Not linking the story to the Sledger. You can do that yourself. Hamilton's quotes are pretty direct on the subject. Let me say I love Darius Hamilton as a player, student and ambassador for Rutgers University. The kid did what so many others before him would not. He stayed home for State U. I would really love to see him in a Scarlet Knights uniform again but believe that Penn State was the last time we may have seen #91. It would make perfect sense for Darius to go elsewhere as a graduate transfer based on the inferno burning in Piscataway. If he does, I will root for this kid no matter what. What is more striking is that for him to make these types of comments, the program knows there is a legitimate and credible chance that Flood will not be back.
Hamilton interested in returning "If he can play for Coach Flood"
- Thread starter RUsilencer
- Start date
Just goes to show you that those inside the program don't know as much about the program as some message board posters.
There is a lot of water to go over the dam before Darius decides what he is going to do and why. Realize that Duggan's agenda is to stir the pot, an create controversy and thus interest. (like a getting someone to put up a speculative post on an internet board) Linking Daruis' comments to an indication that Flood is returning is Star Ledgeresque and totally ridiculous. ( please don't link my comment to I think KF is gone either)
The most-often articulated reason for hiring Flood, a demoted OC, in the first place was to keep a recruiting class in place. How'd that work out long term?
I guess he enjoys getting his *** kicked.
By the law of averages, everyone outside Mary an Indy are going to trottle us worse than PSU and there is nothing coming in next year to tell us the averages are going to move in our favor.
I don't know what to make of his loyalty
Without saying it directly, Hamilton indicated that he would only be interested in returning to Rutgers if Kyle Flood, who is serving a three-game suspension for violating a university compliance policy, remains as head coach.
"Whatever happens at the end, I don't make that decision, obviously," Hamilton said of earning another year of eligibility. "I hope to be back here playing for my coach, Coach Flood. That's the only guy I want to play for. Playing for (defensive line coach Jim) Panagos, the only guy I want to play for. One of the best defensive line coaches you'll find in the country."
"Whatever happens at the end, I don't make that decision, obviously," Hamilton said of earning another year of eligibility. "I hope to be back here playing for my coach, Coach Flood. That's the only guy I want to play for. Playing for (defensive line coach Jim) Panagos, the only guy I want to play for. One of the best defensive line coaches you'll find in the country."
He'd probably play for Schiano, who recruited him for 3 years.
Like him or not, Flood is a players coach...if he gets fired, my guess is there will be quite the exodus....
Short term it will be ugly unless we get a high profile replacement quickly.
So it needs to be done realizing that fact and planning for long term benefits.
Short term it will be ugly unless we get a high profile replacement quickly.
So it needs to be done realizing that fact and planning for long term benefits.
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Exodus? If players leave because they soooo wanted to play for a guy who is getting run over by the compeition so be it
God we need Bo Pelini to right the ship
Players left when Graber was fired. A bunch of guys left when Shea was fired. Players will leave when a staff turns over. It's CODB.
"Like him or not, Flood is a players coach...if he gets fired, my guess is there will be quite the exodus...."
I would be very surprised if that happened. They are playing for a school in one of the premier conferences in college football. This isn't the same situation as with Graber or Shea. Maybe some would leave, but players ALWAYS have to deal with coaches leaving or getting fired.
I would be very surprised if that happened. They are playing for a school in one of the premier conferences in college football. This isn't the same situation as with Graber or Shea. Maybe some would leave, but players ALWAYS have to deal with coaches leaving or getting fired.
One year without Hamilton is a small price to pay for a real head coach with real winning experience in the P5
more time we can give a new coach to win over Darius, the better.
Schiano would be win-win for Darius, because he gets a coach he commited to, who likes Flood, and can develop Hamilton to his best chance for NFL. Also means a lot when a guy can say he coached one of the best DTs in the NFL.
Schiano would be win-win for Darius, because he gets a coach he commited to, who likes Flood, and can develop Hamilton to his best chance for NFL. Also means a lot when a guy can say he coached one of the best DTs in the NFL.
Keeping a bad coach to retain a single player sounds like just the thing big time programs do to remain relevant...
- we are not beating Indy. Sorry, they are better.
- we may remove Flood, but the successor will be a crapshoot. NJ is proving to be a crappy place for a name brand coach or an up and comer.
- Would guess almost zero chance Schiano comes here. Doubt Julie or Barchi want him. Besides, other options may be better for him.
- noted it yesterday - no guarantee Hamilton returns. Higher odds he goes.
- we may remove Flood, but the successor will be a crapshoot. NJ is proving to be a crappy place for a name brand coach or an up and comer.
- Would guess almost zero chance Schiano comes here. Doubt Julie or Barchi want him. Besides, other options may be better for him.
- noted it yesterday - no guarantee Hamilton returns. Higher odds he goes.
You don't hire or fire a coach to please one player. Enough short-term thinking.
