Games Notes: St. Petersburg Bowl

Rutgers closed out the 2009 campaign with their ninth win of the season. It was their fifth straight bowl appearance and fourth consecutive bowl win under Head Coach Greg Schiano—the best five-year run in the school’s history. If this performance is any indication, with standout freshmen like quarterback Tom Savage and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, the best may be yet to come for the New Jersey state school.

* Best Pro Prospect: OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers

Anthony Davis was arguably Coach Greg Schiano’s biggest recruiting coup. When a jersey kid decides to stay home rather than go to sunny Southern California to play for Pete Carroll, it’s big news in the college football world. The junior has prototypical size (6’ 6”, 325 pounds) and is more athletic than your typical tackle…which is why he projects as a left tackle at the next level and is a likely first-round pick.

Davis used his size and lateral quickness to protect quarterback Tom Savage and displayed his athleticism with the ability to pull, even on plays designed to go right. He has not quite dominated or played with the consistency that some would like, but his talent is unquestioned. It appears the St. Petersburg Bowl was his final game as a Scarlet Knight, as Davis will hold a press conference on Tuesday, were it is expected he will announce his intention to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft.

* Youth Is Served – Offense: Freshman quarterback Tom Savage from Rutgers (294 yards, 2 TDs) was inconsistent and barely completed half of his passes (14-27). But when he was good, he was really good (21 yards per completion). The 6’ 5”, 230 pound Savage owns a major league fastball—his 65-yard touchdown pass to senior wide out Tim Brown was a frozen rope and hit Brown in stride. To open the second half, the Scarlet Knights came out throwing and Savage connected with fellow freshman Mohamed Sanu on 61-yard pass over the top of the UCF defense. The pass was a little underthrown—if Savage hit Sanu in stride it probably would have been six—but it was a safe pass that ensured a completion. They connected again later in the drive from 11 yards out for the score—Savage did a good job moving in the pocket.

Savage needs to work on his accuracy as too often his balls sail over the heads of his intended targets. One pass to an open Brown at the first down marker (on a third down) would have been uncatchable even if the wide receiver was a foot taller. On another attempt he simply overthrew Sanu, who was streaking open down the field for a would-be touchdown. On his interception, Savage’s effort was high again and landed in the hands of a Central Florida defender. We need to remember—Savage is a true freshman that wasn’t even an early enrollee. With more experience and some polishing of technique, the Pennsylvania native could be a first-round pick in two or three years. You can’t teach 6’ 5” or the type of arm strength Savage brings to the table.

Savage did a nice job getting away from the pass rush, for a pure pocket passer—not to run or to complete a pass, but just to throw it away—which is important.

Another offensive player oozing with potential is the aforementioned Sanu. The freshman is a wide receiver that is built like a running back, particularly from the waist down. That’s why the Scarlet Knights use him in their Wildcat formation; his lower body strength allows him to be effective running between the tackles, and his five-yard run from the formation gave Rutgers an early 7-0 lead. Sanu doesn’t mess around; he looks to his the hole hard and fast.

Even though he is still raw as a wide out, Sanu uses his hands well to catch the football and he had a heck of day as a receiver, snagging four passes for 97 yards and a touchdown—numbers which could have been better had Savage not left some big plays on the field. At 6’2”, 215 pounds the first year wide out is tough for one defensive back to bring down.

When the Rutgers coaches finally allowed him to throw out of the Wildcat, Sanu didn’t get much help from his receiver, or should we say tight end—freshman tight end D. C. Jefferson dropped the pass, running before he really had control of the ball. Jefferson checks in at 6’6”, 245 pounds and could be a big time player down the road.

Sanu’s biggest mistake of the night was a muffed punt inside the 10-yard line, which set UCF up for a game-tying touchdown in the first quarter. Some may blame it on the dome, but Sanu would have been better off letting the ball go.

* Youth Is Served – Defense: Freshman linebacker Steve Beauharnais may not be listed as as a first teamer on the Scarlet Knights’ depth chart, but he was all over the field making plays—seven tackles and two sacks to lead the team. He has good size (6’ 2”, 230 pounds), runs well and displayed impressive athleticism. Beauharnais can bring it, and delivered several hard hits throughout the contest. The outside linebacker can play the run and get after the quarterback. He was occasionally fooled on a play-action passes, but most freshman linebackers aren’t polished in coverage. That will come in time.

Junior defensive end Jonathan Freeny can really fly coming off the edge and has the speed to be an effective pass rusher. Sophomore defensive end Justin Francis displayed impressive athleticism, while fellow sophomore defensive tackle Eric LeGrand came off the bench to make a tackle for a loss. The undersized, but quick LeGrand is cut from the Eric Foster cloth. Don’t be surprised to see this quartet form the nucleus of the Scarlet Knights’ front seven in 2010, along with freshman defensive tackle Scott Vallone (two tackles for a loss) and sophomore linebacker Manny Abreu.

* Senior Watch: Rutgers had to play almost the entire game without their top defensive player, cornerback Devin McCourty. The standout suffered an eye injury, which was not deemed to be serious after he was taken to a Tampa hospital. In addition to his cover skills, McCourty is an absolute special teams dynamo who did not get the opportunity to display his skills in St. Pete.

Other Rutgers defenders who were looking to impress the NFL scouts were MIKE Ryan D’Imperio and defensive end George Johnson. The closer he is to the line of scrimmage, the better D’Imperio is. He made several plays along or near the line of scrimmage, including a tackle for a loss. He is great at attacking against the run and could be a late round steal in the upcoming draft. The New Jersey native lacks ideal size but has good bulk at 245 pounds and could be a fit as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Johnson brings a different skill set—he is fast and athletic coming off the edge, but a bit undersized for a down lineman. For that reason, he may shift to outside linebacker to play on Sundays, also in a 3-4 alignment. Johnson’s top skill is rushing the passer and while he did not record a sack, he didn’t go unnoticed.

