Game Day 2010-10-01

NO

Q UEST I O N

With concerns about the health of quarterback Tom Savage and tailback Joe Martinek, Mohamed Sanu’s Wildcat package will certainly take on a big role in Rutgers’ matchup with Tulane.

JOVELLE ABBEY TAMAYO / PHTOGRAPHY EDITOR

G2

G A M E DAY

OCTOBER 1, 2010

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

KnightsGameday RUTGERS VS TULANE

GAME 3: Rutgers Stadium, 2 p.m. TV: ESPN3.com RADIO: 1450 AM

SPREAD: Rutgers by 17.5

[

INSIDE the NUMBERS

SCARLET KNIGHTS (2-1)

TULANE (1-2)

PASSING CMP YDS TD INT. AVG. 3 123.3 T. Savage 52.4% 370 1

CMP YDS TD INT. AVG. PASSING R. Griffin 65.6% 360 0 2 120.0

RUSHING NO. YDS TD LNG AVG. J. Martinek 39 178 1 35 4.3 29 105 0 17 J. Thomas 3.3

RUSHING A. Williams O. Darkwa

NO. YDS TD LNG AVG. 5.1 35 180 0 27 4.8 29 139 4 28

RECEIVING NO. YDS TD LNG AVG. 16 164 1 29 10.2 M. Sanu 45 0 20 15.0 3 M. Harrison 43 0 21 14.3 3 K. Stroud 49 1 25 16.3 2 D. Jefferson

RECEIVING C. Robottom D. Banks D. Figaro J. Kemp

NO. YDS TD 17 147 0 14 153 0 4 95 1 4 51 0

TKL SCK 23 0.5 1 21 20 0.5

DEFENSE

A. Lowery S. Beauharnais J. Lefeged JOVELLE ABBEY TAMAYO / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Nursing a sore ankle, junior starting tailback Joe Martinek had just five carries for 30 yards in Rutgers’ 17-13 loss to North Carolina last week, when the ground game went through Mohamed Sanu and Jordan Thomas.

Injuries abound for both RU, Tulane

BY SAM HELLMAN CORRESPONDENT

Between the Rutgers and Tulane football teams, three quarterbacks and two critical offensive weapons are injured.

For the Scarlet Knights, sophomore starting quarterback Tom Savage and junior starting running back Joe Martinek are probable with injuries although neither fully participated in practice this week.

Savage suffered a rib injur y against North Carolina. He managed to return after sitting out one series, but struggled severely through the rest of the game, failing to lead Rutgers to touchdowns twice in the final two drives inside UNC’s half of the field.

“You can feel it, but like I said, I’m just looking forward to the game now,” Savage said on his injured ribs. “It’s football. You just have to go out there and play. I’m sure 90 percent of the team doesn’t feel 100 percent either.”

Martinek injured his leg against Florida International. The coaching staff limited him significantly during the bye week and he played sparingly against the Tar Heels, rushing the ball five times for 30 yards.

The contingency plan if Savage can not play is a mixture of the Wild Knight formation with sophomore Mohamed Sanu, who ran the ball 15 times for just 41 yards last week to go along with one completed pass and 74 receiving yards, and backup Chas Dodd.

Dodd, a true freshman, came in for three plays last week and played in the fourth quarter against Norfolk State.

“We are confident in Chas if he has to go,” Schiano said. “The issue gets a little cloudy after that, so that is really one of the concerns.”

For the Green Wave, fifth-year senior quarterback Kevin Moore is out indefinitely with a broken finger.

Starting quarterback Ryan Griffin sprained his non-throwing shoulder last week in a loss to Houston.

Behind them are a pair of wide receivers that could see time behind center. Wideout Joe Kemp is listed as the backup on Tulane’s depth chart for the upcoming week and D.J. Banks will see time out of their Wildcat formation.

“That is the big thing, the awareness of who you are seeing, who you are facing and what you can anticipate them doing with that guy,” said Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. “Since they do have

a Wildcat component, it certainly changes things quite a bit.”

Kemp completed one pass this season for 38 yards and is fourth on the team with four catches and 51 yards.

“Joe has played a lot of football for us at quarterback as well,” said Tulane head coach Bob Toledo.

“He’ll play. D.J. Ponder will also play quarterback for us. He’s our third quarterback. Kevin is out, and we’ll just kind of go from there.”

Rutgers faced a similar preparation quandr y two weeks ago when the team had to gameplan around a quarterback carousel at Florida International.

