nelsonmuntz
Point Center
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 44,143
- Reaction Score
- 32,984
Offense
Schiano just could not leave the QB position alone. Natale dutifully waits his turn, and then Schiano dumps him for Savage. Savage struggles, because, surprise, he is a young QB, and Schiano dumps him for Chas Dodd, who doesn’t have half the arm of Savage and is a midget, but is fun to watch. Then Schiano decides to bail on Dodd for Nova. Who is the best QB? I think they all could be decent, but Rutgers has to just pick one and go with it. Rutgers could not have screwed the QB position up any worse than if Schiano was trying to deliberately sabotage the team.
I like Jamison at tailback, but I am not sure who will get the start. The team was young at TB last year, and I expect a big improvement year over year. For the first time since Ray Rice graduated, there is real talent at RB and Rutgers even has depth now. Sanu was one of the most dynamic players in the Big East, but Rutgers still has a ton of depth at WR and should be fine there. Coleman could be a star, and Harrison is very good. The offensive line struggled, but a lot of that can be blamed on freshmen RB’s and the mess at QB. There is lots of returning playing time on the 2 deep despite the loss of Forst and Wynn. I expect the line to look a lot better unless Schiano figures out a way to meddle with the offense from Tampa.
Defense
On paper, Rutgers defensive line looks like one of the best in the Big East, but it has underperformed the past two years. Manny Abreu, the greatest player to never actually play all that great, is gone. Larrow and Glaud are good ends, and Vallone and Holmes should be solid in the middle. The only thing lacking on the line is the one star that commands a double team. That means everyone has to do their job every down.
On paper, the linebackers look really, really good. Greene is tremendous, and Beuharnais rarely misses tackles. Merrell is a quality player too. The thing is, with as much blitzing as Rutgers does, why doesn’t this group have more sacks? And 3.8 ypc against is OK, nothing special, especially considering how good the DL is.
On paper, the secondary looks really good. Ryan and Jones are excellent corners, and the safeties are good too. There is depth at this position too.
Rutgers’ defensive stats were very good last year, 311 yards per game, 36 sacks, opposing passers were barely over 50%. This defense should be great though. There is not a single hole anywhere. This is a ball hawking defense that causes a lot of turnovers too. This defense should be one of the best in the country.
Schedule
Typical RU schedule, with a trip to Tulane followed up with a game against Howard (this can’t count for bowl eligibility, can it?). At Arkansas, then Kent State and Army at home later on. Arkansas will be a great test, and should show whether Rutgers is just OK, or prepared to be a player nationally. 4 BE road games, but the right ones for the most part. Temple and Pitt are on the road, and Rutgers should win both. Cincinnati and USF are also on the road, and those will be tough.
Conclusion
Greg Schiano did the hardest thing for a coach to do at any level. He turned around a terrible football program and made it competitive, and occasionally even good. There are so few examples of this, that they are easy to name. That said, he was a disaster on the sideline at time. His playcalling was predictable, even when he would take absurd risks, you kinda knew it was coming. He made a mess of the QB position, and the team has flat out underachieved each of the past 4 years.
I don’t know if Flood is the answer. He did a good job on D, but Schiano was always very hands on with defense, so its hard to know what was Flood and what was Schiano. The rest of the staff is underwhelming. A first time DC was a mistake with a team as talented as this one. I think the program will be better in the short term because Schiano was such a terrible game coach that Flood has to be an improvement. I don’t feel as sure about the intangibles. Schiano was a great recruiter and tremendous motivator. No matter how stupid Schiano’s decisions were, the team never gave up on a game. I don’t know if Flood can replicate that. This team is good, and will contend for a Big East title and give Arkansas a scare, but it is not good enough to pull off either.
Prediction: 9-3 (5-2)
Schiano just could not leave the QB position alone. Natale dutifully waits his turn, and then Schiano dumps him for Savage. Savage struggles, because, surprise, he is a young QB, and Schiano dumps him for Chas Dodd, who doesn’t have half the arm of Savage and is a midget, but is fun to watch. Then Schiano decides to bail on Dodd for Nova. Who is the best QB? I think they all could be decent, but Rutgers has to just pick one and go with it. Rutgers could not have screwed the QB position up any worse than if Schiano was trying to deliberately sabotage the team.
I like Jamison at tailback, but I am not sure who will get the start. The team was young at TB last year, and I expect a big improvement year over year. For the first time since Ray Rice graduated, there is real talent at RB and Rutgers even has depth now. Sanu was one of the most dynamic players in the Big East, but Rutgers still has a ton of depth at WR and should be fine there. Coleman could be a star, and Harrison is very good. The offensive line struggled, but a lot of that can be blamed on freshmen RB’s and the mess at QB. There is lots of returning playing time on the 2 deep despite the loss of Forst and Wynn. I expect the line to look a lot better unless Schiano figures out a way to meddle with the offense from Tampa.
Defense
On paper, Rutgers defensive line looks like one of the best in the Big East, but it has underperformed the past two years. Manny Abreu, the greatest player to never actually play all that great, is gone. Larrow and Glaud are good ends, and Vallone and Holmes should be solid in the middle. The only thing lacking on the line is the one star that commands a double team. That means everyone has to do their job every down.
On paper, the linebackers look really, really good. Greene is tremendous, and Beuharnais rarely misses tackles. Merrell is a quality player too. The thing is, with as much blitzing as Rutgers does, why doesn’t this group have more sacks? And 3.8 ypc against is OK, nothing special, especially considering how good the DL is.
On paper, the secondary looks really good. Ryan and Jones are excellent corners, and the safeties are good too. There is depth at this position too.
Rutgers’ defensive stats were very good last year, 311 yards per game, 36 sacks, opposing passers were barely over 50%. This defense should be great though. There is not a single hole anywhere. This is a ball hawking defense that causes a lot of turnovers too. This defense should be one of the best in the country.
Schedule
Typical RU schedule, with a trip to Tulane followed up with a game against Howard (this can’t count for bowl eligibility, can it?). At Arkansas, then Kent State and Army at home later on. Arkansas will be a great test, and should show whether Rutgers is just OK, or prepared to be a player nationally. 4 BE road games, but the right ones for the most part. Temple and Pitt are on the road, and Rutgers should win both. Cincinnati and USF are also on the road, and those will be tough.
Conclusion
Greg Schiano did the hardest thing for a coach to do at any level. He turned around a terrible football program and made it competitive, and occasionally even good. There are so few examples of this, that they are easy to name. That said, he was a disaster on the sideline at time. His playcalling was predictable, even when he would take absurd risks, you kinda knew it was coming. He made a mess of the QB position, and the team has flat out underachieved each of the past 4 years.
I don’t know if Flood is the answer. He did a good job on D, but Schiano was always very hands on with defense, so its hard to know what was Flood and what was Schiano. The rest of the staff is underwhelming. A first time DC was a mistake with a team as talented as this one. I think the program will be better in the short term because Schiano was such a terrible game coach that Flood has to be an improvement. I don’t feel as sure about the intangibles. Schiano was a great recruiter and tremendous motivator. No matter how stupid Schiano’s decisions were, the team never gave up on a game. I don’t know if Flood can replicate that. This team is good, and will contend for a Big East title and give Arkansas a scare, but it is not good enough to pull off either.
Prediction: 9-3 (5-2)
)... Rutgers FB's winningest coach... including 8 straight winning seasons from 1973-1980 with 2, 9 win seasons and 1, 11 win undefeated season (we only went to a bowl once during that time - during 1 of the 9 win seasons in 1978)...