But if we do fire Flood, we better have the replacement in place and have him virtually signed. The announcement should be made within a week so that the new coach can re-recruit those players thinking of leaving, and those players who have verbally committed. You can bet that guys like Franklin are already talking to Rutgers players and recruits about the situation and will be ready to pounce (If you don't believe tampering is occurring as we speak, you're naive).
But if we do fire Flood, we better have the replacement in place and have him virtually signed. The announcement should be made within a week so that the new coach can re-recruit those players thinking of leaving, and those players who have verbally committed. You can bet that guys like Franklin are already talking to Rutgers players and recruits about the situation and will be ready to pounce (If you don't believe tampering is occurring as we speak, you're naive).
Since RU has never hired a name brand coach, and the only RU hire in the last 20 years who could be characterized as an "up an comer" was Schiano, what exactly are you using as evidence for your "NJ is proving to be a crappy place...." comment?
What does Rutgers offer a proven head coach that is better than other upper echelon jobs? Top ten things on offer, good bad and ugly:
1) Comp? No
2) High cost of living? Yes
3) Hostile media? Yes
4) Hostile fan base? Yes
5) Competing factions at odds with sports in the community? Yes
6) Weak administration? Yes
7) funding challenges compared to peers? Yes
8) Fertile recruiting grounds? Yes
9) Average facilities? Yes
10) Below average assistant pay? Yes
None of this adds up to hiring a proven P5 coach who wins bigger than Flood already has.
1) Comp? No
2) High cost of living? Yes
3) Hostile media? Yes
4) Hostile fan base? Yes
5) Competing factions at odds with sports in the community? Yes
6) Weak administration? Yes
7) funding challenges compared to peers? Yes
8) Fertile recruiting grounds? Yes
9) Average facilities? Yes
10) Below average assistant pay? Yes
None of this adds up to hiring a proven P5 coach who wins bigger than Flood already has.
If Kyle returns as Coach next year, not only will I not renew my season tickets but I will never step inside RU Stadium again. And yes...I'm a season ticket holder for decades and hold multiple degrees from RU.
That threat never gets old, never gets taken seriously.
And my follow up question remains the same....
Where do you sit RU old timer? If it's somewhere I want to be maybe we can work something out with the Ticket Office?
Read a NJ paper and Caliknights's post. Enough said.
If Cal Coach Sonny Dykes was in NJ he would have been pushed to be run out of town within his first 2 years. Article after article would question his ability to coach and recruit. Article after article would have covered how Cal was doing everything wrong while Stanford had it all right. Article after article would have focused on kids leaving and a few trouble spots here and there that would have been blown into "What is wrong with Cal." We got none of that. Dykes is now 4-0 and the team is playing real well. There were a few articles about his and the team initial struggles here and there, but 100x fewer than would have been written in NJ. In turn, I think that helped him recruit and turn things around.
In contrast, in NJ he would never have a chance. NJ revels in the negative and garbage mindset (Real Housewives of NJ anyone? How about Snookie?). It oozes negativism (crap like Bridgegate happens everywhere - including out here in California -- its politics --- everyone is out for themselves in that game). I am beginning to think the NJ kids and their parents see all this and think of the benefits and getting the hell out of the state. Can't blame them.
Ain't no one of proven or up and coming value dumb enough to take this head coaching job without big guaranteed dollars. Maybe someone with something to prove (Bo Pellini?). Ultimately, you have to look for a Eddie Jordan type (strong ties to the University). Maybe a Steve Shimko or someone else in coaching circles rises to that level in 5 to 10 years. Until then it'll be a long wait.
A Cal grad works in our office, and we talk a lot about Cal and Rutgers. Dykes is interesting. Coached under Mike Leach at Texas Tech, and was co-OC with Dana Holgorsen.
His first year at Cal he was 1-11. In 2013 Sonny Dykes became the first Cal head coach since the University began playing football in 1886 to fail to defeat a single D-1 opponent in a season that has lasted at least five games. Could you imagine this board if that happened? NJ.com? The professors and administration at Rutgers?
2014, Cal went 5-7, but most of their games they lost were competitive.
We will see how the rest of the season turns out for Dykes and Cal.
Our coaching situation is a morass. I agree with everything you said in bold. I don't think another Rutgers homer or someone with ties is the answer. If Kyle Flood is gone at the end of this year, our best shot is to take a bet on a guy like Rod Carey at NIU who is making $600K per year and we double his pay. But some think we are going to get a head coach with P5 head coaching experience. Doubtful. Pelini would be interesting, but I don't see it happening here--too volatile, and the professors and administration would hate him--and that seems to matter a lot in the hiring process--just ask the candidate for AD Frazier who got skewered in the interview process.
And when Cal hired Dykes-
Tedford was fired in November after going 3-9 andTedford and the university agreed to a $5.55 million buyout for the final three seasons of his contract.
Dykes' average annual salary is $1.94 million.
I just don't see that happening while Barchi is here unless some donors step up big time.
Tedford was fired in November after going 3-9 andTedford and the university agreed to a $5.55 million buyout for the final three seasons of his contract.
Dykes' average annual salary is $1.94 million.
I just don't see that happening while Barchi is here unless some donors step up big time.