Huge Win, Just Huge!! We're Going Bowling Again - and the Last 2 are Winnable!

[RU848789]

Despite all the injuries, Schiano and staff clearly had this team ready emotionally and gameplan-wise on both sides of the ball. We played excellent bend but don't break defense and got that huge INT, while we also executed quite well on offense, especially AK and his WRs (and the O-line protection), as AK went 20-30 for 238 and 2 TDs - very efficient game with some beautiful throws. I assume we'll see some crow being eaten by the usual suspects who had counted RU out at 4-4. Not me and not many other fans. Love the fight and grit of this team. Now let's go beat a very beatable Illini team at home next week and another very beatable MSU team on the road to get to 8-4 and a nice bowl (I will take 7-5 as that's improvement over last year and was my preseason prediction).

Edit: RU just sent this out. Nice.

 

[MulletCork]

Great road win! Hell yeah!

 

[Barnaby&Neill]

Despite all the injuries, Schiano and staff clearly had this team ready emotionally and gameplan-wise on both sides of the ball. We played excellent bend but don't break defense and got that huge INT, while we also executed quite well on offense, especially AK and his WRs (and the O-line protection), as AK went 20-30 for 238 and 2 TDs - very efficient game with some beautiful throws. I assume we'll see some crow being eaten by the usual suspects who had counted RU out at 4-4. Not me and not many other fans. Love the fight and grit of this team. Now let's go beat a very beatable Illini team at home next week and another very beatable MSU team on the road to get to 8-4 and a nice bowl (I will take 7-5 as that's improvement over last year and was my preseason prediction).

People here crap on him, but Schiano does a nice job with this program. Five years ago we were the worst team in power conference football, and one of the worst in FBS, now we’re bowling for the second consecutive season.

 

[RUich]

truly a great accomplishment by the coaches to get beyond the injuries.

 

[ashokan]

truly a great accomplishment by the coaches to get beyond the injuries.

They also had to take the training wheels off the offense after 4 straight loses.
Its nice playing to win instead of not to lose.

 

[newwavedave1]

They also had to take the training wheels off the offense after 4 straight loses.
Its nice playing to win instead of not to lose.

Agree 1000%

 

[rutobs]

Despite all the injuries, Schiano and staff clearly had this team ready emotionally and gameplan-wise on both sides of the ball. We played excellent bend but don't break defense and got that huge INT, while we also executed quite well on offense, especially AK and his WRs (and the O-line protection), as AK went 20-30 for 238 and 2 TDs - very efficient game with some beautiful throws. I assume we'll see some crow being eaten by the usual suspects who had counted RU out at 4-4. Not me and not many other fans. Love the fight and grit of this team. Now let's go beat a very beatable Illini team at home next week and another very beatable MSU team on the road to get to 8-4 and a nice bowl (I will take 7-5 as that's improvement over last year and was my preseason prediction).

Well said

 

[BigEastPhil]

Whatever occurred during the bye week - I d like a taste of it !

Love how Schiano and Kirk have become aggressive on offense and have installed a pass offense and a diversified offensive game plan.

Kudos to Joe H for getting the D back to being formidable !

 

[nutfromSEC117]

 

[RU848789]

Whatever occurred during the bye week - I d like a taste of it !

Love how Schiano and Kirk have become aggressive on offense and have installed a pass offense and a diversified offensive game plan.

Kudos to Joe H for getting the D back to being formidable !

Me too! Some very good adjustments by the staff and it helps that we've gotten a bit healthier.

 

[ashokan]

Whatever occurred during the bye week - I d like a taste of it !

Love how Schiano and Kirk have become aggressive on offense and have installed a pass offense and a diversified offensive game plan.

Kudos to Joe H for getting the D back to being formidable !

Miller and Strong with 5 total TDs the last two games.
Miller had gone 7 games without any TDs
Strong had a 65 yd deep throw vs Minn and I had to check I wasn't dreaming
Even MD announcer was mentioning GS as usually running a low risk, controlled offense.

 

[jaydogsmooth1]

Great win
That game was Rutgers football in a nutshell - and what we should expect week in, and week out, from the boys

 

[BossNJ]

Kirk has essentially done what us critics were saying after the 4 straight losses which is, open up the offense and trust your QB.

As another poster said, play to win versus playing not to lose.

 

[Shelby65]

KM being out forced their hand. It had been offensive malpractice before last week.

 

[ScarletKid2008]

It does seem like the last two games the coaching on both sides of the ball was the difference!!

Ian Strong is incredible. Started to remind of Sanu with those strong hands snatching the ball and making the QB look good even on bad throws.

 

[Shelby65]

They also had to take the training wheels off the offense after 4 straight loses.
Its nice playing to win instead of not to lose.

