Know Your Opponent: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

Head Coach: Greg Schiano

Overall: 12th Season (First in Return to Scarlet Knights), 69-67 Overall

Bowl Appearances at Rutgers: 5

2019 Record: 2-10 (0-9, Big Ten East)

Bowl Appearances Since 2000: 9 (6-3)

Mascot: Scarlet Knight

Colors: Scarlet

Outfitter: adidas

National Titles: 1 (1869)

Conference Titles: 1 (Big East)

Heisman Winners: 0

2020 Record: 1-0

Last Week: WIN vs Michigan State, 38-27

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Noah Vedral (18-29 passing (62.1%), 169 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT)

Rushing: Isaih Pacheco (19 rushes, 61 yards, 3.2 YPC, 2 TDs)

Receiving: Bo Melton (4 receptions, 50 yards, 0 TDs)

Tackles: Tyshon Fogg (12 tackles, 4 solo)

Stat of the Week: After scoring just six touchdowns in nine total Big Ten games in 2019, Rutgers nearly tied that in one week on Saturday when they scored five against the Michigan State Spartans.

Rutgers’ Talking Points

1. Can they force turnovers at a similar rate as week one?

After losing 21 consecutive Big Ten games, the Scarlet Knights stuck with the theme of making 2020 the weirdest year yet and finally secured a conference victory in week one. Much of this can be accredited to the play of their defense and special teams units. The pair combined to force seven turnovers, including an absurd five lost fumbles.

Indiana’s offense certainly struggled against Penn State this past weekend, despite ultimately earning the victory down the stretch. Michael Penix looked shaky and threw one interception, while Stevie Scott lost one fumble which gave the Nittany Lions prime field position inside their red zone. Seven is a hefty number to match – but if Rutgers could find a way to force timely turnovers once again, they could catch Indiana sleeping after one of the biggest wins in program history.

2. Can the offense sustain drives?

I mentioned the five touchdowns that Noah Vedral and the Scarlet Knights were able to produce last week. What I left out, however, is that three of these touchdown drives combined just 51 total yards. One drive, in fact, was four plays but totaled just one yard.

Michigan State lost turnovers time and time again in plus field position for the Scarlet Knights. This allowed the offense to put points on the board, but it wasn’t always their great playmaking that was the reason why. At the end of the day, Rutgers was actually out-gained by the Spartans, 276 to 369, and had 149 fewer passing yards. While they can hope to force a couple turnovers, they can’t guarantee that great of field position all day and will need to show an ability to sustain drives to take down the Hoosiers.

3. This is no longer Chris Ash’s Rutgers.

Rutgers has been the laughingstock of the Big Ten since they joined the conference. Other than a 2012 share of the Big East conference title, they have been unbearable to watch since Schiano left the team for the NFL in 2011. But if Saturday is any indication, this is not the same Rutgers team we have grown accustomed to. While they are certainly not world-killers, you saw something out of them for the first time in a while: fight and a desire to win. Schiano 2.0 is a work in process, but don’t expect to see a team that lays down and gives up.

“I’m really proud of our guys, coaching staff, support staff, and all our players,” Schiano said in his postgame press conference. “We’ve worked incredibly hard in a very difficult environment for a long time.”