2019 State University of New Jersey Season Thread

[847badgerfan]

Chris Ash has been fired. Rumors that they are going to make a run at Greg Schiano, who is doing nothing right now. That would be the best possible hire they could make, in my opinion.

[847badgerfan]

https://footballscoop.com/news/sources-greg-schiano-left-patriots-return-Rutgers/

Interesting stuff.

[Mdot21]

Agree. Schiano would be great. That’s if he hasn’t lost it. Coaches can lose their edge or the game can pass them by. We’re seeing it with Harbaugh.

[Cincydawg]

Well, heck, he couldn't be much worse.

Would Satterfield move?

[Brutus Buckeye]

It is a pretty tough division to succeed. 

They could maybe scrap and claw their way ahead of Indiana, Maryland and The Wolverines in the pecking order, but then they would still be stuck behind MSU, PSU and OSU. 

[Hawkinole]

Agree. Schiano would be great. That’s if he hasn’t lost it. Coaches can lose their edge or the game can pass them by. We’re seeing it with Harbaugh.

He is only 53. It is mysterious why he left the Patriots shortly after he was hired.

[847badgerfan]

I was quite surprised Ash took that job in the first place. He'll probably never get another head coaching job again now. I guess he could go work for Nick Saban, doing something.

[Cincydawg]

Success for Rutger would be a bowl game, not winning the division.  Maybe turn them into a quasi-tough out at times.

[Brutus Buckeye]

Nevertheless, the B1G East is a far cry from the Big East. 

[Mdot21]

Success for Rutger would be a bowl game, not winning the division.  Maybe turn them into a quasi-tough out at times.

I honestly think if they could just keep the top flight NJ talent home, poach a few Ohio & PA kids that PSU/OSU doesn't want- which seems to have worked wonders for a program like MSU- and then wiggle into the DMV a bit- which isn't too far from NJ, and then grab some Florida kids here and there with Schiano's connections in that state then they could actually be a hecukva program. Not a powerhouse obviously, but they could be a hell of a lot better than the punching bag and door mat that they currently are.

[847badgerfan]

Saquon Barkley and Jonathon Taylor were once committed to SUNJ, before they flipped. 

Imagine that.

[MrNubbz]

I was quite surprised Ash took that job in the first place. He'll probably never get another head coaching job again now. I guess he could go work for Nick Saban, doing something.

Ya he did a good job the 2 seasons in C-Bus as a DB Coach and co coordinator,winning a NC in '14.But how the hell can you recruit there?Not like the NFL were you can pick your guys.Too many X UM,tOSU,PSU and others pick the state clean.He'll be a good asst. again,he's not hurting for coin.I dunno if even Schiano at this point would bother to come calling.Prolly have to promote within.Not sure if even Belichik,Saban or Urbz could put lipstick on that pig

[CWSooner]

It is a pretty tough division to succeed.

They could maybe scrap and claw their way ahead of Indiana, Maryland and The Wolverines in the pecking order, but then they would still be stuck behind MSU, PSU and OSU.

[MichiFan87]

Michigan has no reason to be concerned about Rutgers any time soon. Even the 2014 game only happened with their one good team they had in the BigTen and Hoke's worst/last year and an unexpectedly good game from their QB that night. As it is, Michigan already gets some of NJ's top recruits, most notably Peppers and Gary.

Rutgers can be good enough to beat Indiana and Maryland and occasionally scare the top half teams in the BigTen, just as those two teams have done. However, from my experiences from having gone to a few Michigan @ Rutgers games and my first Michigan sporting event I attended in person was when they beat them in the NIT Championship, I just think there is so much apathy and frustration that will prevent them from becoming relevant. Furthermore, people in NJ are predominantly pro sports fans, and even among college sports fans, they're collectively outnumbered by other BigTen / Big East / ACC fan bases. I can't think of another state with at least one power conference program where that is the case (maybe MA with Boston College?.... Even MD supports the Terps reasonably well).

Even with their basketball program's recent modest rise to competitiveness, I think the occasional NIT appearance is their ceiling (they have the longest NCAA tournament drought of any power-conference (or other regular multi-bid conference) program last making it in 1991). For comparison, I think Northwestern's 1 trip came under very fortunate circumstances considering they had a number of close wins that year include the winning over Michigan that clinched that I was there for, and I don't think Northwestern has much hope of getting back, either, even with their renovated arena, unless they somehow replace Collins with a proven winner.

I realize they don't get a full payout from the BigTen yet and won't until 2027. Maybe if they realize they have no chance at becoming competitive by then, they'll give in and go to the American Conference (or BigEast like Connecticut is doing....). It wouldn't be unprecedented, of course (Tulane & Sewanee left the SEC, Idaho & Montana left the Pac-10, Chicago left the BigTen, of course). They're not very competitive in many non-revenue sports, either (I think they've finished last amongst BigTen teams in the NACDA standings every year), with women's basketball being the main exception.