RutgersAl at it again, this time saying they are going to win the B1G next Season...LOL
With Rutgers Footballs Talent level peaking in 2014, THIS is the year to MAKE A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON HAPPEN.
With the RIGHT offensive and defensive coordinators, IT WILL. Whether it takes weeks or the next month, Coach Flood NEEDS to get the hires right, because doing so will enable Rutgers to WIN the Big Ten. This core group has already won a share of a conference championship in 2012, when Rutgers shared the Big east Championship with Louisville. So we already know what it takes to perform at a Championship Caliber Level. If not for a BS illegal man downfield call, WE would have been outright BIG EAST CHAMPIONS and the ones who would have HAMMERED Florida. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.
Now is the time to make amends, as here we are once again, with an opportunity of a LIFETIME. There is NO REASON why The Big Ten Trophy shouldn't reside in Hale Center, come December. The 2014 Rutgers Football team will be our DEEPEST, MOST TALENTED EVER. And it doesn't hurt that we will be experience and possess QUALITY DEPTH. What I'm especially happy about, was Kyle Floods decision to redshirt ALL 5 linemen from our Fab 5 OL Class of 2012. Our second string OL will be Ready to Go, this year, with little dropoff from the first string. It wouldn't surprise me, that come August, at least one of the second stringers, displaces a first stringer. Our LB, FB, and WR units are as deep as any in the country. People like to bash our qb, but the fact is he has something that no other Rutgers qb has: a share of the Big East conference title. The Dline has an ALL AMERICAN caliber talent in Darius Hamilton, with solid players aside him, and the secondary is now poised to be an area of STRENGTH rather than an obvious weak link.
Rutgers got its biggest commitments when Kaleb Johnson and Ian Thomas decided to return. They will contribute more than any freshman ever could. Kalebs return is HUGE, because he could EASILY be playing in the NFL next year. Instead, he is going to try to crack the first round. Having an NFL caliber left guard leading the way for Paul James is HUGE. If he can perform to his potential, he will be a first round LOCK, thx to the caliber of competition he'll be going up against. Ian Thomas' return is huge as well, because he won the starting job last year, and figures to make the competition for starting corner even more intense. His return gives us the flexibility to perhaps shift one of our corners to safety. I think Pat Cioffi in particular would make for a GREAT safety, because he has TERRIFIC Instincts.
Put it all together, and you have a Conference Title Contender. Rutgers has more football talent, than we know what to do with. What is needed, is for coordinators to come in and MAXIMIZE that talent.
What I want to see for Rutgers offensively, is for us to take the initiative offensively, like the GREAT USC and Miami pro-style offenses, which were exciting to watch. The pro-style is NOT a boring offense. Its our lack of execution which has made it boring to watch at times. We CAN change that. It all starts with running the ball, and we have an excellent college back to do that in Paul James and the deep, talented OL to pave his way. Somehow, some way we have to keep him healthy, because we are not as effective without him in the lineup. Backing him up will be a sophmore Justin Goodwin. Ray Rice made his biggest strides during the offseason between his freshman and sophmore year. I still remember sitting at the banquet table with Ray and Courtney, at the end of Rays freshmen year, sizing them up, and thinking that I could kick Ray Rice's ass. By the time i saw him during the following years fanfest, his arms were bigger than my legs, and i dared not harbor similar thoughts. So the point of this is to say that Justin Goodwin is going to be an ANIMAL next year. Between Paul James, Justin Goodwin, and Savon, I want to see us to POUND oppossing defenses into the GROUND.
Next, We NEED to get the ball into the hands of our BEST playmakers, which we have not done a very good job of, since Sanu graduated. For Brandon Coleman to have only two receptions against Notre Dame, after torching Bennet Jackson so badly for a TD, is just not acceptable. We need to do similar to what USC did this year with Marquise Lee and Nelson Agholar. EVERYONE knew the ball was going to go into their hands, yet somehow they found a way to deliver the ball to them. There's NO REASON why between Leonte Carroo, Ruhann Peele, Tyler Kroft, and the others, we can't average 300 passing yards per game. Oppossing Big Ten GARBAGE corners have NO CHANCE against this Trio. I want to see us get the ball into Janorian Grants hands, in space. Janorian Grant can become EVERY bit the playmaker that Sammy Watkins is. When Janorian touches the ball, THINGS HAPPEN.
Gary Nova has shown in games against Fresno State and Arkansas, that he can deliver. What we need is for an OC/QB Coach to come in and help him make it happen. Gary Nova has everything needed to deliver a Big Ten Championship. He has a better arm, than Ken Dorsey, former National Championship qb winner, ever had. What he lacks is Ken Dorseys poise, football IQ, and ability to avoid to mistakes. That can be learned, and good coaching can make it happen,
Defensively, we are once again ready to lay claim, to being one of the best defenses in the country. It meant a LOT to me, that our defense was able to hold ND to mostly field goals, rather than allowing TDs, especially when we were gassed. The secondary in particular, came a LONG way, from the Houston games to the Notre Dame games. In fact, I felt the defense played well enough to win the Notre Dame game, but was held back by an offense that was unable to execute. NDs offense had the ball 16 minutes MORE than Rutgers. (38:16 vs 21:44) With that kind of time disadvantage, previous Rutgers teams would have been SMOKED. Our score was respectable, and that gives me great hope for 2014.
