Things are always darkest before the dawn, right? Well, chances are this could be the darkest season for Rutgers in a while. New coach Mike Rice replaces Fred Hill, who left in May and left the former Robert Morris coach with a near-vacant roster. One-time savior Mike Rosario followed Greg Echenique in transferring as seven players from last year’s opening night roster left or graduated. Rice’s calvary is coming next year, but for now, the intense coach will ask a lot from a beleaguered lineup.

After Mike Rosario’s transfer, the scoring burden fell upon Miller’s shoulders. His 9.3 ppg average last year is deceiving, because for much of the second half, he was Rutgers’ most consistent player. Now, with not much around him, he’ll have to be that and then some.

When Hill convinced Beatty to come to Rutgers last season, it was supposed to bolster the offense with a point guard who could score. Beatty’s strengths never truly gelled in Hill’s offense, but under Rice, the former JuCo transfer seems to be fitting in nicely.

A late signing by Rice, Poole could be a missing link for Rutgers’ offense. A star with St. Benedict’s, Poole has the athleticism and length to create matchup problems getting to the basket. He’ll need to temper his shot selection though.

NCAA-BOUND IF ... Miracles come true.

Anything is possible, but with only nine scholarship players on the roster, the chances are minimal — if not nonexistent — that the Scarlet Knights will dance for the first time since the 1990-91 season. Miller would need to develop into a first-team all-league player, Jonathan Mitchell and Beatty would need to become serious complimentary players and Rice would need to find another star (6-8 frosh F Gilvydas Biruta?) on the roster.

NIT-BOUND IF ... Rice’s Robert Morris tenure wasn’t an aberration.

Rice’s M.O. has been doing more with less. That’s how the Colonials became the NEC power in his three seasons. If Rice can squeeze every ounce of talent out of his roster, push the right buttons and get some surprising wins, then Rutgers could find itself in the NIT. A long shot, but that seems to be what Rice specializes in.

A LONG OFFSEASON IF ... The victories don’t come.

Remember, with Mike Rosario, Rutgers began 0-8 in the Big East the last two seasons. What will happen now that he’s not there? Miller is a nice piece, but if he can’t get it done and no one steps up, Rutgers could find itself battling DePaul for the basement in the league. And the start of 2011-12 — and the heralded recruiting class — won’t come soon enough.

There have been a lot of reasons for Rutgers’ futility in the Big East, but none is greater than the Scarlet Knights’ inability to win league games on the road. Since 2000-01, Rutgers has won just 12 road games in the conference. (Three of which were at Seton Hall.) In the Hill era, Rutgers won just four Big East road games. If Rice is to change anything around at Rutgers, it must start there.

While everyone will key in on Dane Miller this year, freshman forward Gilvydas Biruta may be the most important player on the roster. He already has the size (6-8, 230 pounds) to be a good forward in the Big East, but remember this: He has something to prove this year. If Biruta can have a breakout year, it solidifies his presence in the starting lineup next year amongst Rutgers’ incoming class. Nothing like playing to keep a job you just won, eh?