ROUND TABLE QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Jon Hilliman on coming home to play for Rutgers as a grad transfer:
“I’d tell future recruits that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. There is just a different level of energy when you come home and get a chance to defend where you’re from.”
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Offensive lineman Xavier Truss deserves this distinction as he picked up a Rutgers offer last week to add to his growing list. That is pretty monumental considering the state of Rhode Island has produced just three power five players is the last 10-plus years. Truss is drawing offers on a national level as the 6-foot-7, 325-pounder is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after recruits in the northeast in the class of 2019.
WHAT OFFENSIVE STYLE BEST FITS RUTGERS?
Fans are wondering whether new offensive coordinator, John McNulty will go back to his pro-style roots next year, or if he will try something new. Perhaps he will tailor his playbook to what the top teams in his recruiting territory are doing. According to Pat Rice of NJVarsity.com, here is what some of the top coaches in New Jersey said when he interviewed them for his 2017 previews:
DePaul High School assistant, Bryan Murray, expanded on it. “That’s a fancy way of saying that we run a spread offense, but you will also see at some point 2-back, i formation, pound it in your face type stuff. It is really a mish mash of different stuff. Traditionally we run the spread, but we also line up in the i formation, and we pound it at you running a basic isolation at the linebacker or a 2 back counter. The word spread is the en vogue word right now, but being multiple is a way to say that we will have two back formations, tight end, i formation - which is not really spread. You’ll see Bergen Catholic in a pistol, power i, wing t -- that’s where the multiple comes. But it is all based out of spread because everybody wants to run the spread today.”
So, what does Murray see happening at Rutgers now that McNulty has returned?
“If you look at what he did at his first go around, and then what he did recently with the Chargers, and then mesh it with the vision that Ash has, you would end up with what I consider a multiple spread offense. You will see all of those different looks, all of those personnel groupings -- based on what John has done in the past and what Chris has communicated with the recruits and coaches. That would be really multiple, and that plays to the talents of our state. There are parts of our state where people are running the wing t, others are running two back, and around here everyone is spread or multiple spread, RPO kind of stuff. You can find guys around the state to fill every type of system.”
As a well-traveled coach with stops at multiple college and professional programs, McNulty seems like a good candidate to make the most of the talent in the state.
PODCAST NUGGET
In our latest Scarlet Nation podcast, we spoke with Marcus Hammond of nextlevelgreats.com, who has worked with many of the state's top quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs. He provided his expert opinion on the Rutgers quarterback situation heading into 2018. I went into the podcast hoping that Hammond would come out with a clear-cut choice at quarterback, but left feeling that the position has some intriguing options but only one with a slight advantage - Lewis. In the days following the taping, it was announced the John McNulty would take the reins at offensive coordinator. It will be interesting to see which quarterback steps forward and earns the starting job in McNulty’s system.
INSIDE BOBBY'S BRAIN
The Rutgers offensive coordinator search finally came to an end last week in what was one of the longer searches in recent history. However, one of the primary factors in this search was finding a coach who would not bolt after one season. Ash seems to have found that in John McNulty. However, it remains to be seen as to what kind of offense he will run. The traditional pro-style offense has been a mainstay at Rutgers and it’s what McNulty ran during his last stint. However, the college game has changed and evolved since 2008 and it seems as though McNulty is going to have to fit in some new wrinkles, especially since successful pro-style offenses are becoming less abundant in the college game. In order for Rutgers to climb out of the offensive cellar, there is going to be a need for some creativity on offense.
Jon Hilliman on coming home to play for Rutgers as a grad transfer:
“I’d tell future recruits that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. There is just a different level of energy when you come home and get a chance to defend where you’re from.”
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Offensive lineman Xavier Truss deserves this distinction as he picked up a Rutgers offer last week to add to his growing list. That is pretty monumental considering the state of Rhode Island has produced just three power five players is the last 10-plus years. Truss is drawing offers on a national level as the 6-foot-7, 325-pounder is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after recruits in the northeast in the class of 2019.
WHAT OFFENSIVE STYLE BEST FITS RUTGERS?
Fans are wondering whether new offensive coordinator, John McNulty will go back to his pro-style roots next year, or if he will try something new. Perhaps he will tailor his playbook to what the top teams in his recruiting territory are doing. According to Pat Rice of NJVarsity.com, here is what some of the top coaches in New Jersey said when he interviewed them for his 2017 previews:
- Bergen Catholic: multiple spread
- DePaul: multiple spread
- Don Bosco: multiple spread
- Montclair: multiple spread
- Paramus Catholic: multiple spread
- Pope John: multiple spread
- St. Joe’s: multiple
- St. Peter’s Prep: spread
- Timber Creek: multiple spread
- Wayne Hills: multiple spread and I
DePaul High School assistant, Bryan Murray, expanded on it. “That’s a fancy way of saying that we run a spread offense, but you will also see at some point 2-back, i formation, pound it in your face type stuff. It is really a mish mash of different stuff. Traditionally we run the spread, but we also line up in the i formation, and we pound it at you running a basic isolation at the linebacker or a 2 back counter. The word spread is the en vogue word right now, but being multiple is a way to say that we will have two back formations, tight end, i formation - which is not really spread. You’ll see Bergen Catholic in a pistol, power i, wing t -- that’s where the multiple comes. But it is all based out of spread because everybody wants to run the spread today.”
So, what does Murray see happening at Rutgers now that McNulty has returned?
“If you look at what he did at his first go around, and then what he did recently with the Chargers, and then mesh it with the vision that Ash has, you would end up with what I consider a multiple spread offense. You will see all of those different looks, all of those personnel groupings -- based on what John has done in the past and what Chris has communicated with the recruits and coaches. That would be really multiple, and that plays to the talents of our state. There are parts of our state where people are running the wing t, others are running two back, and around here everyone is spread or multiple spread, RPO kind of stuff. You can find guys around the state to fill every type of system.”
As a well-traveled coach with stops at multiple college and professional programs, McNulty seems like a good candidate to make the most of the talent in the state.
PODCAST NUGGET
In our latest Scarlet Nation podcast, we spoke with Marcus Hammond of nextlevelgreats.com, who has worked with many of the state's top quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs. He provided his expert opinion on the Rutgers quarterback situation heading into 2018. I went into the podcast hoping that Hammond would come out with a clear-cut choice at quarterback, but left feeling that the position has some intriguing options but only one with a slight advantage - Lewis. In the days following the taping, it was announced the John McNulty would take the reins at offensive coordinator. It will be interesting to see which quarterback steps forward and earns the starting job in McNulty’s system.
INSIDE BOBBY'S BRAIN
The Rutgers offensive coordinator search finally came to an end last week in what was one of the longer searches in recent history. However, one of the primary factors in this search was finding a coach who would not bolt after one season. Ash seems to have found that in John McNulty. However, it remains to be seen as to what kind of offense he will run. The traditional pro-style offense has been a mainstay at Rutgers and it’s what McNulty ran during his last stint. However, the college game has changed and evolved since 2008 and it seems as though McNulty is going to have to fit in some new wrinkles, especially since successful pro-style offenses are becoming less abundant in the college game. In order for Rutgers to climb out of the offensive cellar, there is going to be a need for some creativity on offense.
