The Rowan Way Enters a New Era with Rowan Head Football Coach Pat Ruley

The Rowan Way Enters a New Era with Rowan Head Football Coach Pat Ruley with Coach Schuman and Coach Depascale

Hello, we would love to invite you to compete to get ranked and stars at the Coach Schuman’s NUC sports Showcase events and combines go to http://myfootballcamps.com for more
Get the Legendary Leadership Book by Coach Schuman and improve your leadership skills today at
www.legendaryleadership.coach
myfootballcamps.com
nucsports.com
@coachschuman on youtube, instagram, twitter, and tik tok
@coachdnucsports

go to myfootballcamps.com/d1promo (https://myfootballcamps.com/d1promo) to get promoted for D1 Programs
www.myfootballcamps.com
www.nucsports.com
www.boardwalkbeastsfb.com
@coachschuman on all social

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm (https://wwww.zencast.fm)

Okay round two Worked back at it back at it I I can't Believe uh I uh I guess I'm all screwed Up but um we have a great a great guest On today we're we're really we're really Rolling getting a lot of great content Uh talking to some great coaches uh over The last few weeks I mean really we're We're we're getting re revved up for the Uh for the season here we have a great Coach on to talk today coach Ry the head Coach of Rowan College from back in the Day when I was a kid it was Glassboro State now it's Rowan College for all Those years as Mr Rowan donated that Money and and took the program to the Next level a story division 3 Program uh that's going through a a a New coach after having a a coach has Been there for quite a while and this is A program that we really think uh could Continue to rise again uh because it has A history of being an excellent program Um so we're really excited to have coach On today coach how's everything going Everything's great I appreciate you guys For having me on Coach I know you I know You got a lot going on so appreciate you Taking the time because you know we know How that is taking something over taking Over a new program especially you know Kind of later in the whole scheme of Thing so we appreciate you taking the Time man absolutely Co coach give

Everybody your your background and Coaching you playing as well uh so so Everybody really gets a full breath of You know where you've come from and I Know with college coaches it's it could Be it could be quite lengthy but you Know cover cover all the things that uh You think are most important you know in Your coaching career yeah so I'm a South Jersey native grew up right outside of Atlantic City New Jersey in a town Called Margate attended Atlantic City High School um went to Rowan went had a Couple stops before that but ultimately Started my my onfield playing career at Rowan in the spring of 2009 uh I played From 09 to 12 there won a championship Uh got had another Opportunity um to go to the postseason As an that large bid at one point and um You know just definitely had a Tremendous ride and you know we we won a Lot of football games and right out of College I knew I wanted to get into it I Was actually working at my family's sub Shop in South Jersey um like in Late July and I got a Phone call from a guy in the profession And he was like hey I have a buddy down At talson University who's looking for Like an entry-level defensive guy it was Like July 27th I went down there I Interviewed it was hey like we're not Giving you any food we're not giving you

You know we're not giving you anywhere To stay uh no money like and they had Like a hundred plus people that apply For this job and on the way back from The interview um the defensive Coordinator Matt Hackman called me and He's like hey like we really loved what You know your energy as a young guy like We' love to have you down here um um do You want it and I was I hadn't even Gotten home yet and uh I was like yeah You know I I I definitely I'm definitely Interested I'd been working a ton of Jobs like a dog that summer so IID saved Up a bunch of money and uh ultimately Ended up living like in the film room That pretty much that whole entire fall Uh two computer chairs you know put my Feet up you know go to sleep put them Down back on the computer use the locker Room to shower use the you know the uh The equipment room for my lawn and uh You know just just grinded and that First season you know in 2013 I was Lucky enough to be a part of a program That went to a national championship Game in uh Frisco Texas and that was Like a tremendous First Step even at the Time I I had the perspective to be able To like kind of take a step back I Remember at pregame at the national Championship being like man like some Guys do this for like 40 years and never Even make the playoffs I'm on like the

Biggest stage in year one like this is Insane you know ultimately we ended up Losing that game but it was a tremendous Ride you know I was there I was then you Know the very next January like a week Later got a job in mberg college up in Allentown that was like the ultimate Blessing for me you know I I ended up Working for a guy in Mike Donnelly who's Not with us anymore but um tremendous Coach uh my mentor you know taught me a Ton about three four defense and and Really taught me more about how to have Relationships with players that go well Beyond the field you know the one thing I'm telling guys here is like the one Thing that always stuck with me that he Said was be demanding not demeaning and That was always something that really You know stuck was you know I've never Understood these guys who believe that Yelling their heads off at young men is Going to be the recipe for Success uh You know but to each their own you know But ultimate at the end of the day was There for a couple years you know made a Postseason as an that large bid won a Bowl game and another year and then uh Went down to a division 2 school that no Longer is open in what Virginia called Alerson broadis uh speci teams Coordinator linebacker coach there uh we Won the the um the first ever GMAC Championship we are a nine and2 football

Team we actually beat Robert Morris that Year uh at first game of the season as An FCS program and uh finished as the Number two defense in the country and Then that that next April uh had the Opportunity to you know meet up with a Guy that I had worked with you know at Mberg he was the offensive Corin at Mberg he took over as the head coach at At susqu Hannah uh you know and we had Worked a year together at mberg and then He had been at sus Hannah for two years Prior with a different defensive Coordinator and you know that that DC Moved on and it you know he had the Opening and it gave me the ability to You know coordinate defense for the First time and you know it was there Since April of 2017 um had a great run won a ton of Games you know back-to-back conference Championships the last Centennial Conference Championship that we were a Part of the first Landmark championship In in in conference history you know This past year and uh you know we're the Only teams to beat the defending National champions in in courtlands at Their place which was awesome hard hard To win there definitely hard to win There very hard to win there especially Being down I think two scores in the Second half uh or in the fourth quarter You know and and we we made some plays

And you know ultimately uh got out of There the win you know I told the guys Like hey let's not even shower let's hop On these buses and get out get out now Get out and um but but just a tremendous Ride and and yeah you know coach of Coursey steps down at the end of April Which was kind of you know a surprise I Think to everyone and yeah as soon as I Saw that news it was like one track mine Like this is what I've been waiting for This opportunity to have the chance to Come back and and lead the program that Gave so much to me as a player and you Know I got hired I think on June 20th uh Had the 25 foot U-Haul Van on July 1 Moved into our new spot on July 2nd here And uh you know we've been cranking up Ever since So that that's it's amazing ride um you Know from being a player at Rowan to Coming back to your Alor M coach I think That's uh you know a tremendous respect That that that the program has for you Not not not just as a coach but as a Person right um because you don't you Don't see that a ton I mean you see it Here and there but you don't see it a Ton where they hire hire their their Their alumni back and um I think it's Just a tremendous honor to ATT tribute To you talk about what that's like Coming back um as the head coach after Obviously you you've you've coached a a

Lot of different places but coming back After being a player that was star at at Your own school what what was that like Uh uh coming back here you know it's Been a crazy uh crazy I would say Academic Year right I always think about Things from like September to to August Is or or you know August to July in Terms of you know things and I mean it's Just been a it's been a crazy year you Know I had my uh my had my first kid I Had a daughter uh in at the end of October pretty much in the hunt for the Postseason um and then you know know This whole transition into coming and Now getting the job at the place that Kind of gave so much to me and having Such a warm reception you know from the Athletic director you know Dr John Gianini who you know has done tremendous Things as a coach won a national Championship here at Rowan and Basketball you know went to Lal as a Head coach and made multiple sweet 16s Just have the utmost respect for him you Know a lot of super successful alums who Also lead programs here like in baseball Field hockey um you know men's soccer Just a ton of you know pride in the in Their program because not only they want To do a great job at you know their Profession but because they're Alum so That's a pretty unique thing about about Rowan and I think that's the other thing

I've learned fairly quickly is like you Know at some places everybody really Cares about their program and then Beyond that you know if they win it's Nice but you know there's not a ton Invested like I think the really cool Thing that I've learned is that like These people want to see Rowan football At like the peak because they're they They're alans right and a lot of them When they were here was kind of in a era Of you know when coach Casey killer was Here when they were ripping off you know National Championship appearances and That type of stuff and they were Undergrads at that time and it so so It's a lot of fun um it's very humbling You know kind of talking to alums from Different eras getting to c talk with You know John Bunning who was the coach Before KC here who's a super you know Wellestablished and respected coach we Had an awesome convers ation and you Know just talking to some other like big Time alums from other eras and you know My buddies who are like my best friends In the world you know who you know are Guys that I'm still to this day super Tight with like those guys are ecstatic And over the moon that you know somebody That was their roommate in college and a Really good friend of theirs you know is Now leading the program that they have a Ton of pride in so I mean it's been it's

