Rutgers Continues Regress Since Magic Louisville Game

      That day and night were unbelievable for ANY RU football fan who had followed this ancient, but much maligned football program for a long period of time.  It was something out of a dream.  The Empire State Building was lit in Red., WFAN's afternoon drive show Mike & The Mad Dog did a live remote from the stadium before the game.  RU was set to become a "national program" on the east coast.

     Then the game was played.  The undefeated RU Scarlet Knights stormed back to defeat the undefeated Big East rival Louiville Cardinals in a game that saw fans storm the field in a wave of red and white never seen before. It was perfect. National ESPN game, WFAN, Empire State Building... "It was the "Louiville Game" as it is known now.  Like i said...it was perfect.

    Or, like all things nothing is perfect.  Now,  RU is a program that has somewhat regressed from that monumental jump it took that night. ( Yes, RB Ray Rice is now an NFL star.  WR Kenny Britt is ready to explode ( in my opinion ) to the upper echielon of the NFL pass catchers., and Rutgers has put a talented crop of players into the NFL since Greg Schiano took over. )   But 7-5, and 8-4 records in a weak mid-range football conference will not make any waves among top high school talent around the country.   Especially since most of those wins are coming from the likes of FIU, Howard, Norfolk St, Army, ect. 

     Yes they beat sometimes UConn, and they seem to have USF's number,  but WVU has destroyed us since the day of the flood it seems,  home OR away.  And the Syracuse defeat last year costed the Knights a better bowl game.  But the biggest problem to me is how we seem to lose these home non-con games to teams like Fresno St., NC, & Maryland.  These teams to me are our equal, and you have to win those home games against those "equal" opponents to gain rankings, and recruiting power.  NC last Saturday had players suspended and they still could not beat them.  

     Here are the questions most fans ask....   Is the program better than it was 10 years ago?  YES.  Have they been able to keep the top NJ high school football talent to play closer to home? YES.  Is RU now a perenial bowl-caliber program? YES.  Is Greg Schiano a top recruiter? YES.

     BUT... Is Greg a great X and O game coach? Not really. Is the on-field product and home schedule worth the huge increase in ticket & parking prices since 2005? NO!   Was the 102 million dollar stadium remodel worth the money and time? NO!    Is parking a disaster?  YES!  

     Rutgers also has a bad habit now of pounding thir chest when they win one of these bowl games against lesser programs.  They forget that there was a time ( not to long ago ) when Rutgers was not even involved in any bowl talk.  They forget when THEY were taking the mercenary game money from bigger schools like Tennesee, and Notre Dame.  The only way RU will be a better, more consistant program than it is now is if it strengthens it's schedule, and win those big home games in front of the high school talent they're trying to woo in.   Oh, a Big East Conference Championsip, and A New Years Day BCS bowl game wouldn't hurt either.  You can't thump your chest if you NEVER won a conference chapionship.