QB Art Sitkowksi has most efficient game at Rutgers in first start of 2019

Artur Sitkowski started his first game of the season on Saturday for the Rutgers football team in the Scarlet Knight’s 30-16 loss to Boston College in place of injured graduate transfer, McLane Carter, who was out with a concussion.

Sitkowski, a sophomore, went 23-of-33 passing for 304 yards with a touchdown. At one point, he was 20-of-24 for over 200 before he tried to make more things happen late, including an interception.

He connected with seven receivers on the afternoon.

“I thought I played well. I distributed the football, extended plays, but have to do better in the red zone and score (touchdowns) in the red zone. That’s the biggest thing. I’m the quarterback. It’s my operation.”

Rutgers found itself in the red zone twice, but instead of six or seven points on the scoreboard each trip, it put up three points twice on two field goals for a total of six.

“He played outstanding,” Rutgers head coach Chris Ash said of Sitkowski, “but we have to get touchdowns instead of field goals. If we would have gotten just a couple touchdowns instead of field goals it would have been a different game.”

Sitkowksi started slow and it looked like the offense would be in for another rough day as his first two attempts went incomplete, but the signal caller found running back Raheem Blackshear out of the backfield for a long 74-yard touchdown pass to tie the game early at 7-7.

“Once you get in a groove,” Sitkowski said, “stuff starts happening.”

Last year, Sitkowski was pressured time and time again, but the offensive line didn’t allow a sack against the Eagles.

“They did a great job protecting me and keeping me up straight,” Sitkowski said of the o-line.

Offensive coordinator John McNulty called for a safe gameplan as the majority of Sitkowski’s passes were short ones including some screens and he got the ball out quickly. He didn’t take many chances down the field, but he did hit on some intermediate routes.

“Yeah I think it fits all quarterbacks when you can get the ball out fast to you playmakers like Raheem, Isaih(Pacheco) and all of the receivers that we got. That’s what college football is nowadays,” Sitkowski said. “Guys on Saturdays and Sundays get the ball out quick to their playmakers in space.”

Carter started the first two games of the season versus UMass and Iowa, and while he wanted to start and play, Sitkowski said he learned a lot watching the games unfold from the sideline and from Carter during practice.

“Obviously as a competitor, you don’t want to do that, but I learned so much from McLane. McLane has that Brett Favre mentality. He moves so well with his feet in the pocket. I struggle with that,” Sitkowski said. “I’m still learning from McLane on how to move around in the pocket and extend plays. He tells me to have fun out there and to just let it go rip.”

Sitkowksi, and Old Bridge, N.J. native, tossed just four touchdowns to 18 interceptions a year ago. Many fans were hoping a new quarterback would take over this season.

But did he prove people wrong with his consistent and best performance as a Scarlet Knight thus far?

“Yeah, I’m developing. It’s a credit to the coaches. They stuck with me. They coach me hard and I can’t thank them enough,” Sitkowski said. “Coach Ash stuck with me. Stuff wasn’t going well and he kept saying just keep working.

“I’ve been here and done that before. I have experience. I started 11 games last year. I learned a lot how to prepare and knowing what I have to do on a day-to-day basis to get ready.”

While Carter’s health status is still in doubt, there may be a quarterback controversy in determining who starts at nationally-ranked Michigan next Saturday.

“That’s not my decision. Whatever coach tells me to do I’ll do it and I’ll go full force with it,” Sitkowski said. “If I’m the backup, I’m the backup and I’ll support McLane and my brothers. If I start, I start. It doesn’t change my preparation.”

Ash didn’t provide any clarity regarding who will start after the game.

“We'll worry about that later,” the coach said. “I'm just worried about today.”

Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisWasky.