New-look Nebraska on tap, questions loom for Rutgers
The Rutgers football team will be looking to get back into the win column on Friday night at SHI Stadium against Nebraska.
The Scarlet Knights (3-2, 0-2) are 0-5 all-time versus the Cornhuskers (2-3, 1-1), who are now under the direction of interim head coach Mickey Joseph. Previous head coach Scott Frost was fired on Sept 12.
GET TKR PREMIUM FREE FOR 30 DAYS — CLICK HERE FOR MORE
Nebraska has played two games since then. It fell to Oklahoma before beating Indiana this past weekend as the team found life and energy. Former Rutgers defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach under Chris Ash, Bill Busch, has taken over DC duties now for Nebraska as well.
“They changed head coaches two games ago, but then they changed defensive coordinators one game ago and they had a bye week. So defensively, we really only have one game to go off of,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said. “So we'll be prepared for things they did previously and things that they did a little different in their last game. Offensively, the offensive coordinator was there the whole season. Coach (Mark) Whipple, an established coach over the years, NFL and college, excellent coach. You know, we have guys that have coached against him over the years and guys kind of have a feel for each other. So we've got to play whatever comes. That's the reality of it all, and you break the tape down, and you get ready but you know, on any game, you're going to see things that you didn't practice. Just have to be able to have rules.”
After missing the first four games of the year, Noah Vedral got the start at quarterback for Rutgers against Ohio State, though he only played four snaps and ran the ball purposely every time. He eventually tapped himself out of the game on his fourth attempt.
Vedral has been week-to-week throughout the season. He warmed up and dressed for the Iowa game but did not play, and it appears he should see more snaps soon.
“Hopefully if he continues to get better. We had a specific plan for Noah in that game, things we felt he could do,” Schiano said. “Part of working his way back to being full go is the games, right. So it's literally practice, rehab and the games and there's things he can do, so we are going to use him for the things he can do. And the things that right now he struggles with, we won't do. But I think he's getting better, so hopefully pretty soon he'll be back to doing everything he's capable of.”
Evan Simon made his first career start at Temple and then started in the home contest against Iowa. He played the vast majority of snaps in those games, and threw for 300 yards against Iowa on 28 completions with a touchdown. He also had a touchdown against the Buckeyes.
“Evan is growing up right in front of our eyes. He's doing some things better, and there's some things that he still struggles with,” Schiano said of the third-year sophomore. “I think the thing that he's really done a good job is he's run the operation, he's hung in there. He's been hit and he's bounced up. You know, that's a very physical game Saturday, very physical. Tough one to play and then have to play on a short week and Evan was part of that. He got hit. But I think his arrow is pointed up. He's getting better. He's learning. We'll see how it all fits together in the quarterback, who is available and how it all fits together.”
A couple of key players, safety Desmond Igbinosun, cornerback Robert Longerbeam, QB Gavin Wimsatt, and RB Aaron Young were out for the Ohio State game. There is no clarity on if they will play this Friday.
“I don't know anybody that's out for sure but I don't know if they will be ready. Especially on the short week it will be a challenge,” Schiano said. “But they are getting better. It's just a matter of getting better where you can get back to practice and then you have to practice before you can play. So it's all going to be a timing issue.”
Schiano mentioned that he doesn't believe Aron Cruickshank, who was ejected in the fourth quarter on Saturday, will be suspended or anything.
Freshman running back Sam Brown V was a bright spot for the offense in the blowout to the Buckeyes. The Pennsylvania native set career highs with 15 carries for 79 yards.
The other running backs, Kyle Monangai, Al-Shadee Salaam, and Parker Day, combined for seven carries for 11 yards. Brown had 79 of the 107 total yards rushing for RU.
“Sam is a very talented young man and he works extremely hard,” Schiano said. “From the day he set foot on this campus, he was not an early enrollee, and he stepped foot on our campus in early June and has just been attacking the position, attacking the job as far as learning. He's a sponge. He's physically gifted and I think he feels very much in place. You know, it's not too big for him. Now it's a matter of how do we work the rotation and utilize every guy's strengths, because I do think they have unique abilities, all of them and I think there's a place for all of them, too.”
If Rutgers is going to turn things around and earn some more wins in Big Ten play coming up, it’ll need to get everybody healthy for one, and two, it’ll need to score some more points offensively.
Rutgers scored nine touchdowns on offense against Wagner, but only four total against Boston College, Temple, and Ohio State, with zero against the Owls. What has been the biggest obstacle?
“We probably have several,” Schiano said. “Some of it's coaching. Some of it's playing. Some of it is execution. You know, there's a lot of things. We're working on it, though. We are going to be okay.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel