactly why it will take 3 years of good recruiting classes to see a much better and improved team on the field.

I'm hoping Ash and company can continue the strong recruiting, because we will not get to where we want to be without much better players.

 

[RU_DIO]

Knightmoves...I see people making the same mistake on the hoops board with respect to Pikiel...total overexhuberence not dealing with the reality of the talent level. We just have to wait it out and hope both coaches can close the talent gap.

Yep,

And it's the same hoops fans who thought we should have kept Jordan and create 100 posts a day telling us how great things are whenever Coach Pikiel picks his ass.

 

[RU_DIO]

No. It's a long term fail IMO. If anybody can run a pro set it should be us.

It takes a lot of talent to run a pro set. I didn't realize we had top 25 type talent.

 

[RUsince52]

Yes it was bad, really bad, but Wash is so much better than us (even more than 35 points). Not too sure if you can take anything positive from this game. It's a week to week progression and we'll know by the time we play Iowa what to expect. You still have to play the schedule, but at the moment the pieces don't fit the puzzle.
I would have given somebody else a shot in the second half at QB even though coach said it's CL' s team. Perfect chance to see what you have and how it fits.
Get ready for Howard and don't dwell on this too long.
0-1 instead of 1-0.

 

[JoeRU0304]

Greg did not have any 5 stars in 2001. Our talent is not that bad.

People keep saying this and we keep getting blown out by good teams. For all of those who keep saying the above, one question: based on WHAT???


Joe P.

 

[MYHATINTHERING]

today was NOT about talent

 

[RU31trap]

today was NOT about talent

You sir, are correct.

 

[JoeRU0304]

Then answer the question- by what metrics is our overall talent levels good?


Joe P.

 

[Steveriknight]

I agree with the op. This is a total rebuild for us and it's gonna take years. We are no where near the level that that Washington team is playing at. They have ALL their ducks in a row... Coach Peterson is among the best out there and is a proven winner. They have star players at RB and also receivers. Their QB is much more competent than any of ours. Their defense is among the best in the nation. They may well be in the playoff at the end of the season. This game looked comparable to us playing OSU, Nebraska or Wisconsin last year. A juggernaut team compared to us. We are a looong way off from the Rutgers of 2006.

That Ross guy is an total stud, I was VERY impressed with his ability. There were other receivers too that straight up burned our db's. That's a talent gap, it's not a coachable difference.

Their defense is #1 in the Pac12 and is probably top 5 in the nation. We were right around the bottom of the country last year though we may improve somewhat this year... but still it doesn't look good right now. That is also not all about coaching, that is largely about us not having the horses to compete.

It pains me to consider it but I think expectations have to be softened a bit, for a few years even. That is unless you'd prefer to be disappointed with unrealistic expectations. To be competitive with a team like we played today, or most of our new conference mates in the B1G east... it's going to take 3+ years I think. I truly hope that Ash can keep up our recruiting in the face of this lopsided competition.

 

[MYHATINTHERING]

HEY. I AM NOT SHOUTING ANYONE DOWN. BUT I STAND BY WHAT I SAID. SOME OF THE REACTIONS HERE ARE SO OVER THE TOP. KEEP BLAMING FLOOD AND LAVIANO. THE PROBLEMS OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS RUN DEEPER THAN FLOOD.

RIDDLE ME THIS--HOW DID WMU BEAT A B1G TEAM TODAY? HOW DID APP. STATE ALMOST MEAT TENNESSEE? YOU THINK THEY WHINED ABOUT THE TALENT DIFFERENTIAL? NO, THEY WERE PROPERLY PREPARED AND COACHED FOR THEIR OPPONENT. RUTGERS WAS NOT NOT TODAY AND THERE WAS NO CREATIVITY IN THE OFFENSE. THERE IS NO ONE PERSON OR THING TO BLAME.

