Who were the best players that Schiano 1.0 inherited?

[BeantownKnight]

I was thinking about this question the other day and thought that this might be an interesting topic of conversation. Which players, that Coach Schiano inherited from the previous regime (way back 2001) and remained on the team, turned out to be highlights of Schiano's early years at Rutgers? These could either be players who were decent recruits or not but whom Coach Schiano and staff developed into good/decent players and helped turn the program around.

 

[mdk01]

Probably Gary Bracket and LJ Smith

 

[BeantownKnight]

Hard to argue with either of those. There's no way I'd remember this (as this was two decades ago) but wasn't LJ Smith a decent recruit?

 

[RuSnp]

I was thinking about this question the other day and thought that this might be an interesting topic of conversation. Which players, that Coach Schiano inherited from the previous regime (way back 2001) and remained on the team, turned out to be highlights of Schiano's early years at Rutgers? These could either be players who were decent recruits or not but whom Coach Schiano and staff developed into good/decent players and helped turn the program around.

Shawn Seabrooks and Nate Jones.

 

[mdk01]

Shawn Seabrooks and Nate Jones.

Wasn't Jones in Schiano's first class?

 

[Plum Street]

Shawn Seabrooks

Seabrooks yes .
And Nate Jones was inherited . He is up there . Maybe number 1 player schiano inherited . He seems to be a guy that is forgotten about . Had a great RU career and decent nfl career . I actually forgot about him until now.

 

[RU-Kidding]

Wasn't Jones in Schiano's first class?

DL Gary Gibson, Raheem Orr, Nate Colon, Mike Barr, Brandon Haw, Brian Hohmann, Dennis Thomas, Chad Schwenk - lol.

Yes, Nate Jones was a sophomore in 2001.

 

[REDRICH65]

With all that talent why did we suck?

 

[newwavedave1]

Can't remember that far back.

 

[RuSnp]

DL Gary Gibson, Raheem Orr, Nate Colon, Mike Barr, Brandon Hall, Brian Hohmann, Dennis Thomas, Chad Schwenk - lol.

Yes, Nate Jones was a sophomore in 2001.

Nice job. Forgot about Orr. And Barr was a very good punter.

 

[mdk01]

With all that talent why did we suck?

See OL anywhere. See RBs or WRs anywhere? McMahon had just graduated.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

DL Gary Gibson, Raheem Orr, Nate Colon, Mike Barr, Brandon Hall, Brian Hohmann, Dennis Thomas, Chad Schwenk - lol.

Yes, Nate Jones was a sophomore in 2001.

Of course! Mike Barr... He worked for my Dad at the Golf Course during his time "On the Banks". He was a really nice guy, and could boot a hell of a ball. Anyone remember the last game of 2001 vs. Cal - the refs were against us all game, and in the 4th qtr Mike kicked another 60-70 yard punt from the back of the endzone that happened to hit an inattentive ref and knock him to the ground. He was okay and got up a moment later, but it elicited a cheer from the crowd.

If you asked a 12 year old Erik who my favorite players were - the answer would definitely be Mike Barr and LJ Smith.

 

[HeywoodGiant]

Hard to argue with either of those. There's no way I'd remember this (as this was two decades ago) but wasn't LJ Smith a decent recruit?

RU was LJ’s only offer. He loved to tell the story of how he didn’t want to accept it but his mom made him.

 

[e5fdny]

RU was LJ’s only offer. He loved to tell the story of how he didn’t want to accept it but his mom made him.

I believe he is the only former player to get booed during the “Knights in the NFL” segment.

And it wasn’t because he was wearing an Eagles jersey.

 

[colbert17]

RU was LJ’s only offer. He loved to tell the story of how he didn’t want to accept it but his mom made him.

Local kid from Highland Park. Very good basketball player too.

 

[Plum Street]

Local kid from Highland Park. Very good basketball player too.

LJ smith always got booed during knights in NFL segment . I don’t know why

 

[PiscatawayMike]

Seabrooks yes .
And Nate Jones was inherited . He is up there . Maybe number 1 player schiano inherited . He seems to be a guy that is forgotten about . Had a great RU career and decent nfl career . I actually forgot about him until now.

Now he's an NFL ref...

 

[HPNJRUfan]

Local kid from Highland Park. Very good basketball player too.

Florida State was one of his basketball offers. As the story goes, LJ's Mom and Mr. Policastro locked him in a room until he signed to play Football at RU instead of Basketball somewhere else.

