The player who saw the most snaps on defense for the Rutgers football team last fall was none other than safety Christian Izien.
According to Pro Football Focus, Izien tallied a whopping 739 snaps, and has started all 22 games the last two years. For his career, Izien has 29 total starts and 38 games played between safety and special teams.
Not a Subscriber? Join us now and get 50% OFF your first year! ($50 savings)
Izien racked up 75 tackles (47 solo) last season including a career-best nine for loss with four pass deflections. Between him and Avery Young, Rutgers boasts arguably one of the most experienced safety tandems in the country. Both are in their fifth years with the Scarlet Knights.
“It’s huge,” Izien told TKR. “We’re two leaders back and two of the oldest guys as far as snaps go. Just having that experience and having everything in front of us and us being the last line of defense is really big.”
Training camp is finally over and now Rutgers is on to Boston College preparation for the season opener on Sept. 3. The road game will be a pivotal test and a key marker on how the entire season might go.
“It’s a good feeling running around preparing for the opponent we have coming up,” Izien said. “Guys are highly motivated. We had a good camp. It’s going to be a big one.”
In his first four years, Izien had 219 tackles and 15 pass deflections. He also has three fumble recoveries and four interceptions, though all seven of those takeaways came in 2020. Generating turnovers is something Izien wants more of, and that goes for the whole defense.
“It’s everything,” Izien said. “Taking the ball away is part of our objective to win games. We need them to win games. It changes momentum. It’s a big thing for us.
“That’s the goal. Do your job. When we got out there we always say ‘go get the ball’, whether it’s a strip sack, an interception, or a fumble recovery. We have to get the ball. That’s the most important thing and we hone in on that.”
Izien has played a lot of football in his days at Rutgers, but the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder is now under new defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak and safeties coach Drew Lascari.
“Not too much different,” Izien said of the defense under Harasymiak. Defense is defense at the end of the day. You play man, you blitz, you play zone.
“He’s really interactive. He explains things and why we do what we do. He motivates the room and gets guys going. I think he’s a great leader. He brings energy and wants to win.”
Lascari is in his fifth year at Rutgers like Izien who both came to Piscataway under former head coach Chris Ash. Lascari worked with special teams and quarterbacks, and was a defensive assistant in his previous four years with the Scarlet Knights.
“It’s been great. I’ve known Drew since I came in as a freshman,” Izien said. “I always met with him about QB passing concepts. Having the connection with him already is great. He brings great energy too and gets the young guys going. Everybody learns from him.”
During the offseason, Izien made strides in all facets of his game on and off the field.
“I really just wanted to become a better all-around player and leader,” the Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.) product said. “I wanted to have a better understanding of the defense we have. I was in the meeting room a lot with coach Harasymiak and getting the defense down.”
Aside from Izien and Young, cornerbacks Max Melton, Kessawn Abraham, and Robert Longerbeam all saw steady playing time last year. Another safety, Desmond Igbinosun, started to come on as the year progressed. There are a few others who could see the field this season too at defensive back.
“I think the sky's the limit,” Izien said. “We have a lot of guys that have played a lot of ball already and who can play. We’re close friends and we communicate well. We had a good summer and a good fall camp.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