NEW COACH. NEW OFFENSE. ROAD GAME. TOP 15 OPPONENT. SHIT HAPPENS. DEAL WITH IT. STOP THE FLOOD AND LAVIANO BEATING.

spot on although I'd add that we were clearly NOT prepared and that is on the coach

 

[bitnez]

Look it's hard to see everything on TV but when you run the read option the QB really only has one job -- read the DE. If he comes inside you pull the ball, tuck it and run. If the DE maintains his lane you give it to the back up the middle. I recall at least 3-4 plays where the DE clearly crashed and CL never pulled the ball. If CL didn't see it or simply can't run it then you cannot call the play.

 

[JoeRU0304]

spot on although I'd add that we were clearly NOT prepared and that is on the coach

Did those other squads have 1st-year HC's totally overhauling their schemes?


Joe P.

 

[RUSK97]

today was NOT about talent

Absolutely true. I watched Ohio State-Bowling Green prior to our game. Bowling Green put up a fight in the first quarter, picking off Barrett. They made it a tiny bit of a struggle. But we all knew OSU was going to blow them away as the game wore on. That's a talent differential. The talent and depth of talent wears down the opponent and blows them out. Our game? There was no fight from the very first drive. It was complete obliteration from the time the clock ran. Yes, there's a talent gap, but it's not what lost the game in the first two minutes of regulation. It was a complete unpreparedness of the team and a gameplan that is crap. At this point, I'm clinging to the desperate hope that Ash and crew learn fast, because they're not ready.

 

[mdh2003]

First of all no one likes to lose 48-13...and yes this team looked awful and overwhelmed from the start but honestly what were people expecting. Flood left Ash with no qb and a lineup devoid of any playmakers, he left personnel intact from the worst pass defense from 3 years running. Ash and company can tweet or talk the good talk all they want that people lap up and buy into but the bottom line this is a total rebuild. Ash knows it, maybe the RU fans will finally learn it. I was shocked at such optimisim for this game season..beating Washington on the road? Going 8-4. I didnt post much the past few weeks but the positivity seemed over the top. The game thread had a bunch of people seemingly shocked on how poorly the team played? Did everyone just forget about last year? Did they forget about how this program lacks talent.

Not going to judge Ash on his first game on the road against the #14 ranked school with experience and playmakers. Its hardly a litmus test and quite frankly not sure if this season is a litmus test on Ash. Ash will rebuild this program through recruiting first, the hole is deep. Rutgers is what it is this year. We all hope Ash can improve the bad habits from the previous regime and try to get this program more disciplined and focused. Ash is stuck with a major issue at QB because we know that Laviano is not a good QB and not the answer for the future but at this point he may be the best we have. Hopefully Allen can improve and Ash gains enough confidence in him to start him. The OL is not good. The defense is going to need a total enema that may last all season to see improvement

Reality check for the fans. I know you want to be pollyannas. Some of you came crashing down today. Its okay, its better to learn it today than later. Stop pencilling in wins over programs very similar. Thats not to say Ash cant be judged or criticized. Certainly games against New Mexico, Illiniois, Indiana, and Maryland will be ones that will be very important to see if the team is showing any progression. I think New Mexico is going to be a huge test for Ash and the program and the fans as well. Its not a definite win. How much does the team improve from week 1 to 3. Can they beat schools like Illinois which are total tossups that our fanbase pencils in as wins. Advice is to temper expectations and sit back. I know its a hard pill to swallow but I think if people are realistic they will realize that after last season, its a looooooong slog back to a bowl game

Didn't take long to break out the pollyanna reference. How original.

 

[bac2therac]

HEY. I AM NOT SHOUTING ANYONE DOWN. BUT I STAND BY WHAT I SAID. SOME OF THE REACTIONS HERE ARE SO OVER THE TOP. KEEP BLAMING FLOOD AND LAVIANO. THE PROBLEMS OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS RUN DEEPER THAN FLOOD.