Wide receiver Tim Brown’s touchdown catch and run was aided by the UCF safety, who took a poor angle. However, scouts couldn’t help but notice Brown’s breakaway speed. The Florida native was questionable at best heading into the contest with a hamstring injury, but is explosive in the open field—like he’s shot out of a cannon. The diminutive pass catcher caught four balls in all, for 99 yards. His 5’ 8”, 165-pound frame will work against him come draft weekend, but don’t be surprised if Brown works his way onto an NFL roster.

Right tackle Kevin Haslam doesn’t have the upside of Anthony Davis, but he more than held his own against the UCF pass rush. He has good length and frame, with the ability to bulk up a bit.

Central Florida: The UCF Knights came in with a big three on defense—junior end Bruce Miller, senior defensive tackle Torrell Troup and senior end Jarvis Geathers—and for the most part, they failed to impress. Miller recorded eight tackles, but other than his one sack, the majority of his tackles were down the field. On most passing plays Miller was handled by the Rutgers offensive tackles. He is undersized and should return for his senior campaign, but regardless of when he leaves school, Miller will likely have to play outside linebacker at the next level.

Troup made only three tackles, but probably had more impact than Miller. Interior linemen—other than Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh—don’t always get to stuff the stat sheet. Troup flashed some ability to get into the backfield and hold off blockers, but more was expected of the senior in this game if Central Florida was going to pull off the upset. Geathers was a non-factor in the game. He is even more undersized than Miller and will have to learn to play standing up if he wants a chance to stick with an NFL team.

Junior wide receiver Kamar Aiken had a solid game, including a pair of touchdown grabs among his four receptions (65 yards). His 35-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter to close the gap to 21-17 was UCF’s most impressive offensive play of the evening. Aiken has both length and size, making him a tough one-on-one cover. Freshman receiver Quincy McDuffie made only one reception, but that was enough to show his speed as he exploded after the catch for 22 yards. He is a speedster, an all-purpose type guy, who is dangerous when he gets his hands on the football. As a kick returner he totaled 171 yards on six returns for an average of 28.5 yards per return, bolstered by his game-opening 65-yard return.

Photo Courtesy of Tom Ciszak Rutgers Athletics

CFI Radio - Papajohns.com Bowl

MONDAY - DECEMBER 29, 2008
12:00 (NOON) Bowl Preview Special

Click to Listen or Download

CFI Co-Founder Daniel Mogollon previews the PapaJohns.com Bowl feature Rutgers out of the Big East versus NC State out of the ACC -- two of the hottest teams in the country. Find out which players to watch and who will win.

Players to Watch - NC State:

1. WR Kenny Britt, Junior – No. 88
2008 Stats: 81 receptions, 1,252 yards, 6 TDs
2. FS Courtney Greene, Senior – No. 36
2008 Stats: 86 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PDs, 1 sack
3. OT Anthony Davis, Sophomore – No. 75
2008 Stats: None
4. QB Mike Teel, Senior – No. 14
2008 Stats: 3,099 yards, 23 TDs, 12 INTs, 61.6%
5. WR Tiquan Underwood, Senior – No. 7
2008 Stats: 36 receptions, 443 yards, 4 TDs

Players to Watch - NC State:

1. OLB Nate Irving, Sophomore – No. 56
2008 Stats: 73 tackles, 9 TFLs, 4 INTs
2. DE Willie Young, Junior – No. 97
2008 Stats: 54 tackles, 11 TFLs, 6.5 sacks
3. QB Russell Wilson, Freshman – No. 16
2008 Stats: 1m769 yards, 16 TDs, 1 INTs, 55.2%
4. S Justin Byers, Freshman – No. 28
2008 Stats: 44 tackles, 2 INTs
5. WR Owen Spencer, Sophomore – No. 13
2008 Stats: 29 receptions, 626 yards, 4 TDs

Papajohns.com Bowl: NC State vs. Rutgers

By JOHN GARRETT - RUTGERS INSIDER

December 29 * 3:00 PM * ESPN

Two of the hottest teams in the nation go head-to-head. Rutgers had a tale of two seasons: The first half was a nightmare as the Scarlet Knights started out 1-5, with thoughts of their fourth straight bowl appearance seeming more like a pipe dream. The second half, on the other hand, saw them win six straight games, finishing No. 2 in the Big East in total offense. Mike Teel was torching opposing defenses, throwing 20 touchdown passes in the final five games, and should look to exploit North Carolina State’s 94th ranked passing defense. Junior wide receiver Kenny Britt, who may be playing his last game in scarlet, finished second in the nation in receiving yards this season and should have a big day. The Wolfpack had an injury-plagued season – 13 starters missed multiple games in 2008. After starting 0-4 in the conference, the Wolfpack rattled off four-straight conference victories to finish the season. Head coach Tom O’Brien knows Rutgers very well; he was 8-0 against them when he roamed the sidelines at Boston College. Quarterback Russell Wilson heads into the postseason with an impressive 226 passes without an interception, the longest streak in the nation, and has 16 touchdowns to one interception this season, the fewest among all FBS quarterbacks. Running backs Andre Brown and Jamelle Eugene have helped in the running game, and the defense has improved significantly in recent weeks led by linebacker Nate Irving.

Inside the Numbers – Pass, Run & Catch

North Carolina St. (6-6, 4-4)
Pass: Russell Wilson – 1,769 yards, 16 TDs
Run: Andre Brown – 728 yards, 6 TDs
Catch: Owen Spencer – 29-626-4 TDs

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-5, 5-2)
Pass: Mike Teel – 3,099 yards, 23 TDs
Run: Kordell Young – 550 yards, 5 TDs
Catch: Kenny Britt – 81-1,252-6 TDs

Photo Credit: Tom Ciszak, Rutgers Athletics

On Location - RU Ready To Go Bowling?

