4/29/2023 football Edit

What to watch for in the Scarlet-White Spring Game

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

The Rutgers football team’s Scarlet-White Spring Game takes place on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. inside SHI Stadium rain or shine.

The scrimmage marks the final of 15 total practice sessions of the spring. Whether it will be a full-blown scrimmage remains to be seen, but that is what head coach Greg Schiano is hoping for.

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“Don’t know yet. We’ll see how we do on Tuesday and Thursday,” Schiano said last weekend. “We’re right on the cusp injury wise where it could have an effect with how you run it. I like to run it as a game with two separate teams. Split up with the coaches, trainers, everyone in the Hale Center. You’re all rooting for somebody. We like that competition.”

The spring game is a good tool for the coaches to evaluate players and for younger guys on the roster to see extensive playing time in front of a crowd and show what they can do. The exhibition is also good for fans to get a glimpse of the team ahead of the fall season.

“They have to play. You can talk about it and you can do simulated things in practice, but you need to go out there and do it by yourself without anybody telling you exactly what to do,” Schiano said. “You can give them the tools, but things can change in a split second. You have to adjust. Players can struggle with that. When you hear someone say the game has slowed down, that’s what they mean. They are comfortable and can make adjustments with the tools they have. A lot of the young guys are still thinking about what to do when the snap is made. You can see a guy thinking with their feet and the way he runs.”

Here are five things to watch in the Scarlet-White game.

Quarterback battle

There is an ongoing quarterback competition (again) this spring, though according to former Rutgers quarterback Mike McMahon who was at practice earlier this month, said that Gavin Wimsatt is running with the first team over Evan Simon. It’ll be interesting to see if Wimsatt gets work solely with the ones in the game or Simon splits duties with him. Both started games last season, but Wimsatt ended the year as the starter. Schiano has said the QBs improved as the spring went on.

Ajani Sheppard is an early enrollee freshman who will get burn as well. The coaches are excited about his future. Stats won’t show the whole story, so keep an eye on if the quarterbacks are accurate, run the huddle well, and things of that nature. Defensive calls will likely be vanilla.

Wide receivers who make splash

Isaiah Washington has been cited as the Scarlet Knights top and most consistent pass catcher this spring. Could this finally be the breakout year for the Florida native? Rutgers needs more than one receiver to step up this year given the losses of Sean Ryan, Aron Cruickshank, and Shameen Jones. The offense will not be truly effective if it cannot throw and catch the football. Transfer Naseim Brantley might not be 100% until training camp, Schiano recently said. Rashad Rochelle is thought to be a key piece in the offense given his versatility and Christian Dremel is another veteran in the mix like Washington. Fans will be hoping the receivers have a good day, because that means the QBs did well, too. There are many younger receivers hoping to have an impact.

Special teams

Jude McAtamney returns as the team’s placekicker, but he is being seriously pushed by Jai Patel, who is healthy this time around. There was an extensive kicking competition after the first scrimmage two weeks ago. With the lights on, who performs the best could have the leg up (pun intended) going into the training camp. Last year, McAtamney hit 12-of-18 field goals with a long of 49 twice. Patel redshirted last season, but at South Brunswick High School, he left with a school record 22 made field goals and was 78-for-78 on PATs.

Flynn Appleby is taking over for Adam Korsak at punter. Appleby punts the same style as Korsak did, and what’s interesting is that he’s almost in his mid-20s and was a professional Australian rules football player before coming to the States.

It is doubtful that there will be live punt returns and kick returns, but seeing who is back there is helpful to know who will be replacing Cruickshank.

The trenches

It’s been written a thousand times by now, but Rutgers will go as far as the offensive line takes it. Kirk Ciarrocca brings a likely run-heavy approach, and coming off the ball has been a priority of assistant coach Pat Flaherty according to lineman Curtis Dunlap. Rutgers must keep the QB upright as well. Rutgers has holes at left tackle and left guard. Hollin Pierce, Ireland Brown, and Dunlap are three returning starters with guys like Tyler Needham, Bryan Felter, Mike Ciaffoni, and Gus Zilinskas in the mix. Rutgers also has a slew of young freshmen, redshirt freshmen, and sophomores like Kwabena Asamoah who got his feet wet last year that are fighting for playing time.

Transfers on defense

Rutgers brought in safety Michael "Flip" Dixon, safety Charles Amankwaa, cornerback Eric Rogers this offseason to help sure up the secondary on defense. Rutgers needed depth at safety with Christian Izien and Avery Young now being gone Rogers replaces Christian Braswell. Max Melton, Robert Longerbeam, and Kessawn Abraham are the veterans at corner for the Scarlet Knights who have all played a lot already, so seeing who steps on to the field and when will be something to note.

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Desmond Igbinosun and Shaquan Loyal are back at safety with Loyal potentially filling in for the do-everything Izien. Again, the defensive play calls likely won’t be crazy, but those guys are ones to watch in the secondary. Some main players will probably be held out as well.

In the summer, Rutgers will also add defensive lineman Isaiah Iton from Ole Miss.