3/31/2023 football Edit

Wimsatt, Simon adjusting to new offense, learning from mistakes

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

Gavin Wimsatt is still just 19, but he feels and looks more mature in his second spring practice. The rising third-year quarterback threw for 757 yards last season and five touchdowns to go along with seven interceptions in six starts and eight total games.

And after running for 102 yards the first two weeks, he didn’t use his legs much if at all after he came back from injury and started the final five games. But now that he says his ankle is 100%, he expects to do more of it this upcoming year when given the opportunity.

Wimsatt spoke with the media after Rutgers Football’s second practice of the spring on Thursday.

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“It’s good. I guess I’m considered an older guy now. It’s nice,” Wimsatt said with a laugh. “I’m more experienced now. It’s nice to be out there and lead the guys.”

Wimsatt is now under the direction of new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca who came over from Minnesota.

“It’s been great. He’s a great leader and a great guy,” Wimsatt said. “He’s a good communicator and holds us accountable. It’s been great learning from him. As a QB, you have to be a coach on the field too.”

QB Gavin Wimsatt (2) (Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports)

Wimsatt completed under 50% of his passes a year ago, and that is something he wants to improve on. One of Ciarrocca’s main traits he wants in his quarterback is a quarterback who can put the ball right in the receiver’s hands.

“Really just consistency and being more accurate every play. I have to be more intentional with my work. That goes with any drill or any play. Every rep counts,” Wimsatt said.

Those seven interceptions were a critical talking point for Wimsatt in the film room this offseason.

“I think going back and looking at things from last year really helped the game slow down for me,” he said. “I realized my mistakes and the film can help me not make those same mistakes. I made mistakes and had to get better. That’s what we went into the offseason with.”

While Wimsatt may be considered the starter right now, Evan Simon is a rising fourth-year player already with multiple years of eligibility left. Simon played in nine games with two starts last fall. He led the team with 777 yards with four touchdowns and six picks.

“The biggest thing for me is understanding the game better and making it even slower,” Simon said. “I thought my decision making could be better and my accuracy. I wanted to be a better leader too.

“The No. 1 thing is taking care of the ball. Coach Ciarrocca has been really stressing that and me and the other quarterbacks have been doing much better with it. I’ve learned more coverages and am able to recognize them faster. The coaches have been big on mechanics.”

The quarterbacks and the rest of the offense are learning a new offense under Ciarrocca that is still being installed and will continue to be even after the spring from the sound of it.

“Really good,” Simon said. “We’re learning a lot as an offense and I’m enjoying learning it. Coach Ciarrocca is being patient with us and we’re coming to work every day. We love doing it. It’s very different. It’s all new terminology and has different expectations. It’s been going really well.”

“Coach Ciarrocca is a competitor and everything he does is very intense. He’s not satisfied and he expects high things from everybody.”

Along with those two, Ajani Sheppard is a freshman who joined the fold for the spring semester as an early enrollee. Both Wmsatt and Simon have liked what they’ve seen from the young player.

“Ajani’s doing really well so far,” Simon said. “As a QB room we’ve always been close. Ajani’s now close. It’s the same.”

Added Wimsatt: “Ajani is a great kid. He wants to learn and it’s great having him around. I feel like I’ve grown as a leader. It takes time to get used to it.”

Those three are throwing to a young crop of wide receivers. Rutgers graduated a trio of veteran wide outs and lost another in the transfer portal after last season.

“Yeah we lost a lot of skill guys out there, but the guys who were here that left, they did a great job mentoring the young guys,” Simon said. “That’s huge for us and they are learning every day.”

Simon and Wimsatt each made progress during the winter, and are looking to now build on that in the spring and beyond.

“JB (Jay Butler) had us working hard. I gained about two pounds, maybe four-five,” Wimsatt said. “Work is always great. We pushed ourselves and I think we came in with a different attitude.”

“We killed our winter. We really did,” Simon said. “The guys came in with the right mentality and ready to work.”