At athletic events all around campus this past weekend, the RNIL movement made its presence felt, rallying fans and alumni to open their wallets and invest in the future. The big showcase was at SHI Stadium on Saturday, where the RNIL logo was on one of the tunnel walls and replaced the beloved CHOP banner that the student section rolls out before kickoff. And yet, as the No. 8 Oregon Ducks stormed through Rutgers’ defense en route to a decisive win, it became clear that while NIL can elevate the talent pool, it won’t fix deeper problems on its own.
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Rutgers Certainly Needs More NIL Money, But That Will Not Mask Coaching Issues
This was the kind of matchup that lays everything bare. Oregon arrived with a roster built through elite high school recruiting and savvy NIL deals (plus Nike funding) that help retain and attract blue-chip players. Rutgers, meanwhile, is still fighting to keep pace in the new era of college football economics.
Although NIL was not the main reason why Rutgers fell to Iowa, Minnesota, and Washington, it certainly played a big role in getting blown off the field against the Ducks. The difference in performance level was nearly equivalent to Rutgers taking on an FCS opponent, and that should never happen when the two teams are in the same conference. This is not the Rutgers of old, either; these Scarlet Knights are much better than the Chris Ash-era teams that could not hold a candle to many of their peers, and just reached back-to-back bowl berths.
The RNIL push during homecoming weekend was both timely and necessary: if Rutgers wants to close the gap with national contenders, it requires resources. And that does not just mean more crowdfunding (although that would be a great start). It means brand deals and high-ticket donors, both of which fund most of the NIL efforts at all the top schools. With Keli Zinn’s leadership and meticulous plan in action to have a full NIL department, we do not doubt that the efforts are headed in the right direction at long last.
Even on offense, which has several NFL-caliber wide receivers and a quality running back in Antwan Raymond, the team was simply overmatched by Oregon’s overwhelming defensive front. Athan Kaliakmanis barely had any time to make reads as he forced many throws to the first receiver he saw, even if he was being tightly covered. To get the quality offensive line play to withstand a front like that, that is where NIL comes in.
NIL funding can help Rutgers land and retain higher-caliber players, particularly at skill positions and in the trenches. Imagine pairing Schiano’s developmental approach with an influx of high-end talent — the potential is real. But the Oregon game also revealed a sobering truth: even the best talent can’t mask structural issues, especially on defense. In fact, Rutgers is no stranger to the transfer portal itself, with most of the players on this year’s starting defense coming through the portal as opposed to being recruited out of high school.
Indiana has risen from the bottom rung of the Big Ten to defeat that very same Oregon team at Autzen Stadium. The Hoosiers’ rise can largely be attributed to NIL, with its offensive line giving Fernando Mendoza plenty of time to throw to his talented wideouts. Rutgers, even with an improved offensive line, could not do the same.
Further, the Hoosiers’ defensive line got past the Ducks’ talented offensive line and straight to Dante Moore, with six sacks and two timely interceptions to put the game away and ascend to the third spot in the following AP poll (IU now ranks second only behind Ohio State). Of course, the other main factor is head coach Curt Cignetti taking his winning ways (and many of his players) from James Madison to Bloomington. Just Google him.
For weeks, cracks have shown in Rutgers’ defensive communication, tackling fundamentals, and schematic adjustments. Against Oregon’s speed and precision, those cracks split wide open. Poor angles, missed assignments, and questionable play-calling turned manageable downs into explosive plays. NIL dollars won’t teach gap discipline or improve third-down schemes — that’s on the coaching staff.
This Rutgers defense is too talented to be playing like this. They might not have the talent of Ohio State, Indiana, or Oregon, but both Eric O’Neill and Bradley Weaver were game-wreckers at top Group of Five schools in JMU and Ohio. This year, the defensive line can hardly get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, let alone sacks.
The secondary has many transfers from the Power Four and Group of Five levels, many of whom were productive at their previous schools, including Cam Miller coming over from Penn State and Jett Elad transferring from G5 contender UNLV. But this year, they look like they may be the worst secondary in the Power Four, if not all of FBS football. The linebackers have been better, but Dariel Djabome can only do so much with Moses Walker sidelined by injury and Abram Wright being thrown into starting action.
Robb Smith’s scheme is both confusing the players and not suiting their strengths, because there is no reason that defensive players at this level of college football should struggle even to get set and line up correctly. In addition, Abram Wright and Kaj Sanders were seen arguing on the field, seemingly in confusion, before a play that ended up being a 65+ touchdown run. As bad as last year’s defense ended up (in large part due to injuries), Rutgers fans would do anything to have it back rather than watch Robb Smith’s teams struggle to stop a nosebleed week in and week out.
This loss should serve as a wake-up call on two fronts. First, the RNIL push must continue with urgency; Rutgers can’t afford to lag so far behind in the talent arms race. But perhaps even more importantly, defensive coaching in particular needs introspection and evolution. Money will help Rutgers compete; coaching will determine whether they can win.
Homecoming weekend was a reminder of the passion and potential around this program, as well as the vision for the future, where Rutgers puts forth a serious and solid effort towards NIL and is taken seriously by highly talented recruits who are looking to be compensated accordingly. Now, it’s time to match that passion with investment and accountability. The coaching staff cannot expect fans to donate not only their time, but also even more of their hard-earned money to the football program if they themselves are unwilling or unable to make the necessary adjustments to fix the recurring issues that rear their ugly heads week after week.