Quotables
Nakia Griffin-Stewart on freshman QB Johnathan Lewis:
“He comes in with a professional mindset and he is very mature for his age. He played excellent, he has been working hard since the first day he came in the summer.”
Chris Ash on Rutgers’ kickoff team:
“When you look at our kickoff team, I was not happy with our kickoff team last year, and we made huge strides in that area. It does start with the kicker, Justin is doing a great job. We got more touchbacks Saturday than we had all last season, more pin-'ems, tackles inside the 20-yard line than we had last year, so there's a combination of the kicker, we're getting really good hang time, we're getting good distance. It allows our coverage to get on the field. And I really like the guys on the coverage unit just as much as the kicker. The attitude they are going down the field with, the fundamentals, the toughness they are displaying on that unit, there's a lot of energy and excitement, and they really want to set the tone for the game when they take the field.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five Remaining RU opponents
5.) Maryland
4.) Michigan State
3.) Ohio State
2.) Michigan
1.) Penn State
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Saturday’s game against Nebraska will be decided by a single-digit point margin
Recruiting Tidbits
’18 QB Sean Chambers (Kerman - CA)
Chambers has enjoyed a solid season so far, racking up around 550 passing yards and three passing touchdowns through four games. He also has 420 rushing yards and five touchdowns in that same span. Chambers is proving to be more than just a quarterback as he also plays inside linebacker and safety for the Kerman Lions. While he is listed as a pro-style QB in the Rivals.com database, he plays more like a dual-threat.
’18 WR Austin Alexander (St. Thomas More - CT)
Alexander has gone through interesting recruitment as he just transferred to St. Thomas from all the way out in California. He made the move to go to a prep school and since his brother is playing in the northeast for the Buffalo Bills, he decided it might be a good fit. He currently holds offers from Fresno Stand Hawaii and is in constant contact with RU recruiting assistant Matt Hewitt. Rutgers is currently full at wide receiver, but if something were to happen, this is one name to keep an eye on.
’18 OL Raiqwon O’Neal (Conway - SC)
O’Neal is still planning on taking his official visit to RU during the second weekend in December. He also still plans on early enrolling in January. He is solidly committed to Rutgers, however schools like Florida, South Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, and more are still heavily trying to persuade him to flip. He has a very good relationship with the Rutgers coaches and it does not seem as though any of the schools reaching out are a current threat.
’18 DE Lancine Turay (Irvington – NJ)
Turay was at Rutgers once again last weekend for the game against Morgan State. It was his second time at a Rutgers game this season, mostly to watch his brother play. Scarlet Nation has learned that Turay will be visiting NC State and UNC sometime soon in the near future while there has been no mention of any other visits.
’19 DE Keith Winfrey (NY):
Recently, Rutgers has started to shift more focus towards the class of 2019. Winfrey is one of the top targets in that class is from the state of the New York. Winfrey has very good film and is already ranked one of the top recruits in New York for the class of 2019. While he doesn’t have an offer currently, there could be one coming in the near future.
Hoops Tidbits
’18 PF Warren Washington (Mission Hills - CA)
Washington took an official visit to Rutgers back in the beginning of September for the weekend of the Washington game. He really enjoyed himself and just a week later, assistant coach Karl Hobbs went out Cali to watch Washington workout and also had an in-home visit. Scarlet Nation has learned that visit went really well. However, Rutgers told the family they are currently full on scholarships, but are expecting to clear that up rather shortly. The family is also very high on Rutgers, but with the lack of scholarships and Washington wanting to sign in the early period, the family has decided to take extra official visits. Visits have been set to Oregon State and Nevada. As of now, it seems that the Rutgers staff will look elsewhere if it opts to add another player in the class of 2018.
Team Tidbits
Rutgers is rolling out the youth movement as 13 true freshmen have played this season. Here is a rundown of what to expect from those freshmen through the rest of the year.
QB Johnathan Lewis – This week, Lewis could wind up seeing the field as much as he did last week against Morgan State. His role figures to be upgraded more and more each week as the season rolls on. There could even be a point in the season when Lewis takes over as the starting quarterback. The play of starter Kyle Bolin will have something to do with that, but it is tough to imagine a scenario where Lewis does not start by the end of the season.
RB Raheem Blackshear – The skillset of Blackshear will enable him to see the field more consistently, primarily because he is a completely different than the other RU tailbacks. Look for Blackshear to get at least a handful of touches each game from here on out.
OT Sam Vretman – The big O-lineman came in at left tackle in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s game against Morgan State. Should anything happen to starter Tariq Cole, Vretman would not be inserted right away as that job would go to Zack Heeman. However, that could change by the final few games of the season. For now, Vretman looks to be a backup to Cole.
