HISTORIES COLLIDE
MICHELLE KLEJMONT / PHOTO EDITOR
Gameday Page 2
October 3, 2014
KNIGHTS GAMEDAY RUTGERS VS. MICHIGAN GAME 6: High Point Solutions Stadium, Saturday, 7 P.M. TV: BTN
RADIO: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
INSIDE the
NUMBERS PASSING G. Nova RUSHING P. James D. Peoples J. Goodwin RECEIVING L. Carroo J. Grant J. Tsimis DEFENSE S. Longa G. Glashen Q. Gause
Junior defensive lineman Darius Hamilton noted that Rutgers’ defense feeds off the atmosphere in High Point Solutions Stadium, especially when the game is sold out. MICHELLE KLEJMONT / PHOTO EDITOR
Michigan offers obstacle with run ‘D’ TYLER KARALEWICH ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Long before Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke came under fire for what was allegedly a mishandling of a concussion injury to quarterback Shane Morris, he was already on the hot seat for the team’s poor performance, at least by the standards of Wolverine football. The winningest school in Division 1 college football comes to Piscataway this Saturday for the first time in history. The Rutgers football team (4-1, 0-1) and Michigan (2-3, 0-1) are the two oldest football programs in the nation. With the Wolverines visiting, it is refreshing for the Scarlet Knights that all the controversy surrounding the game is not linked to Rutgers in any way. But for head coach Kyle Flood, it’s still all about the game of football, not what surrounds it. Flood said he cannot control or worry about what is going on in Ann Arbor, but rather needs to worry about the opponent at hand, which happens to be a pretty good football team. The Wolverines are effective defensively when stopping the run, allowing only three yards per carry to opposing runners. Rutgers, meanwhile, has enjoyed success over the past three seasons when it has been able to run the ball.
The Knights are 21-3 when attempting over 35 run plays per game. The running game has proven vital this season, too, according to senior quarterback Gary Nova. “It’s very important to get the running game going against Michigan. Their front seven is very good, and they have one of the best defensive players we are going to see in defensive end Frank Clark,” Nova said. “We just have to get a hat on a hat [block] to give Des and Justin some room, hopefully make a few guys miss and make some big plays.” Rutgers has had an accomplished running attack so far this season, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and over 175 yards per game. While the Knights will be tasked with having to play up to their competition while on offense, their defense will have to play top notch in order to account for Michigan’s impressive running attack. The Wolverines boast one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the country, Devin Gardner, who is considered a true dual-threat, several Rutgers defenders say. In addition to Gardner, Michigan boasts over five rushing yards per game so far this season. Senior defensive lineman David Milewski believes it’s going to be a good matchup. It’s a going to be a battle of what each of the two teams both do well,
Milewski said, with the Knights’ run defense playing impressively this season. “I think a lot of the Big Ten teams are good at running the ball, and they have a big, strong offensive line — all over 300 pounds,” Milewski said. “They are going to be physical and try to get after it in the run [game]. But we like to play against the run, too. It will be a tough matchup and one of those old school football games.” And that’s exactly what Milewski wants. “I like that kind of game,” he said. “You line up, and you see who is the better man. It’s going to be a fun night.” With another top-billed program coming to Piscataway, expect the atmosphere to be similar to that of the Penn State game, where Rutgers broke its all-time attendance record. The atmosphere can only help Rutgers’ defense, said junior defensive tackle Darius Hamilton. “There’s no question, man, the atmosphere is going to help,” Hamilton said. “Any time the stadium is behind us, and we got the fans out there from top to bottom screaming and shouting, that can lighten up anybody’s mood. It can get you ready at any given second.”
