A view from the other side:
1. Tom Young
I wasn't watching yet, but I know his resume, and it's solid. A little difficult to compare where Rutgers was during his time and where the program is now, in terms of competitive environment, but a good coach is a good coach.
2. Steve Pikiell pre NIL
He took over an absolute schidt show -- what was that score of the AAC tournament game versus Louisville, like 91-30 or something like that? And he made Rutgers NCAA-likely in his fourth year (tourney canceled by COVID). That'll stay with me for a while. Absolutely no one wanted to come into the LBAC during those few years.
3.Bob Wenzel
A great guy whose TV work I always enjoyed. I started paying much more attention to the local game during his time at Rutgers. He had a nice few years, and he did make two NCAAs, but the second half of his tenure was not good, albeit in a tough Big East.
4. Kevin Bannon
I might get lampooned for this, but Bannon's time at Rutgers was really the only time I feared the program pulling away from Seton Hall. He might have done great things if he were more mature and responsible and made better non-basketball decisions. He was a slam-dunk hire and his teams at TCNJ and Rider were very, very good. He took Rider to two NCAAs, and they haven't been near it since. He started off great at Rutgers, attracting some really good talent and with a few near-misses from top guys. I feel like if you had made the NCAAs in 1998-99, the dam would have broken and that was going to be the new place to be. But he missed, and then started doing really dumb things. A shame. But the feeling I had then puts him this high; I get it if others laugh at it.
5. Gary Waters
He was a good hire, but maybe not for Rutgers. Another guy who felt like he was getting some traction before he just lost his grip and slipped. One .500 year in the Big East, which is the same as Bannon, but none of those teams ever felt like NCAA teams to me. And they weren't.
6. Steve Pikiell post NIL
This is a tough one, because he is still the man I ranked No. 2 here, though circumstances have changed. I don't take as dim a view of 2024-25 as many of you do. Yes, he had two first-rounders, but one missed half the year, and most of the rest of the roster were replacement-level MAAC players. The deference to the two studs killed his defense-first vibe and it just never looked good. He obviously bears blame, but without the budget to attract any other Big Ten-level kids, his hands were somewhat tied. It's probably over for him here, but to me, he is a victim of a few external influences.
7. Mike Rice
A guy who really disappointed. His teams were crappy and he also never felt, to me, like it was going to work. He should be lower here, but look at this flotsam and jetsam still to list here.
8. Fred Hill
At Seton Hall, we know him as a good guy and a real basketball lifer. His stint at Rutgers was deplorable, and it's got a lot to do with him. I thought this would've worked, but I guess you never know for sure. There is a reason that no one else ever wanted to hire him as a HC, though, I guess.
9. Craig Littlepage
I remember him as the head coach, but wasn't following closely enough to have watched games. I know he's held up as the anti-standard here, but to me, at least he's not...
10. ...Eddie Jordan, who was quite simply the worst major college basketball coach I've ever seen. The Chris Ash of hoops. It was so bad that I actually stopped enjoying the futility.
