Written by: Ethan Roberts

Week 8: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Date & Time: Saturday, October 21 at 12pm

Venue: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN

TV: TBA

Scarlet Knights at a Glance

Head Coach: Greg Schiano

Entering his Fourth season in his second stint as Rutgers head coach (2001-2011)

Record at Rutgers: 80-89

Overall Record: 80-89 (6-20 in Big Ten)

Last Season: 4-8 (1-8 in Big Ten)

Scarlet Knights Returning Leaders

Passing: Gavin Wimsatt – 65-of-145 (44.8%), 757 Yards 5 Touchdowns 7 Interceptions

Rushing: Samuel Brown V – 374 Yards on 86 Carries 3 Touchdowns

Receiving: Chris Long – 15 Catches for 200 Yards 1 Touchdown

Tackles: Deion Jennings – 91 Tackles (48 solo), 8.5 Tackles for Loss 6 Passes Deflected

Scarlet Knights Preseason Predictions

Athlon: Sixth in the Big Ten East

Lindy’s: Sixth in the Big Ten East

Phil Steele: 6th in the Big Ten East

SP+: 92nd Nationally

Impact Newcomers for the Scarlet Knights

Shawn Bowman – TE – Maine Transfer

JaQuae Jackson -WR- California Vulcans DII Transfer

Naseim Brantley -WR- Western Illinois Transfer

Eric Rogers -CB- Northern Illinois Transfer

Program Preview

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are entering year four with Greg Schiano and have a plethora of questions yet to be answered. They came off a sub-par 124th ranked scoring offense last season that came at the root of lack of skill positions and answers at quarterback. There is a cluster of wide receiver transfers joining the program this season to catch balls from either Gavin Wimsatt or Evan Simon (more on this later). The defensive side on the ball left much to be desired last season but had to drink water out of a garden hose because of key injuries to Mohamed Toure and Moses Walker. Deion Jennings filled in well for the time being and led the team in tackles last season. The key to success inside this program will boil down to if their quarterback can hack it with the new transfer weapons.

Offensive Preview

The biggest question mark this offseason for the Scarlet Knights has possibly been answered. According to Kristian Dyer of The Rutgers Wire, Gavin Wimsatt is “showing flashes of improvement throughout this offseason.” If Wimsatt is the answer to the question, then there are two more questions on the offensive side of the ball.

They are introducing two new three-star wide receivers from the portal, JaQuae Jackson and Naseim Brantley. Because they lack big school production, the question will be whether one or both athletes can make a splash on the Big Ten scene. They also added three-star transfer tight end Shawn Bowman, their highest rated transfer in the portal class, who hopes to make plays for them in the fall.

The offensive line is in an intriguing position as they welcome four-star hometown kid Jacob Allen into the fold after healing from injury. He could be seen as a rising star come 2024. Another tackle to be on the lookout for is Taj White, who has reportedly been excellent in the spring and was bumped up to second string. The starters will hope to improve alongside their quarterback for the season and create holes for running back Samuel Brown V.

Defensive Preview

Defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak is entering his second season as coordinator for the Scarlet Knights. While they didn’t amount much success last season, they believe the defense showed signs of promise. They hope that younger players such as defensive lineman Kyonte Hamilton and defensive back Desmond Igbinosun step up into bigger roles this upcoming season. The fact that they are getting linebackers Mohamed Toure and Moses Walker back bodes well for their run defense.

They added two new transfer cornerbacks into the fold with Eric Rogers and Charles Amankwaa, both rated three-stars as transfers. The depth of secondary should provide Harasymiak with numerous nickel and dime package options on third downs and late in games to secure close victories.

Special Teams Preview

The Scarlet Knights have place kicker Jude McAtamney returning for the 2023 season. He 12-of-18 kicks last season as well as 23-of-24 extra points. The Scarlet Knights hope that he improves from distance this season as they improve their roster all around.

Their new punter is redshirt freshman Flynn Appleby. Appleby is a former professional Australian football player with the Collingwood. Appleby is 24 years old with four years of eligibility remaining. This special teams unit will be one to watch even if you are not a Rutgers fan.