I LOST EVERYTHING: Hoops Coach Steve Pikiell Announced his departure after…

Pikiell, Steve

Tuesday, March 22, 2016, in Piscataway, New Jersey, Steve Pikiell speaks during a press conference announcing his appointment as the men’s college basketball team’s new head coach. A five-year, $8 million deal was authorized by the university’s Board of Governors on Tuesday. Pikiell takes over for Eddie Jordan, who was let go following a 7–25 campaign.

Rutgers’ newest basketball coach hire is not attractive in the slightest. This is not going to be a successful program anytime soon according to Steve Pikiell. He also lacks excitement when speaking in front of the camera.

However, he signifies a shift in mindset for the beleaguered New Jersey program—not just a Jersey person who can recruit the area, but also a seasoned brick-and-mortar coach who can defeat you with chalk at a game. Attempts by Fred Hill, Mike Rice, and Eddie Jordan to merely recruit Rutgers into significance failed.

Indeed, Pikiell has a great deal of experience hiring for the I-95 Corridor. Indeed, he played a role in reviving five programs, including one during the early Jim Calhoun administration when he was a player with Connecticut.

The hiring of the 11-year Stony Brook head coach, however, was, in my opinion, the best move made by new Rutgers athletic director Patrick Hobbs, who abandoned the notion that RU could recruit its way out of a

Pikiell is a teacher of the game. And there’s nothing flashy about his style. It’s rebounding, team defense and getting good shots. That translates to all players and all levels.

At Rutgers, I’m not sure if he can win any championships. Nor will he swiftly turn this barge around. However, I think it was the appropriate decision to hire an experienced coach first and a jersey salesperson second.would be a little concerned that Pikiell hasn’t led a mid-major like, say, Arch Miller at Dayton, but solely at the low-major level. However, the truth is that Miller-caliber candidates are not drawn to Rutgers. With coaches, its reputation precedes it. Because of its old facilities, chaotic leadership, and fierce competition for top personnel in New Jersey, RU is perceived as a lousy job even with its recent admission to the Big Ten and its active recruitment program. First things first: the chalk, and then the sales presentation.

So, you need a coach who can do more with less. When you see a guy consistently win at a high level in a low-major league where everyone is basically cooking with the same ingredients, you know he’s got the chef part down. He’ll be able to shop at the higher-end grocery after his cuisine is sampled enough.

Check out what 48-year-old Pikiell has accomplished in 11 seasons as the head coach of America East Conference’s low-major Stony Brook, where he faced up against former Penn State coach Patrick Chambers. Holiday tournaments and road games against major opponents are the kinds of non-conference games I enjoy watching.

This year, Stony Brook forced Vanderbilt, an NCAA at-large invitee, into overtime in Nashville before falling short. There was no shame in the Seawolves’ rout of Notre Dame. They managed to keep the Wildcats to a 28-17 advantage in the opening eighteen minutes, but Kentucky handled them handily in the NCAA Tournament.