RUTGERS (4-1) CMP 64% NO. 63 67 38 NO. 25 10 9 TKL 37 29 27
YDS TD 1,197 10 YDS TD 363 5 288 0 186 1 YDS TD 475 5 90 0 110 2 TFL SCK 1.5 1 0.5 0 3 1
INT AVG 7 239.4 LNG AVG 56 90.8 21 57.6 20 62 LNG AVG 78 95 30 18 29 22 FF INT 0 0 0 1 1 0
PASSING D. Gardner S. Morris RUSHING D. Green D. Smith RECEIVING D. Funchess J. Chesson A. Darboh DEFENSE J. Ryan J. Bolden J. Lewis
MICHIGAN (2-3) CMP 63.3% 35.9% NO. 70 37 NO. 24 11 10 TKL 38 38 18
INJURIES OUT: RB S. Huggins, RB P. James, LB M. Nash, TE L. Lister, WR R. Peele, OL J. Webb QUESTIONABLE: CB A. Cioffi, CB G. Glashen, LB K. Snyder, FS D. Stephenson PROBABLE: CB N. Barnwell K N. Borgese, CB D. Boggs, CB Gareef Glashen, RB J. Goodwin, TE T. Kroft, OL B. Leoni, LB S. Longa, LT K. Lumpkin, DE D. Mera
INJURIES
SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE
Aug. 28 Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 Nov. 29
Washington State Howard Penn State Navy Tulane Michigan Ohio State Nebraska Wisconsin Indiana Michigan State Maryland
W, 41-38 W, 35-28 L, 13-10 W, 31-24 W, 31-6 7 p.m. 3:30 p.m. TBA noon TBA TBA TBA
YDS 733 128 YDS 397 251 YDS 321 117 142 TFL 4 2 0.5
TD 5 0 TD 3 3 TD 3 0 1 SCK 1 1 0
INT AVG 6 146.6 3 32 LNG AVG 62 79.4 61 50.2 LNG AVG 34 80.2 19 23.4 26 28.4 FF INT 0 0 0 0 0 1
QUESTIONABLE: QB S. Morris, DB J. Peppers, DE B. Beyer PROBABLE: WR D. Funchess
Aug. 30 Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 14 Oct. 11 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 22 Nov. 29
Appalachian State Notre Dame Miami (OH) Utah Minnesota Rutgers Penn State Michigan State Indiana Northwestern Maryland Michigan State
W, 52-14 L, 31-0 W, 34-10 L, 26-10 L, 30-14 7 p.m. 7 p.m. TBA 3:30 p.m. TBA TBA TBA
Key Matchup
WR Leonte Carroo vs. Michigan DBs
Carroo is Rutgers’ biggest receiving threat, but the junior will have his hands full with the Big Ten’s third-ranked pass defense.
For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TylerKaralewich and @ TargumSports on Twitter.
MICHELLE KLEJMONT / PHOTO EDITOR
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: OFFENSE
LEONTE CARROO WIDE RECEIVER
KEITH LUMPKIN LEFT TACKLE
KALEB JOHNSON LEFT GUARD
BETIM BUJARI CENTER
CHRIS MULLER RIGHT GUARD
TAJ ALEXANDER RIGHT TACKLE
TYLER KROFT TIGHT END
JANARION GRANT WIDE RECEIVER
GARY NOVA QUARTERBACK
MICHAEL BURTON FULLBACK
DESMON PEOPLES RUNNING BACK
Junior 6’-0”, 205 lbs.
Junior 6’-8”, 310 lbs.
Senior 6’-4”, 300 lbs.
Senior 6’-4”, 295 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-6”, 300 lbs.
Senior 6’-4”, 290 lbs.
Junior 6’-6”, 240 lbs.
Sophomore 5’-11”, 175 lbs.
Senior 6’-2”, 220 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 230 lbs.
Sophomore 5’-8”, 175 lbs.
GAREEF GLASHEN CORNERBACK
ANDRE HUNT FREE SAFETY
LORENZO WATERS STRONG SAFETY
ANTHONY CIOFFI CORNERBACK
Senior 5’-10”, 180 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-0”, 190 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 195 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-0”, 185 lbs.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: DEFENSE
DAVID MILEWSKI DEFENSIVE END
KENNETH KIRKSEY NOSE TACKLE
DARIUS HAMILTON DEF. TACKLE
DJWANY MERA DEFENSIVE END
STEVE LONGA OLB
KEVIN SNYDER MLB
QUENTIN GAUSE OLB
Senior 6’-4”, 245 lbs.