PISCATAWAY, NJ -- When you score on seven of your first eight drives and only one of those drives takes more than two minutes, it’s pretty safe to say a win is in the cards. On a night when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights were hitting on all cylinders in front of a national audience, everything went right for them as they secured their fourth-straight bowl appearance.

The Scarlet Knights not only beat the Louisville Cardinals, they thoroughly embarrassed them, 63-14.

Right from the outset it was evident that the Scarlet Knights (7-5, 5-2 in Big East play) were out to finish the season strong after starting 1-5. Rutgers took the opening kickoff and went on a four-play, 49 yard-drive in 1:51 to put themselves up 7-0. They would never look back.

The Scarlet Knights amassed an astounding 671 yards of total offense in the contest. That total was the most in Greg Schiano’s eight years as head coach and led to 49 first-half points, the third most in a half in Big East history.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Teel was as accurate as a surgeon en route to a 21-of-26 for 449 passing effort. Teel set two school records and tied the Big East record with his seven touchdowns. But Teel wasn’t alone in setting school records on Rutgers’ senior night--junior wide receiver Kenny Britt broke his own single-season receiving yardage mark which he set a year ago.

Even though Britt set the single-season record, junior Tim Brown had the better numbers in the game: a career best 173 yards and two touchdowns on four catches.
In winning their sixth-straight game the Knights became just the seventh team in college history to start a season 1-5 and end up in a bowl game.

There were basically only two things that were lost for Rutgers in the contest: the opening coin toss, and one of red-shirt freshman running back Jourdan Brooks’ dreadlocks – which was ripped out of his head as he was dragged down after a 62-yard run. Brooks finished with 124 yards on 11 carries in place of leading rusher Kordell Young, who was out with a head injury.

Up next for the Knights is a trip to Birmingham, Alabama to take on North Carolina State in the Papajohn’s.com bowl. The bid has been received with mixed emotions…but after starting out the season 1-5, the Knights should be happy they’re bowling at all.

RU You Ready To Go Bowling?

By JOHN GARRETT

Having a .500 record isn’t all that impressive, but battling back from a 1-5 start to have a chance at a bowl berth – depending on the outcome of the next two games – may just be. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights traveled to Raymond James Stadium to take on the South Florida Bulls last Saturday, and the outcome was record setting.

The Knights (5-5, 4-2 in Big East play) looked like a different team than the one that played the first half of the season en route to a 49-16 shellacking of the Bulls (6-4, 1-4 in Big East play) – the largest margin of victory in a league road game in Rutgers’ school history.

The Knights played one of their most complete games of the season: the defense forced six turnovers, and quarterback Mike Teel left memories of a slow start to his senior season far behind, throwing for 294 yards and three touchdowns.

But one of the most unlikely heroes–due to his coverage difficulties earlier this season–was senior cornerback Jason McCourty, who had quite a day. McCourty not only recorded the first two interceptions of his career, one of which he returned for a 30-yard touchdown, but he also recovered a fumble and had a crucial 59-yard kickoff return which put Rutgers in position to tack-on another score and go into the half ahead 21-10.

Junior wide receiver Kenny Britt also contributed offensively, registering his fifth 100-yard effort in the last six games. Britt ended the contest with 173 yards receiving, including a 93-yard score – the second longest play from scrimmage in Rutgers’ history. Britt also became Rutgers' all-time leading receiver, with 2,666 yards, in the win.

Following the game, both Britt and McCourty were named Big East offensive and defensive players of the week respectively. The awards marked the fourth straight week a Rutgers player was honored. Other recipients included linebacker Ryan D'Imperio (Oct. 20), quarterback Mike Teel (Oct. 27) and running back Kordell Young (Nov. 10).

According to ESPN.com, no team from a BCS conference has overcome a 1-5 start and wound up in a bowl game since 2003. As crazy as it might have sounded a few weeks ago, with two home games remaining on the schedule (Army and Louisville), and after reeling off four-straight wins, Rutgers now controls their own bowl destiny.

Mike Teel Breaks Loose

By JOHN GARRETT - RUTGERS BEATWRITER

Last Saturday, a college football team put up 54 points, and its quarterback was named both USA Today’s National Player of the Week and the Big East Offensive player of the Week.

Oh yeah, and he became the first player in Big East history to throw five touchdown passes in the first half of a league game.

The guy, Rutgers fifth year senior quarterback Mike Teel, led his team, the Scarlet Knights, to this impressive victory.

No…seriously.

Teel also set a school record with six touchdown passes in the stunning offensive explosion by the Knights at Heinz Field Saturday. The 54-34 win over 17th-ranked Pittsburgh was Rutgers’ first road victory over a Top 25 team in 20 years.
Rutgers was ranked 115th nationally in scoring offense going into the contest, but was still able to gain its first win over a ranked team on the road since they upset Penn State in 1988
Teel ended his day 14-of-21 for 361 yards with six TD passes, both career highs.
The Knights are now (3-5 overall, 2-2 in Big East play) heading into a bye next week before last-place Syracuse visits Rutgers Stadium on Nov. 8.

At halftime this past Saturday, when Rutgers had a 34-24 lead, Teel had already matched the school record for touchdown passes with five.

The Knights, in another impressive nugget, had five touchdown drives that required four plays or less -- three coming in the first half.

Rutgers tied the Panthers (5-2 overall, 2-1 Big East) at 7-7 when Teel hit junior wide receiver Tim Brown on a 60-yard touchdown pass, and took the lead when Teel hooked-up with Britt for the first of the wide receiver’s three scores on the day – this one a 79 yarder, the longest play for the Knights this season.

To prove that it was a complete game for the Knights, the special teams and defense even showed up to play in the same game as the offense, causing two third-quarter turnovers after failing to record one in six of their first seven games.

