For years Rowan didn't recruit high school players. Their coaches wouldn't even walk into a school. Their league had a 100 man roster limit. So they weren't out hitting the recruiting trail very hard at all. They'd sit in the office and make calls. They'd call up high school coaches and ask them who was unhappy. And then the transfers would roll in. The d3 schools in NJ are all state schools. Do you know what the difference in tuition is between state schools and private schools? So all the kids that go off to Iowa or a Carolina school or another midwest school get homesick and show up banging on Rowan's door... or Montclair State.... etc. You think WSU has a hard time keeping in state kids home? Try Rutger's. All the Jersey kids leave and when they transfer home they don't wanna lose their eligibility. There are no FCS or d2 schools. So they all wind up in the NJAC.
And do you know why they never win a title??? Cause they fight amongst themselves. A lil adversity and they start bickering. Go up by two touchdowns, Rowan vs PLU, and they pack it in. I had a buddy of mine who played at Montclair and is now coaching in the league tell me it was nothing to get on the bus to go to a game and someone had gotten in a fight. lol
I had one of my players tell me... "why would I go to Hawaii? I have the beach in Jersey. What's the point?" My response.... "Im gonna find out which coach is responsible for recruiting you and rip his arse."
People in NJ don't leave. There's a reason it's so densely populated. Jesus, have you seen Jersey Shore on MTV??? Do you really think my comments are that far off???
Years ago Rowan met Lycoming in the playoffs. When Rowan sent Lycoming game film for the exchange, Rowan started their film with rolling credits of all their transfers and the 1A school they came in from.
Jersey kids quit. If WSU went up by 2 TD's and was driving for a third, it'd have turned into a blowout. Instead WSU blew it. Maybe we'll see next year.