Been a it's been a roller coaster of Emotions um just in terms of kind of Trying to figure out hey like this is Awesome but it's time to get to work Right but at the end of the day just Trying to take it all one day at a time And and really Embrace and enjoy the Journey what were some of the things That you really had to because you Getting the job uh fairly late right in The in the recruiting process to Say to put it mildly what what what what Were some of the things that you had to Now obviously I prefac this with saying Obviously Rowan has a good foundation Right so it's not like there there's a Foundation that you had to you know You're going to build obviously on Everything but it's it's not like the The house is is torn down or anything Obviously had a longtime coach so but What were some of the things that you Had to come in and really kind of try to Figure out Shore up um because you came In a little bit later W with Coach Retiring yeah um a couple of the biggest Things I think were like the STA was the Staffing situation right like you know I'm I'm still going to call the defense As the head coach you know I I learned From a guy pretty early on in my uh Career you know and and the head coach I Had just worked for he had been up for Other jobs over the last few years and

He had talked to people that he Respected and one of the best lines I Heard was just you know do what got you The job you know and I think that's Something for me that like we've been Really successful defensively and you Know I've had a lot of success at my Most recent stop as a defensive Coordinator and so for me it's like okay What is what has gotten me here well It's been relationship building you know Culture building and you know defensive Schematics are the three things for me That I think you know so our ability to Recruit you know High character super Talented individuals that know we care About them beyond the field you know um Building a culture right that's Something that's always I've been super Passionate about you know and if Anybody's ever been on any of my socials Or been around the programs that we been A part of like they see that that's like Super well defined and guys really Embrace that yeah it's really laid out As well like you do a great job of Defining that this is part of what of Who we are and what we're going to be About so you definitely do you know Looking at your socials and stuff like That it's very easily visible that kind Of jumps out to you that this is this This is the Staples of what we're going To do yeah you know so I think when I

Look at all that you know really the It's it's okay now how do I take that I'm trying to really reflect on my first Year at Susan right because obviously as You built at susqu Han um you got to add Pieces but guys were already embedded Within the culture so there was less There was less necessarily uh you know Culture building and more time to focus On the the smaller details and AD scheme And add things right so I'm trying to Take a step back and reflect on hey like What was it like establishing that Defensive culture at Susana seven years Ago and how does that translate to me Establishing what I want the team Culture to be now especially on the Super tight timeline you know and then On top of that get other guys on staff That kind of fit that same mold that Have that same belief system you know Some of the guys that we're bringing in Are guys that I have worked with in the Past some guys are were some guys we are Retaining and then other guys are guys That I just have a ton of respect for You know through you know professional Development and meeting them Um when some of these jobs become Official here in the next couple weeks You know I think that some people are Going to kind of raise their eyebrows a Little bit about you know the kind of The staff that we're putting together

Here um I'm super excited about you know The direction of of Everything yeah it's it's uh you're in a Great spot like that whole Philly area South Jersey area where you where you Grew up um has become a real hot bed in In recruiting Uh especially I would say over you know It's always been pretty good but in the Last 10 years it's really become a hot Bed um you know uh the Syracuse head Coach obviously was from There um and you Know for For Better or Worse you know me And Derek has seeing it you know seven On seven there's so many clubs that are Like players all over the place like we Go and we play like that's and that Whole Philly South Jersey even like Northern Delaware area has become like a A hot bed of of skill Talent right skill Talent um Shoreline Talent too but you Know we see obviously a lot more you Know of the skill talent and it's always Been a really good place but talk about You know what that recruiting now Obviously you're going to be recruiting All over you know the the north Northeast and and specifically obviously PA New Jersey New York and and and and I'm sure Delaware but talk about what That area is being being Rowan being in That area what is that like from a Recruiting standpoint what do he kind of

Expect there yeah so you touched on a Little bit you know definitely you know The skill player piece and you know I Think the tradition in football I mean The awesome part about you know being a Almost a regionally Recruiting School Versus you know when I had to play Against John's Hopkins for example they Have a national recruiting search is Like fortunately for us Jersey Eastern PA Maryland like they play some pretty Good football right so yeah when you Talk about the South Jersey Philly area You know um you know I categorize that As the guys that call it pork roll which Is the right way to you know address That meat come on man You're that's Okay Jersey guys man likeor J you know pork roll guys are bigger Playmakers on Saturdays I'm making that A shirt [ __ ] like come on man like You're also talking to a monair state Red Hawk here too I get I get it come on Bro it's all good listen since I've Relocated it's just it is what it is People can call me a sellout they can Call me whatever I've adjusted it's pork Roll for me now I've adjusted I'll same thing so not worth the Argument anymore so so I'll drop a Little teaser for you um you're you're Gonna see some pretty cool stuff coming Uh regarding that with the Monclair

Rowan football game moving forward here I like it coach anything can do anything You can do to bring that there's gonna Be there's gonna be it's it's I don't Wanna you know I don't want to crush uh Coach palazos it's it's his brainchild But you know we got something going Right now it's actually in legislation In New Jersey state congress right now Um you know and it's going to be a it's Going to be a bowl game between uh love It Rowan and Monclair that's Gonna have some major implications on uh What we call that breakfast meat Officially in the state of New Jersey Coach I love it because look it's been a Rivalry for God knows how long it was Back and forth when I was a player it Was there well before I was there you Know the fact that Coach G is a Glassboro guy to begin with was like a Huge thing I mean it's just like and Obviously and there no there's no There's no trophy games in uh the end Jack at all you know so we play we Played two we played two trophy games Every year at Susana and it it just it Just added elevated those games just you Know because that was a piece of the Whole thing right and those games were Already like that to begin with now you Tie something anything anything to it And you're good to go that's awesome Coach I love but get to get back to the

Recruiting thing you know the thing that We're going to look for you know I'm Going to talk with guys about really Both sides of the football you know Defensively you know I've been talking About Runners and Strikers right like We're going to be a defense that's built On like we're going to run super well to The football and we're going to be super Physical at the point of attack you know That that's G to be the brand Offensively you know we want Playmakers We want guys that can make people Miss In space uh we want guys up front who Love you know love ant Jima and love Making pancakes you know that's that's What we're g to be about and you know You want to have to you know when the Chips are down and you got to run the Football like we want to be like hey I Don't care if everybody in the stadium Were're running the ball like we need This yard and a half and that's got to Be the mentality right and so I love you Know kind of the and the fabric of this Place you know and what I loved When I Was Here is like it is that blue collar It is that hard and that's the same for A lot of the NJ schools you know in Terms of that mentality of the guys you Have but like this is a meritocracy like You eat uh we all eat right and like Just having that mentality of like it's Going to be about hey like if you show

Me that you're the best guy for the job I don't care what year you are I don't Care what the guy did before like and This is my first meeting I talk to the Guys I go listen you could have been Coach of Cory's favorite you could have Been his you could have been in the Biggest dogghouse you know I'm not Necessarily super religious but you know All your sins have been wiped away You've been absolved of all your sins And everybody starts with a clean slate And come August 13th when the when the Chips are down and the heat turns up Like who's about it and who's not and And those the guys that are going to you Know play for us this fall and moving Forward and you know I just want the New Jersey Community um you know the greater Mid-Atlantic kind of you know DMV too Like we're going to recruit Baltimore Heavily um that was an area that we've Always had a ton of success in with some Of the out scholarship adjustments that Row have made it makes it really doable For us and um even going across the Bridge like Delco Chester the Philly Catholic League like the Lehigh Valley The Lehigh Valley up in North Jersey Like those are the out of state that We're going to be targeting initially You know but I was talking with one of The guys on staff yesterday and the Mentality needs to be if you're not a

Full scholarship player why are you Leaving the state right like like that's If you're not going to school for free Then there's no reason to cross that Bridge right and so that that's gota Like we got to make the experience the Student athlete experience here super High level um scholarship level just in Terms of you know the things that They're provided the coverage provided The the splash reels we put together how They feel appreciated the coverage they Get right all that type of stuff and we We've accomplished that to some degree You know at where I'm coming from but I'm really excited to kind of put my Flavor on it even more you know here at Ran So that that's that's phenomenal um Me personally as a kid I love Mrs Butterworth but as an adult I had to Move to Andre because there's so much Sugar in Mrs Butterworth that I'll have Me coma toast sleeping for five hours so I had had move to Anar a little less Sugar just as good of flavor just a Little less sugar I've actually I've Actually pivoted to being a a natural Maple serum now I can't do it I can't do It like good for your health it's too Real yeah yeah yeah good for your health Uh I got a question about from a defense Standpoint so um you know the 80s you Know you go back the Lauren Taylor era Right and the Giants were three four