With better depth and more experienced personnel in the secondary, I want to see us be more aggressive defensively in 2014. With an All American Candidate DT and All American Candidate LBers, and an experienced secondary, we can afford to be. I want us to be NASTY once again, I want us to SWARM. I want to BULLY oppossing offenses. I want teams to DREAD having Rutgers on their schedule. I want receivers to DREAD having to go over the middle of the field, like when Courtney Greene was patrolling center field for us. I want our DBs to PRESS Penn States rookie WRs out of the Stadium. The talent is THERE, now its all about Coaching and Execution. The right DC can make it happen.
Below is my projected Rutgers two deep:
Offense
WR - Leonte Carroo (All American Candidate, Carlton Agudosi
WR - Ruhann Peele (All Conference Candidate), Andre Patton
TE - Tyler Kroft (All American Candidate), Nick Arcidiacono, Taylor Marini
LT - Keith Lumpkin (All American Candidate), Ryan Brodie
LG - Kaleb Johnson (All American Candidate), Dorian Miller
C - Betim Bujari (All Conference Candidate), Brandon Arcidiacono
RG - Chris Muller (needs to be solid performer), Derrick Nelson
RT - Taj Alexander (needs to be solid performer), JJ Denman
QB - Gary Nova, Chris Laviano, Blake Rankin
RB - Paul James (All American candidate), Justin Goodwin, Savon Huggins, Josh Hicks, Robert Martin
FB - Michael Burton (All Conference Candidate), Kevin Marquez, Sam Bergen
Defense
DE - Djwany Mera, Quanzell Lambert, Max Issaka
DT - Darius Hamilton (All American Candidate), Eric Wiafe, David Milewski
NT - Darryl Stephenson (Needs to be solid performer), Ken Kirksey, Sebastian Joseph
DE - Julian Pinnix-Odrick, David Milewski, Kemeko Turay, Myles Jackson
SLB - Quinton Gause (All Conference Candidate), Brandon Russell
MLB - Steve Longa (All American Candidate), LJ Liston
WLB - Kevin Snyder, Davon Jacobs
CB - Ian Thomas, Patrick Cioffi
SS - Lorenzo Waters, Bryant Gross-Armiento
FS - Johnathan Aiken, Tejay Johnson
CB - Gareef Glashen, Nadir Barnwell
As far as I'm concerned, the Big Ten Title is OURS for the taking With our opponents losing so many key players and Rutgers losing fewer key players to graduation, THIS is the year to GET IT DONE. My biggest concern isn't so much, can Rutgers be competitive in the Big Ten, its can the Big Ten be competitive with Rutgers.
Below are the losses to graduation by Rutgers and most of our future Big Ten opponents:
Rutgers Loses (5 starters):
- DE Marcus Thompson
- NT Isaac Holmes
- S Jeremy Deering
- C Dallas Hendrikson
- WR Brandon Coleman
Penn State Loses (8 starters)
-Its best offensive player in Alan Robinson
- OG Adam Gress
-C Ty Howle
-best defensive player in Daquan Jones
-best offensive lineman in John Urschel
-senior linebacker Glenn Carson
-safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong
-safety Malcolm Willis
Michigan loses (10 starters) :
-Both starting tackles Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield
-Star Receiver Jeremy Gallon
-Senior Safety Thomas Gordan
-Nose Tackle Quinton Washington
-Defensive Tackle Jibreel Black
-LB Cam Gordon
-Safety Courtney Avery
-slot Drew Dileo
-RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
Michigan State loses (8 starters):
-OT Fou Fonotio
-OG Dan France
-OG Blake Treadwell
-LB Max Bullough
-CB Darqueze Dennard
-DT Tyler Hoover
-NT Micajah Reynolds
-LB Denicos Allen
Ohio State loses(8 starters):
- RB Carlos Hyde
- WR Corey Brown
- OT Jake Mewhort
- OG Andrew Norwell
- OG Marcus Hall
- C Corey Linsley
- S Corey Brown
- S CJ Barnett
Nebraska loses (10 starters):
- Qb Taylor Martinez
- WR Quincy Enunwa
- TE Jake Long
- OT Jeremiah Siries
- OT Andrew Rodriguez
- OG Spencer Long
- C Cole Pensick
- DE Jason Ankrah
- DT Thad Randle
- CB Clante Evans
Wisconsin loses (11 starters)
- RB James White
- WR Jared Abbrederis
- TE Jacob Pedersen
- TE Brian Wozniak
- LG Ryan Groy
- DE Pat Madden
- NG Beau Allen
- DE Ethan Henner
- ILB Chris Borland
- OLB Brendan Kelly
- SS Dezmen Southward
Indiana loses (3 starters)
- WR Kofi Hughes
- TE Ted Bolser
- S Greg Heban
Maryland loses (6 starters)
- QB CJ Brown
- TE Dave Stinebaugh
- OG De'Onte Arnett
- LB Matt Robinson
- LB Marcus Whitfield
- CB Dexter McDougle