Philliesfan980
07-20-2005, 07:46 PM
I'm not a Rutgers Fan, but have kept an eye on them during the past few years. Not sure how many of you are espn insiders, but here is a good preview. Let me know if you want to see any others, as they are all up on ESPN.
Team preview: RutgersBlue Ribbon Yearbook
Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 119 Division I-A teams. To order the complete 2005 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).
(All information as of July 1, 2005)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
LOCATION Piscataway, N.J.
CONFERENCE Big East
LAST SEASON 4-7 (.364)
CONFERENCE RECORD 1-5 (t-7th)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 9
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 8
NICKNAME Scarlet Knights
COLORS Red & White
HOME FIELD Rutgers Stadium (41,500)
COACH Greg Schiano (Bucknell '88)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 12-34 (4 years)
CAREER RECORD 12-34 (4 years)
ASSISTANTS • Darren Rizzi (Rhode Island '92),
Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams/Linebackers
• Craig Ver Steeg (USC '83),
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Joe Susan (Delaware '76),
Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends
• Chris Demarest (Northeastern '88),
Secondary • Kyle Flood (Iona '93),
Offensive Line
• Phil Galiano (Shippensburg '01),
Defensive Ends
• Cary Godette (East Carolina '76),
Defensive Line
• Robert Jackson (Northern Illinois),
Running Backs
• John McNulty (Penn State '90),
Wide Receivers
TEAM WINS (last five yrs.) 3-2-1-5-4
FINAL RANK (last five yrs.) 103-112-115-96-80
2004 FINISH Lost to Connecticut in regular-season finale.
2005 Schedule | 2004 Results | 2004 Statistics
COACH AND PROGRAM
Over the last five games of Rutgers' 2004 season -- all losses -- the Scarlet Knights' defense seemingly adopted an open-door policy ... as in, here's the end zone, come on in.
Inside the Big East
Take an Inside look at the Big East with Blue Ribbon's 2005 team reports:
Cincinnati Bearcats
Connecticut Huskies
Louisville Cardinals
Pittsburgh Panthers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
South Florida Bulls
Syracuse Orange
West Virginia Mountaineers
The Scarlet Knights surrendered 38.4 points over the losing stretch that saw Rutgers fall from a 4-2 team with promise to a 4-7 team cohabitating with Temple in the Big East's basement.
When Paul Ferrara left his defensive coordinator post to join the NFL's Carolina Panthers, head coach Greg Schiano conducted a nationwide search until deciding the best man for the job was himself. So now in his fifth year on the job, Schiano has added the pressure of tightening up the defense to the already-present task of lifting Rutgers to a respectable perch in Division I-A football.
Success coordinating a defense isn't foreign to Schiano. Before taking over at Rutgers, he was defensive coordinator at Miami, where he mentored a Hurricanes defense that finished 12th nationally in 1999 and fifth in the country in 2000 in scoring defense. Almost as important as his ability to craft a stingy defense is Schiano's dedication to the job.
"From a personal standpoint, I get to do something that I really, really enjoy doing, and I forgot how much I really enjoy doing it until I started doing it this spring with the defense," Schiano said. "The difference is, you're in there [with the defense]. I'm installing the defense, I'm in the room. When we go to install, I am the teacher, I'm not the supervisor. ... That's the part I really enjoy."
As he tries to get the Scarlet Knights back on track after they took a step back from a five-win 2004 to just four wins last fall, Schiano made a few other moves with his staff on the defensive side of the ball. Newcomer Gary Godette brings NFL experience to his role as defensive line coach, Phil Galiano (formerly the linebackers coach) will coach defensive ends and assistant head coach Darren Rizzi will now work with the linebackers.
Of course all the coaching changes won't mean much unless the players produce between the lines. Schiano's bio in Rutgers' media guide brags about all the improvements the program has made off the field under the Wyckoff, N.J. native, including the state-of-the-art training facility, the modern scoreboard and the new field turf surface at Rutgers Stadium. University officials would no doubt love to replace those boasts with highlights from some major on-field victories. Schiano's confidence the 2005 team -- the most experienced in his tenure -- will put Rutgers on the map.
"This should be our best team since we've been here," he said. "But again, it's an odd-shaped ball and a physical game. It should be [our best team] if players are playing [and stay healthy]. ... You have to make history. We can't talk about history. You have to go make it."
QUARTERBACKS
The sixth-best passing offense in the land returns its senior quarterback, who is fresh off a record-setting junior year. Ryan Hart (6-2, 200) set Rutgers single-season marks for passing yards (his 3,154 yards surpassed his record-setting total from 2003), attempts (453) and completions (295). And he led the Big East in passing yards per game with 286.7. Along the way he also set a conference record with a 65.1 completion percentage in his second year at the Scarlet Knights' starter (he has started 27 straight games).
Hart was the first Rutgers and first Big East quarterback to record six 300-yard passing games in one season and he threw at least one touchdown pass in nine of his 11 games. His best performance of the year led the Scarlet Knights to a comeback win at Vanderbilt, as he completed 31-of-40 passes for 344 yards.
"If you look at his productivity, it's been tremendous," Schiano said about Hart, who has thrown 19 interception each of the last two seasons. "What we need to do is to just cut back on those turnovers and we're going to do that, he's going to do that. And I look forward to him having a tremendous senior year."
With the milestone-filled resume and his two years of starting experience, Hart still emerged from spring practice as the starting signal caller. But Schiano conceded that the talent behind the senior will make for an interesting training camp and gives the coaching staff some "good choices."
First among those at Schiano's disposal behind Hart will be freshman Mike Teel (6-4, 220). A member of the scout team in 2004, Teel was a two-time first team all-state selection at Don Bosco (N.J.) Prep. He led his team to 24 straight wins to cap his career and threw for 1,891 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior.
Teel emerged as the No. 2 at the close of spring practice, but he will get challenged by returning reserve Terrence Shawell (6-4, 210). A sophomore, Shawell flaunted his talents in three 2004 appearances. He threw an 87-yard touchdown pass and ran for a 26-yard score against UConn, and was 6-for-12 passing for 126 yards and one score against Navy. A solid athlete, Shawell threw for more than 1,800 yards as a high school senior.