Defense right then the 90s the the four War I became a huge thing that's what The era I played in um the 2000 you saw A shift to like different multiple Defenses where the 35 became a big deal Uh in the 2010s the 40 multiple that's The first time you saw like a lot of More multip 40 multiple became a big Deal and now as a passing game the third The 30 multiple or three four multiples Become a huge thing talk about what Makes the um the three4 defense so Flexible and what you really like about Running it yeah so it's funny that you Say that because you know most weeks of The year when I'm scouting an opponent I Can't get my hands on them playing Against a three down defense to save my Life right most people at least at the College level you know I still I think Are in that you know four down mindset a Lot of quarters with that true like DB As that overhang player you know under Defense and they might get a little Flavor on third down or in past Situations but you see that a ton But what I love about the three four you Know the best example I can give you There was a guy that I coached my second Year at mberg named Mike Luby who at That that year was an All-American and Was the leader out of anybody as Linebackers for sacks and the country he Played that boundary standup position

For us he was probably 510 195 pounds But super elusive could make guys Missing space so if you got him on the Move like Crow hopping into it he was a Ton to handle uh if we were if we were a 425 or a 4-3 defense he would have been Standing next to me on the sideline Right and so like I think that what's Awesome about what we do is you know our Defense is predicated on athleticism Therefore like we really Embrace Tweeners right like got like we don't Need that true three technique right Like that guy's going to be on the move For us almost every snap right we don't Need those in side linebackers to be you Know 240 pound guys if they're 240 and They can also run like awesome but like Bonus but like for us like the premium Is on speed and athleticism the way we Play defense so we move every single Snap right so there's not a single snap In my 66 games calling defense that We've been static right so ultimately When you look at how we're we're set up It's just that it's you know I I always Equate it to like hey like there's a Reason why there's weight classes in Combat Sports right so like if the O Lineman is 50 pounds heavier than me and I just decide that I'm gonna just go Straight ahead into them for 60 snaps a Game like I'm probably gonna end up on The wrong side of that but we're

Sticking and moving right we're gonna For you know kind of stick on that Analogy we're gonna have a ton of Different punches in our toolbox right We're gonna we're gonna slip in and Throw an uppercut throw a body shot then Pop back to the outside right and we're Going to have that type of deal and so When you when you line up in front of us As an offense we stem into four down we Stem into bear we stem into different Three down fronts now all the sudden We're bringing a fourth a fifth a sixth Guy from different places you know Sometimes it feels like they're coming Out of the ground and that's and that's Kind of what you know we've embraced as As our identity the symmetry of it is Something that's super you know Important to me my ability to really in The four down you pretty much know where That fourth guy is coming from all the Time right at least for us like the Fourth guy could be a corner he could be A safety he could be you know and then Bringing five any of those combinations Of any linebacker in a DB right I'm Still trying to figure out double Corner Blitz that's the only one we haven't Figured out yet but uh I hope to get There at some point I like that double Corner I like that but but that's the One we haven't been able to bust out Maybe against like a 32 Personnel unit

This year I I'll throw a double corner At somebody just to get it off the off The check just to get it on tape coach Get it on tape then you listen then You're set you can go and you can go and You can clinic on that across the Country everybody in the world is going To want to know how the hell you pull Off a double corner like you'll be set So you know what you just said there Which is really funny and we've always Kind of embraced is like you know the Guy that I used to work with uh for five Years is my right-hand man in suso Hannah his name was Alan zidas he's a He's a yeah that's my man college Football legend and he was Legend you He's and he's a DB technician and super High intelligent as a defensive backs Coach and I he I was lucky enough to Have him as my DB guy when I was a cesco Hanana for five for you know five of my Seven years there and you know we'd Always he'd always laugh because Inevitably on Thursday every week we you Know we kind of have like our practice Done and I'd be sitting there and I'd be Looking at the Whiteboard and all of a Sudden I would just be like what if we What would they do if we lined up like This he always called it Thursday Visions right and I would just like we'd Have some crazy like presentation and Bring and like the guys expected it like

We'd come out for Thursday walkth Through I'd be like guys all right Here's what we're calling it it's a One-word call here's a one signal call The coverage is tied in we get into this Look here's what I want we walked Through it one time we ran it at our Offense in like a competition period one Rep if I liked how it looked it was in The game plan and then Saturday we'd run It and it might be the only time we run It all year but to your point now like It's on tape it's something that you Gotta like invest time in and that's Something that's awesome for me is like For us it's super cheap because our guys Just Embrace like the spontaneity and All that but knowing that like hey like The other team now is gonna take Valuable time to be like hey how are we Blocking this and then ultimately They're kind of chasing they're kind of Chasing Ghosts they start to like well What if they what if they do this Instead like what if we you know so it's It's really awesome and it it's been a Lot of fun and that's that's a credit to The guy that I work for and Tom perovic Too I had total allowing you to do Whatever yeah total autonomy defensively I earned that over time but even Initially um he was like Hey like I Trust you like go go do it so a AZ I Know very well he used to used to be on

The camp tour with us when we were Running around the country yeah Florida Y think uh really I one of the things You said go ahead Dave go ahead go ahead Yeah now he's now the uh director of Recruiting right right for State yeah Yeah and that was awesome for him and It's funny right both of us we talked About that about a month ago we stay in Touch like pretty much weekly I mean I Was on the phone with him yesterday and We um you know really just that was his Opportunity to go home right and so for Him like we we've resonated with that Like over you know the last month even Before like while I was in the interview Process here he was just like man like They would if they if they hire you it's Just a it's a home run because like he Knows how much passion I have for this Thing in general and now you're adding The fuel of hey like now it's the place You care about more than anywhere and Now you get to be there while you're Doing you know while you're you know Living out your passion and and he's Right I mean I already feel like you Know sleep is optional right now for me Um it's it's because I'm just so Energized and I'm so grateful and and For you know all the support and I I Want to make guys proud you know to you Know to be rowing football alums Continue to make them proud to be rowing

Football alums and now that weight's on My shoulders to you know make that Happen so that's Fant D Derek you had a Question right I just I think you know When you were talking about your scheme And your system and all that kind of Stuff and you said you know you're Embracing those quote unquote tweeners I Think that does wonders for you Recruiting wise because you know most of Those guys are going you know they're Not going to be recruited at some of Those other schools but they're still You know some amazing great football Players and now your system you're Embracing that saying hey man like You're on the top of our recruiting Board meanwhile you might be you know Seven or eight on somebody else's but You come here dude you're going to be Plugged in right now putting you in good Situations to utilize what you're great At and I think for your recruiting wise That just sends you on a whole another Level it does and you know I think for Me like I've never I've always laughed At the guys who like you know the way I Could call it is like screen Peak like Hey like this guy's been offered by this School or whatever like or or hasn't Been offered by this school or whatever Like for me like I'm super confident in Our ability to evaluate and and project Guys into what we do and so like if

Another school is recruiting him or Isn't recruiting him to me that is Completely irrelevant like and and they Might feel the same way like we're Recruiting a guy but it just doesn't fit What you do there right and so like I'm Really confident in our process to you Know evaluate and project guys and Develop guys but you're you're 100% Right like you know there's a lot of Like awesome athletes that are they just Get caught up they get you know hey They're under six they might run a Little bit slower of a 40 but they're Not the height that's where the tweener Is right right well well the the other Piece of that right is like the whole You know I love this in recruiting and Guys are like hey coach like what do you Want me to come in weighing and I'm like Dude I don't uh are you the most Explosive you can be are you the fastest You can be are you the most athletic you Can be like y keep gaining weight the Right way and when you feel like your Weight is hindering your ability to run And and Change that's that's your ceiling right That's your ceiling so yeah no there's No doubt about it that's I I think those Hybrid athletes especially at division Three level oh God they everywhere There's a ton of those kids that would Be let's say FCS players if they you

Know from their on the field but right And you could get a ton of those guys at Division three and they could be a star In whatever position you think they they Fit best and that's the great thing About those guys because you're you're You know you're not your job isn't Hinged on bringing in a guy that has the Right measurables as you might you know Remember when you were at talin right You Knows like you you can't you can't just You know if you're bringing a guy that Doesn't have the measurables as far as Like height he he better a barn burner Speed wise and and if you're standing on You know if you're standing on a table For him he he better be the guy because That's your job right but at division Three it gives you gives you flexibility To find The Playmakers I think and and Yeah yeah well we always said you know And even at susqu Hanah right where like We ended up getting to the point where We could be very uh picky and who we Were bringing in and we would talk to Guys about like hey it's okay to be Undersized it's not okay to be Undersized and average Right like like even for us there's you Know hey if you're a if you're a 5 S Corer like you better pop like you Better like be super Twitchy you better Like be not afraid of like getting