The first occurred after defensive back Zaire Kitchen was able to tear the ball from the grasp of Pitt punt returner Aaron Berry, allowing fellow Rutgers' DB Colin McEvoy to recover.

Aggressively taking a shot right after the turnover, Teel hit Brown for a 36-yard touchdown to give Rutgers a 41-31 lead.

The two plays were keys in helping stop the Panthers momentum.

Senior linebacker Kevin Malast created the other turnover with the first interception of his career, and added an exclamation point with a 74-yard return. Red-shirt sophomore tailback Kordell Young converted on an 8-yard touchdown run soon after to give the Knights a 48-31 lead, sealing the deal for the Knights’ fourth straight win over the Pitt since 2005, and keeping their slim bowl hopes alive.

No…seriously.

On Location: Rutgers 12, UConn 10

By JOHN GARRETT -
RUTGERS BEAT WRITER

PISCATAWAY, NJ – Just like in the real estate market, football is all about location, location, location.

And just like a shrewd agent, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights were able to reap the benefits of good location.

Starting the second half of play on homecoming weekend tied 3-3, Rutgers (2-5 overall, 1-2 in Big East play) stopped UConn red-shirt freshman kick returner Robbie Frey on the 1-yard line, then forced the Huskies to go three-and-out.

Although they weren’t able to convert the succeeding drive into points, it was a preview of things to come for Rutgers.

Punter Teddy Dellaganna, who performed brilliantly for the Knights, helped the special teams once again win the battle of field position, pinning the Huskies on their own 1.

“He (Dellaganna) had a big, big day,” Head coach Greg Schiano said after the victory. “I thought he did a great job. He picked up steam, and away he went.”

On a second-and-11 from their own 2, UConn starting running back Donald Brown appeared to be stopped in the end zone, but his forward progress was ruled to have gotten him out.

“One thing I’ve learned over the years is that for it to be called a safety, it clearly has to be a safety,” Schiano said. “If it’s close, it’s not going to be.”

The Scarlet Knights, benefiting from great field position once more, would not let the next opportunity slip away.

On a drive that started at the Huskies’ 37-yard line, the Knights converted on a third-and-seven from the 22 on a nice pass from starting quarterback Mike Teel to speedy receiver Tim Brown. They would eventually cash-in on a first-and-goal from the 6-yardline when starting running back Kordell Young scampered in for a touchdown to make the score at 10-3.

The third quarter was a sore spot for Rutgers through the first five games of the season – it wasn’t until their sixth game, against Cincinnati, that they were able to convert their first points in the quarter. The Scarlet Knights continued to buck that non-scoring trend in the third quarter of this contest, forcing the Huskies to start with poor field position and converting that into points for themselves.

After a failed Knights drive, Dellaganna again pinned UConn inside the 5. This time, however, Rutgers was able to get the safety when Brown was stopped by defensive tackle Blair Bines for what would turn out to be the game-winning points.

Although the Knights played well on defense for most of the game, a blown coverage allowed UConn to score on a Zach Fraser to Kashif Moore 47-yard touchdown pass with 8:33 left, bringing the Huskies within 12-10.

Later in the fourth quarter, Rutgers’ defense allowed the Huskies (5-2, 1-1 in Big East) to march right down the field, but held them to one final 42-yard field goal attempt.

Tony Ciaravano lined-up for the attempt and missed his third field goal of the day, hitting the right upright to seal the win for the Knights.

Rutgers eventually ran out the clock to record the 12-10 victory, their sixth consecutive homecoming win.

Scarlet Knights Drop Fifth Of The Season

By JOHN GARRETT -
RUTGERS BEAT WRITER

You can’t ask for much more than to be in a situation to win the game with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter – especially when you’ve been outplayed most of the day.

But for the second week in a row Rutgers had the ball and fate in their own hands, but was unable to capitalize.

The Scarlet Knights (1-5) had redshirt sophomore Kordell Young in the starting lineup at tailback – his first start since the season opener – but it wasn’t enough as they dropped their second consecutive Big East contest 13-10 to Cincinnati (5-1).

Early on, the Rutgers defense looked good up front, but the secondary once again was susceptible to the pass. On their fourth drive of the game, the Bearcats started to exploit the porous secondary, but stalled in the red zone, settling for a field goal which put Cincinnati up 3-0 with 1:06 left in the first quarter.

With a chance to answer the Bearcats’ score, the Scarlet Knights failed to convert on a third-and-6, throwing the patented two-yards-short-of-the-sticks pattern.
Rutgers first 4 drives: 14 plays for 29 yards.

Special teams also played a factor in the first half. After a Teddy Dellaganna 60-yard punt, out of his own end zone, Cincy returned the punt 33 yards into Knights territory -- three plays later starting quarterback Chazz Anderson scampered in for an 8-yard touchdown.

As bad as Rutgers special teams’ coverage was, Tim Brown put a little, but not enough, life back into kickoff returns.

Starting inside their own 10-yard line with a little more than three minutes to go in the half, the Knights converted on their first third-down play of the half. But all-for-not, as fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Teel missed a wide open Brown for a sure score with a very badly underthrown ball.

At the half, Rutgers had two rushing yards and two first downs for 63 total yards -- Teel was 6-of-15, for 61 yards.

But this is the Big East, so they were still in the game, only down 10-0.
On the opening drive of the second half the Knights drove 90 yards on eight plays, highlighted by a third-and-2 halfback-option pass in which Young connected with junior fullback Jack Corcoran for a 17-yard score – Rutgers first third-quarter points of the year.

The Knights were right back in the game, only down 10-7.
On the following drive the Knights defense held the Bearcats to a 51-yard field goal. San San Te matched the long field goal with a 50-yarder of his own (the longest by a RU kicker since 1988), to bring Rutgers within 13-10 with 3:53 remaining in the third quarter.

But in typical Scarlet Knight fashion, they were unable to capitalize. With 2:10 remaining in the fourth, and starting at their own 12-yard line, Rutgers converted on first down, but then found themselves in a fourth-and-1 with 1:32 left and the ball on their own 31-yard line. Junior wide receiver Kenny Britt, who was well covered, dropped a slant pass…game over.

Big East Preview - Week 5

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

In their first four games the Syracuse defense hasn't proven they can stop anyone, even allowing 21 points and 293 passing yards last week versus Northeastern. They have had trouble tackling, putting pressure on the quarterback and defending on passing downs. This week the Panthers look to start off conference play with a victory in the Carrier Dome—with good receivers and a star running back they shouldn't have too much trouble. LeSean McCoy has not had a break out game yet but still ranks fourth in the conference with 242 yards. Pittsburgh’s backup tailback LaRod Stephens-Howling rushed for 221 yards last time he played in the Carrier Dome in 2006. Syracuse cornerbacks Mike Holmes, Nico Scott and Da'Mon Merkerson have been very shaky and still learning the position, so expect Pittsburgh receivers Oderick Turner and Derek Kinder to be open and put up a lot of receiving yards. The Syracuse rushing attack of Curtis Brinkley, Delone Carter and Doug Houge should be able to carry on the success from last week. Brinkley, who is second in the conference in yards, is healthy and having himself a great senior season. If the Orange can run the ball early it will set up the play action pass and allow quarterback Cameron Dantley to roll out, which is when he is most effective. This week Syracuse AD Darryl Gross stated this week that he has not seen any obvious progress from the football team since coach Greg Robinson has taken over—it will be interesting to see if this has any effect on how the ‘Cuse come out and play.

Both West Virginia and Rutgers are on losing steaks and have must win games on Saturday at home. West Virginia has lost two-in-a-row and look to get a victory in Morgantown versus rival Marshall. It is no secret the Mountaineers’ rushing attack is their bread and butter, Quarterback Pat White and running back Noel Devine should be able to run all over their Conference USA opponent. Last season when these instate rivals matched up White rushed for 125 yards and threw for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Devine touched the ball five times and rushed for 76 yards with two touchdowns. It will be important for West Virginia to improve in their efficiency, they were pitiful on third downs in their losses at East Carolina and Colorado. Rutgers welcomes Morgan State with open arms, desperate for a win. The winless Knights gave the ball to their freshman tailback Jourdan Brooks last week and will do the same on Saturday. If Rutgers needs a score they should not have trouble passing the ball, Morgan State just does not have the ability to shut down Kenny Britt, who ranks third in the conference with 21 receptions or Tiquan Underwood. What to watch for is the defensive shuffling by Rutgers and how the fans will react to Quarterback Mike Teel. Head Coach Greg Schiano said he has been very disappointed with his defense and will try different players and looks in this game. Teel was caught on camera last week punching a teammate and is off to a bad start with one touchdown and six interceptions, if he and offense are off to a bad start they will hear it from the Rutgers faithful. Nevertheless, both West Virginia and Rutgers will probably get their much needed victories before meeting up next week in Morgantown.

South Florida and Cincinnati are favorites to win on the road this week but will be tested in their respected match-ups. The USF Bulls had scares on the road already this season and will face off at North Carolina State, who are fresh off of their overtime upset of East Carolina. When South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe plays well his team usually wins, Grothe leads the conference in passing yards and touchdown passes despite throwing none last week. Expect South Florida to throw the ball and wide out Taurus Johnson to have a bounce back game. Because of an injury to Russell Wilson, Harrison Beck will start at quarterback for the Wolfpack. Beck was not effective in his last two games against Clemson and East Carolina. Cincinnati will visit Akron at the Rubber Bowl this Saturday. Watch for how quarterback Tony Pike performs in his only second start. The Zips offense has been good led by quarterback Chris Jacquemain who has thrown for 960 yards and seven touchdowns in four games.

Rutgers QB Out Indefinately

By JOHN GARRETT -
RUTGERS BEAT WRITER

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano announced Thursday that backup quarterback Jabu Lovelace suffered a broken left leg during practice this week. Lovelace had surgery on Wednesday, and is “out indefinitely”.

This leaves Rutgers with junior Chris Paul-Etienne as the No.2 QB behind a shaky Mike Teel. Paul-Etienne only has one college completion in his three years at Rutgers, and has attempted three passes.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Scarlet Knights, who are off to a 0-3 start, their worst in nine years.

Scarlet Knights Drop to 0-3

By JOHN GARRETT - RUTGERS BEAT WRITER

For the first time in nine years Rutgers has started a season 0-3.

One can use all the clichés in the world to try and deflect criticism, second guessing, or whatever, but one thing that isn’t up for debate – when the fifth-year senior starting quarterback is taking swings at teammates – things are bad.

The latest loss, a heartbreaking 23-21 decision to Navy, is just another bad chapter, in what is turning out to be a horror story of a season for the Scarlet Knights.

After the Midshipmen had taken a 23-21 lead with 2:06 to play, and put the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, Rutgers had the ball at the 40-yard line with a chance to drive down the field and quiet all the naysayers; unfortunately old habits came back to haunt them.

With 1:34 left, Mike Teel locked on to tight end Kevin Brock, allowing linebacker Ross Pospisil to make the interception, inevitably ending the game.

As Teel was jogging off the field, reserve safety Glen Lee tried to offer words of encouragement to the disheveled quarterback. Teel let his emotions get the best of him, and took a swipe at Lee.

Head Coach Greg Schiano downplayed the incident as a “family matter”, but it just shows how frustrated everyone is with the poor start.

The Scarlet Knight defense did their part in the first half, holding Navy – and the nation’s leading ground game – to 109 yards. But in the second half, the Midshipmen exploited the defense for 185 total yards, in the third quarter alone.

And while the defense also held the nation’s leading rusher coming into the game, Shun White, in check, they allowed fullback Eric Kettani to put up a career-high 134 yards and a touchdown.

