Schiano’s New Defense Impressive as RU Tramples NCCU in Season Opener

Nine sacks, four turnovers, and two touchdowns all totaled by a fast and rejuvenated defense help lead Knights to opening night shutout.

It may not be a night Rutgers quarterback Chas Dodd will remember for the rest of his life, but having said that, it will be a night safety Duron Harmon will cherish forever.

Rutgers University walloped North Carolina Central University 48-0 in front of 40,000+ fans and an active student section at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, NJ. Harmon led the team with two interceptions and totaled three tackles.

His two interceptions sparked a team, which, at quiet times, needed optimism. The first of two came as complete reassurance, as he picked off NCCU quarterback Michael Johnson to stop an impressive drive at the end of the first half. The second interception was just as vital, as, following a Scott Vallone fumble-recovery in the endzone, in which the Knights increased the advantage to 28-0, Harmon intercepted Johnson’s pass on NCCU’s second play from scrimmage during that drive. He bounced off a would-be tackler and pranced into the endzone for six more points, flashing off the moves that helped him play running back in high school in the process.

The pick-six enlarged the lead to 34-0 and then the San San Te extra point made it 35-0. “The second interception; when I got it, I knew I was going to score,” Harmon said. However, he credits both off the turnovers to the furious defensive line, who provided pressure all night.

The defensive line compiled nine sacks on the night; two apiece for Vallone and fellow defensive tackle Justin Francis. Vallone believes the defense’s big thing is going to be getting to the quarterback, which they failed to do last year. “After last year,” Vallone had told Anthony Fucilli of the Rutgers Radio Network, “we held a team meeting about getting to the quarterback. I think we did a good job of that tonight.”

When asked about the combination between Vallone and Francis, Vallone said, “It’s going to be a great combination down the stetch.” Francis was a very solid third down pass rusher the past two years with Rutgers before transferring to tackle to improve the speed of the Scarlet Knight defense. Francis’ transition was one of many for the Knights’ defense which was remodeled as a modern speed defense. Some of the changes include Manny Abreu from outside linebacker to defensive end, Khaseem Greene from safety to outside linebacker, David Rowe from cornerback to safety, and many others.

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Vallone was a force to be reckoned with defensively, and, Marco Battaglia, the Knights’ former all-America tight end and current analyst for the Rutgers Radio Network, named him team MVP on the postgame show. He compiled four tackles and proved himself as a dominant nose tackle, all the while leading the Knights to their first win since October 16, 2010. “It was good for everybody to get the monkey off our back,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said about the first win in almost a year.

The defense won in convincing fashion, shutting down NCCU to a mere six first downs and zero points. The defense put together a shut-out. And it wasn’t a slippery, puddle-hopping, lucky shutout – see last season’s 31-0 opening night win over Norfolk State. No, last night, the defense was tenacious, furious, and undoubtedly effective. The nine sacks are the number that holds that statement convincing. Just a season ago, the defense stumbled to just seventeen sacks. They regained more than half of that number in just one night.

Now maybe that fact is telling, maybe not. After all, they did beat NCCU. The sacks were recorded against NCCU. The Eagles came up to Piscataway in search of a glimmer of hope and, at the very least, a thrilling payday. This is the Eagles first athletic season fully integrated into the MEAC. And last year they went 3-8. The real test is next week in Chapel Hill against North Carolina.

But for one night, at the very least, the Rutgers speed defense shined again.

By: Justin Sontupe
BigEast-fans.com Rutgers Correspondent