Mixing it up like you better be a teched Up guy or a guy that attacks the ball Well like it's okay to be undiz but it's Not okay to be undiz and average right So I always laugh when like every year Inevitably you know I don't know why but Aaron Donald is the guy that gets Brought up as like all the time right All the time look at him like like he's Not whatever I'm like yeah he's a Genetic freak like yeah he might not be 6335 but like have you ever seen the guy Go through bag drills like like Hey Listen if you can go through bag drills Like him you would also also have a full Scholarship like it's not just because Of your height and weight I promise you Right they you know 10 years ago they Brought up Dwight it was freeny right You know and now and and now quote Unquote You know Michael Parson's not a the end But like's he's a linebacker he's a Safety moved all the way down that's all He is but uh but they they try they like To bring up these like I'm like do you Realize what kind of freaks these guys Are they're the they're the 0. one% in The 0.1% like they're they're like They're like they're the biggest freaks Amongst the biggest Freaks Like right Like guys just don't understand that Right it's like like you don't get like Even the whole transition from high

School ball to to any level of college Ball any level guys get so caught up Division one FCS you know division 2 Nia Division three because I always have to Fight for this right as a division three Guy it's like oh you play D3 it's like Did you understand the guys that were on My roster like in division three like Guys that got all St guys that W All State Awards like guys want a ton of Stuff it's like dude like this guy right Here should be at different level he's Just 5'8 right or one like you know Whatever in a in a 40 speed time like The guys that you're still playing Around every guy on your roster now was That guy at his high school or wherever And now now it's how do you separate you Know you know what I love so uh Jim Jim Marth who used to be the head coach at Hopkins who also passed away in the last Few years I had a ton of respect for him But he was always so funny about like Kids in Maryland and they they recruited Nationally but kids of Maryland who Thought they were above like division Three football and he was like I want You guys to come out to our game this Saturday and tell me who you're better Than like we have kids that are running Around that are like that are dudes I Mean I mean them them specifically I Mean they got guys from all over the Country that are like that are ballers

And you're sitting there going like you Think that like and listen there's Division three is the biggest division In all of college football right so Inevitably there's going to be the Biggest you know uh discrepancy in Talent from the top teams all the way Down to the bottom right so like yeah if You watch the 243rd and 244th team play Against each other yeah you'd probably Think you'd probably think that know Division three football is a joke but You know come watch two legitimate top 25 teams square off and I'll tell you Right now like you wouldn't think that It wasn't you know high level football You're going to see a lot of really Talented guys battling it out for 60 Minutes Yeah I I the difference is just is just Literally height weight speed and and um Uh and pure pure athleticism at the Highest levels right you could have a Guy that's a division three guy that Could have played at a higher level but You know as you move up the levels the General athlete is you know the 50 the One through 50 one through 60 on your Team is is at a higher level you could Have a division three level at you know Uh squeeze in there that because you see Guys that go to the NFL you know Mount y Used to send them Rowan used to send Them back of the day into the old Casey

Keeler wheeler days and and and um you Know he used to send them and so you'll You'll have that and and I think that That is um in today's recruiting and Maybe you want to talk about that a Little bit um with the transfer portal And the things that are going on there I I think that there's an education Opportunity for the recruits to Understand where where there's some Really good opportunities and in the old Day the older days I should say like Meaning like less than 10 years ago you Know it was it was kind of a thing where You went down a level because that gave You an opportunity now they're Transferring laterally up and down type Of thing um what what when you see kids That want to come in and play play Division 3 that might be I don't know Maybe one of your top recruits right um And they think oh well I fell to Division three quote quote right I was On that borderline fell to division Three or you get a a a a transfer Prospect that's available that could Become to kind of what are some of the Things that you you try to tell them When when they they ask questions about That part of the World yeah so I tell guys all the time First of all I think that so I'm in Favor of the portal for a few different Reasons uh one being just like you know

General I think General treatment of Players in programs like you know if you Feel like the place hasn't done right by You and that doesn't mean like you Haven't got enough touches or whatever That means like unfortunately like Basically what you were told in the Process like whether it's off the field Or in the program it just didn't really Match with what you believed you were Walking into you know and some guys have More guidance uh than others coming out Of high school and and more resources to Bounce things off of and other guys are Really doing it on their own you know And so I think that it's you know it was Always like fairly hypocritical to be Like hey like coaches and can just leave And you know do whatever if they if they Don't like their situation but you know These guys they're going to be like Harshly penalized if they want to change Their situation I thought that was Always a little interesting but I will Say that I think there's a really big Correlation right now Between um what's going on in the Transfer portal with I would in a lot of Ways call a pandemic you know and social Media right and and I don't want to Sound like the old man on the porch Right now that's like screaming get off My lawn but you know I do think that Like and I tell this to guys like when

I'm in the high schools in recruiting is Like you know don't make a decision for Like that one Twitter post that's going To get you a hundred more likes because You're going to say that you're a higher Level football player just for the sake Of saying you're a higher level football Player and then six months from now You're calling me again you know and and Here we go into that vicious cycle and I Don't know what the number is today but I know that there's like thousands of Guys that our names are in the portal That will never play college football Ever again uh some of that is ego some Of that is bad advice some of that is You know people that are handlers of Theirs or parents or loved ones who are Gassing them up to think that they're You know they're valued higher than they Are like I've always said like really With anything in our country like the Market dictates your value like 100% Like like it doesn't matter if it's Postco and there's fifth year guys and The transfer portal and that's why I Don't get a scholarship or whatever like Yeah for some guys you know obviously The numbers are the numbers and that's Going to be true like The Fringe guys But it's been a trickle down effect Right like so those guys are high level FCS players the the low FCS players are Now high level division 2 players right

Like and so on and so forth but what Happened was the guys that believe that They scholarship players have now been Sold that bill of goods of hey come walk On and earn it right at our place and Knowing very full well that like maybe One out of 50 guys you know are gonna Actually ever achieve that and and Ultimately like the other end of social Media is like those success stories Those outliers are like magnified Majorly like hey like this guy walked on He was a zero star and now story and That was the NFL you know and like like He he he got it out the mud and he Grinded and it's like yeah that's one Human sure like how about like go where You're wanted right like how about go Somewhere that's gonna value you from Like day one right and I think that like That's that's something we try to preach Is and and listen it's it's The responsibility is on you as a lower Level coach to provide a awesome Experience where guys feel like it's not Some Mickey Mouse operation it's not Some Club sport it's not some thing That's not cared about right like we Know we had like the green screen rooms And the splash re videos and the Multiple Jersey Combos and the the gear We'd give out and the you know and just A ton of different things that that made Guys love the experience and feel like

That they were know in a lot of regard Like they might be getting broken off With gear and experience more than some Of their buddies who are playing Division 2 football at a school that's Not well funded you know and and I Always tell people this and I got some Flak on this um with a high school coach This past recruiting cycle because a guy Asked me hey like have you guys ever Thought about going division two because He was super interested but he was Implying like I would love to go there But I also want to be known as a as a Scholarship level football player right And I was like Hey like you know that's Kind of a different structure it's not Really how it works but ultimately in a Lot of cases division two schools invest In in scholarships and division three Schools invest in facilities right and So like Athletics gets x amount of Dollars and so like obviously that's a Generalization there's some awesome Division 2 facilities there's some awful Division three facilities right like It's not that's not a you know end all a Catchall you know deal but like hey like We're investing our money in your Experience right you're still gonna be Able to get grants and merit-based Scholarship and financial aid but we're Just not giving you athletic money right So so and that was always the funny part

Right is like well isn't you getting a Scholarship really about not having to Pay money like well what if I told you That we could offer you more Money bottom line than a division 2 School that is going to give you Athletic money right like if you're Paying less out of pocket to come to us Like isn't that the better deal like you Know like it's it's one of those things Where you're like isn't that the goal of Getting a scholarship is it be being More affordable for you right so just Having some of those conversations and Really at the end of the day though Allowing them to know that listen I Already had my college experience this Is about you and your family doing What's best for you I'm just trying to Give you my transparent raw opinion on The whole landscape and but the end of The day I wish you the best of luck and If anything ever changes you still have My number right and I've never been the Guy to MF a dude because he chooses to You know go somewhere else or any of That and ultimately like and this isn't The reason why but ultimately like That's come back in spades right like I've we've had guys that that spin back Around six months a year later I just Had a guy who went to Wagner uh that I Recruited in 2019 out of a South Jersey School who this past season played for

Us at Susana uh four four and a half years Later he was a red shirt and then Co and Whatever and and like he entered the Portal and I dm'd him and he was like Hey coach I was actually just about to Text you like I always loved our our Interaction like he was on campus a week Later and he deposited I think like that Day and he you know and and so it was Awesome experience even so many years Later but yeah I mean everybody's got Their situation I love the freedom of it But like buyer beware um in terms of Like thinking The Grass Is Always Greener and then on my end like Recruiting transfers you know you always Got to vet them right like they're in The portal for a reason hopefully you Can figure out what that reason is and I'm never going to sacrifice our culture For like shortterm like Talent Acquisition so you know there's always Going to be the balance of like giving Guys opportunities that you know are Good players but really only if they fit Within like your cultural uh Expectations that makes perfect sense a Lot of absolutely more than ever ever in A social media era the the athletes are Allowing their ego to make decisions on Their careers and I think I think that's A huge mistake and maybe maybe it's Their ego maybe it's the parents ego