Senior 6’-1”, 275 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-4”, 255 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-4”, 260 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-1”, 225 lbs.
Senior 6’-3”, 235 lbs.
Junior 6’-1”, 220 lbs.
October 3, 2014
Gameday Page 3
KNIGHT NUGGETS BY THE NUMBERS
21
Rutgers has compiled 21 sacks this season, tops in the Big Ten and tied for the nation’s lead with Virginia Tech. Stopping the run against Michigan and reducing quarterback Devin Gardner to a pocket passer is vital for the Knights.
178
Michigan’s defense has allowed 178 passing yards per game this season, third-fewest in the Big Ten. Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova has played efficiently the last two weeks but will face perhaps his stiffest test yet.
0
Rutgers scored zero points in the second half of its first Big Ten game as Penn State scored 13 unanswered points for the win. The Knights will need to have more consistency sustaining drives against Michigan.
14
Michigan has committed 14 turnovers this season, the most in the Big Ten. With the Wolverines’ offense in disarray, the Knights can look to capitalize defensively and control the tempo of the game.
BIG QUESTION CAN THE KNIGHTS HANDLE THE PRESSURE THIS TIME AROUND? In Rutgers’ first Big Ten game against Penn State, the Knights blew a 10-point second-half lead. In another night atmosphere at home, Flood will need to help keep the Knights calm and focused.
KYLE FLOOD Head Coach
THE ADVANTAGE GOES TO OFFENSE
Rutgers is more balanced and efficient offensively than Michigan, which ranks last in the Big Ten in points per game and turnovers. The Knights also have stability at quarterback, while the Wolverines have had controversy at that position.
DEFENSE
Michigan ranks in the top five in the Big Ten in both rushing and passing defense, allowing only three yards per carry and 178 passing yards per game so far this season. Rutgers, meanwhile, ranks 11th in the conference in total defense.
COACHING
Rutgers boasts one of the nation’s top offensive coordinators in Ralph Friedgen, who has play-called balanced efforts the last two weeks. Michigan is 6-9 all-time on the road under head coach Brady Hoke, whose job security is uncertain.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Wolverines are a little bit sharper than the Knights defending punts and kickoffs this season. Michigan’s Ben Gedeon returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in the team’s first game of the season against Appalachian State.
X-FACTOR
In his two games at running back this season, sophomore Justin Goodwin is averaging 4.9 yards per carry on 38 attempts. Effectively complementing sophomore Desmon Peoples and busting a few big plays could sway the outcome.
MOMENTUM
Rutgers comes into its second Big Ten game with two straight wins against non-conference opponents, while is Michigan is reeling with two straight losses at home and coped with controversy off the field this week.
RUTGERS WINS IF
MICHIGAN WINS IF
THE KNIGHTS CAPITALIZE OFF OF TURNOVERS
THE WOLVERINES TAKE CARE OF THE BALL
Given Michigan’s struggles sustaining drives this season, Rutgers will need to take advantage of its extra chances against a solid Wolverines defense.
Turnovers have been Michigan’s undoing much of the season, and the Wolverines can’t afford to give the Knights any extra momentum.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “You want to run through a wall for Flood, all the coaches and your teammates.” MICHAEL BURTON Senior Fullback
TARGUM’S FINAL VERDICT RUTGERS WINS, 21-17 The Knights will take care of the ball better down the stretch than the Wolverines, whose offense is a mess right now and ranks last in the Big Ten in turnovers.
Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke has come under immense criticism for not only the team’s poor play, but also his handling of Shane Morris’ injury. COURTESY OF PAUL SHERMAN / THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Hoke enters weekend under scrutiny SEAN STEWART ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Entering Saturday night’s game between Michigan and Rutgers under the lights of High Point Solutions Stadium, one storyline is garnering much more attention than the rest. It isn’t that two of the oldest college football programs in history are facing off for the very first time. It’s also not about how poorly the Wolverines are playing despite suffering back-to-back blowout defeats at Michigan Stadium to what many would consider inferior competition. The main topic of discussion entering the weekend is Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke’s handling quarterback Shane Morris’s head injury, something Hoke was reluctant to discuss Tuesday during his Big Ten teleconference. “Like I said, we put out a statement [Tuesday morning], and I’m going to let that speak for itself,” Hoke said. Last Saturday during the fourth quarter of an eventual 30-14 loss to Minnesota, Morris took a hit to the head that knocked him flat on his back and was visibly in pain. The 6-foot-3 quarterback could hardly stand once he got back to his feet and fell into his teammates’ arms to keep him up. Despite the clear concussion symptoms Morris was demonstrating, he waved off being substituted and went in for the following play before being taken off for an ankle injury. On Tuesday at 1 a.m., Michigan Athletic Director Dave Brandon released a statement claiming the football program had a serious lack of communication on the sidelines when dealing with the injury.
Michigan President Mark S. Schlissel also released a statement that same day expressing his “extreme disappointment” in the handling of the injury. Both statements were contradictory to the remarks made by Hoke, who denied Morris’ concussion Monday afternoon based on everything he knew, according to the Detroit Free Press. When asked about his relationship with Brandon at the teleconference given the contradictory statements, Hoke said they are both on the same page. “I think we all are working toward the same goal, and we all want to win
“We’ve got to do a much better job coaching, we’ve got to do a much better job playing. ... there’s no question we would love to be 5-0.” BRADY HOKE Michigan Head Coach
games and represent Michigan with the high character and integrity it deserves,” Hoke said. “And we’re very supportive of each other.” In Brandon’s release, he said the program has identified two changes in the program’s medical procedure that will be immediately implemented, involving injuries on the field to avoid these lapses in communication. When Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood was asked about the field injuries and if they were difficult to keep track of during his own Tuesday teleconference, he said he be-
lieves Rutgers is properly prepared for any potential situation “I don’t know that ‘difficult’ is the word I would use,” Flood said. “I think when there’s an injury, the first person that has to be told is the head coach. So, when you see a player injured, we tell players if they get injured on the field to go down so we can assess what the injury is and not risk anything further at that point. Then the trainer communicates with me as the head coach. … That’s how we do it at Rutgers. I think it’s worked well for us, but it’s something that’s got to be done, got to be done well and got to be done with urgency.” With pressure mounting on Hoke for his lack of action and the team’s disarray on the field, a win could help lessen the outcry. Hoke will be relying on senior Devin Gardner at quarterback, who Hoke named as the starter against Rutgers with Morris unlikely to be active, according to ESPN. Although it remains to be seen if Michigan will face any punishment for its mishandling of the Morris situation, a loss on Saturday could be the final straw in Hoke’s tenure as Michigan head coach. “Number one, you want to win. You want to win for these kids because of how hard they’ve worked, and this is as hard a working team as I’ve been around,” Hoke said. “I think [in terms of] our attention to detail sometimes on game day, we’ve got to do a much better job coaching, we’ve got to do a much better job playing that way and … there’s no question we would love to be 5-0 [rather] than where we are right now.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
Gameday Page 4
October 3, 2014
FRIENDS...