OT Micah Clark – Now that Clark has played and continues to progress, there is less margin for error for starting right tackle Kamaal Seymour. If Seymour starts to struggle, the staff looks like it will have no problem turning to Clark. By the season’s end, Clark could very well be the starting right tackle.
WR Bo Melton – Last week was just a small glimpse of what Melton can do as he grabbed a 48-yard reception. Expect to see more of that as Melton’s catches are likely to increase as he continues to assert himself in the pecking order at wide receiver.
WR Everett Wormley – He has seen a decent amount of reps through the first three games and expect that role to continue. However, the impending return of Ahmir Mitchell could cut into playing time for Wormley
WR Hunter Hayek – Playing behind Janarion Grant could earn Hayek more time as Grant has shown himself to be susceptible to injury. Even if Grant stays healthy, expect Hayek to work himself in the game every now and again, as the staff has a lot of confidence in him.
LB Brendan DeVera – It was a bit surprising to see DeVera play the first two games with a club on his hand. However, his absence last game is a signal that he might be taking a medical redshirt because of that hand injury.
LB Tyshon Fogg – The former four-star made his debut last weekend and should start to get some special teams run. Fogg is playing behind junior Trevor Morris at the WILL linebacker spot. Fogg could see some backup duties and spot plays here and there, although it would take consistent struggles from Morris for Fogg to replace him in the starting lineup.
LB Olakunle Fatukasi – The staff is steadily bringing Fatukasi along and it looks like he is being groomed to start at the SAM linebacker position at some point this season. Ross Douglas plays that role in passing situations but as RU starts to prepare some run-first offenses, it could mean more of a chance for Fatukasi. Don’t be surprised if Fatukasi is the first freshman to start on defense this season.
LB/DE CJ Onyechi – So far, it has been special teams for Onyechi and that is expected to continue. He is still learning the defense and still has some work to do to crack the two-deep. It looks to be special teams from here on out for Onyechi.
K Justin Davidovicz – The freshman has turned out to be the best kickoff specialist Rutgers has had in a while. The improvement of kicker Andrew Harte has meant the staff has not had to try to rush Davidovicz into field goal kicking duties as well. Davidovicz has locked up the kickoff spot and that could be his for years to come.
LS Billy Taylor – So far, so good for Taylor as the new long snapper. Taylor is usually one of the first players downfield on punts as he is faster and more athletic than former starter Alan Lucy. It doesn’t look as though Lucy will reclaim the snapping duties from Taylor this season.
Nakia Griffin-Stewart on freshman QB Johnathan Lewis:
“He comes in with a professional mindset and he is very mature for his age. He played excellent, he has been working hard since the first day he came in the summer.”
Chris Ash on Rutgers’ kickoff team:
“When you look at our kickoff team, I was not happy with our kickoff team last year, and we made huge strides in that area. It does start with the kicker, Justin is doing a great job. We got more touchbacks Saturday than we had all last season, more pin-'ems, tackles inside the 20-yard line than we had last year, so there's a combination of the kicker, we're getting really good hang time, we're getting good distance. It allows our coverage to get on the field. And I really like the guys on the coverage unit just as much as the kicker. The attitude they are going down the field with, the fundamentals, the toughness they are displaying on that unit, there's a lot of energy and excitement, and they really want to set the tone for the game when they take the field.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five Remaining RU opponents
5.) Maryland
4.) Michigan State
3.) Ohio State
2.) Michigan
1.) Penn State
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Saturday’s game against Nebraska will be decided by a single-digit point margin
Recruiting Tidbits
’18 QB Sean Chambers (Kerman - CA)
Chambers has enjoyed a solid season so far, racking up around 550 passing yards and three passing touchdowns through four games. He also has 420 rushing yards and five touchdowns in that same span. Chambers is proving to be more than just a quarterback as he also plays inside linebacker and safety for the Kerman Lions. While he is listed as a pro-style QB in the Rivals.com database, he plays more like a dual-threat.
’18 WR Austin Alexander (St. Thomas More - CT)
Alexander has gone through interesting recruitment as he just transferred to St. Thomas from all the way out in California. He made the move to go to a prep school and since his brother is playing in the northeast for the Buffalo Bills, he decided it might be a good fit. He currently holds offers from Fresno Stand Hawaii and is in constant contact with RU recruiting assistant Matt Hewitt. Rutgers is currently full at wide receiver, but if something were to happen, this is one name to keep an eye on.
’18 OL Raiqwon O’Neal (Conway - SC)
O’Neal is still planning on taking his official visit to RU during the second weekend in December. He also still plans on early enrolling in January. He is solidly committed to Rutgers, however schools like Florida, South Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, and more are still heavily trying to persuade him to flip. He has a very good relationship with the Rutgers coaches and it does not seem as though any of the schools reaching out are a current threat.
