As Rutgers basketball hits the back half of the 2025-26 season, the Scarlet Knights find themselves sitting at an even 9-9. With 13 regular-season games left-all against Big Ten opponents-this stretch run isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s about navigating a new era for the program, one where the foundation around head coach Steve Pikiell is finally beginning to catch up to the demands of modern college basketball.
For Pikiell, the grind of recent years has gone far beyond the hardwood. The job wasn’t just coaching-it was managing chaos. On a recent episode of the Pikiell Podcast, the veteran coach opened up about the overwhelming scope of his responsibilities, especially during a time when institutional support was lacking.
“For the last three years, it was every single waking moment, you were either preparing for the obstacles that the league brought,” Pikiell said. “And then you have to stay on top of the fundraising and the agent calls and who actually is going to be in the portal; who is on your roster.”
That’s not an exaggeration. Between the ever-evolving transfer portal, the complexities of NIL regulations, and the legal red tape that seems to shift by the day-and by the state-Pikiell was essentially juggling multiple full-time jobs. He even joked that it felt like he needed two corporate lawyers just to keep up with the rule changes.
And it showed in how the roster came together. Last year, with minimal NIL resources and limited help from the athletic department, Pikiell had little choice but to go back to basics.
That meant hitting the high school recruiting trail hard-and bringing in seven true freshmen. In today’s game, that’s a bold move.
“People often [say to] me, ‘you guys are very young,’” Pikiell said. “I will say, ‘your resources reflect your roster.’ The young kids don't demand the resources; they demand the time and they demand the development.”
He’s not wrong. Proven college players-especially those entering the portal-come with a price tag.
Not just in NIL dollars, but in the infrastructure it takes to recruit and retain them. For Rutgers last year, those resources simply weren’t there.
But this season feels different. The program finally has some key pieces in place off the court.
Rob Sullivan has stepped in as general manager, a role that’s becoming increasingly vital in the NIL era. Keli Zinn, the new athletic director, has already made strides in improving the school’s NIL operation.
And University President William Tate has taken an active role in supporting athletics-a welcome change for a coach who’s spent too many seasons fighting uphill battles alone.
“I am excited about where we are headed, excited about the game plan,” Pikiell said. “We have a game plan based on workers and knowledge and now lawyers and contract lawyers and things like that we didn't have until Keli got here.”
That’s the kind of support structure that can change the trajectory of a program. With the transfer portal set to reopen just one day after the National Championship game, Rutgers now has a crucial window-roughly three months-to bolster its NIL standing and position itself as a legitimate player in the portal.
For a team that’s still finding its identity on the court, the progress off it might be just as important. The Big Ten grind won’t get any easier, but for the first time in a while, Rutgers has more than just hope-it has a plan. And that might be the biggest win of all.