Maybe it's you know they're not they're Not educated as as even though there's a Ton of information out there because There's so much information out there They may not be educated exactly on the Process it's one of those weird things You could probably at your fingertips Find exactly the information you want But they don't know if that's always the Truth right so yeah that's a very very Difficult thing and then I I thought you Touched on really the affordability too So like if you're not if you're not uh Um a guy that's getting a full athletic Scholarship at like you know FCS uh FBS Level you know even division for the Most part uh they're they're breaking up Money right so knowing what you're Actually paying for school and obviously Rowan uh being a state university you Know that's going to be a lower Especially for Jersey athletes obviously It's going it's going to be lower cost So knowing how how you can fill those Gaps and and what you're actually Fundamentally paying at the end of the Day and uh getting it as close to uh Zero as you can that's I think that's a Big deal because in uh let's put Side in to today's economy and Marketplace as far as jobs are you don't Want to be saddled with all kinds of Extra money coming out for no reason When you could go play football and and

Kind of keep your costs under control You know then obviously the guys who Were scholarship guys that's a different Different situation but and the the Other thing I always say is let me you Know athletes always talk about oh I Hear this all time I'm sure you know as A coach coaching as long as you have you Hear this I I know Derek has unless a Guy goes to some big time division one School they're all feel like they're Somewhat disappointed I you know every Single one every athlete like I mean I I Was a scholarship athlete Yukon and I Was upset that I didn't get Penn State Right like you know like it's it's They're they're they're all Fundamentally have incredibly high Expectations maybe inflated expectations Right uh uh as to what they and they and If they don't go to the biggest of the Big I don't care that there's even Scholarship guys even at like you know Uh UMass or or where you like if they Didn't go to ped State Ohio State Georgia Alabama like they all feel like They're they're on this uphill climb to Prove everyone that they're better than They are So the buzz phrase the buzz phrase slept On is like my favorite Buzz phrase of All time like guys you realize guys you Realize that like there's so much access To your like film and like everything

Thing like if you're slept on like it's Got to be your fault it's your got to be Your fault because like you did Something dude there's so much ability To have like your film review there's so Many camps to go like dude if you're a Baller like go ball out at Penn State I Promise you Alan zidas is gonna figure Out how to get you a scholarship there Like I I think that's a huge thing and I Think I don't you know because I deal With parents all the time it's this it's Always the the only ones that ever Express true gratitude as if they landed At Ohio State and usually you know as Soon as that happens they're not talking To me anymore anyway so it's it's that's Exactly the and Derek you're am I am I Right on it they're the only ones that You know see all example but any any one Of these gigantic uh uh blue blood uh uh Division one Programs there's like eight programs in The whole country where guys feel like They're valued properly yes it's like if You're not playing on Saturday you're a Three star you're not valued properly so If you're a three star and you go to and You go to Georgia you're not valued Properly because you're a three star and Nobody they didn't give so the the you Know maybe the top 200 300 kids in the Whole entire country feel like they're Valued properly everyone else does not

So I when people say this over and over Again I'm like do you have any time I Hear that you're undervalued you know You're you're you're valued because if You're getting recruited you're valued Now you're valued what you said is 100% Right find a place that you're valued Most and go there I I think that's Really a a really really true thing and And and athletes that do that I think Have very successful College experiences You know you have relationships for when You played at Rowan that are with you For a lifetime Derek has it from from Monclair I have him for playing at Yukon And and it's those things go with you Through a lifetime and I don't think the Parents and the kids realize it and I Think the two one of the things that's Really happened in football which is Really interesting is you Get uh Next Generation kids so kids of Parents who played at the college level Those kids have a certain level of Education the parents the process has Changed but they kind of temper Expectations very well and then you have The athlete whose parents didn't play That happen to be very good they have to Be very good but a lot of times their Parents have a hard time navigating the Process even when they get educated Because they don't have experience with It and you have a you know the these

Years now for the first time because Football in the last or Sports in General in the last 30 years have really Gone to a whole another level in America And you have so many PE kids of athletes That played in college that they know What's going on for the most part right They know kind of where their kid fits He could be here he could be there and Then you have a ton of athletes also That are very good that parents did not Play because they were from a generation Maybe they went and worked right away or They didn't have the they didn't have The opportunity they might have been Decent athletes didn't have the Opportunity whatever the reason is and So then you have to educate those people In a different way and that's kind of a Little I always found this to be a Little bit difficult for the college Coaches because the the son of a kid who Played and people like well you know He's just getting it because his father Played at division three or division two Or div well what it is is and we heard This uh yesterday I think it was and the The coaches are recruiting the parents Too right and if the parents have an Understanding of the process a little Better and when you explain something to Them it seems like they get it which Means they're also going to communicate It to their kid better who who have a

Better chance to get it that's part of It so like I would say parents that did Not play you've got to really figure out The process and listen to what your Coach says to you your high school coach Listen to what the college coach says to You okay because they job hinges on them Winning so there there's really very Little reason for them if you want them To lie to you you could force them into A Lie by by pestering them on something But if you really listen to what they're Saying to you they're really telling you Where you are and and you got to kind of Try to listen to that talk a little bit About I don't know am I off Bas on that At all is that true no yeah so it's Actually funny because I was going to Bring this up earlier and this is a kind Of a good segue to this where you uh to Think on this a little bit is I think That same thing could be applied for Like high school programs where the Coach pumps out scholarship guys all the Time Versus they're not a great program and There's one guy who is a pretty good Player you know and he hasn't really Been around what it means to be be a Scholarship player but now this guy's Like insistent that like this kid's a Full scolly Guy versus like when you're In the high schools that like have the The full Scot guys annually they can

Give you a s even though those places Are much more like they're over Recruited right like a guy that might Not really be a full scholarship player Will get one somewhere sometimes just Because I it The Branding right but Ultimately like if you're a if those Coaches have a much better like feel for Like hey like this is what a scholarship Player looks like right and and this is How a scholarship player plays versus You know no no like shade at like a Small school but like a you know a group One school that doesn't really pump out Those types of guys and all of a sudden They have this kid who looks like a man Amongst boys you know at in their group Right oh he's a scholarship guy he's a Five star guy yeah like and and you know Some of that is just uh lack of Knowledge some of that is like it's Haven't been around it like ego of that Of like wanting to say finally got one I Got one yeah I got that scholarship Player you know but and so I think right You could flip that back to the parents On like you're 100% right like the People who have had more exposure They're naturally more educated on the Process on what it really means to be a Full scholarship player versus not and Like at the end of the day like I said Earlier like the market dictates your Value right like I always laugh at like

Hey you might be a really productive Player but like that University places Value in linemen that are 64 and above And that is what it is like at the end Of the day like you you can't teach Height and if they're confident in their Ability to develop a guy who has like The Measurables that's their prerogative on How they want to approach recruiting I'm Not saying it's right or wrong I'm just Saying that they have the money and they Get to dictate what they do with it but The market ultimately Ates your value And so yeah I mean I I think you're 100% Right on the whole like really have your Ears open and kind of be able to H look At it especially as the parents be able To sit back and listen from like an Objective Viewpoint of like this guy Doesn't know me at all doesn't know my Kid doesn't really have an invested Interest either way if my kid is a Scholarship player or isn't and he's Telling me that like hey we love him but If he doesn't have anything higher level At this point you know then his his Value has been determined you know and So I think that sometimes it's a tough Pill to swallow um some of that is like We've invested a ton of money in like Training our kid and and going to those Seven on sevens and the aaou like Generation of you know like again I

Don't want to like date myself but like When I was growing up like if you played Like a Hoops you were good you were a Good like if you if you were playing on An aou team you were like one of the Best players in like the conference like In the area like now it's like guys that Sit the bench are playing AA ball well Coach I'm on this club team it's like That's because daddy paid for you to be On I could tell you this I could tell You at firsthand seeing what like my my My nine-year-old happens to be on a Really good really elite team and They're third graders and they won the Championship over these four like fourth Graders but some of the like some of These teams we play I'm like wait a Minute how is this a travel team like Like like my my son's a point guard and They're playing him at Center and Forward because we have a team of all Point guards on the team everybody's Really good so he had he there are other Guys that handle the ball maybe a little Bit better right and uh so it and then I See some of these teams I'm like wait a Minute this is a travel team like yeah Their kids that can't dribble and like Listen and listen if like the Expectations are like I just want my kid To enjoy it and I'm willing to do it but Isn't that Wreck but that but that also is why

There's like now they've created like Levels right like level whatever right Like you know go go participate and Enjoy it and embrace it like I'm I'm I'm Kind of for that if if like everybody is On the same page on like my kid really Loves basketball right wck is only one Day a week this allows him to play Basketball three days a week Competitively and he gets to play Against people who it's kind of like Skill Bas matchmaking right like he get To go like that's true that's a good Point it's a really good point actually You know the other point that you Brought up was really good too um you Said hey they they go to all these Different seven on S trainers and and They they feel like they invested this Money but I actually think about it like This if you didn't do all that maybe Your son wouldn't even be a recruitable Player so you did a great job as a Parent giving your kid every opportunity Now he's actually a recruiter guy Because if he was 5 foot eight 150 Pounds and didn't do all those things he Would just be a high school football Player which used to happen in the in The older days that's how it was where The buck stops for like 95% of people Right the majority of people don't even Play like you're you're already in a Small percentage of guys that are even

If you're even quote unquote recruitable You're already on a different level of Half of your freaking team that you're Playing on you know yeah we always talk About like it was always funny like I Have I have obviously a bunch of buddies That play college ball at different Places and like we'd be out somewhere And we'd always laugh like my one buddy Who played uh receiver at he started at Ruckers but then transferred to Southern Illinois also another Atlantic City kid Like we would always be cracking up like We'd be at a bar at a restaurant Watching a game and be like like we as College athletes We compare our Athleticism to like Micah Parsons we're Like man like we're not we're not not Really there like the general public Like they have really no clue like what What the levels of that are right and so Like they're like yeah I'm a decent Athlete like I love going to like a like An NBA game or a college game where like Halftime they have some like competition To go out and like shoot and it's just Some random Joe and they're like jamming The ball off like the bottom of the rim On like and like this is the majority of The population like you realize like you Realize like us as like legit division 3 Players like we're still in like the Super Elite athleticism of like mankind Right like we just compare ourselves to

Like the the greatest in the history of The of the world right so like I mean It's it's so funny to think about it That way but you're absolutely right Yeah I I would say there's freaks or the College athletes super freaks of the Scholarship athletes and the freaks of The freaks are the guys that you see you Know on on uh on TV you know on on Sunday and they it's funny when when People rip like oh he's he you he sucked His quarterback sucks like yeah well Okay relative to the other Mega Freakazoids yeah maybe he he sucks but But if you came out here and threw a Pass at your flag football Sunday pickup Game with your buddies drinking beers You you wouldn't be able to catch his Ball you remember the story about like Brian scalabrini like going on like New York radio radio and being like I'll Play oneon-one against anybody like in The city like who Want he like was spotting everybody like 11 points and just like being everybody Like it was just like oh you think I Stink because I'm like some like Unathletic redheaded dude at the end of The bench like I'm still in the NBA bro All of you like yes it's it's so true It's it's so true you bring up some Great points there um so as far as you Know this and and we'll uh kind of wrap It up here uh by the way fantastic

Having you on uh anytime you ever want To come on I I think we got we got to Send out a camera guy for your Rowan Vers Monclair game I just think on Principal alone uh send somebody out to Film film The you know the interactions There on that game but it's um uh as far As upcoming season like what are your What are your expectations what do you Tell your team for the upcoming season Because you're in a unique spot like you You very rarely as a coach get the job You the I guess may may time frame right And and May June time frame and June June 20th I was June 20th so we're Talking a month not not a month right so Very rarely does it happen how do you How do you set proper expectations and And what do you tell them about the Future too it's a great question you Know I um I don't know if I live in a World of proper Expectations um you know I and and Whether it's like you know I've been Just super fortunate like however much I Impacted every program but a part of Obviously varies but Like I've never I've never lost right I Mean in terms of like we've never been a Part of like like the My Worst season in My coaching career in 10 years is eight And three right and so like when I sit And and those the third loss in that Three is a postseason game right so like

An eight and two year it's like the Worst year I've ever been I've been a Part of right and it's it's so Interesting just you know I do think Like you kind of alluded to it earlier Like I'm watching the tape and the Cupboard is hardly Bear right I mean Like there are you know I've been Watching some film like we have some Guys in spots and right like I think Other people I think not to cut you off Coach but like I think people feel like Because Rowan hasn't been like in the Limelight or in a national championship Game like in the last couple years that Like all of a sudden this is like a dead Program like what the hell are we Talking about like I don't think people Understand any of that right it was the Same with Monclair a couple years ago When they were like not very good it was Like oh montclair's done like this is That it's like dude I know Rowan is Gonna have players no matter so yeah so Expectations I mean you know we have Four out of conference games now Opponents that I'm extremely familiar With right open up against Stevenson on Thursday night uh at their place and you Know we played them in a bowl game in 2018 and playing McDaniel who I played Against every no they're they're in a Right now we're in a scheduling deal With the Centennial and those schools

I'm super familiar with yeah we have to Go we have to go at ERS sinus at Hopkins On the road back to back which which is Tough our s is always a tough place to Play and then Hopkins has been one of The best teams in the country for a Decade right and and then it's like no Rest for the weary like you get into Conference play you know you have a home Game against TCNJ who has has been Better and and and have been like Competing at a high level and you know And then you're on the road at Salsbury At Newport back to back again right so This a great welcome great welcome gift In my first season as a as a head guy in Terms of the scheduling we're six we're Actually six away four home this year um In terms of how the schedule broke down But you Know I'm never going to go into a season Saying we're not looking to compete for For for a NJ Championship I mean that's The bottom line you know I think that They went four and two a year ago there Was a scenario in the last day of the Season last year where there was like a Four-way high on the table for for the N Jack um so they were they were pretty Close getting a piece of that pie a year Ago um I think the big thing for me is Like hey here's what our culture is Going to be you know I talk about like You know the and and you alluded to it

Like there's an awesome Foundation here You know and I just want to show our Guys like here's my expectations on how We're going to compete on a daily basis How we're how we're going to prepare on A weekly basis basis you know we're Always looking to beat the best team on Our schedule and that's how we're going To prepare every single week of the Entire year you know we're not going to Be a roller coaster program on how we Prep how we review film you know how Long we practice whether we go outside Or stay inside based on weather based on Our opponent that'll never be who we are Here um we will always handle every Opponent as opponent one opponent two And I know that sounds cliche but like I Think the best programs in the country They're going to come and play at their Level every week and if you can play With them it's going to be an awesome Football game that's probably going to Come down to a handful of plays and if You can't play then you're going to get Rolled off the field you know and that's That's going to be the mentality that We're going to have every single week I Told guys on my first Zoom call we're Not going to win every game every year But I can promise you this that you know We're going to do our best job to put You guys in the position to be Successful on both sides of the football

Every single week you know I have a ton Of uh belie in our process and how we go About preparing I have a ton of Confidence in the guys that you know That I believe are going to be kind of The core of the offensive staff here Moving forward in that same regard and Yeah just I just hope everybody sees a Football team that's going to come out And play super hard they're not gonna uh Give a a yard that's not earned and Really and this is not in any dirty way Um you're just going to play a team that Like the day after you play us you're Just gonna you're going to have more You're gonna have more guys in your Training room the day after you play and That's that's not a dirty thing that's Just like you're you're you you felt What we're all about for 60 minutes you Know and and that's the team you're Gonna see on the field on Saturdays and And that's going to start this fall I Already told our guys like this is gonna Be the hardest Camp you guys have ever Been a part of we're gonna smoke out the Pretenders we're gonna we're going to Crank up the heat and we're going to see Like when you know when the rubber meets The road who are The Playmakers who are The Ballers who are the guys that are Really tough who are about it um and and Those are the guys that are going to Suit up for us in the two deep on

Saturdays this fall so um yeah really Excited and I know that you know I'm not Trying to create any B Bolton board Material or anything like that but like We're competing for an NJ Championship um you know and that's That's always going to be the mentality And that's the mentality of Rowan Football like you know we've never been A program here that believes that Anything other than winning is is Acceptable and um that's not going to Change under my leadership no doubt That's that linebacker dog and you're Right there you got it ready to go that Uh it's really really great having you On um I I think I think that mindset is Is just the only way that you can Succeed man one that one game at a time And keep stacking smoke out the Pretenders baby I love that day by day You know day by day and game by game and You you come out and a lot of good Things have happened as they've had Happened you know for for you in the Past and obviously we'll we'll continue On as well and I I I think your breath Of experience right around the area that You're in is also really interesting Like to Susana mule Lindberg row that It's a real that that's C you almost Draw a circle around the areas you've Been and and it's it's it shows what a Good fit you are for Rome because that's