That was the problem. Philosophy.

 

[BossNJ]

That was the problem. Philosophy.

Shelby is right

 

[shields]

Shelby is annoying.

 

[ashokan]

KM being out forced their hand. It had been offensive malpractice before last week.

Schiano said a lot of injuries forced their hand and the coaches "got creative" with multiple receiver sets and shifted personnel.


"Rutgers was not only without Monangai on Saturday. Many offensive weapons have been lost for the season and this has made Ciarrocca’s job more difficult.

“You have to remember, we lost our starting tight end and we lost our second team tight end, right, and that’s the same thing we had at the running back position,” Schiano said. “We had lost our second-team running back and then we lost our first team running back. So I think you have to be more creative.”

Rutgers Football offense shows much-needed creativity in win against Minnesota​

Rutgers Football offense shows much-needed creativity in win against Minnesota

The Scarlet Knights showed different offensive sets against Minnesota.

www.onthebanks.com

 

[miket007]

That was the problem. Philosophy.

And the good thing about how things worked out for the offense is i don't ever see us going back to the "GS way" of pounding the rock straight up the middle on multiple downs with low passing risk....

 

[Shelby65]

not with AK at least….

 

[RUTGERS95]

Despite all the injuries, Schiano and staff clearly had this team ready emotionally and gameplan-wise on both sides of the ball. We played excellent bend but don't break defense and got that huge INT, while we also executed quite well on offense, especially AK and his WRs (and the O-line protection), as AK went 20-30 for 238 and 2 TDs - very efficient game with some beautiful throws. I assume we'll see some crow being eaten by the usual suspects who had counted RU out at 4-4. Not me and not many other fans. Love the fight and grit of this team. Now let's go beat a very beatable Illini team at home next week and another very beatable MSU team on the road to get to 8-4 and a nice bowl (I will take 7-5 as that's improvement over last year and was my preseason prediction).

Edit: RU just sent this out. Nice.

have to agree and this is the first game all year that coaches, imho, earned their pay. I was hoping we'd favor throwing more in this game and with Kongo back was nervous Greg would do old ways but nope, very happy with approach

great job by the team, GREAT job by the coaches last night


RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Section124]

And the good thing about how things worked out for the offense is i don't ever see us going back to the "GS way" of pounding the rock straight up the middle on multiple downs with low passing risk....

With KM and the TE's geting hurt, they finally are running the offense we have been asking for all year. Finally seems that Miller is not being wasted.

 

[RU-05]

Kirk has essentially done what us critics were saying after the 4 straight losses which is, open up the offense and trust your QB.

As another poster said, play to win versus playing not to lose.

Was the offense the problem during that losing streak? Or was it the defense?

And if the offense did contribute to the losses it doesn't look like the problem was playing too conservatively. AK's top 2 attempt games this year, which were also his top 2 games in terms of yardage, came during the losing streak. On average he threw the ball more during that streak then he has in the 2 wins since.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Was the offense the problem during that losing streak? Or was it the defense?

And if the offense did contribute to the losses it doesn't look like the problem was playing too conservatively. AK's top 2 attempt games this year, which were also his top 2 games in terms of yardage, came during the lossing streak. On average he threw the ball more during that streak then he has in the 2 wins since.

it was both to say the Offense wasn't an issue in 2 of those 4 is laughable

 

[Shelby65]

With KM and the TE's geting hurt, they finally are running the offense we have been asking for all year. Finally seems that Miller is not being wasted.

Which is what Shelby has been saying all year. Schiano was the reason for the high school offense. We had 3rd and 4th string RBs last week and we lost another TE yesterday and it didn’t matter one bit.

All the fan and coach excuses were bullcrap. The only reason the offense sucked until last week was because of Schiano’s ultra-low risk philosophy. Heck, Dremel’s punt return last week was probably what sank the boat.

 

[RUbacker]

Kirk has essentially done what us critics were saying after the 4 straight losses which is, open up the offense and trust your QB.

As another poster said, play to win versus playing not to lose.

That 4th and 2 where we went for it and with a pass tells you all you need to know.

 

[RU-05]

They also had to take the training wheels off the offense after 4 straight loses.
Its nice playing to win instead of not to lose.

We did throw the ball 30+ times in each of those losses.

I just don't think this "Schiano's conservative offense cost us games" narrative has much basis.

 

[RU in IM]

That 4th and 2 where we went for it and with a pass tells you all you need to know.

I thought a FG to tie made more sense, but super excited with the play call and execution. The philosophy has certainly changed for the better.

 

[RUbacker]

I thought a FG to tie made more sense, but super excited with the play call and execution. The philosophy has certainly changed for the better.

