2011 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Football Preview

Although expectations weren’t through the roof, no one expected Rutgers to suffer the collapse it endured in 2010. After building the program from virtually nothing to a consistent postseason participant, the bottom fell out for coach Greg Schiano as Rutgers finished 2010 just 4-8. The tailspin resulted in RU’s first losing season since 2004.

The Scarlet Knights were a study in Murphy’s Law – virtually every imaginable thing that could go wrong did go wrong. Popular teammate Eric LeGrand suffered a devastating spinal injury and became both a rallying point as well as an emotional burden for the team. The quarterback controversy the Scarlet Knights had hoped to avoid erupted in full fury, as freshman Chas Dodd outperformed highly-touted Tom Savage, who ultimately transferred after the season. The offensive line struggled, culminating in a sackfest in the season finale when Louisville sacked Dodd nine times. Schiano made some offseason changes to his staff in hopes of getting back to the winning style of football Rutgers fans had become accustomed to.

After opening the season behind Savage, Chas Dodd was given a chance to see the field for Rutgers in 2010. Against UConn, he took full advantage. Dodd threw for over 300 yards in a win and seized control of the quarterback position. Dodd’s command of the starting spot was so substantial, in fact, that Savage decided to transfer and now the job is even more in Dodd’s hands. After utilizing multiple sets and various forms of the wildcat formation to generate yards on the ground, Schiano hired former Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti for the same position. Cignetti is an advocate for a physical, pro-style offense that runs often and utilizes the play-action passing game to punish opponents for over-defending the run. It’s an offense that fits Dodd’s skill set perfectly, enabling the second-year performer to blossom in 2011.

The pieces around Dodd will be significantly better than they were in 2011. Four of five offensive linemen return within an offensive framework geared more toward their strength – run blocking. Jeremy Deering carried the ball just 77 times last year, and might carry it even less once Savon Huggins arrives on campus. Huggins was one of the nation’s most sought-after running backs out of high school and will have every opportunity to take over the tailback position from day one. When Dodd goes to the air, he’ll have one of the better all-purpose receivers in the country to throw to in Mohamed Sanu. The hybridized Sanu is a threat running the ball out of the wildcat and as a receiver. He’ll be used more as a receiver than last season now that Huggins is there to carry the ball.

The biggest challenge for Schiano, a former defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, will be in reconstructing a defense that returns just five starters and wasn’t particularly effective in 2010. Up front, Manny Abreu, a heralded linebacker recruit, has continued to grow and has now moved to a rush defensive end position. The Scarlet Knights will field a very undersized defensive line with no projected starter over 270 pounds. There will also be opportunities for any number of February’s recruiting class to see the field early. With Abreu at end, the linebacking corps still has Steve Beauharnais and Khaseem Greene, the leading returning tacklers from 2010. KaiLial Glaud some plenty of game time in 2010 and should fill in at the middle linebacker position.

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The real sore spot for Schiano’s defense is in the secondary, where all four starters from a year ago are now gone. David Rowe takes over at safety. He’s the lone senior of the secondary and the likely leader. Marcus Cooper and Brandon Jones are the new corners. Both saw playing time last year as reserves but neither has ever started a game. Given that the defensive line is so raw, the secondary will be counted on to play a lot of man coverage to allow for blitzes and other creative ways of creating pressure. If they’re not up for the task, it could be another long year in Piscataway.

The schedule is manageable for a team hoping to make it back to the postseason. The Scarlet Knights open with North Carolina Central and travel to North Carolina before returning home to face Ohio. They also get Navy at home and face Army at the new Yankee Stadium. Home games against Pitt, West Virginia, South Florida and Cincinnati will at least get them the conference’s toughest games in their own backyard. As long as they take care of business out of conference, the Scarlet Knights should be a bowl team in 2011.