Rutgers Football decision to concentrate on improving/controlling the Offensive and Defensive Line first is working. Is 2025 our breakout year?

[RCBeta79]

Rutgers Football decision to concentrate on improving/controlling the Offensive and Defensive Line first is working.
This is what wins championships.

Is 2025 our breakout year?

Michigan and Washington have one thing in common.
They both control the line of scrimmage on offense and defense.

A national championship team only needs a capable QB to succeed.
Of course, a successful running game sets up the pass game, even for an average QB.

If you have a good offensive line, good QBs, good running backs, and good receivers want to play for your team.

Coach Schiano has built a very good defensive team that keeps Rutgers in games and has improved the offensive line each year.
Our running game is solid, and we only need the QB position to be above average and a few good receivers for major success.

I believe that we will see more improvement at the QB position in 2024 and make a major step into the top 25 in 2025.

When do you think Rutgers will take a major leap forward into the national rankings?

 

[Kbee3]

I could be wrong but I think that Pierce, Felter, and Needham on the offensive line, plus Monangai at running back on the offense and Lewis, Bailey, Hamilton, Angoy, Rainey, and Thompson on the defensive line, plus Powell and Toure at linebacker, and Longerbeam, Rogers, Igbinoson, Loyal, and Dixon in the defensive backfield will all be seniors in 2024.
IMO that makes for a real challenge for Schiano and co. for 2025.

 

[Chanticleer108]

DL needs more of a rush on pass but the defense otherwise solid and one could say close to the top of the BIG-although a little concerned with the higher flying offenses next year.

If they can get pass production and keep the RBs output maintained or better yet improved, RU is not far off from the top echelon. When all is healthy, RU is pretty darn close even with a weak offense. Ohio St was the eye opener for me. A competent (shall I say confident) passing game- Ohio St, Michigan and Wisconsin would have been very close at the end. The INTs were backbreakers as the offense is not designed to quickly overcome large chunks of field or respond to more than a touchdown deficit or turnovers. I should add I admire the discipline of the team to adhere to the principles put forth to keep them in games.

There should be no question of QB competition at RU. Any program worth its salt has multiple QBs of high caliber/recruitment. Just because Wimsatt was a 4-star doesn't mean anything; production in reality is all that matters. This is not NFL football with one proven QB-you have class years, transfers and roster spots available-it is the most important position in this day and age.

 

[LotusAggressor]

DL needs more of a rush on pass but the defense otherwise solid and one could say close to the top of the BIG-although a little concerned with the higher flying offenses next year.

If they can get pass production and keep the RBs output maintained or better yet improved, RU is not far off from the top echelon. When all is healthy, RU is pretty darn close even with a weak offense. Ohio St was the eye opener for me. A competent (shall I say confident) passing game- Ohio St, Michigan and Wisconsin would have been very close at the end. The INTs were backbreakers as the offense is not designed to quickly overcome large chunks of field or respond to more than a touchdown deficit or turnovers. I should add I admire the discipline of the team to adhere to the principles put forth to keep them in games.

There should be no question of QB competition at RU. Any program worth its salt has multiple QBs of high caliber/recruitment. Just because Wimsatt was a 4-star doesn't mean anything; production in reality is all that matters. This is not NFL football with one proven QB-you have class years, transfers and roster spots available-it is the most important position in this day and age.

The level of coaching at the QB position shows that the staff doesn't think it's that important.

 

[RU_DIO]

Rutgers Football decision to concentrate on improving/controlling the Offensive and Defensive Line first is working.
This is what wins championships.

Is 2025 our breakout year?

Michigan and Washington have one thing in common.
They both control the line of scrimmage on offense and defense.

A national championship team only needs a capable QB to succeed.
Of course, a successful running game sets up the pass game, even for an average QB.

If you have a good offensive line, good QBs, good running backs, and good receivers want to play for your team.

Coach Schiano has built a very good defensive team that keeps Rutgers in games and has improved the offensive line each year.
Our running game is solid, and we only need the QB position to be above average and a few good receivers for major success.

I believe that we will see more improvement at the QB position in 2024 and make a major step into the top 25 in 2025.

When do you think Rutgers will take a major leap forward into the national rankings?

What would limit them from improving all positions at the same time?

 

[Kbee3]

The level of coaching at the QB position shows that the staff doesn't think it's that important.

Just hand the ball to Monangai.