In one bright spot for Rutgers, two red-shirt freshmen, Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek, seemed to breathe a little life in the Scarlet Knight running game.

Ray Rice was on the sidelines to root on his former teammates, and for the first time in this young season, the Scarlet Knight running game looked strong.

Brooks ended the day with his first career start under his belt, and ended the day with 134 yards and two touchdowns. Martinek had a score of his own -- his first collegiate touchdown.

Through two games this season the Rutgers play calling has been questionable, at best. Two things that can be added to the list of guarantees in life, besides death and taxes; if back-up quarterback Jabu Lovelace comes into the game, he’s going to run the ball (even if it’s third-and-13), and it might be time to put the wide receiver screen on the shelf.

Changes seemed to make a difference in the running game, at this point any other changes should be considered, if the one change that means most is going to happen – changing that zero in the win column.

Are They Ready For Some Football?

By JOHN GARRETT - RUTGERS BEAT WRITER

Rutgers has never started 0-3 in the eight years under head coach Greg Schiano, and they’d like to keep it that way.

Coming off two losses at home, in front of national audiences, the Scarlet Knights will travel to Annapolis, Maryland and face a must-win situation against Navy.
The Rutgers defense is ranked 86th overall in the nation and 96th against the run, which means they will have a true test of character come Saturday when they face a Midshipmen squad which ranks No. 1 in the land in rushing. Navy’s ground attack features the nation’s leading rusher – Shun White.

Even though the rankings point to the run defense as the biggest problem two games into the season, the major breakdowns have occurred in the secondary – producing backbreaking results against Fresno State and North Carolina. The woes are puzzling, considering the secondary was looked upon as a strength coming into the season. Luckily for the Scarlet Knights, Navy runs the triple-option. Another problem is the defense has failed to produce a single turnover through two games.

If Rutgers has any plans of salvaging this season, they need to stop worrying about what they did in years past under Schiano, and start getting their act together – quickly.

Big East Week in Review

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON -
BIG EAST INSIDER

The Mets are collapsing, the Yankees are fighting for third place and the Jets lost to the Pats...again. Now you can add the starts to Rutgers’ and Syracuse’s seasons to the list of how bad it is to be a sports fan in the New York/Jersey area. With a new movie premiere (The Express) and a renewed rivalry, the spotlight shined on Syracuse and it didn't look good.

The Orange took on Penn State this week in a game that junior defensive tackle Arthur Jones said, “is the biggest of our season, so far”.

On the second play of the game, Jones recovered a fumble in Penn State territory. Syracuse then returned the favor, giving the ball back when tailback Curtis Brinkley couldn't field a backward pass from Cameron Dantley. On the very next play, PSU’s Darryl Clark hit receiver Jordan Norwood for a 55-yard touchdown across the middle and the Nittany Lions never looked back.

Norwood finished the game with five receptions for 113 yards. He and fellow wide out Deon Butler caught two first half touchdowns. Butler snagged seven passes for 110 yards. Quarterbacks Clark and Pat Devlin shared a lot of the snaps, and both threw for over 100 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Syracuse, who relies on their running game's productivity, was only able to muster up 49 total rushing yards. Their passing game was non-existent and the Orange only converted two of seventeen third downs. The woes continued for beleaguered coach, Greg Robinson, who looked more frustrated and befuddled than ever in the 55-13 loss.

On a side note, the Carrier Dome faithful brutally booed Penn State and Joe Paterno for running up the score in the second quarter. Up 35-0 with 45 seconds left in the half, Penn State used their timeouts to stop the clock to get the ball back for another score. The timeouts were a questionable decision and in fact, Penn State fumbled the punt and gave Syracuse the ball with great field position. Because the Orange cannot do anything right, the teams ended up swapping field goals.

Rutgers was beaten on the big play multiple times in their 44-12 loss to North Carolina—their defensive backs are still trying to find where Brandon Tate is lined up. The Scarlet Knight’s quarterback, Ryan Teel, threw three interceptions and was ineffective all night, failing to convert on any third downs the entire game. With a performance like that, Rutgers had little chance to win. T.J Yates looked dominant at times, throwing for 221 yards and three touchdown passes. Rutgers’ third quarter resembled something from the pre-Greg Schiano era. The Scarlet Knights are desperate for a victory this week at Navy.

The boys from the “Constitution State” were the tri-state saviors. Connecticut’s tailback Donald Brown is off to a hot start, making himself a top candidate for Big East Player of the Year. In UConn's 49-10 destruction of Virginia, Brown led all ball carriers with 206 yards and three touchdowns. Brown's 65-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was his eighth of the season, ranking him second in the nation, one behind Michigan State's Javon Ringer. The junior tailback was the star of the game, rushing for 10.3 yards a carry and snagging five passes for 32 yards.

The Huskies dominated from the outset, scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions. UConn signal caller Tyler Lorenzen was very efficient, completing 13 of his 15 passes, while the Huskies’ defense shut down the run from the beginning and was able to force two interceptions. With last week's escape at Temple and this week’s blowout over Virginia, Connecticut is 3-0 and quietly have become a contender to win the conference. With a home game versus Baylor and three straight road games, keep Connecticut and Donald Brown on your radar and see if they can make a major push.

RUTGERS EXPANDS STADIUM

NJ gov starts raising money for Rutgers stadium expansion.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Gov. Jon S. Corzine has started raising money for a Rutgers football stadium expansion after months of delay due to ethics concerns.

Conflict-of-interest concerns were raised over the multimillionaire governor raising money. So Corzine's chief counsel looked into the matter.

Corzine has agreed to solicit from donors that don't do business with the state or likely won't in the near future.

The university wants to expand its 43,000-seat stadium to 56,000 seats. Corzine and state Sen. Ray Lesniak said in December that they would help raise $30 million after pulling state support for the project.

