Rebuilding Rutgers -- A DDSCB2016 Test Diary

[jksander]

I officially decided today that I'm cutting sophomore forward Doug Barr from the program. He has simply not developed the skills required to play in this league, and I can't afford to have a scholarship taken up for three more years by someone I fully believe will never play a minute for the Scarlet Knights. His GPA had jumped to 3.6 after his freshman year, and he has obtained an academic scholarship to continue his education. We will keep walk-on senior Greg Jenkins on the team, though mainly as a practice body. He played ten minutes last year over eight games, but did get a basket, a steal and a handful of rebounds during that time. Plus he's a great kid, hard working, and the players all love him.

We have so many scholarships to fill this year I aim to simply buy the gold scouting reports from the East, and nothing more. I feel that at our level we are better aiming high while not wasting time at player camps … I can find players just fine who the camps are more likely to showcase poorly. Besides, if a kid shines at a camp, he's liable to get interest from bigger programs in the first place. We simply can't afford to throw our money around if we're going to fill six scholarship spots.

Make that seven. Richard McGee, a sophomore I'd intended on redshirting, has chosen to transfer. This keeps getting better and better. Ten scholarship players and a walk-on and we're supposed to take on the Mid-10 powers and win. I hope McGee winds up happy at South Philly, where he thinks he'll garner more playing time.

Welcome to Division 1, folks! At least by this time next year I'll have a team mostly composed of my own recruits, though I have to find good ones first.

[Wayne23]

I like that you cut useless players. I do too. I'll take the hit.

[jksander]

I like that you cut useless players. I do too. I'll take the hit.

This leaves me 11 players though, and I'll be playing the top seven or eight hard. Any injuries will be devastating.

[Wayne23]

I cut down to 10 guys. I find that I don't ever seem to get below 8. At times 1 or 2 may have to play while they are at 90% or better, but less than 100%. Tell you the truth I play 7 guys, 8 tops. #9 and #10 (and sometimes #8) play only to cover when I have injuries. Twice I've had two season ending injuries in the same season. Those were not good years! At times I was splitting 200 minutes 6 ways, but I always seemed to manage.

[jksander]

Here is our schedule for the coming season:

November
16 - Army
19 - @ Greenville
21 - (n) Houston - WS Midwest Invitational
26 - North D.C.
30 - Stephen F. Austin

December
3 - @ Northwestern St
7 - @ Seattle
14 - @ Arkansas St
21 - South Dakota
28 - @ #11 Indiana
31 - Iowa

January
4 - @ Penn St
7 - Northwestern
11 - @ Purdue
14 - Illinois
18 - @ Iowa
21 - Ohio St
25 - #11 Indiana
28 - @ #15 Michigan

February
1 - Minnesota
4 - @ #8 Michigan St
8 - Nebraska
11 - @ #22 Maryland
15 - @ Wisconsin
18 - Penn St
22 - @ Northwestern
25 - Purdue

[jksander]

October 23, 2017: Greg Jenkins is no longer a walk-on for this program. He was late to practice and then continued to cause problems with other players. A.J. Holt and Trey Jordan are on two-week suspensions for attitude problems as well, and if they don't snap to it during that time, they will risk losing their scholarships. This year I am not **** around!

[Wayne23]

Says to water boy: "Suit up!"

[jksander]

Here is our roster for the upcoming season

STARTERS
PG - Kendall Kamara (6'5” 201 lbs Jr) Summit NJ (Summit HS) 3.0 GPA 6.2 PPG 4.8 RPG 2.3 APG
SG - Donte Jackson (6'0” 183 lbs Sr) Teterboro NJ (Bergen County Tech HS) 3.0 GPA 5.5 PPG 2.0 RPG 1.6 APG
SF - Marc House (6'7” 198 lbs Sr) Bayonne NJ (Bayonne HS) 3.3 GPA 11.1 PPG 4.9 RPG 2.1 APG 1.0 BPG
PF - Trey Jordan (6'6” 192 lbs Jr) Manchester NJ (Manchester Township HS) 3.2 GPA 8.7 PPG 4.4 RPG 1.0 APG
C - Kevin Majerus (6'9” 237 lbs Jr) Piscataway NJ (Piscataway HS) 3.8 GPA 12.5 PPG 4.9 RPG 1.2 BPG

PRIMARY BACKUPS
PG/SG - Morris Cobb (6'0” 189 lbs Fr RS) Gloucester City NJ (Gloucester City HS) 4.0 GPA
SG/SF/PF - Brad Blackman (6'6” 220 lbs Jr) Jersey City NJ (Jersey City HS) 3.5 GPA 4.6 PPG 3.4 RPG 1.2 APG
PF/C - A.J. Holt (6'8” 241 lbs Sr) Longmeadow MA (Longmeadow HS) 4.0 GPA 5.2 PPG 3.5 RPG

BENCHWARMERS
SG - Clarence Jones (6'0” 176 lbs Jr) Marlboro NJ (Marlboro HS) 3.9 GPA
SF - Matt Wright (6'8” 224 lbs Sr) Parsippany NJ (Parsippany Hills HS) 3.6 GPA 1.0 PPG 0.9 RPG

[jksander]

COMMITTED RECRUITS
Signed Letters of Intent

PF Andre Wormley (6'6” 237 lbs) Southampton NY (Southampton HS) 3.8 GPA
#76 National #19 National (PF) #14 Atlantic East #3 Atlantic East (PF)

PF Peter Baker (6'7” 197 lbs) Greensburg PA (Greensburg Salem HS) 3.8 GPA
#147 National #37 National (PF) #30 Atlantic East #5 Atlantic East (PF)

PG Justin Nixon (6'0” 171 lbs) Swiftwater PA (Pocono Mountain East HS) 3.2 GPA
#171 National #40 National (PG) #34 Atlantic East #9 Atlantic East (PG)

PG Donnie Williams (6'2” 181 lbs) Hollidaysburg PA (Hollidaysburg Area HS) 3.4 GPA
#232 National #53 National (PG) #43 Atlantic East #11 Atlantic East (PG)

C Tom Zimmerman (6'8” 263 lbs) Wexford PA (North Allegheny HS) 3.9 GPA
#488 National #96 National (C) #96 Atlantic East #17 Atlantic East (C)

[Wayne23]

Things are DEFINITELY looking up. Shouldn't be any issues hitting the SAT score either.