 

[rubaseball78]

With all that talent why did we suck?

That's not what I would consider a lot of talent. Schiano basically inherited a D2 roster for a D1 program.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

LJ smith always got booed during knights in NFL segment . I don’t know why

Growing up in HP (and a Giants fan), that always made me cheer for him that much louder.
He was quoted in an article once about how he was unhappy with his time at RU, and of course he played for the Eagles.

But basically it comes down to the fact that people are idiots. Everyone has their own personal experience in life. Mr. Smith is now a proud graduate, and seems to be happy that GS is back. The fact that this is still brought up 15 years later is crazy.

 

[Plum Street]

Growing up in HP (and a Giants fan), that always made me cheer for him that much louder.
He was quoted in an article once about how he was unhappy with his time at RU, and of course he played for the Eagles.

But basically it comes down to the fact that people are idiots. Everyone has their own personal experience in life. Mr. Smith is now a proud graduate, and seems to be happy that GS is back. The fact that this is still brought up 15 years later is crazy.

What is crazy ? That he was booed? Or people talk about the booing ?
I

 

[Yeah Baby]

That's not what I would consider a lot of talent. Schiano basically inherited a D2 roster for a D1 program.

I wouldn’t go that far. A lot of solid players but lacking in depth. Played the toughest schedule you could imagine and Schiano was still learning how to coach. Sound familiar?

Hr definitely came back to way more talent this time around plus the transfers and he knows a lot more and his staff is great and experienced too.

 

[BeantownKnight]

That's not what I would consider a lot of talent. Schiano basically inherited a D2 roster for a D1 program.

I wouldn't exactly say that Shea passed along a D2 roster (close .. but ..). If you averaged it out - it probably would've been a lot closer to an underwhelming Group of Five team meets average FCS team. I mean, look at UConn (particularly under Diaco). That's FBS, as hard as it is to believe. Not Alabama but FBS, nonetheless. I'd say that Schiano inherited some decent players - like the ones mentioned above. But, with Shea's poor coaching and - most importantly - lack of player development ok recruits/players become nothing. And, it showed.

In contrast, I'm fairly amazed that Schiano has already improved the Defense as much as he has. And, I don't just mean with regards to transfers. Some of the guys on the field (starters, even) are the same ones who have been in the program now for 3-4 years now. They looked awful under Ash. But, in less than a year under Schiano look good. The DBs know how to turn their head around, the LBs know how to tackle, and the DL can (and do) actually get pressure on the QB.

 

[mdk01]

I wouldn't exactly say that Shea passed along a D2 roster (close .. but ..). If you averaged it out - it probably would've been a lot closer to an underwhelming Group of Five team meets average FCS team. I mean, look at UConn (particularly under Diaco). That's FBS, as hard as it is to believe. Not Alabama but FBS, nonetheless. I'd say that Schiano inherited some decent players - like the ones mentioned above. But, with Shea's poor coaching and - most importantly - lack of player development ok recruits/players become nothing. And, it showed.

In contrast, I'm fairly amazed that Schiano has already improved the Defense as much as he has. And, I don't just mean with regards to transfers. Some of the guys on the field (starters, even) are the same ones who have been in the program now for 3-4 years now. They looked awful under Ash. But, in less than a year under Schiano look good. The DBs know how to turn their head around, the LBs know how to tackle, and the DL can (and do) actually get pressure on the QB.

Perhaps you could say he inherited a MAC caliber team.

 

[RUHouston]

Greg inherited a roster that was largely pedestrian.... back then a buddy of mine who was a Pilot for Continental worked back to back charters; one for RU and one for ND. He said RU players looked like regular everyday kids with an occasional big guy but that NDs team looked like football players... in other words we didn’t pass the eye test back then

 

[rubaseball78]

Greg inherited a roster that was largely pedestrian.... back then a buddy of mine who was a Pilot for Continental worked back to back charters; one for RU and one for ND. He said RU players looked like regular everyday kids with an occasional big guy but that NDs team looked like football players... in other words we didn’t pass the eye test back then

That’s what I remember too. I believe Schiano actually said it too.

 

[knight82]

Do I remember correctly, or didn't we have an assistant coach that first year that came over from an Ivy League school and he said a lot of the players on the team wouldnt start in the Ivy League?

 

[HeywoodGiant]

Greg inherited a roster that was largely pedestrian.... back then a buddy of mine who was a Pilot for Continental worked back to back charters; one for RU and one for ND. He said RU players looked like regular everyday kids with an occasional big guy but that NDs team looked like football players... in other words we didn’t pass the eye test back then

I used to think that about the team too-most of them just looked like regular students.
I was sitting by the entrance to the field at temple in 2003 when the team came out. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The team looked like big athletes. I remember thinking Greg has done it.

 

[Bill 86]

I would say in this order top 10 ...

Raheem Orr
LJ Smith
Nate Jones
Brandon Haw
Gary Brackett
Gary Gibson
Brian Duffy
Aaron Martin
Ron Jennerette
Brian Hohmann

 

[Plum Street]

I would say in this order top 10 ...

Raheem Orr
LJ Smith
Nate Jones
Brandon Haw
Gary Brackett
Gary Gibson
Brian Duffy
Aaron Martin
Ron Jennerette
Brian Hohmann

Weak list . Haw was the guy that fielded a kickoff and ran out of bounds at our own 3 against Buffalo in 2002. The famous BuffaNova. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing .
Schiano certainly had an uphill battle

 

[DJ Spanky]

Nate Jones was the absolute first one to spring to mind.

I wouldn’t go that far. A lot of solid players but lacking in depth. Played the toughest schedule you could imagine and Schiano was still learning how to coach. Sound familiar?

He had some solid players, but unfortunately not across the board. There were a bunch of holes. I know his first 3-4 years he had to scramble just to find a center. He converted Brian Boehrer, a TE transfer from Utah? BYU? I forget, then after he graduated he converted FB/TE Ray Pilch to be his center. Also not much talent on the OL, which is why Brian Duffy actually stayed for his 6th year on a medical redshirt. After he finished playing, I heard he dropped around 80 pounds just to relieve the weight on his knees.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

Nate Jones also for sure, forgot about him...

Also, maybe it was just a coincidence since he wore #1 (which, being a DE, was pretty cool) but I still have a 2001 Raheem Orr jersey my parents bought for me at SF way back when...

 

[Bill 86]

Weak list . Haw was the guy that fielded a kickoff and ran out of bounds at our own 3 against Buffalo in 2002. The famous BuffaNova. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing .
Schiano certainly had an uphill battle

Not sure its weak at all. 5 multi year NFL players. Just not very deep

 

[Plum Street]

Not sure its weak at all. 5 multi year NFL players. Just not very deep

Yes big drop off after those 5.

 

[rubaseball78]

Not sure its weak at all. 5 multi year NFL players. Just not very deep

Not Very Deep = Weak

 

[RUnTeX]

Do I remember correctly, or didn't we have an assistant coach that first year that came over from an Ivy League school and he said a lot of the players on the team wouldnt start in the Ivy League?

That would be Jay Butler, who is back at RU under Schiano 2.0....came from Dartmouth the first time around.

 

[patk89]

Bottom line, Shea left the closet empty. Horrible non-interested recruiter. Thought he could out scheme his opponents with his west coast offense. Would have been terminated earlier if not for the greatness of Mike McMahon. He hide some major flaws. If you are listing pedestrian Brandon Haw as a top 10, that team has talent issues. People were furious that Schwenk wasn't the QB starter and transferred to Lehigh. Where he struggled and was a part-time starter. OL was porous. Tough days.

 

[mdk01]

Bottom line, Shea left the closet empty. Horrible non-interested recruiter. Thought he could out scheme his opponents with his west coast offense. Would have been terminated earlier if not for the greatness of Mike McMahon. He hide some major flaws. If you are listing pedestrian Brandon Haw as a top 10, that team has talent issues. People were furious that Schwenk wasn't the QB starter and transferred to Lehigh. Where he struggled and was a part-time starter. OL was porous. Tough days.

Don't know about non-interested. He was a California guy who tried to do with Cali what Schiano did with Florida. Did know QB talent, and went hard after LoVeccio as McMahon's successor. But he never appreciated the other local talent that was available.

 

[beaced]

Perhaps you could say he inherited a MAC caliber team.

OK.lets do it with calibers.Greg 2,was left a .22 caliber team. At this point he has increased that to a .44 caliber looking to become a .110 destroyer.

 

[Plum Street]

Shea just didn’t recruit . And the talented guys that he did recruit were not scholars : conover and riddick . Conover didn’t qualify and riddick flunked out after a promising season.
Shea would have benefited from an academic support system to keep guys eligible. Graber too.
Shea was a classy guy that wanted to be and succeed here . Just bad fit .