FIU head coach Mario Cristobal opted to refrain from announcing either Mississippi State transfer Wesley Carroll or last year’s backup Wayne Younger as the starter.

In their running game, Tulane is without Orleans Darkwa, who sprained a tendon in his elbow.

Darkwa is third on the team with 175 total yards and second in rushing with 139.

“Obviously, after you play three or four games, guys start getting banged up a little bit,” Toldeo said. “The nice thing about it is we still feel like we have nice, quality backup depth that we can replace some of those guys with. We’re fine at this point.”

]

INT 0 0 1

DEFENSE

T. Mackey A. Wacha R. Travis

LNG 38 23 49 26

AVG. 8.6 10.9 23.8 12.8

TKL SCK 38 0 26 0 24 0

INT 0 0 0

INJURIES Probable — J. Martinek, T. Savage Out — D. Milewski

INJURIES Out — QBs R. Griffin, K. Moore, RB O. Darkwa

SCHEDULE Sept. 2 Sept. 11 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 8 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Nov. 3 Nov. 13 Nov. 20 Nov. 26 Dec. 4

SCHEDULE Sept. 2 Sept. 11 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6 Nov. 13 Nov. 20 Nov. 27

Norfolk State FIU N. Carolina Tulane Connecticut Army Pittsburgh South Florida Syracuse Cincinnati Louisville West Virginia

W, 31-0 W, 19-14 L, 17-13 2 p.m.

7:30 TBA TBA 7 p.m.

TBA TBA TBA TBA

W, 27-21 L, 27-13 L, 42-23 Houston 2:00 p.m.

Rutgers 3:30 p.m.

Army 7 p.m.

Tulsa 9:05 p.m.

UTEP 3:30 p.m.

S. Methodist 3:30 p.m.

S. Mississippi 3:30 p.m.

Rice Central Florida 3:30 p.m.

12 p.m.

Marshall SE Louisiana

Ole Miss

Key Matchup Rutgers front four vs. Tulane’s quarterbacks Joe Kemp spent the offseason transitioning from quarterback to wide receiver but is back under center out of necessity and will split time with Wildcat quarterback D.J. Banks, posing a dual threat for the Rutgers defensive line.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: OFFENSE

MOHAMED SANU Wide Receiver

DESMOND STAPLETON Tackle

DESMOND WYNN Guard

HOWARD BARBIERI Center

ANTWAN LOWERY Guard

ART FORST Tackle

D.C. JEFFERSON Tight End

MARK HARRISON Wide Receiver

TOM SAVAGE Quarterback

PAUL CARREZOLA Fullback

JOE MARTINEK Running Back

Sophomore 6’-2”, 218 lbs.

Junior 6’-5”, 285 lbs.

Junior 6’-6”, 290 lbs.

Senior 6’-5”, 304 lbs.

R-Freshman 6’-4”, 302 lbs.

Junior 6’-8”, 311 lbs.

Sophomore 6’-6”, 258 lbs

Sophomore 6’-3”, 230 lbs

Sophomore 6’-5”, 226 lbs

R-Freshman 6’-2”, 235 lbs

Junior 6’-0”, 215 lbs

DAVID ROWE Cornerback

JOE LEFEGED Strong Safety

KHASEEM GREENE Free Safety

BRANDON BING Cornerback

Junior 6’-0”, 196 lbs

Senior 6’-1”, 205 lbs

Sophomore 6’-1”, 215 lbs

Senior 5’-11”, 180 lbs

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: DEFENSE

JONATHAN FREENY Right end

CHARLIE NOONAN Tackle

SCOTT VALLONE Tackle

ALEX SILVESTRO Left end

MANNY ABREU Linebacker

STEVE BEAUHARNAIS

Linebacker

ANTONIO LOWERY Linebacker

Senior 6’-3”, 250 lbs

Senior 6’-2”, 274 lbs

Sophomore 6’-3”, 270 lbs

Senior 6’-4”, 260 lbs

Junior 6’-3”, 245 lbs

Sophomore 6’-2”, 230 lbs

Senior 6’-2”, 225 lbs

G AMEDAY

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

KNIGHT NUGGETS

BY THE NUMBERS True freshman quarterback Chas Dodd is 1-for-3 for six yards in his young career, with the lone completion coming late against Norfolk State. He could see valuable time if Savage’s ribs don’t hold up.

