Former Rutgers offensive coordinator Jerry Kill is fond of the saying, "Coaches don't win games. Players do."
"The team with the best players usually wins," Kill said upon retiring last month. "You can draw up the best stuff you want to, average 42 points per game at one place. And go somewhere else and struggle.”
He might be right. But coaches, players, administrators, support staff, recruits, fans and more all have a hand in building a program.
Rutgers coach Chris Ash enters his third season in 2018. In many cases, that's a swing season for a first-time coach, but Ash's future already seems secure as Rutgers is willing to demonstrate patience.