Knights share strong relationships outside of football, which translates to success on field on game day TYLER KARALEWICH ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
When junior wide receiver Leonte Carroo arrived late to media availability on Monday after his tutoring session, a swarm of media members surrounded him and fired off questions. Picking up on the rather unusual horde of reporters, junior defensive lineman Darius Hamilton and senior quarterback Gary Nova also made their way over. Hamilton pulled out his recorder and imitated the rest of the journalists, while Nova made mocking faces to unnerve Carroo. When someone asked Hamilton if he had a question, he said he would leave it to the professionals. Nova, though, took the opportunity to jokingly mock his longtime friend. “Ask him why his shirt is so tight,” Nova said with a grin on his face, as the whole room erupted into laughter. In many cases, the relationship between players on the Rutgers football team goes beyond being just teammates. In the case of Carroo, Hamilton and Nova, that relationship went back to their times at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey and has now extended to Rutgers. When players spend all their practices, study halls, workouts and meals together, they become more than just teammates. The Scarlet Knights have fostered more of a family atmosphere in the locker room, evidenced by the mantra “RFamily.” According to sophomore offensive lineman Chris Muller, part of the reason he chose to attend Rutgers over other top Big Ten offers he received was this wide sense of family —
Senior right tackle Taj Alexander said that outside of football, his teammates are the only people he hangs out with. The Knights form a close bond off the field. MICHELLE KLEJMONT / PHOTO EDITOR something he hadn’t seen at other schools. Head coach Kyle Flood is proud to know the atmosphere of the locker room has appealed to the top recruits like Muller and other current Knights. They are exactly the type of recruits he wants. “I always appreciate ‘RFamily’ more when they say it. When the players star t saying the kind of things the coaches are saying, it’s something special,” Flood said. “We spend a lot of time together as a football team, and this team a little more than teams in the past. When we recruit a player, we are recruiting ever y player in
the program to win a championship, but when they get here, they become family.” Senior strong safety Lorenzo Waters lives with classmate Johnathan Aiken, while senior right tackle Taj Alexander lives with three other players on the team. Alexander said he really only hangs out with his teammates and feels like they are his brothers. “It’s definitely a brotherhood. Whatever it is, whatever a teammate needs help with, I feel I can help them,” Waters said. “I can help a teammate with homework, we go to church together and have them around my family,
and vice-versa. I couldn’t have a closer set of guys.” Besides the everyday monotonous routine of practicing and everything that goes into playing football, the Knights do find time to do everyday things. One shouldn’t be so surprised, Alexander said, because after all, football players are in college, too. Along with team activities, Alexander says they eat with each other outside mandator y team meals, go bowling and much more. “Outside of football, my team is all I hang out with. We just do normal people stuff, whether it’s going out to eat or playing video
games,” Alexander said. “I know 13 of us on Sunday night all went to go see the same movie, and we all sat in the same row. It’s not like we do anything special.” Those tight-knit relationships have gone lengths to help the team succeed on the field, players say. It is what separates Rutgers from other teams, and the bond off the field translates on the field. “The relationships definitely help us on the field, because we play for each other and care about the person next to us,” Alexander said. “You want to hold yourself accountable for the sake of them because you know how hard they work, on top of how hard you work. When you have that relationship where you care about someone like that, you want to do your best for them.” The mentality of teammates being there for each other extends to the locker room and beyond. Senior fullback Michael Bur ton said the feeling of family extends to other people besides teammates. “We stick together no matter what, through thick and thin. It’s more than just seeing a guy at the Hale Center. I see these guys on winter breaks, summer breaks and spring breaks,” Burton said. “How we build it at Rutgers is different. I think you just want to play for them that much more, and on top of that, it’s the same for the coaching staff. You want to run through a wall for Flood, all the coaches and your teammates.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TylerKaralewich and @TargumSports on Twitter.
