One of Rutgers’ strengths offensively the last few seasons has been running the football and, under new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, it is hard to imagine that not being the case again.
The Scarlet Knights welcome back Samuel Brown V for his sophomore season and he will likely assume the starting duties. Despite suffering a season-ending injury following his team’s 24-17 victory against Indiana, Brown showed the type of difference-maker he can be in his limited time on the field.
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Brown finished second on the team with 374 rushing yards and led the offense with three rushing touchdowns. He also made the most of his first career start when he ran for 101 yards on 28 carries and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the win over Indiana. This marked the most carries by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten game and the most by a true freshman since 2001.
Rutgers also returns veterans Aaron Young and Kyle Monangai who will both look to bounce back from disappointing seasons. It was a tough 2022 for Young as he was limited to just four games due to an ankle injury and recorded 11 carries for 38 yards. It was not all bad for Young though as he hauled in an 18-yard touchdown catch and rushed for 30 yards in a loss to Michigan State.
Despite leading the team with 109 carries for 445 yards, this past season felt like a step back for Monangai considering those numbers came with 11 starts. Monangai found the end zone just twice and did not add much through the air as he finished with six receptions for 31 yards. However, the Roseland native showed a return to form against Michigan State when he rushed for 164 yards (the most by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten game) on 24 carries and had three catches for 20 yards.
Al-Shadee Salaam adds an interesting wrinkle to Rutgers’ running attack considering the speed he possesses. Salaam finished his sophomore season third on the team in carries (57) and rushing yards (210). He also scored two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in the team’s season-opening victory against Boston College.
Salaam showed promise early on in 2022 and even made one start at running back but began to tail off as the season wore on. The East Orange native has shown can burn teams when he runs east to west but if he is going to take the next step he will need to add more of a downhill style to his repertoire.
The Scarlet Knights also welcome in/back Ja’shon Benjamin, Charlie Barth, Donovan Delaney, and Jordan Kinsler.
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