Basically been the recruiting the main Recruiting hubs for you over over the Last uh you know 10 years or so so it's It's really really really awesome and I Can't thank you enough for coming on Derek yeah coach I appreciate it like I Said I think you're you just like you Can feel that like I went to Rowan that Alumni Vibe like coming off of you it Radiates you know what I'm saying so Guys sitting down in the office with you Like talking about tweeners talking About this stuff talking about like this Is a place you're gonna want to be like We're gonna pose this like a division One program where you're gonna get all That stuff that maybe some other Division 3 schools can't do it and you Know I just know that the N Jack is some Of the best division 3 football in the Country no matter where you are these Guys if you can make it through the end Jack like you can compete for a playoff Like win right and and I just think it It radiates off you coach I really Appreciate you coming on I look forward To seeing what you do um and I wish you All the success in the world except for One game a year yeah I I really do Appreciate that and I would love you Know you said it earlier let's let's get Some uh let's get some 4K cameras out to The Monclair Rowan game this year and Make it a little bit of a mini do we'll

Uh I'm gon I'm gonna send our guy Out I'm tell I'm telling you I'm telling You right now once we put out what it's All about it's gonna be insane is it at Your is it at your place or is it at uh It's homecoming for us okay cool so You're the guy I'm go I'm going to send Our guy who does all of our stuff who's Phenomenal right there aome a Sparks the Men we're we're going to make sure that He's available that week and to go out And like uh and get a bunch of like B-roll and and and and High Caliber Stuff and put the highlights you know of That whole entire weekend on there so Awesome that that's a done deal I'll Make sure we we send out for that uh That date and get somebody down there For it and really pu it well it's been It's really really enjoyable having you Know being on with you guys I really Appreciate it uh just really excited About the job and you know just to be LS And the supporters like I want you Around I want you present and uh you Know I want you guys to be excited and Energized about rowing football because You know I'm really excited for this Next chapter and you know hopefully you Guys are too absolutely coach have a Great weekend and we we'll see you real Soon appreciate it coach take care Bud all right dere well that was great Oh I don't know told you bro like you

Get these younger guys that Are programs dude love the energy love The like listen so that that's cool so We're we're going to send out I I'm Going to talk I dude I'm interested to See what like they have and then we Could we could voice over over it like What we see you know so we'll send them Out get all the camera footage Boom come It'll be great we'll get the sights and Sounds of everything listen the the the The the foundation is there for that Program itself like you said like even Recruiting wise like his ties to that Geographic area because we kind of look At D3 programs that are very Geographically like they recruit Geographically right like kind of in Their area they sit in a pretty spot in Terms of that Circle of guys and then His ties to Susan mberg the DMV right With all those kind of stuff because you Know we've been down in Delaware we see That Talent that's right there we we see That Philly Talent like that's right There it's going to be interesting to See kind of what he does with it all I I Look at our comments dudee I can't I Can't take these people are crazy dude People are crazy um yeah he I think he's Really GNA do a great job I didn't Realize um that uh I didn't put it Together that he has a um him and AZ are Really good friends Alan zidas so Allan

Allen was like our main guy we used to Go to all these different events in the Early days he was one of our DB Specialists and um he had played Penn State it was [ __ ] bro if they're talking About trying to dial up double Corner Blitz like you know you're talking to Some dudes that are like let's go yeah No it's it's it's he he was he was Really really big guy too big big big Guy for DB like I mean he was taller Than me um and uh but I think he was I Don't know he might have been all American at uh um Penn State so um but Yeah now he's the recruiting coordinator There yeah he's the recruiting Coordinator at Penn State so which Reminds me I'm going to I'm going to hit Him up so I I I uh you know all these Things it's moving so fast we're and We're getting so many great guys on I I Got I it's almost like we have to keep Pace now the first at first it was like Um you know we're like okay who do we Want to bring on you know and and now We're we're like oh yeah we can bring Bring on you know this guy or that guy Which but he was fantastic I look Forward to it I I I look forward to Seeing the result of the Rowan uh Mo Especially coming in so late though too Like you know what I mean like June 20th Dude like he got hired like that's like Likeo that that's uh yeah I mean it's

Amaz but it gave I think it gave him you Know it also gives an opportunity too Right so um because if you if you if you Go in January right maybe right you have This monster guys years experience right Right right so now I I think it gives You more of a chance for a job because Everybody a lot of people had jobs at That point where they wanted to stay and Stuff so y but but really interesting it Interesting that there was over a 100 Applicants too that that's oh it's insan It's it's amazing there's not that many Of those gigs D realize time when PE People always say oh why can't you go Get a college J job in college it's like Like like do you realize that everybody Wants to be a paid well college coach This is not like because they all think Like you sign up freaking you're going To work at Walmart you don't want to Work at Walmart you know like you're Gonna be the cashier at Walmart that That's what they look at it like What but get paid but get paid like this You know what I mean driving around in a Masera or God knows whatever Like it's very funny it's very funny as People's perspectives and and I I the Thing about like that's why I brought it Up the point about like every player who Doesn't go to the biggest of the big College and and even those when they're A three star they're unhappy like

They're mad they were three star you Know so uh uh if they don't get the Exact school they want They they're unhappy for a certain Period of time until they get there and Then they get there and if they do do Well and they do what they're supposed To do they're usually very very happy But it's it's it's uh it's very funny Because I think everybody that says Every parent or athlete that says that They're under recruited they think They're the only the only they think Like they're the only human they're the Only one that's been under recruited in The whole history I'm like don't you Realize everybody feels that way other Than the guys who were literally five Stars and maybe four stars that's it Like 250 300 kids in the whole country Feel like you know what I'm mically I'm Adequately recruited everybody else Feels like they're not a oh I only had Two op even kids that go division one I Only had three scholarship you you you See it in the NFL uh I had one Scholarship offer out of College D1 School it's like well you had One you actually had one There's actually listen listen brought Up Aaron Donald I actually was listened To that he Aaron Donald only had like Pit Toledo bowl and green that was it Right but the point is he still had

Divis he had offers right right he Wasn't like he was like some Slappy you Know what I'm saying he he it wasn't a Slappy okay he still had offers right so Uh was they Pro and the reason why he Had those three is probably because they Questioned the height right so and That's what it was and he and he didn't He didn't care because he wanted to go To pip anyway from the jump he's a Pittsburgh kid like it didn't matter It's it's it's very it's very like he Like coach said it's all about go where You're wanted and we can say this over And over again you know what youth Parents say this this is the funniest of You I I can't wait till five years well Your daughter's one just turn one right So I can't wait till you maybe about you Know like Troy's age like six seven Years to have a conversation with you oh This was the funniest thing that old Parents say well as long as he gets a Scholarship somewhere I'm like what I'm Like Really be like you don't get like if he Gets a you know now got scholarship to Idaho and now you gotta fly out don't my Thing is I want to ask him how many People besides me do you know that got Full scholarships if you can name if you More than if you can name more than two Or three that you know really well I Then you are different yes full I'm G

Talk about partial I'm talking SC in Middle full ride 100% hands down like Here you go not oh well my first year I Did this and then I worked my way and Then I got this no dude like you're a FBS division one scholarship player if You can name your friends all your Friends in our everybody how many guys All the guys that that our kids play Together all of us the I don't know what Is there 300 or out of the 300 I want to Know how many there might if there's a Couple if there's two three if there's Five i' i' I'd be shocked I'd be shocked Like I I can't even I can't even think Of and I know I would even go as far as To say any Sport football definitely can't name Five any sport I know guys that played In the major leagues that didn't they They went division one but they didn't Get full ride no because other sports Don't even do that right exactly so That's my point and most people don't Know that right they don't know that They they don't realize that right then These guys played in the major leagues Okay but they're the but they're going To be the ones that going to sit down Across from from a coach and tell them You should be giving my kid a school a Full scholarship that's the thing we Like I don't know how you get this Through to people but in the head with

Tack Hammer I I've been doing it for so Long that I just I I'm convinced that You you you have to deal with each Situation as it is is individualized Each one is a case- by casee basis you Can't you can't you're not going to get It through you have to deal with Everything Case by case because that That that process since it's been around For a hundred years and no matter what Changes in the process that's what it is It's very hard for people to get to to To it's Just and I I think that's why you do see I you know it's only gotten worse Because now the exposure of everything With social media that now things like People are seeing like this is actually How it works and now it's like a it's Like a double-edged sword because you Would think that that would now open People to kind of like you know further Educate themselves or kind of like Really dive into like the intangibles of Like how do I do it what do I do what's The you know what's the uh you know how Does it work what's the layout of it Right and then on the other side it's Like you're only seeing like coach just Said like that percent that's like the Minuscule number right like like he said Even us as division three athletes like We're so far ahead of or like we're Above all of these other you know