Senior fullback Michael Burton insists the Knights stick together no matter what through thick and thin. Burton said beyond seeing his teammates in the Hale Center during the season, players reunite during spring, summer and winter breaks to build something special at Rutgers. TIAN LI / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
October 3, 2014
Gameday Page 5
AND FOES
Nova, Hamilton reflect on Peppers’ time at Don Bosco as Carroo downplays rematch with old teammate GREG JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR
It has been four years since they were teammates for one season at Don Bosco (New Jersey) Prep, but Gary Nova still remembers Jabrill Peppers as nothing short of a phenom. Peppers, only a freshman at the time, exploded in the state semifinals against St. Peter’s with an 80-yard interception for a touchdown before returning a blocked field goal to the house, Nova recounts. “He had more yards than the offense did throughout the whole game,” Nova said, chuckling. “He’s just one of the best athletes I’ve seen. As young guys, we had summer workouts, playing in 7-on-7s, and you don’t expect a freshman to go out there and compete the way he did. Some games, he made plays that really carried us to victory.” Don Bosco went a perfect 12-0 in 2010 and captured the state title. The next season, Peppers played running back in addition to cornerback and ran the table again with Leonte Carroo and Darius Hamilton, two other current members of the Rutgers football team. Then the East Orange native transferred to Paramus Catholic (New Jersey) High School, where he won two more football state titles along with back-to-back gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter track races at the Meet of Champions, becoming only the second boy in history to do so. “He’s a natural-born competitor,” Hamilton remembers of the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder. “I think when you’re a natural-born competitor, it allows you to fight through a lot of things, to not pay attention to the naysayers and just keep pushing. I think that’s one thing Jabrill does a great job of.”
True freshman defensive back Jabrill Peppers played high school football with three current Rutgers players from 2010 to 2011. But Peppers, last year’s No. 3 overall recruit, opted to leave his home state for Michigan. COURTESY OF PAUL SHERMAN / THE MICHIGAN DAILY But instead of staying home and joining Nova, Carroo and Hamilton at Rutgers, Peppers committed to Michigan in May of 2013 as the nation’s top cornerback and third-best overall recruit, according to Rivals. Along with Michigan and Rutgers, he had offers from 19 schools, including Alabama, Florida and Ohio State, according to ESPN. A true freshman defensive back already seeing time as a starter while drawing comparisons to ex-Wolverine and former
Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, Peppers now returns to New Jersey for the first time since high school. It’s unknown if he’ll play Saturday night against Rutgers after missing Michigan’s game last weekend with an undisclosed injury. He also sat most of the Wolverines’ first contest and the following week against Notre Dame with an ankle injury. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke remains mum on the status of Peppers, who has eight tackles in three games seeing action
both on the outside and inside as a nickel corner. Carroo said he hasn’t spoken to Peppers since the corner left Don Bosco in 2012, but he isn’t feeding much into the hype of a potential matchup. The two last squared off in high school. “It’s just another matchup. It’ll be another competitive matchup,” Carroo said, giving his best poker face Monday at the Rutgers Audi Club. “He’s a ver y competitive player, so I’m just excited to go out there and play.”
Junior wide receiver Leonte Carroo might line up across from Peppers, whose status for Saturday night’s game is unknown after he suffered an undisclosed injury last week. Carroo and Peppers played together at Don Bosco Prep. MICHELLE KLEJMONT / PHOTO EDITOR
Carroo may care little about the showdown, but if Peppers is able to suit up, he figures to line up overtop the junior wide receiver on occasion, making for an intriguing New Jersey reunion. Peppers was a five-star recruit, according to Rivals. Carroo was a four-star prospect by the same scouting website. Both have pro talent, each known for their natural ball instincts and physicality. And both ran track in high school, each standing 6-foot-1 with brawny body types while boasting elusive speed. “I actually love when defenders press up on me or play tight,” Carroo said, “because I know I can use my ability and my speed to run past them.” Carroo did as much last Saturday against Tulane, tearing apart the Green Wave’s man-to-man coverage with seven catches for 140 yards and three touchdowns to continue climbing Rutgers’ alltime receiving charts. But that was Tulane. Although he downplays the potential of lining up across from Peppers, Carroo openly admits he wants to go against the best. Soon he might face it in the phenom from East Orange, clashing under the lights of the Knights’ first-ever meeting with Michigan. “I’m not really afraid of the big stage,” Carroo said. “I like big games, I like the energy. It excites me, and I just like to go out there and have fun.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @gregp_j and @TargumSports on Twitter.