Football coach Greg Schiano and Rutgers Athletic Director Robert Mulcahy sent a letter this week to 24 potential donors.

Rice poised to help Rutgers break slump

By JOHN KEKIS
AP Sports Writer

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) - Ray Rice vs. the Army defense. Seems like a match made in heaven for Rutgers.

The Black Knights (3-6) struggle defending the run - Army is ranked 109th in rush defense, allowing 212.7 yards per game. And Rice leads the Big East and is sixth nationally in rushing yards per game (139.7) for the Scarlet Knights (5-4), who will be trying to avoid losing a third straight game when the teams meet at Michie Stadium on Friday night.

But Rice, who carried 21 times for 116 yards and a touchdown last week at Connecticut, isn't looking at the numbers.

``It doesn't matter what the stats say. As much as I can say, 'Yeah, they're giving up a lot of yardage,' they're a team that plays with great pride and is not going to quit,'' he said.

Army returns home for the first time since beating Tulane in overtime a month ago after a stunning comeback in the final seconds of regulation. The Black Knights are 3-0 at Michie Stadium this season.

``We talked about it. We are proud of the fact we have not lost any games here,'' Army head coach Stan Brock said. ``It is almost a sellout, and everyone will be wearing all black to support the Army Black Knights. The kids are excited about that.''

The teams have something in common - mistakes. Although Army has had two turnover-free games in the past four, the Black Knights play giveaway much too often - they've had as many as seven turnovers in a game and have lost 23 this season to rank 98th nationally. Since the start of the 2000 season, Army has turned the ball over 230 times, the fourth-highest total in the country.

That's the bad news. The good news is Rutgers leads the way with 240 in that span and ranks last in the Big East this season with a turnover margin of -0.89. The Scarlet Knights defense has just 10 takeaways and the offense has 18 turnovers.

``We are just a little bit off,'' Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said. ``I have a feeling that's all going to get straightened out.''

Rutgers is fresh from a stinging 38-19 loss at Connecticut, which dropped the Scarlet Knights to 2-3 in the Big East, just ahead of South Florida and Syracuse, who are tied for last in the conference. The Scarlet Knights amassed 511 yards of offense against the Huskies, but managed only one TD and four field goals while UConn's special teams provided a blocked punt for a safety and a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Nevertheless, Schiano isn't concerned about his team's psyche as the Scarlet Knights seek a sixth victory, which would make them eligible to play in a bowl game.

``It's going to be a tough challenge, going up there on a short week, on Friday night, at their home,'' he said. ``Really, it's about us. No disrespect to anyone, but we have to get ourselves right. If we do that, we have a chance against anyone in the country.''

The Black Knights have lost this season at Boston College, Wake Forest, Georgia and Air Force. Beating a team that excelled a year ago - and early this season was ranked as high as 13th - would do wonders for the Army faithful.

``It would be a huge win for this program, and I think it could be what it takes to turn this program around,'' defensive back Caleb Campbell said. ``We're really focused on keeping that tradition up.''

Notes:Schiano said the thumb on quarterback Mike Teel's throwing (right) hand was still sore but he expected him to start. ... The game marks the first time Army has played two night games at home in the same season. ... Army leads the all-time series with Rutgers 18-15. The series dates to 1891, Army's second year of competition. ... Rutgers has won the last three meetings with the Black Knights, including 36-21 at Michie Stadium in 2003. Army's last victory against Rutgers was 37-35 at West Point in 1997.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

No. 20 Bearcats play No. 21 Rutgers in Big East game

By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) - Looking for revenge might not be the best way for No. 21 Rutgers to approach its game with No. 20 Cincinnati.

There is no doubt the Scarlet Knights (3-1) want to avenge an embarrassing loss to the Bearcats a year ago, and to get back on track after being upset by Maryland last weekend and knocked out of the top 10.

However, being too hyped might cause problems against Cincinnati, which is 5-0 for the first time since 1954.

``You want to remember the feeling,'' quarterback Mike Teel said of last year's 30-11 loss that included chants of ``overrated'' by Bearcat fans. ``But you don't want to let it become: 'This is what happened last year, we have to do this, this year.'''

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly wants Rutgers to remember the disappointment it felt a year ago, when its undefeated season and first top 10 ranking came to a sudden end. At the time, the Scarlet Knights were ranked No. 7 and were one of four undefeated teams left in Division 1-A.

``If Rutgers is worrying about last year's game, we're in pretty good shape,'' said Kelly, who has Cincinnati ranked for the first time since 1976.

Using a new no-huddle offense, the Bearcats have outscored opponents 232-53. They posted a 52-23 win over San Diego State last weekend with quarterback Ben Mauk throwing for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bearcats are even better on defense. They lead the nation in turnover margin. Their 13 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries have set up 86 points.

``Were playing probably the hottest team in college football this week,'' Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.

Rutgers was totally outplayed by Maryland in a 34-24 loss. The offense and special teams had three turnovers and the defense allowed the Terps' to gain 458 yards, including 239 yards rushing.

Kelly said that Rutgers' defense is unpredictable.

``They're going to give you a lot of looks, a lot of pressure, try to confuse the quarterback with presnap reads,'' he said. ``They do a very good job keeping you off-balance. So we've got a great challenge, going to have to play better than we have all year.''

For Rutgers to beat Cincinnati, its running game has to improve. The Scarlet Knights were limited to 82 last week. Ray Rice gained 38 yards on his last 15 carries.

The performance brought back memories of Rice's game against Cincinnati last season. He was limited to 54 yards on 18 carries. Teel also struggled that game, throwing four interceptions, including one returned 84 yards for a touchdown.

``Last year is last year,'' Rice said. ``We never try to seek any revenge factor, we're just trying to get better as a team and do the best we can do.''

Mauk said Cincinnati is using the same approach.