Rutgers’ defense faced five fourth-down conversion attempts thus far, and the opponents converted zero of them as the Knights’ ‘D’ continually gives the ball back to the offense.

Through three games, the Rutgers offense outgained opponents by 16 yards, tallying 838 yards of offense, compared to 822 by Norfolk State, Florida International and North Carolina.

Mohamed Sanu has a quarterback efficiency rating of 395 out of the Wildcat formation, which Rutgers could rely on if the traditional offense continues to struggle early.

The Scarlet Knights’ defense forced six fumbles through its first three games and recovered all six of them, continuing the takeaway success it began last season with a +20 turnover margin.

Entering Saturday’s contest, both Rutgers and Tulane scored 63 points through their first three games. The Knights scored two rushing touchdowns, three passing and one on special teams.

6

395

0

6-6

BIG QUESTION

16

63

FINAL VERDICT

TOM SAVAGE SOPHOMORE QB

RUTGERS, 20-9 Rutgers’ defense shuts down Tulane’s limited offensive attack to seal the Homecoming win.

For as much as Rutgers’ offense struggled early on, Tulane is without its top two quarterbacks.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

DEFENSE

Greg Schiano has questions at quarterback, but was still dealt a better hand than Bob Toledo.

HISTORY

Although Tulane took its last game against Rutgers, 52-24, the Knights hold the series advantage, 3-1.

MOMENTUM

OUT

of

BOUNDS WITH JORDAN

THOMAS

Targum’s football beat writer Sam Hellman chats with true freshman running back Jordan Thomas about adapting to college life on the Ave. ...

Rutgers is coming off a tough loss to UNC, but the team was at least in that game. Tulane fell to Houston, 42-23, last weekend.

In Greg Schiano’s first nine years at Rutgers, the Knights are 8-1 in Homecoming games. There is no reason for success not to continue.

SH: What did you take from that game that you want to carry over to Tulane?

JT: That game is over and I basically can’t wait until Tulane. We had a really good practice the other night.

SH: Why can’t you wait for Tulane?

JT: The fans. I can’t wait for the fans to be back. They were awesome last week and this is Homecoming. It’s my first college Homecoming game. If the fans treat it anything like it was for me in high school, you know it’s going to be 10 times better.

SH: Away from football, what’s your favorite part of Rutgers through your first month of classes?

JT: I just love being able to say I’m in college. I love the atmosphere of the college, going to class and stuff like that. And obviously I love the people — my teammates, classmates, teachers, coaches, everyone. That’s the college life.

SH: What’s your favorite class?

JT: Public speaking. I really like public speaking.

SH: These interview sessions must be good practice.

JT: [Laughs] I love it.

Through the first three games, the Rutgers defense has done its part, so Tulane’s tricky quarterback situation should not affect it.

COACHING

THE DAILY TARGUM’S

SH: What do you like about that swing pass that we’ve seen the team run in your direction?

JT: We work on it a lot in practice, so you’re confident that it will work in a game. I love having the ball in open space and just trying to use my speed to gain yards.

THE ADVANTAGE GOES TO ...

OFFENSE

G3

Sam Hellman: How important of a learning experience was North Carolina for you?

Jordan Thomas: I know we lost, but the learning experience was really good.

It taught me a lot just being in there and I learned a lot from the tape.

Will Tom Savage recover and bounce back from last week’s performance?

Savage took both a mental and physical beating against UNC, but said he felt OK all week long and will need to show it to silence critics after his rough start to the season.

OCTOBER 1, 2010

X-FACTOR

KHASEEM GREENE SOPHOMORE FS

SH: In the few minutes that you actually get spare time, what do you like to do?

JT: I really just hang out and chill with my roommates — Taj Alexander, Jawaun Wynn, Lorenzo Waters. I love those guys. It’s just like hanging out with my brothers. We could play Xbox all day.

SH: What’s your game of choice?

JT: Call of Duty.

“[Joe Lefeged] may not be a ‘rah rah,’ Brian Dawkins, get-loud, get-in-your-face type of guy, but he will lead by example.”

SH: Who’s the best?

JT: Definitely Waters. No question.

SH: I know you’re still relatively new, but do you have a favorite place to go?

A restaurant or something?

JT: I like the Grease Trucks. I think they’re pretty good. I want to try out some new restaurants though. I’m not really sure. Some of the guys say I should hit up some of the ones on the Ave [Easton].

SH: What’s your fat sandwich of choice?