If the Scarlet Knights weren't deep enough under center, this fall Jabu Lovelace (6-2, 195) is scheduled to arrive on campus. The Tenafly, N.J. native was ranked as the No. 27 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and he justified the hype with 1,638 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air and 940 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
RUNNING BACKS
For the first time since 1995 (tight end Marco Battaglia), the Scarlet Knights had a player earn first team All-America honors in 2004. And fullback Brian Leonard (6-2, 230) will be asked to live up to the high standards he has set the last two years in the Scarlet Knights' backfield.
A junior, Leonard rushed for 732 yards, caught 61 passes for 518 yards and scored nine touchdowns last fall. He led the Big East in all-purpose yardage (125.0 per game) and was the nation's top pass-catching running back.
Leonard set the tone for personal achievements to come when he dashed 56 yards for a score on the first play from scrimmage in the season-opening win over Michigan State and finished that day with 190 all-purpose yards. He scored four touchdowns against Vanderbilt, a game during which he set a season-high with nine catches (en route to the fourth-most receptions in one season in program history).
For Schiano to play Leonard at fullback for the bulk of the snaps in 2005, a tailback must emerge. Partly because of injuries to other players and partly because of his own performance, fifth-year senior Clarence Pittman (5-10, 208) was penciled in as the No. 1 running back when spring camp concluded. Last fall, Pittman appeared in all 11 games and rushed just 15 times for 48 yards. He has averaged more than three yards per carry in part-time duty the last two years. This spring he earned the Frank R. Burns Award, given to the player who "demonstrated extraordinary mental and physical toughness during spring practice."
"Clarence worked incredibly hard and had a great spring," Schiano said. "He has shown maturity and has run the ball very, very strong this spring, so hopefully that can carry over into the preseason."
Pittman's spring showing helped him take advantage of Justise Hairston's (6-1, 210) injury absence. The junior, however, came out of spring as the Scarlet Knights' No. 2 running back. After an injury-plagued freshman year, Hairston showed the type of versatility Rutgers needs with 146 rushing yards, 17 receptions for 105 yards, and some excellent blocking last season. He gained momentum in the receiving game over the last two games with 10 catches.
Sophomore Dimitri Linton (5-9, 195) and senior Markis Facyson (5-10, 195) should also be in the running-back mix. Facyson flaunted his versatility with six catches for 39 yards and 52 yards on the ground. He gave the Scarlet Knights 43 big rushing yards against Syracuse when Leonard was out with an injury. Linton left Florida as one of the state's top prep rushers and he could get more of a chance to flaunt his abilities this fall. Behind Leonard, the Scarlet Knights should benefit from the talents of senior Ishmael Medley (5-11, 230) and sophomore Jean Beljour (6-0, 235).
"I thought Jean Beljour and Ishmael Medley got better each day and improved," Schiano said after spring camp.
Medley showed he could combine with Leonard to form a bruising backfield when he played in 10 games as a blocking back and still caught four passes for 27 yards. Against Syracuse (the Leonard-less game), Medley caught three passes for 17 yards. In the spring, he earned the Mark Mills Second Effort Award as the offensive player "who has shown the most improvement during the off-season and the spring practice."
Beljour was mostly a special-teams contributor, but he caught three passes for 29 yards and was once the 49th-ranked running back by Rivals.com in his days at Hackensack (N.J.) High School.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
An injury might end up having been a blessing in disguise for the Scarlet Knights. While Shawn Tucker (6-2, 205), Rutgers' leading receiver with 50 catches for 726 yards and two touchdowns in 2003, didn't play after the second game of the season in 2004 because of a groin injury, Tres Moses (5-10, 191) emerged as a No. 1 target.
Now a senior, Moses earned first-team All-Big East honors last season with a school-record-setting 81 catches and 1,056 receiving yards (he was the first Rutgers player to surpass 1,000 yards through the air). Moses set a conference record with 7.36 catches per game, which was also seventh nationally. He posted five 100-yard-plus receiving yard games and goes into the 2005 season with a 22-game pass-catch streak. All this after he had shown glimpses by catching 52 passes for 536 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore.
Tucker (now a junior after two groin surgeries and a medical red-shirt year) should be the Scarlet Knights' starter on the other side of Moses. Limited to just six catches and 66 yards in 2004, Tucker caught a pass in all 12 games in 2003 and really showed his stuff in a 186-yard game against Pittsburgh and a 118-yard game against Michigan State.
The void left by Tucker's absence last year also benefited Chris Baker (6-5, 210). The senior made five starts as a junior and set a career-high with 28 catches for 388 yards, and recorded a reception in all 11 Rutgers games. He was instrumental in the comeback at Vanderbilt -- Hart found Baker six times for 90 yards.
As freshmen last year, Marcus Daniels (6-2, 210) and Willie Foster (5-10, 170) also emerged as viable pass targets. The pair combined for 34 catches for 361 yards and Daniels twice caught six passes in a game. Foster was one of the Scarlet Knights' main kick and punt returners along with Moses.
Red-shirt freshman Keith Taylor (6-4, 180) was once one of the fastest 400-meter runners in the country for Elizabeth (N.J.) High School and could emerge as a deep threat.
When he is not connecting with his receivers or his backs, Hart aims for junior tight end Clark Harris (6-6, 250). In 2004, Harris led all Big East tight ends with 53 catches for 725 yards. He also caught five touchdown passes and recorded three 100-yard-plus receiving games during his first-team All-Big East season. He was second nationally in both yards and catches from the tight end position.
Behind Harris should be junior Sam Johnson (6-3, 250), whose specialty is run blocking and who caught four passes for 44 yards last season.
"Tight end is a position that I think we have pretty good depth," Schiano said. "This is a very important spring and off-season for [Harris], to put on some added muscle and continue to grow as a blocker. He's a tremendous pass receiver."