``We haven't really talked much at all about last season,'' he said. ``If we think about last season, we're going to get beat.''

Kelly isn't worried about going into a hostile environment. He felt his team could have suffered a letdown in San Diego last week, playing a weaker opponent with Rutgers on the horizon. Instead, his team played well.

``I think after five weeks, we are who we are,'' he said. ``Our kids are going to play hard for four quarters, We're going to minimize our mistakes, and we're going to take the ball away. That's who we are, based on five weeks. I don't see that changing.''

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT Saturday.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

THE CFI TOP 25 COUNTDOWN: #16 RUTGERS

BY DANIEL MOGOLLON
CO-FOUNDER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDERS





2006 RECORD: 11-2; BIG EAST: 5-2
Won Texas Bowl vs. Kansas St. 37-10
LOCATION: Piscataway, New Jersey
STADIUM: Rutgers Stadium (41,500)
HEAD COACH: Greg Schiano
OVERALL: 31-40 (6 seasons)
AT RUTGERS: 31-40 (6 seasons)

No program has come further the last few years than the Scarlet Knights. Just four seasons ago, they were still in the midst of a 25-game Big East losing streak, while headman Greg Schiano completed his first four games at the helm with a record of 12-34. Who would have thought just two years later he would lead RU to a school record 11 wins and their first ever bowl victory? Now comes the hard part, doing it while everyone expects you to do it. This is a monumental season already, as they enter the year ranked after going three decades without cracking the polls until last season when they peaked at number seven.

WHEN THE KNIGHTS HAVE THE BALL

OFFENSIVE COORDINAROR: James McNulty (1st Season)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 7
KEY LOSSES: Brian Leonard, Clark Harris, Cameron Stephenson, Darnell Stapleton

The heart and soul of the Knights, Brian Leonard, has moved on so this is clearly Ray Rice’s team. The New Rochelle product had a spectacular sophomore season and RU cannot have anything less than a repeat performance, which will be challenging without his lead blocker. Rice is more quick than fast and is very durable for his size, leading all Division I backs in carries last season. Just as important is the evolution of Mike Teel, the strong-armed quarterback, who at times has displayed questionable decision making skills (14 TDs-to-23 INTs in his career). He finished 2006 strong and if he can carry that success over to this season, Rutgers could take another step forward. A big reason for Teel’s improved play was the emergence of true freshman Kenny Britt, giving them a legit number one threat. The line returns both tackles and the addition of incoming freshman Anthony Davis, possibly the school’s top recruit ever, could take their play in the trenches to another level.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Kenny Britt (SO), 2) Pedro Sosa (SR), 3) Ray Rice (JR), 4) Jeremy Zuttah (SR), 5) Anthony Davis (FR), 6) Mike Fladell (SR)

WHEN THE OTHER TEAM HAS THE BALL

DEFENSIVE COORDINAROR: Greg Schiano (6th Season)
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 6
KEY LOSSES: Devraun Thompson, Ramel Meekins, Quientero Frierson, Derrick Roberson

They should be fine up front and on the last line of defense. Their most productive defenders from last season return in tackle Eric Foster and safety Courtney Greene making them strong up the middle. Foster is penetrating force, flanked on the outside by pass rushers Jamaal Westerman, in addition to up and coming sophomore George Johnson. Greene packs a wallop and he knows how to play centerfield, Ron Girault, another proven safety joins him in the secondary. The biggest question marks come at linebacker, where two starters are gone, there is talent, but they are young. The Scarlet Knights continue to become faster on defense, which should allow Schiano to be even more aggressive, a staple of his blitzing and attacking schemes.

PRO PROSPECTS: 1) Courtney Greene (JR), 2) George Johnson (SO), 3) Ron Girault (SR), 4) Eric Foster (SR), 5) Jamaal Westerman (JR), 6) Brandon Renkart, 7) Jason McCourty

THE SCHEDULE

Can you say cupcake? That’s what best describes the Scarlet Knights out of conference schedule, which consists of Buffalo, Navy, Norfolk St. and Army, with Maryland the only true test. Rutgers should begin the season 6-0 and they play a school record eight home games this season. For all intents and purposes, RU has a three-game season, as they play host to South Florida on Thursday night football, followed by a visit from West Virginia. If they can handle their business at home, Rutgers could be set up for a one-game showdown in their season finale at Louisville with the Big East title, a BCS bid and who knows, a National Championship appearance on the line.

PIVOTAL POINT

Rebuild or reload? Brian Leonard was a four-year starter in the backfield and they must replace his leadership on and off the field, in addition to a pair of All Big East linemen in Cameron Stephenson and Darnell Stapleton. Let us not forget tight end Clark Harris, a three-time selection himself. Defensively, end Ramel Meekins, as well as linebackers Devraun Thompson (four-year starter) and Quientero Frierson, were all mainstays during the turnaround of the last three seasons. The question is: will the influx of talent be enough to replace some of the largest losses Rutgers has experienced in years? If the Scarlet Knights can run through the entire season among the ranked, they will send the message that they are here to stay.

CFI FINAL ANALYSIS

This Rutgers unit is as talented as any in the recent memory at the Jersey school and could very well be good enough to crack the top ten or make a run at the Big East crown. However, I do not believe they are ready to make that leap. They could go 10-2 and still not be worthy of top ten ranking because the schedule is that weak. Last year they upset Louisville, but are just 1-4 versus ranked opponents over the last three years…and I’m not sure what is more telling…the fact they have one win in three years against a ranked team or only that they played just five ranked teams during that same span (1-12 under Schiano). The “new” Big East is better than advertised but I still cannot help but wonder how the Knights would fare in the SEC or Big Ten (as well as with a legit non-conference schedule). Nonetheless, it is hard to find anyone who has done a better rebuilding job than Schiano, who has brought the northeast back.

Check back tomorrow to see who is #15 in CFI’s Top 25 Countdown