October 3, 2014
Gameday Page 6
GRAPHIC BY ADAM ISMAIL / DESIGN EDITOR
GRAPHIC BY ADAM ISMAIL / DESIGN EDITOR
Nova gets another chance to deliver on big stage GREG JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR
In the aftermath of a dreary second half against Penn State in which Gary Nova admitted he let down the Rutgers football team, offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen sought out the senior. Friedgen had spent much of the spring and summer working tirelessly with the Scarlet Knights’ much-maligned quarterback. Together, they studied Nova’s inconsistencies and tendencies to make poor decisions. They closely examined his penchant for forcing big plays under duress. Friedgen even made a tweak to Nova’s mechanics, specifically in the way the senior planted his back foot when releasing the ball. He advised Nova to keep his whole foot on the ground and not overextend his toe, which resulted in better velocity and less stress on Nova’s arm. With maturity and refined mechanics entering his fourth year in Piscataway, Nova showed signs of a changed quarterback. But after another promising start to the season, Nova reverted to old habits in Rutgers’ first Big Ten game Sept. 13, throwing five interceptions — two in the fourth quarter — as the Knights squandered a 10-point second-half lead to the Nittany Lions. It all came tumbling down for Nova again, but Friedgen didn’t lose faith. “He didn’t give me any long speech or anything like that. He just told me, ‘I’ve got confidence in you, and what I think of you is all that matters. We’re going to get through this together,’” Nova said. “We just went in to watch film, and he was hard on me in critiquing the game. He pushes me every day in practice.” Since that crushing defeat, Nova has completed 71 percent of his passes over the last two games, throwing four touchdowns and, most importantly, only one interception.
Since his five-interception game Sept. 13 against Penn State, senior quarterback Gary Nova has completed 71 percent of his passes for four touchdowns and only one turnover. He will have to keep playing efficiently for Rutgers to beat Michigan. EDWIN GANO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER It’s partly the product of a renewed ground game, as Rutgers ran the ball for an average of 227.5 yards per game over that span. When the Knights’ pro-style is arguably at its best, the offensive line sets the tone with good pushes in the run game, allowing Nova to calmly manage the action and not overcompensate. He did just that against two more non-conference foes, most recently dissecting Tulane’s man-to-man schemes. With another chance to capitalize on a big stage against another stingy run defense in Michigan, finding a way to open holes in the ground early and often remains the key for Rutgers.
“The last time we played a Big Ten football game at home, we didn’t run the ball well enough. That’s where the problems started,” said head coach Kyle Flood. “[It] wasn’t the only problem, but that’s where the problems started. We’ve got to run the ball effectively in this game to perform on offense the way we want to.” Nova, meanwhile, feels his decision-making has improved “tremendously” since that fateful Sept. 13 night. Fans in Piscataway have heard those sentiments time and time again. Outsiders continue to criticize Nova, doubting he will ever truly turn the corner as a Knight.
Nova insists none of the concerns about his ability to perform in big games affect him. “I only tr y to prove things to my teammates,” Nova said. “I don’t care what other people think or anything like that. As long as I have the approval of my teammates and go out there ever y day and they know I’m doing ever ything I can to tr y to lead this team to victor y, that’s all that matters.” Tyler Kroft can vouch for that. The junior tight end swears no one is more critical of Nova than himself, and as another opportunity to make an impression in the Big Ten arises, the Knights see
the desire in the senior’s eyes to make amends. “We’re on the same page when it comes to that,” Kroft said. “We’re not really worried about what the outside thinks. We’re all, as a unit, doing it for each other out there, and that’s what strong teams are built of f of — when you love each other enough not to make a mistake. It hur ts you so bad to do something wrong or make a mistake. I think that’s when the truly great teams are born.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @gregp_j and @TargumSports on Twitter.
October 3, 2014
Gameday Page 7
GRAPHIC BY ADAM ISMAIL / DESIGN EDITOR
“
How would you describe the overall state of Michigan football, from the downward trend on the field to what has transpired this week?
GREG JOHNSON TARGUM SPORTS EDITOR
“
Michigan is absolutely in a state of crisis, and that’s true even if you ignore the Athletic Department’s handling of Shane Morris following a concussion he suffered last week.