OFFENSIVE LINE
Three fifths of an offensive line that allowed the second-fewest sacks (20) in the Big East last year returns, so Hart should be well protected again this fall. Last year, Rutgers ranked first in the Big East and sixth nationally with 310.5 yards per game passing, thanks in no small part to the linemen. Of course, the running game needs vast improvement.
First and foremost in the trenches for the Scarlet Knights will be right guard John Glass (6-5, 300). The senior started all 11 games and earned All-Big East (second team) honors for his efforts.
Even after a great junior season, Schiano will hold Glass to a higher standard this fall. "I think John Glass has played well, but I don't think he's been as good as he can be," Schiano said. "I think this is a critical time for him to come -- he has the talent to be a dominant offensive lineman. Now's the time to do it."
Tackle Sameeh McDonald (6-5, 295) should again help Glass keep pass rushers from breaking through the right side. The senior started nine-of-11 games (two missed beacuse of injury) next to Glass in 2004. He played 11 games as a sophomore, so he's proven pretty durable and he's gained plenty of experience.
What the left side of the line lacks in experience, it makes up with talent, and more importantly, potential. A pair of sophomores -- Pedro Sosa (6-5, 300) and Jeremy Zuttah (6-4, 285) -- are slated to play left tackle and guard, respectively.
Once ranked as the 34th-best offensive guard in the country by Rivals.com, Zuttah started five games at three positions in 2004. He finished the season at left tackle (and played every offensive line position except center during the season) and now he's set to move back to his stronger position.
Sosa played in only five games as a freshman, but he was once ranked as the top offensive lineman in the state after his time at Union Hill (N.J.) High School.
Inexperience at the center position might dog Rutgers. At the close of spring camp, junior Joe Giacobbe (6-1, 270) and senior Will Vogt (6-3, 275) were listed as No. 1 and 2, respectively, on the depth chart. Giacobbe played two games in 2003 and none last season, while appeared in one game in 2004 and five in 2003.
Freshman left tackle Mike Gilmartin (6-6, 285), sophomore left guard Dan Mazan (6-4, 295), sophomore right guard Corey Hyman (6-4, 290) and sophomore right tackle Mike Fladell (6-8, 318) are extremely green, but left camp as the top reserves on the line.
Mazan is a transfer from Penn State, while Hyman's the most experienced of the bunch after he played on the left side in six games last season. He is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and should be ready to tangle when the season starts.
Freshman Dave McClain (6-4, 335 graduated from Central Bucks South (Penn.) High School early so he could join the Scarlet Knights this spring. Most figure the Super Prep All-America will get some playing time pretty soon, as could a couple of other incoming linemen.
By the time spring camp was concluding, Schiano was confident enough to claim, "We'll run the ball better and [that's] a direct result of the offensive line blocking better."
KICKERS
After winning the place-kicking job in preseason camp last fall, Jeremy Ito (5-11, 180) nailed four field goals in the season-opening win over Michigan State and continued to emerge as one of the conference's up-and-coming kickers. The sophomore finished his first collegiate season 15-of-24 on field goals and 28-of-29 on PATs. Along the way, he booted five field goals of 40 or more yards and set a Rutgers Stadium record with a 48-yard conversion against New Hampshire. A versatile kicker who can handle kickoffs and punting if necessary, Ito should be a valuable weapon again this year.
"Jeremy Ito had a real special freshman year, and hopefully he can grow on that," Schiano said.
Backup place-kicker and punter Mike Cortese (6-3, 201), a senior, should once again handle kickoff duties.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Rutgers, which finished 104th nationally in total defense last year, has plenty of blame to go around. But the defensive line gets a little less because of the play of first-team All-Big East defensive end Ryan Neill (6-3, 260). The senior, who missed 2003 with a knee injury, was among the league leaders in sacks with eight and tackles for loss with 13 in 2004 and paced a Rutgers team that led the Big East in sacks with 31.
With Neill and fellow senior Val Barnaby (6-5, 270) manning the ends, Schiano won't have to worry about production from those positions.
"As you look at the [defensive] position group as a whole, the defensive ends are stronger than the defensive tackles. We have some experience with Val Barnaby, Ryan Neill, Piana Lukabu (6-3, 250), Eric Foster (6-2, 260)," Schiano said. "Those guys have all played in games, so I think that is our strength.
"But, I think our inside guys are closing ground. [Transfer] Carl Howard (6-4, 300) has a chance to get real repetitions, not scout-team repetitions. He's getting better and better, so that's a positive."
Barnaby recorded three or more tackles in six-of-11 games last season.
"Here's a guy that needs to have a great senior year for us to be a dominant football team, and he can do it," Schiano said. "He's physical ... he's shown he can do it. Now he had to do it consistently. I think it's time."
Lukabu, a senior, was second on the team among defensive linemen in tackles with 33 tackles in eight games played. He and Foster, a sophomore who appeared in 11 games last year, figure to be the primary backups at the ends.
Senior Luis Rivas (6-4, 285) and junior Cameron Stephenson (6-5, 305) project as the starting defensive tackles. Out of action because of injury in the spring, Rivas has proven durable his last two years with 11 games played in each.
"We need him to stay healthy because he can be a heck of a defensive lineman, as long as he stays healthy," Schiano said.
Stephenson will make the move from offense to defense, a position he first played as a freshman at Harbor College.
After practicing with the team all last fall after his transfer from Virginia Tech, Howard is still has freshman eligibility. Howard was once ranked by Rivals.com as the 29th-best defensive tackle prospect in the country. His progress could be a huge boost to the Scarlet Knights' cause and he will go into camp as a backup tackle.
A one-time walk-on who competes with the Rutgers wrestling team, Rameel Meekins (6-0, 265), could be the other reserve tackle. He played in nine games last season. Junior Nate Robinson (6-5, 303) could also progress enough to crack the rotation after he played in eight games in 2004. And freshman Joe Salinardi (6-4, 285) and sophomore Rocky Ricks (6-3, 241) will also vie for playing time.
LINEBACKERS
Much will be expected of the linebacker corps that returns all six players on last season's depth chart. In order for the defensive statistics to improve, Rutgers must have more big plays made from this group.
"We have some good players back at linebacker," Schiano said. "We're going to try to find the best three and go from there. There will be some great competition."
Key among the top six will be Devraun Thompson (5-11, 225), whose 60 stops were third-most on the team last season and are second-most among Rutgers returnees. The junior showed signs he could be the type of playmaking linebacker that can set the tone with his nine-tackle game against West Virginia and his seven-tackle games against Pittsburgh and Navy in the second half of last season. He also posted 6.5 tackles for loss in 2004.
Rutgers' other two projected starters -- seniors Terry Bynes (6-2, 225) and Will Gilkison (6-2, 230) -- were just fifth and tied for 10th, respectively, on the Scarlet Knights' tackle list and that'll need to be improved. Good news for Rutgers that Bynes was voted the team's Most Improved Player last fall, so he's on the right track. He led the conference with four fumble recoveries and put the exclamation point on his season with an eight-tackle performance in the season finale against UConn.
Four times Gilkison, a three-year starter, registered five tackles in a game and Rutgers will need more of those performances in 2005.
By the time the season ended last November, William Beckford (6-1, 222) had won back the starting job he'd held in 2003 before a season-ending injury seven games in. Beckford started the last eight Rutgers games last fall, played in all 11, and -- although he broke spring camp as a reserve on the depth chart -- he'll be an important factor. He recorded 44 tackles and five tackles-for-loss last season, a campaign that also featured three games with six tackles.
Senior Brad Cunningham (6-1, 232) contributed in nine of Rutgers' 11 games and finished with four tackles-for-loss on the year. He and junior Quintero Frierson (6-1, 235) should also get time off the bench. Frierson broke camp last fall as Rutgers' starting middle linebacker, but an injury in the season-opener kept him out of four games. His six-tackle performances against Temple and Navy proved he was healthy again and he'll try to return to the starting lineup by the time the ball is snapped for the first time in 2005.
Schiano saw promise in what he witnessed this spring.
"The linebackers, I felt, showed a great deal of improvement," the coach said. "I thought they were in better physical shape and I think they seemed to grasp what we're doing better."
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The 2004 season was a growing up period for the Rutgers secondary, with two sophomores and a true freshman in the starting lineup. Plus veterans Manny Collins (5-10, 180) and Dondre Asberry (5-11, 185) had their seasons cut short by injury after a car accident.
Starting cornerbacks Joe Porter (6-0, 198) and Derrick Roberson (5-10, 175) are now juniors with plenty of experience and Ron Girault (5-11, 195) is on the verge of making a major imprint on the conference from the safety position after an impressive freshman campaign.
Replacing three-year starter and last season's returning tackler, Jarvis Johnson, will be the biggest test for Rutgers. As spring camp broke, senior Joe Nugent (6-1, 209) had been tabbed to fill the void. He played in all 11 games last season, started five times at free safety and showed his talents with nine tackles (eight solo) and an interception against Syracuse.
"The secondary is young, but not as young as last year," Schiano said. "The secondary now has some seasoning to it, the cornerbacks especially. Ron Girault is only a second-year player, but this is a guy who really gets the game of football. He's a natural.
"We need Jason Nugent to rise up and be a big-time safety. He's got the skills; he needs to play, as a senior, the best football he's played since he's been here at Rutgers. If he does that, we're going to have a real good secondary."
Girault impressed Schiano enough to grab a starting spot midway through last season and he finished with the most tackles (61) by any Big East freshman in 2004. Twice he registered 13 tackles in a game and he averaged 9.2 tackles per game over the last six games. There's no reason to believe he won't improve on those digits this season.
Second in the Big East with five interceptions last season, Porter blossomed as a sophomore after a true freshman season spent mostly as a special-teams player in 2003. He finished with 55 tackles, third on the team.
Also forced into action as a freshman two years ago, Roberson started the last eight games at cornerback for the Scarlet Knights in 2004 and put nine tackles on the books against Kent State, then registered seven tackles against Syracuse in his first career start.
There are no more excuses should the cornerback duo fail to live up to Schiano's heightened expectations.
Waiting in the wings at the corner spots will be sophomore Anthony Miller (6-0, 170) and senior Cory Barnes (5-8, 170).
Seven games into last season, Bryan Durango (5-10, 192) suffered déjà vu. A knee injury ended his 2003 season after five games and he suffered the same fate in 2004. If he can stay healthy, he can push Nugent for some playing time this fall.
Freshman Robert Baham (6-0, 185) and sophomore Brandon Renkart (6-3, 225) left spring camp as the top reserves at the safeties.
"In the secondary, we improved quite a bit," Schiano said. "We're playing with a little more confidence and making more plays. I think it was a step in the right direction for this secondary."
Freshmen Jason McCourty (5-11, 170) and Davon Smart (5-10, 185) might also turn some heads at defensive back when they get to New Brunswick.
Collins might be back from injury, but Asberry is not as likely to get back into the fold.
PUNTERS
This will be Joe Radigan's third year as the Scarlet Knights' punter, after he finished in the middle of the pack with an average of 38.4 yards per punt last season.
The one-time No. 2 punter prospect in the East, as projected by Prep Star, Radigan (6-5, 220) dropped 10 punts inside the 20-yard line in 2004 -- down from the 12 he recorded in 2003. His continued improvement will give the Scarlet Knights a boost, and fend off challenges from Ito and Cortese, both of whom have punting experience and could steal the job with a tremendous training camp showing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Moses was one of the Scarlet Knights' top kick returners in 2004 and their top punt returner. He broke spring camp spring camp as the starting punt returner, but could be challenged at both positions as Schiano continues to bring in athletes with breakaway ability.
Moses averaged 20.6 yards per return in the kickoff department, while Foster was the team leader in the department with 21.1 yards per return. On punts, Foster averaged 12.4 yards and Moses averaged 7.7 yards.
"We have the same guys coming back, with Tres and Willie, and I think we have some real deep threats in returning kickoffs," Schiano said. "I'm comfortable, and there should be real good competition there."