’18 DE Lancine Turay (Irvington – NJ)
Turay was at Rutgers once again last weekend for the game against Morgan State. It was his second time at a Rutgers game this season, mostly to watch his brother play. Scarlet Nation has learned that Turay will be visiting NC State and UNC sometime soon in the near future while there has been no mention of any other visits.
’19 DE Keith Winfrey (NY):
Recently, Rutgers has started to shift more focus towards the class of 2019. Winfrey is one of the top targets in that class is from the state of the New York. Winfrey has very good film and is already ranked one of the top recruits in New York for the class of 2019. While he doesn’t have an offer currently, there could be one coming in the near future.
Hoops Tidbits
’18 PF Warren Washington (Mission Hills - CA)
Washington took an official visit to Rutgers back in the beginning of September for the weekend of the Washington game. He really enjoyed himself and just a week later, assistant coach Karl Hobbs went out Cali to watch Washington workout and also had an in-home visit. Scarlet Nation has learned that visit went really well. However, Rutgers told the family they are currently full on scholarships, but are expecting to clear that up rather shortly. The family is also very high on Rutgers, but with the lack of scholarships and Washington wanting to sign in the early period, the family has decided to take extra official visits. Visits have been set to Oregon State and Nevada. As of now, it seems that the Rutgers staff will look elsewhere if it opts to add another player in the class of 2018.
Team Tidbits
Rutgers is rolling out the youth movement as 13 true freshmen have played this season. Here is a rundown of what to expect from those freshmen through the rest of the year.
QB Johnathan Lewis – This week, Lewis could wind up seeing the field as much as he did last week against Morgan State. His role figures to be upgraded more and more each week as the season rolls on. There could even be a point in the season when Lewis takes over as the starting quarterback. The play of starter Kyle Bolin will have something to do with that, but it is tough to imagine a scenario where Lewis does not start by the end of the season.
RB Raheem Blackshear – The skillset of Blackshear will enable him to see the field more consistently, primarily because he is a completely different than the other RU tailbacks. Look for Blackshear to get at least a handful of touches each game from here on out.
OT Sam Vretman – The big O-lineman came in at left tackle in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s game against Morgan State. Should anything happen to starter Tariq Cole, Vretman would not be inserted right away as that job would go to Zack Heeman. However, that could change by the final few games of the season. For now, Vretman looks to be a backup to Cole.
OT Micah Clark – Now that Clark has played and continues to progress, there is less margin for error for starting right tackle Kamaal Seymour. If Seymour starts to struggle, the staff looks like it will have no problem turning to Clark. By the season’s end, Clark could very well be the starting right tackle.
WR Bo Melton – Last week was just a small glimpse of what Melton can do as he grabbed a 48-yard reception. Expect to see more of that as Melton’s catches are likely to increase as he continues to assert himself in the pecking order at wide receiver.
WR Everett Wormley – He has seen a decent amount of reps through the first three games and expect that role to continue. However, the impending return of Ahmir Mitchell could cut into playing time for Wormley
WR Hunter Hayek – Playing behind Janarion Grant could earn Hayek more time as Grant has shown himself to be susceptible to injury. Even if Grant stays healthy, expect Hayek to work himself in the game every now and again, as the staff has a lot of confidence in him.
LB Brendan DeVera – It was a bit surprising to see DeVera play the first two games with a club on his hand. However, his absence last game is a signal that he might be taking a medical redshirt because of that hand injury.
LB Tyshon Fogg – The former four-star made his debut last weekend and should start to get some special teams run. Fogg is playing behind junior Trevor Morris at the WILL linebacker spot. Fogg could see some backup duties and spot plays here and there, although it would take consistent struggles from Morris for Fogg to replace him in the starting lineup.
LB Olakunle Fatukasi – The staff is steadily bringing Fatukasi along and it looks like he is being groomed to start at the SAM linebacker position at some point this season. Ross Douglas plays that role in passing situations but as RU starts to prepare some run-first offenses, it could mean more of a chance for Fatukasi. Don’t be surprised if Fatukasi is the first freshman to start on defense this season.
LB/DE CJ Onyechi – So far, it has been special teams for Onyechi and that is expected to continue. He is still learning the defense and still has some work to do to crack the two-deep. It looks to be special teams from here on out for Onyechi.
K Justin Davidovicz – The freshman has turned out to be the best kickoff specialist Rutgers has had in a while. The improvement of kicker Andrew Harte has meant the staff has not had to try to rush Davidovicz into field goal kicking duties as well. Davidovicz has locked up the kickoff spot and that could be his for years to come.
LS Billy Taylor – So far, so good for Taylor as the new long snapper. Taylor is usually one of the first players downfield on punts as he is faster and more athletic than former starter Alan Lucy. It doesn’t look as though Lucy will reclaim the snapping duties from Taylor this season.
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