The Daily Targum: How would you describe the overall state of Michigan football, from the downward trend on the field to what has transpired this week?
what Hoke had previously said. So not only is the football team in a state of disarray, but people are calling for the coach and Athletic Director to be fired immediately.
Alejandro Zuniga: Michigan is absolutely in a state of crisis, and that’s true even if you ignore the Athletic Department’s handling of Shane Morris following a concussion he suffered last week. This season alone, the Wolverines were shut out for the first time since 1984, lost to Minnesota for the second time in 24 years and have three defeats before October for the first time ever. Looking at the rest of Michigan’s schedule, it’s hard to find more than one or two wins given the way the team has performed so far.
DT: You were at the University President’s house Tuesday evening for the student protest of athletic director Dave Brandon. What’s the gist of why the situation with quarterback Shane Morris is the last straw for many students on campus?
For many people, Hoke’s inability get Morris off the field when he had clearly suffered head trauma was the final straw. The Athletic Department didn’t do itself any favors when it released a statement at 12:52 a.m. Tuesday that contradicted much of
”
AZ: Saturday, almost all of the thousands of fans left at Michigan Stadium saw the ugly hit that concussed Morris. We saw him stumble, seemingly unable to stand under his own power momentarily. And we saw Hoke leave him in the game, because he somehow didn’t see any of that. Monday, Hoke said Morris had a high-ankle sprain but that he would “never, ever put a guy on the field when there was a possibility of head trauma.” Early Tuesday morning, a statement from Brandon said Morris
had been diagnosed with a concussion Sunday. So either Hoke didn’t know about that Monday, or he did know and still gave the above quote. Neither option paints Hoke, or the Athletic Department, in a very good light. For many students, the debacle is emblematic of Hoke and Brandon’s tenure at Michigan. That it jeopardized their peer’s health only intensified the anger. DT: What areas on the field does Michigan need to improve in the shortterm to regroup and salvage the rest of this season?
”
ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA CO-MANAGING SPORTS EDITOR AT THE MICHIGAN DAILY
the Wolverines want to breathe life into their offense, two things need to happen. First, receivers must start getting separation. Other than Devin Funchess, they haven’t been doing the quarterbacks any favors. Second, the running backs need space. Defensive coordinators love to blitz Michigan’s inexperienced offensive line, so pulling out a running back screen or two could go a long way.
At the Utah game a couple weeks ago, a two-hour rain delay meant just a handful of people were sitting behind the end zone as Michigan began its final drive. One man screamed at the team, “We’re going to the Rutgers game because we’re idiots!” So he’ll be there.
Defensively, the Wolverines are solid. Get the offense moving and wins could come.
AZ: From the students, there’s a large sense of apathy about Saturday’s game. Many of them expect Michigan to lose and don’t mind if that happens. But looking at the Wolverines’ schedule, this is an absolute mustwin before games against Penn State and Michigan State. Other wise they’re 2-4 and will likely fall to 2-6 before any sort of turnaround.
AZ: Everywhere. When the team’s 2-3, there can’t be too many positives, right?
DT: What’s the buzz in Ann Arbor for Michigan’s first-ever meeting with Rutgers, and about how many fans are expected to travel to New Jersey?
Devin Gardner is starting at quarterback Saturday, which should give Michigan a boost. He’s a veteran and has a ton of talent. (See the Ohio State game last year, when he willed the Wolverines to within a two-point conversion of beating Ohio State despite playing on a broken foot.) If
AZ: Honestly, the firestorm around Hoke and Brandon has been so intense that I’m not sure people have given it much thought. Michigan always travels well, though, and there are enough fans on the East Coast that there should be a good contingent at Rutgers on Saturday.
DT: How high are the stakes for Michigan this Saturday? Any rumblings that this could be it for head coach Brady Hoke?
In all likelihood, Hoke will be fired. Given that Michigan might not make a bowl game anyway, I think the move comes after the season regardless of Saturday’s result.
MICHELLE KLEJMONT / PHOTO EDITOR