JT: Fat Fella. That’s steak, mozzarella sticks, lettuce, tomatoes — all the good stuff.

SH: I know you’re a guy who likes to laugh, but who’s the best on the team at making you do it?

JT: [Laughs] The funniest person would have to be Mo [Mohamed Sanu], but I would say [true freshman linebacker] Sam Bergen is the best at making me laugh. You don’t expect it, but he’s really, really funny.

SH: What about him is so funny?

JT: He’s hilarious. He’s just so sarcastic. You can’t tell if he’s serious or not. He’s just a funny character.

G4

GAM

OCTOBER 1, 2010

Safeties’ School of THE LEFEGED FILE

HARD K

BY STEVEN MILLER

Greene joined Rutgers with one year at safety under his belt from Avon Old Farms Prep (Conn.) and four years of Consider this a disclaimer — one that linebacker play at Elizabeth High School.

Rutgers safeties Joe Lefeged and He credits Lefeged with teaching him to Khaseem Greene would not afford the put the two together and play safety like offense: They’re going to hit you. And a linebacker. they want to do it early.

“It just means that you’re physical as a “I definitely think if you come up in the safety, instead of being just a coverage first quarter and lay a big hit, wide guy or a guy who can cover, but not tackreceivers think about things like that,” le,” Greene said. “He showed me it all as said Greene, a sophomore. “Once a a whole package: A hard-hitting safety receiver gets hit, most will who can cover the whole be peeking next time they field and is fast.” come around. That’s an Both Greene and “[Lefeged] will lay advantage we have, Lefeged began the season someone out and especially with me playing as if they are the and Joe and all the package. set the foundation totalThey other safeties here at are physical, Rutgers. When we combining for 37 tackles for a game, or he have an opportunity two forced fumbles. will force a fumble and to lay a big hit or tackAnd they cover the field, le somebody hard, we or ... interception.” picking off two passes take advantage of that.” before showing off their KHASEEM GREENE Delivering big hits are speed in returning them just another part of for a combined 43 yards.

Sophomore Safety Lefeged and Greene’s

By Lefeged’s stanrepertoire, one that dards, he may not have comes naturally to a pair of high been a complete safety until last season, school linebackers who are no when he recorded his first career interstrangers to contact. ception against Connecticut.

It is a part of the game And although the Germantown, Md., Lefeged established from Day native has no problem delivering a bone1 in Piscataway. jarring hit, he would still prefer to have As a true freshman in the ball in his hands after a takeaway.

2007, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound “I still have to say [I would rather Lefeged delivered a pair of big have] an interception, because there’s hits to Maryland quarterback nothing better than getting the ball back Jordan Steffy and Syracuse to the offense,” he said. signal caller Andrew Greene had a knack for interceptions Robinson, with the latter from the first time he saw the field, as he forcing a fumble and had two his redshirt freshman season and earning him Big East another last week against North Carolina.

Defensive Player of And Lefeged and Greene’s knack for the Week honors. the ball in pass coverage is reassuring for

HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 205 POUNDS HOMETOWN: GERMANTOWN, MD.

SPORTS EDITOR

BIG EAST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK TWO TIMES ... SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK ONCE

J. LEFEGED ... STRONG SAFETY TACKLES

TFL

SACKS

INTS

FR

FF

BLOCKS

2007:

38

3.5

3.5

0

0

1

0

0

2008:

72

4

1

0

2

1

0

0

2009:

44

2.5

1

1

1

2

2

1

2010:

20

0.5

0

1

0

2

2

1

174

10.5

5.5

2

3

6

4

2

TOTAL:

TDS

RAMON DOMPOR / ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Senior safety Joe Lefeged shares kick-returning duties along with his role on the bined for a stat line that reads: 37 tackles, half a tackle for a loss, two interceptio

E DAY

KNOCKS

OCTOBER 1, 2010

G5

Est. MMXXVI

THE GREENE FILE

Schiano, who has only one concern about their linebacker mentalities.

“If they play their pass responsibilities like linebackers, then we’re in big trouble,” Schiano said. “But what they’re saying is they hit — they’re not afraid to bring the wood. There’s normally not a blocker for them, but if there is, it doesn’t matter because they might not hit anybody. But when there’s not a blocker on our safeties, they’re going to hit somebody.”

Like Schiano, coverage was the part of the move to safety that concerned Greene most, but after a year of practice at prep school and a redshirt season at Rutgers, any concern was put to rest.

