Every starter listed on the first depth chart for the season opener is either a senior or junior. And while that is based on their academic year, eligibility wise, it still means they’ve been either on the team or playing college football as a whole for quite some time.
That’s not by accident.
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In the past, head coach Greg Schiano has talked about developing young men and turning them into grown men and how he trusts older guys so to speak.
But sprinkled into the depth chart are three true freshmen who have already caught the coaching staff’s eyes in offensive linemen Tunde Fatukasi and Bryan Felter and defensive back Malachi “Max” Melton.
Fatukasi (6-4, 298) is listed behind Raiqwon O’Neal at left tackle, Felter (6-3, 299) is behind Nick Krimin at one of the guard spots, and Melton (6-0, 181) is the backup to Tre Avery at cornerback.
While it is alarming that a pair of freshmen have passed some veterans on the offensive line, because usually it is hard to play as a freshman right away in the trenches - especially in the Big Ten - it bodes well if they get experience. Felter is a highly-regarded, nasty lineman that Rutgers needs and Fatukasi has the bloodlines (his oldest brother Folorunzo, is in the NFL and his other older brother, Fatukasi, is a starting linebacker with the Scarlet Knights), that helps him project positivity. Fatukasi was also Schiano’s first recruit he offered when he came back on board to Rutgers in December.
“Well, I've always been this way. I look at it as whoever gives us the best chance to win, they're going to be on the depth chart,” Schiano told TKR on Monday. “So if it's a freshman, it's a freshman. And we've just tried to get as many opportunities for guys to show what they can do. Certainly when you're a freshman, you start in whatever the lowest team is, fourth team or fifth team, whatever it is. But when a guy makes plays, then you raise the level and if you continue to make plays and do your job he keeps climbing.”
Aside from the aforementioned trio of true freshmen, there are a few redshirt freshmen on the two-deep as well in center C.J. Hanson, (6-5, 292), wide receiver Christian Dremel (5-9, 176), and kicker Guy Fava.
“It's all a relative experience, right? It's relative to the other guys on the run. But they're there for a reason. Nobody around here gets anything given to them,” Schiano said. “If you're on the depth chart, and in the one or two position, you've earned it.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisWasky.
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