Rutgers vs North Carolina Central Football Preview

If any Big East program is under pressure to do something significant in the coming season, Rutgers would give Pittsburgh a very strong run for the money. A program’s imperiled path continues in week one of the 2011 college football season, with uneasiness permeating the air in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Although expectations weren’t stratospheric, no one expected Rutgers to suffer the collapse it endured in 2010. After building the program from virtually nothing to a consistent postseason participant, the bottom fell out for coach Greg Schiano as Rutgers finished 4-8. The tailspin resulted in RU’s first losing season since 2004. 

The Scarlet Knights were a study in Murphy’s Law – everything went wrong. Popular player Eric LeGrand suffered a devastating spinal injury. A distracting and draining quarterback controversy erupted in full fury, as freshman Chas Dodd outperformed highly-touted Tom Savage, who ultimately transferred after the season. The offensive line struggled, culminating in a sackfest in the season finale when Louisville sacked Dodd nine times. Schiano made some offseason changes to his staff in hopes of reclaiming the winning style of football Rutgers fans had become accustomed to… and which spurred massive financial investments in the program’s infrastructure. Those investments have not been managed properly, however, plunging the Rutgers athletic department into a state of crisis. For the sake of morale but also budgetary balance, the football program needs to deliver a productive season that can sustain energy and enthusiasm from fans and donors. The attempt to do better begins in week one against the North Carolina Central Eagles.

On offense, it’s ironic that while Rutgers and Pittsburgh bear more of a burden than all other Big East programs, Rutgers plucked a playcaller from Pittsburgh’s camp. After utilizing multiple sets and various forms of the wildcat formation to generate yards on the ground, Schiano hired former Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti for the same position. Cignetti is an advocate for a physical, pro-style offense that runs often and utilizes the play-action passing game to punish opponents for over-defending the run. It’s an offense that fits Dodd’s skill set perfectly, enabling the second-year quarterback to have a chance for a big year in 2011.

The pieces around Dodd will be significantly better than they were in 2010. Four of five offensive linemen return within an offensive framework geared more toward their strength – run blocking. Jeremy Deering carried the ball just 77 times last year, and might carry it even less once Savon Huggins arrives on campus. Huggins was one of the nation’s most sought-after running backs out of high school and will have every opportunity to take over the tailback position from day one. When Dodd goes to the air, he’ll have one of the better all-purpose receivers in the country to throw to in Mohamed Sanu. The hybridized Sanu is a threat running the ball out of the wildcat and as a receiver. He’ll be used more as a receiver than last season now that Huggins is there to carry the ball.

While signs are at least somewhat encouraging for Rutgers’ offense, the defense will be harder to retool. The biggest challenge for Schiano, a former defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, will be in reconstructing a defense that returns just five starters and wasn’t particularly effective in 2010. Up front, Manny Abreu, a heralded linebacker recruit, has continued to grow and has now moved to a rush defensive end position. The Scarlet Knights will field a very undersized defensive line with no projected starter over 270 pounds.

An area of even greater concern for Schiano’s defense is in the secondary, where all four starters from a year ago are gone. David Rowe takes over at safety. He’s the lone senior in the secondary. Marcus Cooper and Brandon Jones are the new corners. Both saw playing time last year as reserves but neither has ever started a game. Given that the defensive line is so raw, the secondary will be counted on to play a lot of man coverage to allow for blitzes and other creative ways of creating pressure. North Carolina Central shouldn’t test Rutgers’ defense, but if the Eagles do have any degree of sustained success, Greg Schiano will have cause for considerable alarm as the 2011 season develops.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer