8/16/2022 football Edit

Rutgers Football Notebook: Making solid progress in the trenches

Richie O'Leary • TheKnightReport

Publisher

Rutgers Football is currently in week three of training camp, as the season opener versus Boston College is right around the corner. Head coach Greg Schiano met with the media once again following Monday's practice to break down the progress of the team as they get closer to the season opener.

“I think we are getting better up front, it’s by inches, but we are getting better," Schiano told the media following practice on Monday. "That’s just got to be a steady climb the entire season for us to be effective in our schedule. I thought before Chris Long got bumped, he did some really good things. With the quarterback deal, they all made some plays and then they all made some things that they wish they could’ve had back. It leaves us in this block again of guys competing for this job, which is okay. We are in the dog days of camp, you can’t see the daylight from where you started and you can’t see the light at the end. Right now it’s about building mental toughness and cumulative reps.”

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RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S SCRIMMAGE....

This past Saturday, Rutgers Football had their first inter-squad scrimmage as they continue to ramp things up heading into the season. Schiano admits there were some ups and downs, especially from the QB room, but the overall feel is that the team is making progress.

“I think we are getting better on the front, it’s by inches, but we are getting better. That’s just got to be a steady climb the entire season for us to be effective in our schedule. I thought before Chris Long got bumped, he did some really good things. With the quarterback deal, they all made some plays and then they all made some things that they wish they could’ve had back. It leaves us in this block again of guys competing for this job, which is okay. We are in the dog days of camp, you can’t see the daylight from where you started and you can’t see the light at the end. Right now it’s about building mental toughness and cumulative reps.”

SEASON WILL DEPEND ON O-LINE PROGRESSION....

It's no secret that the Scarlet Knights offense has struggled mightily over the past few seasons and a big reason for that is because of lackluster offensive line play. However this past offseason the Scarlet Knights went out and added 10 new scholarship lineman via the high school route and transfer portal.

Schiano admits he is starting to see some real progress and now he's trying to see who will be the main guys versus who will be the rotational pieces.

"The entire season is going to be an O-Line progression, but we are progressing so that’s good. I also think we have depth at the wide receiver position, it’s just competition. We generally play three at a time, so it’s just who are going to be the first three and who are going to be the next three to sub in for them. Same thing on the O-Line, who are going to be the first five and who are going to be the next three to sub in for them."

DEFENSIVE LINE DEPTH A PLENTY....

There was a some concern that the Scarlet Knights defensive line would see some struggles this season as they lost a couple of key veterans to graduation and the team's sack leader last year in Mohamed Toure suffered a season ending injury in the spring.

However coach Schiano is pretty confident in the unit and trusts new D-Line coach Marquise Watson to have these guys ready all season long.

“Well we will have our first four and they will go out there and start the game, unless we start in a three man front," said Schiano. "Basically we are thinking of four guys and then coach (Marquise) Watson will substitute guys throughout the game. We feel really good with, heck I’d say 10 guys probably. Like we feel like they know it, they go in there and you may lose a little something here but you get a little something here. We are going to roll a lot of guys, but I really do leave that up to coach Watson. Number one he has a plan for the whole game, to make sure that in the fourth quarter we can rush the passer or stop the run and get the ball back, whichever way the game is going. We try to keep the D-Line fresh by rotating them throughout the game.”

Now who will be the leader for this unit in 2022? Coach Schiano thinks defensive tackle Ifeanyi Maijeh is just scratching the surface of his true potential.

“Number one it’s been great to have him in camp, if you remember he missed all of camp last year and I think that’s going to serve him really well. I don’t think Ifeanyi got to playing his level of football until midseason, I’m hoping he enters the season at that level and just goes like this (upward). So let’s keep our fingers crossed.”