Incoming freshman Raymell Rice handled both duties for New Rochelle (N.Y.) High School and might be another candidate. He was rated the 19th-best all-purpose back in the country by Rivals.com.
For the most comprehensive previews available on all 119 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college football, the 2005 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).
Team preview: RutgersBlue Ribbon Yearbook
Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 119 Division I-A teams. To order the complete 2005 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).
(All information as of July 1, 2005)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
LOCATION Piscataway, N.J.
CONFERENCE Big East
LAST SEASON 4-7 (.364)
CONFERENCE RECORD 1-5 (t-7th)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 9
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 8
NICKNAME Scarlet Knights
COLORS Red & White
HOME FIELD Rutgers Stadium (41,500)
COACH Greg Schiano (Bucknell '88)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 12-34 (4 years)
CAREER RECORD 12-34 (4 years)
ASSISTANTS • Darren Rizzi (Rhode Island '92),
Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams/Linebackers
• Craig Ver Steeg (USC '83),
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Joe Susan (Delaware '76),
Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends
• Chris Demarest (Northeastern '88),
Secondary • Kyle Flood (Iona '93),
Offensive Line
• Phil Galiano (Shippensburg '01),
Defensive Ends
• Cary Godette (East Carolina '76),
Defensive Line
• Robert Jackson (Northern Illinois),
Running Backs
• John McNulty (Penn State '90),
Wide Receivers
TEAM WINS (last five yrs.) 3-2-1-5-4
FINAL RANK (last five yrs.) 103-112-115-96-80
2004 FINISH Lost to Connecticut in regular-season finale.
2005 Schedule | 2004 Results | 2004 Statistics
COACH AND PROGRAM
Over the last five games of Rutgers' 2004 season -- all losses -- the Scarlet Knights' defense seemingly adopted an open-door policy ... as in, here's the end zone, come on in.
Inside the Big East
Take an Inside look at the Big East with Blue Ribbon's 2005 team reports:
Cincinnati Bearcats
Connecticut Huskies
Louisville Cardinals
Pittsburgh Panthers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
South Florida Bulls
Syracuse Orange
West Virginia Mountaineers
The Scarlet Knights surrendered 38.4 points over the losing stretch that saw Rutgers fall from a 4-2 team with promise to a 4-7 team cohabitating with Temple in the Big East's basement.
When Paul Ferrara left his defensive coordinator post to join the NFL's Carolina Panthers, head coach Greg Schiano conducted a nationwide search until deciding the best man for the job was himself. So now in his fifth year on the job, Schiano has added the pressure of tightening up the defense to the already-present task of lifting Rutgers to a respectable perch in Division I-A football.
Success coordinating a defense isn't foreign to Schiano. Before taking over at Rutgers, he was defensive coordinator at Miami, where he mentored a Hurricanes defense that finished 12th nationally in 1999 and fifth in the country in 2000 in scoring defense. Almost as important as his ability to craft a stingy defense is Schiano's dedication to the job.
"From a personal standpoint, I get to do something that I really, really enjoy doing, and I forgot how much I really enjoy doing it until I started doing it this spring with the defense," Schiano said. "The difference is, you're in there [with the defense]. I'm installing the defense, I'm in the room. When we go to install, I am the teacher, I'm not the supervisor. ... That's the part I really enjoy."
As he tries to get the Scarlet Knights back on track after they took a step back from a five-win 2004 to just four wins last fall, Schiano made a few other moves with his staff on the defensive side of the ball. Newcomer Gary Godette brings NFL experience to his role as defensive line coach, Phil Galiano (formerly the linebackers coach) will coach defensive ends and assistant head coach Darren Rizzi will now work with the linebackers.
Of course all the coaching changes won't mean much unless the players produce between the lines. Schiano's bio in Rutgers' media guide brags about all the improvements the program has made off the field under the Wyckoff, N.J. native, including the state-of-the-art training facility, the modern scoreboard and the new field turf surface at Rutgers Stadium. University officials would no doubt love to replace those boasts with highlights from some major on-field victories. Schiano's confidence the 2005 team -- the most experienced in his tenure -- will put Rutgers on the map.
"This should be our best team since we've been here," he said. "But again, it's an odd-shaped ball and a physical game. It should be [our best team] if players are playing [and stay healthy]. ... You have to make history. We can't talk about history. You have to go make it."
QUARTERBACKS
The sixth-best passing offense in the land returns its senior quarterback, who is fresh off a record-setting junior year. Ryan Hart (6-2, 200) set Rutgers single-season marks for passing yards (his 3,154 yards surpassed his record-setting total from 2003), attempts (453) and completions (295). And he led the Big East in passing yards per game with 286.7. Along the way he also set a conference record with a 65.1 completion percentage in his second year at the Scarlet Knights' starter (he has started 27 straight games).
Hart was the first Rutgers and first Big East quarterback to record six 300-yard passing games in one season and he threw at least one touchdown pass in nine of his 11 games. His best performance of the year led the Scarlet Knights to a comeback win at Vanderbilt, as he completed 31-of-40 passes for 344 yards.
"If you look at his productivity, it's been tremendous," Schiano said about Hart, who has thrown 19 interception each of the last two seasons. "What we need to do is to just cut back on those turnovers and we're going to do that, he's going to do that. And I look forward to him having a tremendous senior year."
With the milestone-filled resume and his two years of starting experience, Hart still emerged from spring practice as the starting signal caller. But Schiano conceded that the talent behind the senior will make for an interesting training camp and gives the coaching staff some "good choices."
First among those at Schiano's disposal behind Hart will be freshman Mike Teel (6-4, 220). A member of the scout team in 2004, Teel was a two-time first team all-state selection at Don Bosco (N.J.) Prep. He led his team to 24 straight wins to cap his career and threw for 1,891 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior.
Teel emerged as the No. 2 at the close of spring practice, but he will get challenged by returning reserve Terrence Shawell (6-4, 210). A sophomore, Shawell flaunted his talents in three 2004 appearances. He threw an 87-yard touchdown pass and ran for a 26-yard score against UConn, and was 6-for-12 passing for 126 yards and one score against Navy. A solid athlete, Shawell threw for more than 1,800 yards as a high school senior.
If the Scarlet Knights weren't deep enough under center, this fall Jabu Lovelace (6-2, 195) is scheduled to arrive on campus. The Tenafly, N.J. native was ranked as the No. 27 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and he justified the hype with 1,638 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air and 940 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
RUNNING BACKS
For the first time since 1995 (tight end Marco Battaglia), the Scarlet Knights had a player earn first team All-America honors in 2004. And fullback Brian Leonard (6-2, 230) will be asked to live up to the high standards he has set the last two years in the Scarlet Knights' backfield.
A junior, Leonard rushed for 732 yards, caught 61 passes for 518 yards and scored nine touchdowns last fall. He led the Big East in all-purpose yardage (125.0 per game) and was the nation's top pass-catching running back.
Leonard set the tone for personal achievements to come when he dashed 56 yards for a score on the first play from scrimmage in the season-opening win over Michigan State and finished that day with 190 all-purpose yards. He scored four touchdowns against Vanderbilt, a game during which he set a season-high with nine catches (en route to the fourth-most receptions in one season in program history).
For Schiano to play Leonard at fullback for the bulk of the snaps in 2005, a tailback must emerge. Partly because of injuries to other players and partly because of his own performance, fifth-year senior Clarence Pittman (5-10, 208) was penciled in as the No. 1 running back when spring camp concluded. Last fall, Pittman appeared in all 11 games and rushed just 15 times for 48 yards. He has averaged more than three yards per carry in part-time duty the last two years. This spring he earned the Frank R. Burns Award, given to the player who "demonstrated extraordinary mental and physical toughness during spring practice."
"Clarence worked incredibly hard and had a great spring," Schiano said. "He has shown maturity and has run the ball very, very strong this spring, so hopefully that can carry over into the preseason."
Pittman's spring showing helped him take advantage of Justise Hairston's (6-1, 210) injury absence. The junior, however, came out of spring as the Scarlet Knights' No. 2 running back. After an injury-plagued freshman year, Hairston showed the type of versatility Rutgers needs with 146 rushing yards, 17 receptions for 105 yards, and some excellent blocking last season. He gained momentum in the receiving game over the last two games with 10 catches.
Sophomore Dimitri Linton (5-9, 195) and senior Markis Facyson (5-10, 195) should also be in the running-back mix. Facyson flaunted his versatility with six catches for 39 yards and 52 yards on the ground. He gave the Scarlet Knights 43 big rushing yards against Syracuse when Leonard was out with an injury. Linton left Florida as one of the state's top prep rushers and he could get more of a chance to flaunt his abilities this fall. Behind Leonard, the Scarlet Knights should benefit from the talents of senior Ishmael Medley (5-11, 230) and sophomore Jean Beljour (6-0, 235).
"I thought Jean Beljour and Ishmael Medley got better each day and improved," Schiano said after spring camp.
Medley showed he could combine with Leonard to form a bruising backfield when he played in 10 games as a blocking back and still caught four passes for 27 yards. Against Syracuse (the Leonard-less game), Medley caught three passes for 17 yards. In the spring, he earned the Mark Mills Second Effort Award as the offensive player "who has shown the most improvement during the off-season and the spring practice."
Beljour was mostly a special-teams contributor, but he caught three passes for 29 yards and was once the 49th-ranked running back by Rivals.com in his days at Hackensack (N.J.) High School.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
An injury might end up having been a blessing in disguise for the Scarlet Knights. While Shawn Tucker (6-2, 205), Rutgers' leading receiver with 50 catches for 726 yards and two touchdowns in 2003, didn't play after the second game of the season in 2004 because of a groin injury, Tres Moses (5-10, 191) emerged as a No. 1 target.
Now a senior, Moses earned first-team All-Big East honors last season with a school-record-setting 81 catches and 1,056 receiving yards (he was the first Rutgers player to surpass 1,000 yards through the air). Moses set a conference record with 7.36 catches per game, which was also seventh nationally. He posted five 100-yard-plus receiving yard games and goes into the 2005 season with a 22-game pass-catch streak. All this after he had shown glimpses by catching 52 passes for 536 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore.
Tucker (now a junior after two groin surgeries and a medical red-shirt year) should be the Scarlet Knights' starter on the other side of Moses. Limited to just six catches and 66 yards in 2004, Tucker caught a pass in all 12 games in 2003 and really showed his stuff in a 186-yard game against Pittsburgh and a 118-yard game against Michigan State.
The void left by Tucker's absence last year also benefited Chris Baker (6-5, 210). The senior made five starts as a junior and set a career-high with 28 catches for 388 yards, and recorded a reception in all 11 Rutgers games. He was instrumental in the comeback at Vanderbilt -- Hart found Baker six times for 90 yards.
As freshmen last year, Marcus Daniels (6-2, 210) and Willie Foster (5-10, 170) also emerged as viable pass targets. The pair combined for 34 catches for 361 yards and Daniels twice caught six passes in a game. Foster was one of the Scarlet Knights' main kick and punt returners along with Moses.
Red-shirt freshman Keith Taylor (6-4, 180) was once one of the fastest 400-meter runners in the country for Elizabeth (N.J.) High School and could emerge as a deep threat.
When he is not connecting with his receivers or his backs, Hart aims for junior tight end Clark Harris (6-6, 250). In 2004, Harris led all Big East tight ends with 53 catches for 725 yards. He also caught five touchdown passes and recorded three 100-yard-plus receiving games during his first-team All-Big East season. He was second nationally in both yards and catches from the tight end position.
Behind Harris should be junior Sam Johnson (6-3, 250), whose specialty is run blocking and who caught four passes for 44 yards last season.
"Tight end is a position that I think we have pretty good depth," Schiano said. "This is a very important spring and off-season for [Harris], to put on some added muscle and continue to grow as a blocker. He's a tremendous pass receiver."
OFFENSIVE LINE
Three fifths of an offensive line that allowed the second-fewest sacks (20) in the Big East last year returns, so Hart should be well protected again this fall. Last year, Rutgers ranked first in the Big East and sixth nationally with 310.5 yards per game passing, thanks in no small part to the linemen. Of course, the running game needs vast improvement.
