Five Spring Statements
There was a lot going on in Piscataway during the month of April as new players started to emerge as immediate contributors this season. Now that spring practice is in the rear view mirror, here is a look back at some of the statements made on the field throughout the spring.
Agudosi ready to make an impact
Day after day, junior wide receiver Carlton Agudosi continued to be one of the standouts on the practice field. However, there is a twist in that he was mainly playing the 'X’ spot, the one held down by Leonte Carroo. Agudosi’s spring was strong enough to warrant a move to the ‘Y’ in an effort to get him on the field simultaneously with Carroo. It still remains to be seen where the staff will try and use him during the summer.
Denman looking to take the next step
Coming into Rutgers, J.J. Denman was a highly sought after four-star recruit, who had previously committed to Penn State and Wisconsin before flipping to Rutgers. When he did not play his first two seasons, there was some speculation that he may not deliver on all his promise. But this spring was proof that offensive linemen take a little longer to acclimate to the college game. With two years of eligibility remaining, Denman, who is the current starting right tackle, could be in store for two big seasons.
Rettig needs more time
This spring proved that a four-star ranking and U.S. Army All-American status has no real impact on what happens at the college level. Rettig was a much more sought-after recruit than fellow quarterback Chris Laviano. However, Laviano remains out in front in the race for the starting spot heading into the summer. Rettig just seemed to be a little uncertain at times and there looked to be some rust in his game after two straight years of scout team play. The time frame between now and the start of training camp will be a telling time for Rettig. The more work he puts in, the better his chances are of leaving a rather mediocre spring performance in the past.
Receiver reps could be up for grabs
As mentioned, Agudosi asserted himself in the spring while John Tsimis also showed himself to be among the top performers at the position. Meanwhile, Andre Patton had a relatively quiet spring and Ruhann Peele made very little noise through the month of April. Janarion Grant was sidelined most of the time, but returned with a strong showing in the final week of spring practice. Carroo took limited reps but remains the top receiver by a wide margin. Outside of Carroo, the top performances of the spring in order went to Agudosi, Tsimis, Patton, Grant and Peele.
Corners are coming on
Nadir Barnwell proved last season he is the top returning cornerback, even though he sat out a good portion of the spring. In his stead, there were four corners who proved themselves very capable. Freshman Blessuan Austin showed a lot of skill and it may just be a matter of time before he winds up starting opposite Barnwell. Austin possesses a rare combination of size and athleticism that could make for a standout career in the Big Ten. Sophomore Andre Boggs also had a very good spring as he seemed to finally be healthy after injury hampered him through a good portion of last year. The redshirt freshman combination of Darian Dailey and Isaiah Wharton also had their share of good moments on the field. Although there is inexperience at the position, Rutgers looks as though it will have a very good No.5 corner, no matter which player is lowest in the pecking order come September. The play of those corners also made it possible for the staff to move Anthony Cioffi to safety.
There was a lot going on in Piscataway during the month of April as new players started to emerge as immediate contributors this season. Now that spring practice is in the rear view mirror, here is a look back at some of the statements made on the field throughout the spring.
Agudosi ready to make an impact
Day after day, junior wide receiver Carlton Agudosi continued to be one of the standouts on the practice field. However, there is a twist in that he was mainly playing the 'X’ spot, the one held down by Leonte Carroo. Agudosi’s spring was strong enough to warrant a move to the ‘Y’ in an effort to get him on the field simultaneously with Carroo. It still remains to be seen where the staff will try and use him during the summer.
Denman looking to take the next step
Coming into Rutgers, J.J. Denman was a highly sought after four-star recruit, who had previously committed to Penn State and Wisconsin before flipping to Rutgers. When he did not play his first two seasons, there was some speculation that he may not deliver on all his promise. But this spring was proof that offensive linemen take a little longer to acclimate to the college game. With two years of eligibility remaining, Denman, who is the current starting right tackle, could be in store for two big seasons.
Rettig needs more time
This spring proved that a four-star ranking and U.S. Army All-American status has no real impact on what happens at the college level. Rettig was a much more sought-after recruit than fellow quarterback Chris Laviano. However, Laviano remains out in front in the race for the starting spot heading into the summer. Rettig just seemed to be a little uncertain at times and there looked to be some rust in his game after two straight years of scout team play. The time frame between now and the start of training camp will be a telling time for Rettig. The more work he puts in, the better his chances are of leaving a rather mediocre spring performance in the past.
Receiver reps could be up for grabs
As mentioned, Agudosi asserted himself in the spring while John Tsimis also showed himself to be among the top performers at the position. Meanwhile, Andre Patton had a relatively quiet spring and Ruhann Peele made very little noise through the month of April. Janarion Grant was sidelined most of the time, but returned with a strong showing in the final week of spring practice. Carroo took limited reps but remains the top receiver by a wide margin. Outside of Carroo, the top performances of the spring in order went to Agudosi, Tsimis, Patton, Grant and Peele.
Corners are coming on
Nadir Barnwell proved last season he is the top returning cornerback, even though he sat out a good portion of the spring. In his stead, there were four corners who proved themselves very capable. Freshman Blessuan Austin showed a lot of skill and it may just be a matter of time before he winds up starting opposite Barnwell. Austin possesses a rare combination of size and athleticism that could make for a standout career in the Big Ten. Sophomore Andre Boggs also had a very good spring as he seemed to finally be healthy after injury hampered him through a good portion of last year. The redshirt freshman combination of Darian Dailey and Isaiah Wharton also had their share of good moments on the field. Although there is inexperience at the position, Rutgers looks as though it will have a very good No.5 corner, no matter which player is lowest in the pecking order come September. The play of those corners also made it possible for the staff to move Anthony Cioffi to safety.
