Sports

What defines success at Rutgers?

July 30, 2026

Source: Yahoo Sports · Read on source site

PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 29: KJ Duff #8 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights celebrates a first down against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at SHI Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images) | Getty Images So, there’s a lack of belief that Rutgers will fare very well in the Big Ten in 2026.

class="wp-block-paragraph">As noted in Greg’s recent post.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The info in that post wasn’t the only media to doubt the Knight’s results. Right now, in 2026, there are few (okay, no) publications predicting anything but a pretty dismal season for Rutgers. Voted 17th of 18 in the Cleveland.com survey, 16th by Athlon Sports, 16th by Phil Steele. And win totals anywhere from four to six.

class="wp-block-paragraph">I was in the waiting room at my eye doctor. The TV had ESPN’s Get Upon and it displays a teaser for an upcoming segment: what defines success for LSU & Lane Kiffin? They called me in for my appointment, so I never saw the segment. It got me thinking, though, and it wrote the headline for this post.

class="wp-block-paragraph">For what it’s worth, Jason McCourty was on that ESPN panel – wanna ask him for his answer to the headline?

class="wp-block-paragraph">So, what does define success for football in Piscataway? Schiano 1.0 raised the bar….a lot. I have said and written this before: when Schiano was hired, there were a number of meet-and-greets and I went to two. Listening to him speak, I said if this guy can’t win here, nobody can. And he did. From 2005-11, Rutgers won a bunch of games, was ranked, went to and won bowl games. Life was good.

class="wp-block-paragraph">But, then somebody thought they could do the same, maybe do better, for themselves in the NFL. Both Rutgers and that somebody suffered. Some day, I’d love to hear the full and honest answer to why he left.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Between 2005-11, Rutgers went 56-33. That’s an 8-4 average. And, maybe that became the goal, the norm. There was the 11-2 season in 2006, along with two nine win runs. But, on average, eight wins. I think there were some who saw that as a stepping off point for Rutgers, the beginning of greater things. But I think there were others, including me, who saw that as a plateau for Rutgers. Maybe GS thought that, too, leaving before the tide turned.

class="wp-block-paragraph">That span of winning seasons raised hopes and expectations. Schiano supposedly wouldn’t wear any of the bowl rings given out to players and staff, saving his open finger for a national championship ring. There was also an empty pedestal in the Hale Center lobby for the natty, too. Now, those are heady expectations.

class="wp-block-paragraph">But aside from a good PR gimmick, were those moves realistic? Even in the pre-NIL/pay-for-play era, was Rutgers going to compete for a national title in football? Schiano had worked at Penn State and Miami. He knew what they had and what was here. Realistically, maybe 8 to 9 wins per season was not only the average, but actually the top of the mountain.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The disastrous Flood/Ash era crashed hopes. Eight wins? How about not getting embarrassed as a goal?

class="wp-block-paragraph">We became frustrated and disillusioned as a fan base. For some, GS’s return was salvation; for others, me included, it was a return to good talking points but not much better football than we had in the early 2000s. We became almost satisfied with – praying for – a six win season.

class="wp-block-paragraph">If you read the comments here or on other boards, the thinking tends to be that if we get to a bowl, it’s only some middle tier (at best) who-cares-about-it game. Last season, three B1G teams had 8 wins and then won their bowl. Minnesota was “just” 7-5 but won their bowl game to finish 8-5. Northwestern and Penn State were just 6-6, went bowling and won. Anybody here thinking those results wouldn’t be so bad instead of staying home? Would I like to be among the three Big Ten teams that made the CFP? Duh! But, being in a (any) bowl game instead of watching one on TV is a preferred choice.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Have things changed? Is 2026 going to be different? Schiano’s comments at Big Ten Media days are, like most of his peers, a good deal of coach-speak. But, he also seemed a bit different. Was there a bit of confidence that the team – that he – had moved forward. He openly criticized himself, for example with the defense: “Some of it was schematic. You can’t talk out of both sides of your mouth. I felt sometimes we were down the middle and I’m part of that. I’m guilty as charged.” You can read comments about how he doesn’t make good in-game decisions but you have to think,“Well, we don’t know until it happens”. How about that he’s too controlling? Firing the DC duo last season took a hard look in the mirror, even even Keli Zinn was the one holding it up. Bringing in people who aren’t his guys, who aren’t known quantities from another personal experience? A step forward?

class="wp-block-paragraph">But, back to the question in the headline: what defines success for Rutgers football?

A national championship? Not in my life time, and not while the rules are what they are (are there any rules anymore?) • >A Big Ten title? Again, unlikely in my lifetime – but keep in mind that I’m a lot older than most of you; there’s hope!But, for me, the truth is I want a competitive, Big Ten-quality team that, week-in-and-week-out fights to the last whistle and is in the game every week, meaning:

Bowl eligible every year? Yes, and that isn’t asking the world. • >Win a whole lot of those bowl games? Yeah, why not? • >Beat the teams you should beat and pull an upset….every year If Rutgers football finished 9-4 or even 8-5 each year, I’d be happy. Absolutely.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Would I be satisfied? Hmmm, let’s talk next year.

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