Schiano can’t win if he doesn’t go for it there he gets attacked for playing not to lose and if he goes for it and is aggressive guys like you get on him. Like I said can’t win he needs to do what he needs to do to win and we won!

 

[RU848789]

Which is what Shelby has been saying all year. Schiano was the reason for the high school offense. We had 3rd and 4th string RBs last week and we lost another TE yesterday and it didn’t matter one bit.

All the fan and coach excuses were bullcrap. The only reason the offense sucked until last week was because of Schiano’s ultra-low risk philosophy. Heck, Dremel’s punt return last week was probably what sank the boat.

You just can't help yourself can you? The offense didn't "suck" until last week - it only truly sucked against Wisconsin and Nebraska. It was decent to good in the rest of the games, averaging 25 points per game against our 4 "good" opponents outside of WI/NE before MN (going 2-2 in those games) and 47 against our 2 cupcakes. And, of course, averaging 28.5 the last 2 weeks.

 

[RUTGERS95]

That 4th and 2 where we went for it and with a pass tells you all you need to know.

being honest, was shocked we went for it vs the fg. shocked is probably too much of an understatement there

glad he did obviously

 

[RUTGERS95]

You just can't help yourself can you? The offense didn't "suck" until last week - it only truly sucked against Wisconsin and Nebraska. It was decent to good in the rest of the games, averaging 25 points per game against our 4 "good" opponents outside of WI/NE before MN (going 2-2 in those games) and 47 against our 2 cupcakes. And, of course, averaging 28.5 the last 2 weeks.

testify!

 

[Barnaby&Neill]

You just can't help yourself can you? The offense didn't "suck" until last week - it only truly sucked against Wisconsin and Nebraska. It was decent to good in the rest of the games, averaging 25 points per game against our 4 "good" opponents outside of WI/NE before MN (going 2-2 in those games) and 47 against our 2 cupcakes. And, of course, averaging 28.5 the last 2 weeks.

Also some of the Nebraska debacle has to be chalked up to execution vs coaching philosophy. Long pass that should have been a TD bouncing off the WR’s helmet comes to mind.

 

[RU848789]

Also some of the Nebraska debacle has to be chalked up to execution vs coaching philosophy. Long pass that should have been a TD bouncing off the WR’s helmet comes to mind.

2 TOs didn't help either. Actually total yards for both teams was even, so it wasn't terrible offense from a yards perspective.

 

[BossNJ]

Was the offense the problem during that losing streak? Or was it the defense?

And if the offense did contribute to the losses it doesn't look like the problem was playing too conservatively. AK's top 2 attempt games this year, which were also his top 2 games in terms of yardage, came during the losing streak. On average he threw the ball more during that streak then he has in the 2 wins since.

Both were problems (other than maybe the UCLA game) but the defense was far more incompetent, missing tackles and not understanding their gap responsibilities.

My point was that Athan is being trusted more now to throw over the middle. If you recall most of his long passes earlier in the year were along the sidelines and often sailed out of bounds as uncatchable.

 

[Shelby65]

B

Schiano can’t win if he doesn’t go for it there he gets attacked for playing not to lose and if he goes for it and is aggressive guys like you get on him. Like I said can’t win he needs to do what he needs to do to win and we won!

No one would have criticized him for kicking the FG there. But he banked on the weak MD secondary not being able to stop 2 short passes in a row. It’s why no running plays there. Anyhow, good for him. Gutsy.

 

[RUGuitarMan]

I didn’t think they should have gone for it on that 4th down play. I was all for kicking a short FG and tying the game. It worked out and changed the game. Good for them. Of course if the pass was incomplete many would have changed their tune about “going for it” on 4th down.

 

[Knight Shift]

You just can't help yourself can you? The offense didn't "suck" until last week - it only truly sucked against Wisconsin and Nebraska. It was decent to good in the rest of the games, averaging 25 points per game against our 4 "good" opponents outside of WI/NE before MN (going 2-2 in those games) and 47 against our 2 cupcakes. And, of course, averaging 28.5 the last 2 weeks.

I give you guys credit (and some shit) for bothering to respond to that dolt.
Maybe someone has an explanation, but Wisconsin has had some very impressive games on defense. Held Oregon to 16 points yesterday. While not a murderer's row of offensive firepower, they held RU, NW and Purdue to a total of 16 points in 3 games.

 

[Knight Shift]

2 TOs didn't help either. Actually total yards for both teams was even, so it wasn't terrible offense from a yards perspective.

Nobody wants to hear it, but the conditions during that game with the wind and the heat were insane.
Nebraska's QB had his worst passing game in completion % and total yards that game- 13/27 for 134 yards, 0 TD and 1 INT.