RIDDLE ME THIS--HOW DID WMU BEAT A B1G TEAM TODAY? HOW DID APP. STATE ALMOST MEAT TENNESSEE? YOU THINK THEY WHINED ABOUT THE TALENT DIFFERENTIAL? NO, THEY WERE PROPERLY PREPARED AND COACHED FOR THEIR OPPONENT. RUTGERS WAS NOT NOT TODAY AND THERE WAS NO CREATIVITY IN THE OFFENSE. THERE IS NO ONE PERSON OR THING TO BLAME.

NEW COACH. NEW OFFENSE. ROAD GAME. TOP 15 OPPONENT. SHIT HAPPENS. DEAL WITH IT. STOP THE FLOOD AND LAVIANO BEATING.

Cant tell if serious or sarcasm...Elmer is most certainly to blame for our issues in this program

 

[bac2therac]

Didn't take long to break out the pollyanna reference. How original.[/QUOTEno it didnt..it didnt take our fans long to heap eexpectations on year 1 either

 

[RU-ROCS]

If anyone thinks for one moment that the coaching staff is not ultimately responsible for the debacle you saw today then you're in denial. Our team was ill prepared on so many levels it makes no sense to list them all. No one is saying that we should have won the game, all we are saying is that the execution on offense looked like the team was put together last week and the defense was not far behind. The only reason the defense looked a little better in the second half was because Washington sat it's starters. We better come to play next week. Seriously.

Disagree about the D. They were awful only in the first Q, but we're much better (against the UW starters) thereafter. The D did not give up a TD after the first Q except on the 4 yard drive following Laviano's awful interception. Run defense was pretty stout against a very good RB.

 

[RUReady76]

today was NOT about talent

Agreed. Very disappointing that this team was not ready to play today and not a good beginning to the Ash era.

I saw many flaws: arm tackling, poor special team coverage, and a porous offensive line. Hopefully these can be corrected.

 

[ClassOf02]

HEY. I AM NOT SHOUTING ANYONE DOWN. BUT I STAND BY WHAT I SAID. SOME OF THE REACTIONS HERE ARE SO OVER THE TOP. KEEP BLAMING FLOOD AND LAVIANO. THE PROBLEMS OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS RUN DEEPER THAN FLOOD.

RIDDLE ME THIS--HOW DID WMU BEAT A B1G TEAM TODAY? HOW DID APP. STATE ALMOST MEAT TENNESSEE? YOU THINK THEY WHINED ABOUT THE TALENT DIFFERENTIAL? NO, THEY WERE PROPERLY PREPARED AND COACHED FOR THEIR OPPONENT. RUTGERS WAS NOT NOT TODAY AND THERE WAS NO CREATIVITY IN THE OFFENSE. THERE IS NO ONE PERSON OR THING TO BLAME.

NEW COACH. NEW OFFENSE. ROAD GAME. TOP 15 OPPONENT. SHIT HAPPENS. DEAL WITH IT. STOP THE FLOOD AND LAVIANO BEATING.

Yes some reactions are over the top. So is yours in the other direction. I don't really disagree with you at all, but your posting style today has been really condescending

 

[G- RUnit]

Poor offense execution and special teams awful. This was a coaching loss. Lack of P5 experience hurt us big time.

 

[ashokan]

Greg did not have any 5 stars in 2001. Our talent is not that bad.

It is on OL - and people had to know it would be with the recruiting at the spot. Without a decent OL no team can do much. It looked like William Paterson OL was playing Washington today

 

[Caliknight]

Today was all about talent. Switch coaches, and the result is the same.

We need players. Lots and lots of players.

 

[Knight Shift]

Yes some reactions are over the top. So is yours in the other direction. I don't really disagree with you at all, but your posting style today has been really condescending

I appreciate your opinion and your critique of my posting style--I really do. But the extreme reactions and blame game are over the top. I am no less confident in the season outcome because of today's results. A good coaching staff and team will learn from this and turn the page. We did not see that last year. A lot of this was to be expected putting a pro-set offense and QB in a new scheme against a nasty defense. Ash said this may be the best DL RU will see this year. I believe he is qualified to opine on this. I get particularly pissed when posts piss on or team and "Flood's recruits". In another post, I listed numerous games where there was a huge talent differential, and the games were not blowouts or close games. Chalk this loss up to a confluence of factors, in no particular order, of coaching inexperience, new schemes, and yes, a talent differential. It was like asking a rock band to compete in a battle of the bands of jazz bands. Not going to go well. Peace out.

