Episode No. 84 of The Scarlet Faithful podcast focuses on the stability within Rutgers athletics and the benefits of being in the Big Ten
With the next round of conference realignment brewing, Rutgers is well positioned. The future of the ACC and PAC-12 is in question. UConn is pondering a move to the Big XII as their future in the Big East could be unstable. Through it all, Rutgers doesn’t need to spend time, energy and money on any of it.
With national perception improving for Rutgers, the athletic department can focus on improving performance, NIL and the bottom line.
As Rutgers fans, we should appreciate how far things have come and be positive about the future. The athletic department with facilities and on the field has made major strides. There is a long way to go, but having a seat at the table in the most secure conference ensures better days are still ahead.
In addition, I discuss how the stability of the Big Ten as well as within the athletic department is benefitting recruiting. It’s a big weekend in recruiting for Rutgers football and men’s basketball as well.
Thanks for listening and watching The Scarlet Faithful podcast once again. If any breaking news happens over the next couple of days, a new episode will be published. Otherwise we’ll be back on Monday. However, check the site throughout as new content will be up. Have a great weekend.
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Thanks for the insightful comments on the state of Rutgers sports. In particular, your comments about the coaching staffs in the various sports programs resonates with me. I think Hobbs deserves a lot of credit for being able to find and secure capable people to lead the programs. Being part of the Big Ten certainly goes a long way in attracting quality coaches and the progress of the sports programs to a level of genuine competitiveness in the Big Ten is a testament to the ability of the coaching staffs.
The next step, in my opinion, is getting the football program to a truly competitive level. I note the impatience of many with Schiano but I don’t share that. The football program is the most difficult to develop, especially given the level of the program when Schiano was hired. But, I like the plan that Schiano is working, i.e. widening the recruiting well beyond Jersey where, let’s face it, the top recruits have wanderlust and Rutgers has no real football identity – yet. I also like Schiano’s emphasis on building depth & quality in the OL & DL. The new coaching additions should hasten that development. I think he’s right that the program may be closer than we think. But, as Aaron said, a little more patience is needed, not just in football but the overall sports program as well.
Thanks, Aaron. Couldn’t agree more on Hobbs and his impact on staffing. I also like that he is visible and clearly enthusiastic about his teams. He’s also done a nice job of involving state politicians. As PJ43 noted, football is a completely different animal. Not only do you have to go well beyond a couple of 4 star recruits each year to build a sustained winning program, football also has to deal with the brutal reality of life in the B1G East. The good news is that should go away in the near future but I have serious concerns about NIL and RU having any chance to keep up with the upper echelon football programs. Time will tell. Go RU!
Great podcast Aaron. If Rutgers didn’t get into the Big Ten we would have been screwed far worse than UCONN as they had a tradition of excellence in men’s and women’s basketball.
It helped a lot to have Ohio State AD Gene Smith in our corner when it came to selection time:
“We really wanted to focus on the East Coast,” said longtime Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, one of the league’s most influential figures. “Rutgers emerged early in the process. Many of us had relationships with people at Rutgers at that time. Rutgers had a history. We felt like it fit.”
Plus, perhaps most of all, Smith added this: “The location was perfect.”
pj43
June 3, 2023 at 12:01 pm
Thanks for the insightful comments on the state of Rutgers sports. In particular, your comments about the coaching staffs in the various sports programs resonates with me. I think Hobbs deserves a lot of credit for being able to find and secure capable people to lead the programs. Being part of the Big Ten certainly goes a long way in attracting quality coaches and the progress of the sports programs to a level of genuine competitiveness in the Big Ten is a testament to the ability of the coaching staffs.
The next step, in my opinion, is getting the football program to a truly competitive level. I note the impatience of many with Schiano but I don’t share that. The football program is the most difficult to develop, especially given the level of the program when Schiano was hired. But, I like the plan that Schiano is working, i.e. widening the recruiting well beyond Jersey where, let’s face it, the top recruits have wanderlust and Rutgers has no real football identity – yet. I also like Schiano’s emphasis on building depth & quality in the OL & DL. The new coaching additions should hasten that development. I think he’s right that the program may be closer than we think. But, as Aaron said, a little more patience is needed, not just in football but the overall sports program as well.
Biochemist01
June 3, 2023 at 12:10 pm
Good podcast Aaron. Thanks.
BataliBoli98
June 3, 2023 at 1:18 pm
Thanks, Aaron. Couldn’t agree more on Hobbs and his impact on staffing. I also like that he is visible and clearly enthusiastic about his teams. He’s also done a nice job of involving state politicians. As PJ43 noted, football is a completely different animal. Not only do you have to go well beyond a couple of 4 star recruits each year to build a sustained winning program, football also has to deal with the brutal reality of life in the B1G East. The good news is that should go away in the near future but I have serious concerns about NIL and RU having any chance to keep up with the upper echelon football programs. Time will tell. Go RU!
thevinman
June 4, 2023 at 2:06 pm
Great podcast Aaron. If Rutgers didn’t get into the Big Ten we would have been screwed far worse than UCONN as they had a tradition of excellence in men’s and women’s basketball.
dantesinfernopurgatory
June 5, 2023 at 1:13 pm
It helped a lot to have Ohio State AD Gene Smith in our corner when it came to selection time:
“We really wanted to focus on the East Coast,” said longtime Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, one of the league’s most influential figures. “Rutgers emerged early in the process. Many of us had relationships with people at Rutgers at that time. Rutgers had a history. We felt like it fit.”
Plus, perhaps most of all, Smith added this: “The location was perfect.”
https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2022/11/how-rutgers-crashed-the-big-ten.html