Percent of people that never even like Sniffed a college sport or even a high School sport right and we were division Three guys and we just compare ourselves That's how Co me I was in division three Guy so don't don't include me in That listen you went to Yukon right like And they were FCS we're good yeah yeah Um what I'm gonna say is um it's uh the Other point is like I think that's why Whether it's division 3 division 2 FC or FBS parents of those groups I think College coaches are comfortable talking To those those athletes of those parents BEC and and I see a lot like you not Only are they athletically probably Pretty good to begin with because their Parents played at a high level right but But they also the parents understand the Process a little bit more uh even though It's changed so you can you can have a Conversation even if they're not happy About certain things they understand What happen So when a coach takes that kid in they Know that that athlete's going to have a Certain conversation with their parent If things don't go well it's gonna be a Different conversation versus someone Who did not play at at at a really at at Uh any college level the their their Parents are learning it on the Fly and They have to reach out to other sources And that part I think is unique this is

And it's Unique in America in the sense That now sports are so big in the last 25 30 years that now the you're seeing So many second generation athletes you Know the beginning it was look at Notre D's recruiting class Jerome bettis's kid Plexico bis's kid Ike Hill or Ike Taylor Kid like you're talking three highlevel NFL pros and their sons all go into one College division one athletes right it's Probably easier to get a message through To them when you're having the Conversation you know what we're Evaluating and you could have maybe you Can even have a more candid conversation Because I you know I I forgot to bring This up I wanted to bring it up um I I And I was curious his thoughts on this And I'm I'm pissed at myself for not Asking it um a lot of times I'll see This and I don't know if you ever heard Of this so a coach will a college coach Will say to a player that uh comes at Her camp and maybe has few offers or Opportunities and he'll say to him he Was like man I'm I'm shocked you don't Have more but doesn't recruit that guy You see what I'm saying like you should Have more opportunities but yeah but You're not recr yeah you're not the but Like if that's the case then then then And you're saying that then the offer From me should be on the table already Like here it is I always I always say

Did that guy offer you and they say oh The guy says he doesn't really have any More spots but he could if no you're Like well if other people should be Offering you like then why am I that Coach is lying to you 100% like that's a Guy right there off my list I don't care What it is might be your dream school I Don't want to play for a guy like that That guy's lying to you because he's He's trying to throw other schools under The bus while that whole negatively Recruiting thing of like you know i' Never been a believer in that like I'm Not about to badmouth any other programs Or or whatever you know I'm just going To Showcase or highlight what I feel is Like the way we do things how we do it Like this is the way you know I don't Care what all those I don't care what That school said to you I don't care What they promised you or they that's Not what we do here that's not going to Happen here and if you think you're Going to come here and then that's going To going to happen later it's not like It's not worth it so look absolutely Like good luck go go somewhere else good Luck you know it is what it is I don't Understand the and I wish I I'm gonna Ask especially now with the way guys can Transform or bounce around you want to Keep those relationships in I hear this Quite often you're not offering but

You're saying you're throwing some other School in their bus that they should Have offered you and it's like wait a Minute like you're not offering me why Are you throwing another school so You're saying your school is better than That school like and if so you know I I I and if so and I can't get recruited by Either yeah exactly so now you're Telling me I'm not so now you're telling Me what you're basically selling not Saying no but you're saying like you Know you're still not you're not even Good enough to play there like no well What you're saying is like uh oh Everybody who's helping you is is in Like your coach they have no idea yeah They don't because you should be going Over to this school instead of coming Over by me it's like no that's that's Nonsense too but this guy was phenomenal I think he's going to be very successful I I love ionna do really well there the Nend Jack needs to be on notice I'll Tell you that yeah the I think Absolutely and Rowan has I think just Like Montclair does too okay because of Where they are in North Jersey Rowan has Uh the advantage of being an ailly area Right and um and especially with him Being like an Atlantic City guy right Like look we obviously see the South Jersey Philly area even more so now Especially with like you know the Fran

Brown era going on at Syracuse like he Has gone down there and raided it and We've talked about it like the talent Level that we see from some of these Guys down there you know your St Joseph Philly guys like all of that Catholic Pennsylvania League like there's studs Dude that could be you know I don't want To compare it to the the big North but Like they got some There's a lot of Catholic schools in Philadelphia and around not not on the New Jersey side as many but it but there Are a few but on the Philly Side PA area man splitting up the they're Splitting up the so people were like Well they may not be as good as the so Even though we say the talent is diluted In North because there's like seven of Those programs in Philly and the Surrounding um Suburban areas over there There's probably 20 schools so you're splitting them up Among a lot of schools so there really Is a ton of talent in there and you're Talking about those high level publics Dude that are so good that like and We're not talking like like you got some Of the best group one teams where you Can definitely go and find some of those Division three players down there that Dominate that world better football as a City than New York City right so so Philly foot is a big deal because PA has

Always been a football area so it Doesn't matter and then his ties to Susqu and mberg like towns it like he's He knows what schools to like where We're going or what we're doing I mean Look we look at Delaware we go down There like you know what I'm saying Middle Town brand like come on man like There's some there's dudes there there Gonna be awesome it's really going to be Cool to see how he kind of like develops And builds this thing and look me every He may say whatever but like this is a Throwaway Year dude like you took over At the end of June like it is what it is He ain't gonna treat it like that it's Not going to be but like if I'm the Administration like he gets a whole pass On this year pass yeah yeah pass and and Absolutely which is Actually really like it's almost like You're playing with house money in the First year you're playing with house Money that first year he got six Road Games four home games Win those four Road win those poor home games and beat Montclair game over yeah absolutely and I think that you know I I don't you know I don't know what the Rosters uh look like you know what did He what what he what did he what did he Say we're gonna smoke we're gonna smoke Him out we're gonna smoke out the Pretenders I love that this is G be the

Hardest Camp you're gonna go through I'm Like thinking Junction boy status like Here we go man like it's going to be Awesome though cuz like I love that like We're gonna look you're either going to Be all on board and be a guy that we're Going to work for or you know what You're not going to be here and that's Okay too like you know maybe this just Isn't cut this isn't what you're cut for Trying to see if there's uh any oh Brady Is There uh from from Um from Lacy from our very first uh yeah Yeah the Noah very first team the Quarterback from Lacy y uh let's see Listen he wants he's calling defense Coach he wants killers Yeah oh yeah I like that too let me see Uh I'm just curious to see if there I Bet you there's not as many short guys As you think uh ceruli from how I Remember him Linebacker Uh there are there's a lot there's a lot Of there's a ton of the area that I we Mentioned right so um they gota they Gota and he's only gonna expand from There he does have some sh he does have Sh guys he does have a decent amount of Shore guys definitely he definitely has A decent amount of shore guys definitely He's got some Midsouth guys he's got Some raring guys you know he's he he's

Got he's got a good uh he's got an Interesting mix I mean obviously that Philly area is just a home run I mean Holy cow you know even including the Obviously the New Jersey side and most Of his guys I would say I'm looking here You know what he doesn't even have like PA guys he's got all no a couple of Maryland a couple of it's going to be Mostly Jersey it's yeah it's Mo because Right because it's a state school right So and then remember like North Jersey Guys like to them like hey that's like Going away away yeah I don't see a ton Of there there's a few there's a few I Don't think he recruited really hard Plus you're battling against Kean and Montclair State right and that's hey mom And dad can come to every game and all This other kind of stuff right it it's But yeah I mean that Philly area they Got a ton of guys on the Jersey side um Like you know that uh uh Cherry Hill That like Western Tron Camden suburbs of those areas but they Got he's got a good amount of uh of uh Short conference guys remember the Gigantic type when we were at M um at uh Uh rbr uh they had a gigantic tight end That were like this kid could be good And we I mean we killed him in the game But We're like this kid could be good that Kid is at um he's 65 six fo4 inch tight

End he's at uh he's at Rowan like so They they have some and I I think his Recruiting is only going to go through Obviously the roof from from that Standpoint to me any kid he sits down And has a conversation with like just Immediately just the way he presents it Comes across like you're on my list like So he's already won that parents are Gonna love that stuff you know what I'm Saying like oh this guy's an Alum you Know what I mean like he's gonna have The support Rowan really does do a good Job of like like most of their coaches Like played there AB absolutely Absolutely let's uh great show let's Let's get off on the Uh and I realize now why I was thinking 11 because who did we do with 11 Yesterday was It was supposed to be 11 And wasn't the day before didn't we do The day before 11 too with uh we did uh Monday coach Luc we did I love it is That is that right right that's what I On Monday thank goodness I was I was uh Home when you texted me I was home so I Was like all good okay cool let me get Let me let me mosy my way downstairs he Was just Juiced up to get on man he was Oh yeah yeah all right we're out we're Out

About Author

Dave Schuman

See author's posts