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Published Nov 29, 2021
Three thoughts on Rutgers Football's season finale versus Maryland
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Craig Epstein  •  TheKnightReport
Staff Writer
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@CraigEpstein18

It was a tough end to the season for Rutgers as it lost to Maryland 40-16 and fell one win short of bowl eligibility.

Here are three thoughts after the game.....

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A TOUGH DAY FOR THE DEFENSE.....

Although they did an admirable job in last week’s loss to Penn State, the Scarlet Knights’ defense fell flat in this game as they gave up 575 yards and allowed Maryland (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) to put up its second-highest point total of the season.

“It was very clear they’re a different team when they’re ahead,” head coach Greg Schiano said after the game. “We talked about it all week that we needed to hold up defensively and give our offense a chance to put some points on the board.”

Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa also had an impressive day going 21-for-30 for 312 yards and three touchdowns for a QB rating of 190.4. The Terrapins also featured a balanced attack as running back Tayon Fleet-Davis had 18 rushes for 152 yards while wide receiver Rakim Jarrett had seven catches for 111 yards.

SIMON SAYS NOAH IS THE DIFFERENCE AT QUARTERBACK.....

With Noah Vedral suffering an injury early in the second quarter, it was back up Evan Simon who took most of the snaps for Rutgers (5-7, 2-7 Big Ten). However, the change did not make much of a difference as the offense still had trouble moving the ball consistently against the Terps.

“We made a couple plays in the first half, but it just felt like we were swimming upstream,” Schiano continued. “Noah has taken so many shots. Sean [Gleeson] and I talked at halftime, and we felt like let's try to see if we can give him a little rest and see if we can get a little spark from Evan and Evan went in and did a pretty good job.”

Finishing the game with 337 yards and a combined 2-for-15 on third and fourth down, it was a better-but-still-not-good performance from an offense that left a lot to be desired much of the season. The nicest throw of the day might have belonged to Johnny Langan who completed a 31-yard pass to Shameen Jones in the second quarter.

THE ROLLER COASTER HAS COME TO AN END.....

In a season that saw many ups and downs, this conclusion will likely leave a bad taste in many Rutgers fans’ mouths. While Maryland is a team on the rise with a QB who might play at the next level one day, to look so overmatched in a game with bowl eligibility on the line is a tough way to go out.

“Right now, we just got licked pretty good and I’m hurting too,” Schiano said. “We just didn’t get it done today, coaches, players, all of us. We didn’t coach well enough and we didn’t play well enough.”

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