First and foremost in the trenches for the Scarlet Knights will be right guard John Glass (6-5, 300). The senior started all 11 games and earned All-Big East (second team) honors for his efforts.
Even after a great junior season, Schiano will hold Glass to a higher standard this fall. "I think John Glass has played well, but I don't think he's been as good as he can be," Schiano said. "I think this is a critical time for him to come -- he has the talent to be a dominant offensive lineman. Now's the time to do it."
Tackle Sameeh McDonald (6-5, 295) should again help Glass keep pass rushers from breaking through the right side. The senior started nine-of-11 games (two missed beacuse of injury) next to Glass in 2004. He played 11 games as a sophomore, so he's proven pretty durable and he's gained plenty of experience.
What the left side of the line lacks in experience, it makes up with talent, and more importantly, potential. A pair of sophomores -- Pedro Sosa (6-5, 300) and Jeremy Zuttah (6-4, 285) -- are slated to play left tackle and guard, respectively.
Once ranked as the 34th-best offensive guard in the country by Rivals.com, Zuttah started five games at three positions in 2004. He finished the season at left tackle (and played every offensive line position except center during the season) and now he's set to move back to his stronger position.
Sosa played in only five games as a freshman, but he was once ranked as the top offensive lineman in the state after his time at Union Hill (N.J.) High School.
Inexperience at the center position might dog Rutgers. At the close of spring camp, junior Joe Giacobbe (6-1, 270) and senior Will Vogt (6-3, 275) were listed as No. 1 and 2, respectively, on the depth chart. Giacobbe played two games in 2003 and none last season, while appeared in one game in 2004 and five in 2003.
Freshman left tackle Mike Gilmartin (6-6, 285), sophomore left guard Dan Mazan (6-4, 295), sophomore right guard Corey Hyman (6-4, 290) and sophomore right tackle Mike Fladell (6-8, 318) are extremely green, but left camp as the top reserves on the line.
Mazan is a transfer from Penn State, while Hyman's the most experienced of the bunch after he played on the left side in six games last season. He is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and should be ready to tangle when the season starts.
Freshman Dave McClain (6-4, 335 graduated from Central Bucks South (Penn.) High School early so he could join the Scarlet Knights this spring. Most figure the Super Prep All-America will get some playing time pretty soon, as could a couple of other incoming linemen.
By the time spring camp was concluding, Schiano was confident enough to claim, "We'll run the ball better and [that's] a direct result of the offensive line blocking better."
KICKERS
After winning the place-kicking job in preseason camp last fall, Jeremy Ito (5-11, 180) nailed four field goals in the season-opening win over Michigan State and continued to emerge as one of the conference's up-and-coming kickers. The sophomore finished his first collegiate season 15-of-24 on field goals and 28-of-29 on PATs. Along the way, he booted five field goals of 40 or more yards and set a Rutgers Stadium record with a 48-yard conversion against New Hampshire. A versatile kicker who can handle kickoffs and punting if necessary, Ito should be a valuable weapon again this year.
"Jeremy Ito had a real special freshman year, and hopefully he can grow on that," Schiano said.
Backup place-kicker and punter Mike Cortese (6-3, 201), a senior, should once again handle kickoff duties.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Rutgers, which finished 104th nationally in total defense last year, has plenty of blame to go around. But the defensive line gets a little less because of the play of first-team All-Big East defensive end Ryan Neill (6-3, 260). The senior, who missed 2003 with a knee injury, was among the league leaders in sacks with eight and tackles for loss with 13 in 2004 and paced a Rutgers team that led the Big East in sacks with 31.
With Neill and fellow senior Val Barnaby (6-5, 270) manning the ends, Schiano won't have to worry about production from those positions.
"As you look at the [defensive] position group as a whole, the defensive ends are stronger than the defensive tackles. We have some experience with Val Barnaby, Ryan Neill, Piana Lukabu (6-3, 250), Eric Foster (6-2, 260)," Schiano said. "Those guys have all played in games, so I think that is our strength.
"But, I think our inside guys are closing ground. [Transfer] Carl Howard (6-4, 300) has a chance to get real repetitions, not scout-team repetitions. He's getting better and better, so that's a positive."
Barnaby recorded three or more tackles in six-of-11 games last season.
"Here's a guy that needs to have a great senior year for us to be a dominant football team, and he can do it," Schiano said. "He's physical ... he's shown he can do it. Now he had to do it consistently. I think it's time."
Lukabu, a senior, was second on the team among defensive linemen in tackles with 33 tackles in eight games played. He and Foster, a sophomore who appeared in 11 games last year, figure to be the primary backups at the ends.
Senior Luis Rivas (6-4, 285) and junior Cameron Stephenson (6-5, 305) project as the starting defensive tackles. Out of action because of injury in the spring, Rivas has proven durable his last two years with 11 games played in each.
"We need him to stay healthy because he can be a heck of a defensive lineman, as long as he stays healthy," Schiano said.
Stephenson will make the move from offense to defense, a position he first played as a freshman at Harbor College.
After practicing with the team all last fall after his transfer from Virginia Tech, Howard is still has freshman eligibility. Howard was once ranked by Rivals.com as the 29th-best defensive tackle prospect in the country. His progress could be a huge boost to the Scarlet Knights' cause and he will go into camp as a backup tackle.
A one-time walk-on who competes with the Rutgers wrestling team, Rameel Meekins (6-0, 265), could be the other reserve tackle. He played in nine games last season. Junior Nate Robinson (6-5, 303) could also progress enough to crack the rotation after he played in eight games in 2004. And freshman Joe Salinardi (6-4, 285) and sophomore Rocky Ricks (6-3, 241) will also vie for playing time.
LINEBACKERS
Much will be expected of the linebacker corps that returns all six players on last season's depth chart. In order for the defensive statistics to improve, Rutgers must have more big plays made from this group.
"We have some good players back at linebacker," Schiano said. "We're going to try to find the best three and go from there. There will be some great competition."