 

[RU31trap]

Agreed. Very disappointing that this team was not ready to play today and not a good beginning to the Ash era.

I saw many flaws: arm tackling, poor special team coverage, and a porous offensive line. Hopefully these can be corrected.

Flaws that Ash did not worry about at OSU.

 

[Caliknight]

I'm sure he did: every coach worries about details. At OSU, he had the talent to make plays when those players focused on those same details.

At Rutgers he doesn't now. He needs talent.

Check Washington's last 5 recruiting classes.

Huge talent differential.

It's all about talent.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Coaching deficit, too. An established head coach against an unproven head coach.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Poor offense execution and special teams awful. This was a coaching loss. Lack of P5 experience hurt us big time.

Agree re: offense execution and ST's (been harping on that all night...). Coaching, listen, it's the guys 1st game as a HC and the staff's 1st together, it's not gonna happen overnight. That being said you're the 2nd person to bring up the staff and "P5 experience" and it's bull. This staff has a ton more than either Schiano or Flood's original staffs. We're not Ohio State. We're not Wisconsin. We're not even a North Carolina in terms of destinations but still pulled in a good haul:

Ash - Ark, Wiscy, OSU
Okruch - OSU
Burnham - Iowa St
Busch - OSU, Wisconsin
Henry - Arkansas
Kuhr - OSU
Williams - Purdue
Bower - Maryland

...and Neiman was the DC for an NIU team that played in The Orange Bowl. I mean, I wasn't happy with the coaching today, at all, but it's game freakin' 1, ya' know?

 

[brgRC90]

There is much work to do but people who are disappointed had wildly unrealistic expectations.

 

[RU 77]

Talent gap? Did you watch Tennessee last night, the 2 stars vs the 4. many of our players are proven big 10 caliber. That is only an excuse if you need one. Clueless.

 

[brgRC90]

Sigh. Why do people always have these same tired arguments? Of course talent matters. That's why Alabama wins the NC every year and Idaho doesn't. But coaching matters, too.

 

[RU 77]

Of course it matters. Just don't say we have none.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Talent gap? Did you watch Tennessee last night, the 2 stars vs the 4. many of our players are proven big 10 caliber. That is only an excuse if you need one. Clueless.

Com'on man shit happens. Lots of upsets today. Yeah, the coaching needs to improve - it should and I believe it will over time - but if you can't see the talent issues in our program, or the talent disparity on the field today, I'm not really sure what to tell you man. Do we have SOME, yes, but not too much. All those reaches, all those "hidden gems" and "diamonds in the rough" that Flood recruited, well, there's a reason they got few, if any, P5 offers.

 

[ClassOf02]

I appreciate your opinion and your critique of my posting style--I really do. But the extreme reactions and blame game are over the top. I am no less confident in the season outcome because of today's results. A good coaching staff and team will learn from this and turn the page. We did not see that last year. A lot of this was to be expected putting a pro-set offense and QB in a new scheme against a nasty defense. Ash said this may be the best DL RU will see this year. I believe he is qualified to opine on this. I get particularly pissed when posts piss on or team and "Flood's recruits". In another post, I listed numerous games where there was a huge talent differential, and the games were not blowouts or close games. Chalk this loss up to a confluence of factors, in no particular order, of coaching inexperience, new schemes, and yes, a talent differential. It was like asking a rock band to compete in a battle of the bands of jazz bands. Not going to go well. Peace out.

Again, you're not wrong...........just a bad day for RU and people are here to express that. There will always be a variety of opinions. Peace out.

 

[graystork]

New coach, new power spread offense, new press coverage-quarters defense and a team of three poor recruiting classes full of players recruited for something completely different.

It's gonna take awhile. Like 3 years.