Turnaround Shows What Could Have Been for Rutgers in 2008

What if Rutgers were in a better conference than the Big East, say the Big Ten? Then a 7-5 second place Rutgers team would probably finish middle of the road say like Wisconsin this season. But Rutgers would still be heading to Orlando and the Outback Bowl and not the dingy PapaJohns.com bowl. With awful bowl contracts connected to the Big East it is apparent the Scarlet Knights will have to earn the BCS berth to ever play in a meaningful bowl game.

The bottom line is that this was a season of many lows and many highs. Not many people believed this team would get to its fourth consecutive bowl game or finish in second place in the conference. Few also believed this team could start as poor as 1-5.

Exciting, passionate, determinate, woeful, unenthusiastic, and many other adjectives were used to describe the 2008 Scarlet Knights at different points throughout the season. But one cannot look back and not think “what if?” and not think about how frustrating it is to know this team is probably the best in the Big East.

And how will Rutgers get to display their level of talent? Against a middle of the road ACC team (yes I know NC State started 2-6 and are now 6-6) in a poorly run bowl game in a dump of a stadium.

When will Rutgers get over the frustration barrier? When will a Greg Schiano’s team win the conference games that matter most so Rutgers will get their first conference title? Bowl games and winning seasons are what New Jersey needs, but they also like championships.

This was supposed to be the season that Rutgers got some type of a championship. For all that happened no one should forget the amazing turnaround but no one should also forget what should have been in 2008. The players should have been ready, the coaches should have been ready and we know the fans were.

So kudos to Rutgers on even getting to a bowl game, it certainly is impressive. But remember when people expected a championship at the start of the 2008 season? You could have sold me that the trophy they would earn would something to do with food, say oranges? Not pizza?

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