 

[RUGuitarMan]

I think it is sound strategy to try to build the DL/OL as the first priority. However, while RU is improved up front, it is not where it needs to be to seriously contend in the B1G. We heard a lot about the DL going into last season. When matched with the middling teams in the B1G, they were solid but got handled by the upper tier teams. Overall, the program needs more “explosive” athletes on offense and defense. Need more team speed, especially against the new programs entering from the PAC 12.

 

[Plum Street]

I could be wrong but I think that Pierce, Felter, and Needham on the offensive line, plus Monangai at running back on the offense and Lewis, Bailey, Hamilton, Angoy, Rainey, and Thompson on the defensive line, plus Powell and Toure at linebacker, and Longerbeam, Rogers, Igbinoson, Loyal, and Dixon in the defensive backfield will all be seniors in 2024.
IMO that makes for a real challenge for Schiano and co. for 2025.

You’re right.
2024 is the year to break through

 

[jakeknight]

The “breakthrough discussed gets us to the top of the middle, Iowa, Wisconsin, Maryland. It does not get us to consistently competitive with OSU, Mich, PSU and 1 or two west coast teams. Which is ok and reasonable progress, we are much better than we were but not near the top teams in the league. As good as Tua was he never beat OSU, PSU or Mich, in fact nonbody in the league beat PSU, OSu or Mch other than each other. This year.. A good QB, runnin back having a great day with no turnovers give us fighting chance on an off day by one of the top teams, still too big a gap between recruiting classes.
The portal may actually be working to our benefit all those stock piled4 stars aren’t going to sit around and wait for there opportunity, they are going to leave, this helps level the playing field a bit

 

[Morrischiano]

I could be wrong but I think that Pierce, Felter, and Needham on the offensive line, plus Monangai at running back on the offense and Lewis, Bailey, Hamilton, Angoy, Rainey, and Thompson on the defensive line, plus Powell and Toure at linebacker, and Longerbeam, Rogers, Igbinoson, Loyal, and Dixon in the defensive backfield will all be seniors in 2024.
IMO that makes for a real challenge for Schiano and co. for 2025.

Agreed. If we can get decent QB play then 2024 will be the year.

 

[PSU_Nut]

The “breakthrough discussed gets us to the top of the middle, Iowa, Wisconsin, Maryland. It does not get us to consistently competitive with OSU, Mich, PSU and 1 or two west coast teams. Which is ok and reasonable progress, we are much better than we were but not near the top teams in the league. As good as Tua was he never beat OSU, PSU or Mich, in fact nonbody in the league beat PSU, OSu or Mch other than each other.

Actually Tua beat Penn State in 2020.

 

[jakeknight]

Ok, you are right Maryland beat PSU in 2020, I think there was one this year as well, point being it rarely happens, actually almost never., which is the point. The league battles at three different and distinct levels the bottom 5/6, the middle 5/6 and the top 3 the bottom segment almost never ventures into the top 3, the middle only rarely, and nobody from the middle and bottom ever win more than one game against the top three in a year. There are very few "signature wins" to be had in the Big

 

[RU#1fan]

Actually Tua beat Penn State in 2020.

If we had Tua this season we would have won 9 games ..Wisconsin and Iowa.
Hopefully the Minnesota QB will give the Offense some life.

 

[ashokan]

Just hand the ball to Monangai.

Teams have to pass to open the defense and spread the spaces.
In recent years we saw how limited RU was when there were no longer passes (OL and Vedral were limited)
When DBs can start to forget the passes to stop the run its nothing but troubles.
A tall, fast WR than can fight off DBs deep would be magical for offense.
Accuracy wise, Wimsatt is a deep passer more than a short chucker,
He just needs to minimize the moon balls

 

[ashokan]

The level of coaching at the QB position shows that the staff doesn't think it's that important.

RU doesn't put QBs on a featured pedestal.
Coaches dont see the offense as a Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton driving it.
They see offense as an SUV - not too fast - but it grinds over rough obstacles at a practical pace.
Putting a Corvette engine in a Jeep doesn't work.
An RU QB cant be fast and furious under GS - always has to be near the limit.
20 TDs passing with 10 INTs is ok if you can add in 750 rush yards and 12 TDs
GW already has RU rushing record for QBs at 497 (with 11 TDs).
Some legit B1G receivers will smooth out the crying.
GW wants to whip the balls down the field with his trebuchet .

 

[newwavedave1]

It all starts in the trenches, including improvement. Not the only position that needs improvement though. QB immediately comes to mind.