PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Rutgers is entering its second season in the Big Ten Conference in very much the same position.
Experts aren't expecting much from the Scarlet Knights even though they might have been one of the biggest surprises in the conference last season.
Picked to finish near the bottom in the league, Rutgers posted an 8-5 record (3-5 Big Ten) and beat North Carolina 40-21 in the Quicken Lane Bowl in Detroit.
Coach Kyle Flood has some big questions to be answered this season. Quarterback Gary Nova, the starter much of the last four seasons, has to be replaced and the offensive line also is looking to fill some holes.
For the most part, the Scarlet Knights have the talent to compete with most of the teams in the conference. But they lack depth and a couple key injuries might be the difference between another winning season and a 4-8 record.
The strength of the team is the receiving corps led by senior Leonte Carroo, who opted to skip the NFL draft, and the running backs led by senior Paul James and a couple of sophomores: Robert Martin and Josh Hicks, the MVP of Quicken Bowl.
Ben McDaniels has taken over as the offensive coordinator, replacing Ralph Friedgen, who will continue to serve as a consultant.
Rutgers has a couple of impact players on defense in linemen Darius Hamilton and Kemoko Turay and linebacker Steve Longa. Freshman Blessuan Austin is pushing to start at cornerback.
"My goal is to go to the Rose Bowl and get a 10-win season," Carroo said. "Every single day before I break it down for the team meeting or anything else, I yell: 'Big Ten Championship.' That's our motto and that's our goal and where I am yelling to get to."
Maybe that's a carry-over from last season, when the Scarlet Knights felt no one was giving them any respect.
It'll be hard to earn it again with a schedule that includes home games against Michigan State and Ohio State in October.
Here are some things to watch from the Scarlet Knights this season:
Read the rest at the link below
http://www.mlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/08/big_ten_previews_rutgers.html
Experts aren't expecting much from the Scarlet Knights even though they might have been one of the biggest surprises in the conference last season.
Picked to finish near the bottom in the league, Rutgers posted an 8-5 record (3-5 Big Ten) and beat North Carolina 40-21 in the Quicken Lane Bowl in Detroit.
Coach Kyle Flood has some big questions to be answered this season. Quarterback Gary Nova, the starter much of the last four seasons, has to be replaced and the offensive line also is looking to fill some holes.
For the most part, the Scarlet Knights have the talent to compete with most of the teams in the conference. But they lack depth and a couple key injuries might be the difference between another winning season and a 4-8 record.
The strength of the team is the receiving corps led by senior Leonte Carroo, who opted to skip the NFL draft, and the running backs led by senior Paul James and a couple of sophomores: Robert Martin and Josh Hicks, the MVP of Quicken Bowl.
Ben McDaniels has taken over as the offensive coordinator, replacing Ralph Friedgen, who will continue to serve as a consultant.
Rutgers has a couple of impact players on defense in linemen Darius Hamilton and Kemoko Turay and linebacker Steve Longa. Freshman Blessuan Austin is pushing to start at cornerback.
"My goal is to go to the Rose Bowl and get a 10-win season," Carroo said. "Every single day before I break it down for the team meeting or anything else, I yell: 'Big Ten Championship.' That's our motto and that's our goal and where I am yelling to get to."
Maybe that's a carry-over from last season, when the Scarlet Knights felt no one was giving them any respect.
It'll be hard to earn it again with a schedule that includes home games against Michigan State and Ohio State in October.
Here are some things to watch from the Scarlet Knights this season:
Read the rest at the link below
http://www.mlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/08/big_ten_previews_rutgers.html