Key among the top six will be Devraun Thompson (5-11, 225), whose 60 stops were third-most on the team last season and are second-most among Rutgers returnees. The junior showed signs he could be the type of playmaking linebacker that can set the tone with his nine-tackle game against West Virginia and his seven-tackle games against Pittsburgh and Navy in the second half of last season. He also posted 6.5 tackles for loss in 2004.
Rutgers' other two projected starters -- seniors Terry Bynes (6-2, 225) and Will Gilkison (6-2, 230) -- were just fifth and tied for 10th, respectively, on the Scarlet Knights' tackle list and that'll need to be improved. Good news for Rutgers that Bynes was voted the team's Most Improved Player last fall, so he's on the right track. He led the conference with four fumble recoveries and put the exclamation point on his season with an eight-tackle performance in the season finale against UConn.
Four times Gilkison, a three-year starter, registered five tackles in a game and Rutgers will need more of those performances in 2005.
By the time the season ended last November, William Beckford (6-1, 222) had won back the starting job he'd held in 2003 before a season-ending injury seven games in. Beckford started the last eight Rutgers games last fall, played in all 11, and -- although he broke spring camp as a reserve on the depth chart -- he'll be an important factor. He recorded 44 tackles and five tackles-for-loss last season, a campaign that also featured three games with six tackles.
Senior Brad Cunningham (6-1, 232) contributed in nine of Rutgers' 11 games and finished with four tackles-for-loss on the year. He and junior Quintero Frierson (6-1, 235) should also get time off the bench. Frierson broke camp last fall as Rutgers' starting middle linebacker, but an injury in the season-opener kept him out of four games. His six-tackle performances against Temple and Navy proved he was healthy again and he'll try to return to the starting lineup by the time the ball is snapped for the first time in 2005.
Schiano saw promise in what he witnessed this spring.
"The linebackers, I felt, showed a great deal of improvement," the coach said. "I thought they were in better physical shape and I think they seemed to grasp what we're doing better."
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The 2004 season was a growing up period for the Rutgers secondary, with two sophomores and a true freshman in the starting lineup. Plus veterans Manny Collins (5-10, 180) and Dondre Asberry (5-11, 185) had their seasons cut short by injury after a car accident.
Starting cornerbacks Joe Porter (6-0, 198) and Derrick Roberson (5-10, 175) are now juniors with plenty of experience and Ron Girault (5-11, 195) is on the verge of making a major imprint on the conference from the safety position after an impressive freshman campaign.
Replacing three-year starter and last season's returning tackler, Jarvis Johnson, will be the biggest test for Rutgers. As spring camp broke, senior Joe Nugent (6-1, 209) had been tabbed to fill the void. He played in all 11 games last season, started five times at free safety and showed his talents with nine tackles (eight solo) and an interception against Syracuse.
"The secondary is young, but not as young as last year," Schiano said. "The secondary now has some seasoning to it, the cornerbacks especially. Ron Girault is only a second-year player, but this is a guy who really gets the game of football. He's a natural.
"We need Jason Nugent to rise up and be a big-time safety. He's got the skills; he needs to play, as a senior, the best football he's played since he's been here at Rutgers. If he does that, we're going to have a real good secondary."
Girault impressed Schiano enough to grab a starting spot midway through last season and he finished with the most tackles (61) by any Big East freshman in 2004. Twice he registered 13 tackles in a game and he averaged 9.2 tackles per game over the last six games. There's no reason to believe he won't improve on those digits this season.
Second in the Big East with five interceptions last season, Porter blossomed as a sophomore after a true freshman season spent mostly as a special-teams player in 2003. He finished with 55 tackles, third on the team.
Also forced into action as a freshman two years ago, Roberson started the last eight games at cornerback for the Scarlet Knights in 2004 and put nine tackles on the books against Kent State, then registered seven tackles against Syracuse in his first career start.
There are no more excuses should the cornerback duo fail to live up to Schiano's heightened expectations.
Waiting in the wings at the corner spots will be sophomore Anthony Miller (6-0, 170) and senior Cory Barnes (5-8, 170).
Seven games into last season, Bryan Durango (5-10, 192) suffered déjà vu. A knee injury ended his 2003 season after five games and he suffered the same fate in 2004. If he can stay healthy, he can push Nugent for some playing time this fall.
Freshman Robert Baham (6-0, 185) and sophomore Brandon Renkart (6-3, 225) left spring camp as the top reserves at the safeties.
"In the secondary, we improved quite a bit," Schiano said. "We're playing with a little more confidence and making more plays. I think it was a step in the right direction for this secondary."
Freshmen Jason McCourty (5-11, 170) and Davon Smart (5-10, 185) might also turn some heads at defensive back when they get to New Brunswick.
Collins might be back from injury, but Asberry is not as likely to get back into the fold.
PUNTERS
This will be Joe Radigan's third year as the Scarlet Knights' punter, after he finished in the middle of the pack with an average of 38.4 yards per punt last season.
The one-time No. 2 punter prospect in the East, as projected by Prep Star, Radigan (6-5, 220) dropped 10 punts inside the 20-yard line in 2004 -- down from the 12 he recorded in 2003. His continued improvement will give the Scarlet Knights a boost, and fend off challenges from Ito and Cortese, both of whom have punting experience and could steal the job with a tremendous training camp showing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Moses was one of the Scarlet Knights' top kick returners in 2004 and their top punt returner. He broke spring camp spring camp as the starting punt returner, but could be challenged at both positions as Schiano continues to bring in athletes with breakaway ability.
Moses averaged 20.6 yards per return in the kickoff department, while Foster was the team leader in the department with 21.1 yards per return. On punts, Foster averaged 12.4 yards and Moses averaged 7.7 yards.
"We have the same guys coming back, with Tres and Willie, and I think we have some real deep threats in returning kickoffs," Schiano said. "I'm comfortable, and there should be real good competition there."
Incoming freshman Raymell Rice handled both duties for New Rochelle (N.Y.) High School and might be another candidate. He was rated the 19th-best all-purpose back in the country by Rivals.com.
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