“In the beginning, I thought it was going to be hard, because when you’re the deep middle safety, you cover sideline to sideline,” Greene said. “After a year doing it at prep school, I got it down pat to a T. I just elevated my game ever y single time I got out on the practice field or in the film room and learned from older guys like Joe who passed it down.”

But Greene was the perfect pupil, according to Lefeged, and when Lefeged’s former partner in the secondary Zaire Kitchen graduated last season, Greene made a seamless transition from third safety to full-time starter.

Now, sophomore Duron Harmon fills Greene’s former role in nickel packages, when Lefeged slides up to the line of scrimmage — a position that takes him back to his high school days.

“There’s a lot of similarities [between safety and linebacker] in terms of reads, and also because a lot of times our safeties come up closer to the line,” Lefeged said. “And then there’s the physicality of delivering some strong tackles.”

The latest for Lefeged came against

North Carolina, when he lifted wideout Jheranie Boyd off the ground and drilled him to the turf.

He had a team-high nine tackles in that game, but the per formance could be considered a step down after he earned Big East Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week honors in the game prior.

But according to Greene, special performances should be expected of Lefeged.

“Every year there’s that one guy on the defense where you’ve just never been around a guy like that, who just works so hard on the field and off the field,” Greene said. “Joe is like that. He grinds, he constantly grinds.

“On the field, he’s a leader by example. He may not be a ‘rah rah,’ Brian Dawkins getloud, get-in-your-face type of guy, but he will lead by example. He will lay someone out and set the foundation for a game, or he will force a fumble or catch an interception — that pretty much starts the game for us.”

It is the closest thing to a disclaimer Lefeged and Greene will offer.

JOVELLE ABBEY TAMAYO / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

defense, while sophomore safety Khaseem Greene is also a special teams player. Thus far this season, the two comns, two forced fumbles, two blocked punts, a touchdown and 169 all-purpose return yards.

HEIGHT: 6’1” WEIGHT: 215 HOMETOWN: ELIZABETH, N.J.

POUNDS

K. GREENE ... FREE SAFETY TACKLES

TFL

SACKS

INTS

FR

2008:

38

3.5

3.5

0

0

2009:

72

4

1

0

2

TOTAL:

44

2.5

1

1

1

G6

G AMEDAY

OCTOBER 1, 2010

T H E DA I LY TA R G U M

Vallone makes big impact despite what stats read

BY A.J. JANKOWSKI ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

To the untrained eye, Scott Vallone did not start the 2010 season off strong.

The sophomore defensive tackle recorded two tackles through two games after a redshirt freshman campaign when he averaged more than three tackles per contest.

But in the eyes of head coach Greg Schiano, the early season stats are not a reflection of Vallone’s performances.

“I don’t know if the official stats say [it], but he has played two really good games,” the 10thyear head coach said before taking on North Carolina a week ago. “He has had the productivity. I hope he can keep rising because if he does he’ll have a great year.”

Productive is the perfect way to assess Vallone’s performance last Saturday after Schiano made those comments.

The Central Islip, N.Y., native recorded seven tackles — two and a half for a loss, including one and a half sacks — in the losing effort.

For Vallone, the stat line and the game’s result are just things of the past and all that is in his sights now is a Saturday afternoon affair with Tulane.

“I know there’s always room for improvement. Obviously, I wish we got that last one, but that one’s in the past and we moved on,” the preseason AllBig East selection said. “Other than that, I’m just tr ying to

improve every game and make sure the defense doesn’t get complacent and make sure that we keep improving.”

As someone who was the No. 3 overall recruit in the state of New York upon his arrival to the Banks, improving is not something Vallone usually needed to do.

“In high school it was just about double-teaming the best defensive player,” the St. Anthony’s product said. “Here, it has to do with schemes and techniques. If I get double-teamed I just have to hold my ground and stay in my gap.”

After a foot injur y required Vallone to undergo surger y before his first season in Piscataway, the uphill climb to kick of f his collegiate career began.

Fortunately for Vallone, he received a medical redshirt, giving him his year of eligibility back.

“Luckily for me I got the redshirt, so now I still get to come back next year and the year after,” he said. “Recovering from the injury was tough. It was a hard road back, but I’m healthy now so I’m back to what I need to do.”

If Vallone ever needs a helping hand along the way, he can just look one spot over. Lining up next to Vallone is fellow defensive tackle Charlie Noonan — a fifth-year senior and recipient of the Frank R. Burns Award that commends extraordinar y mental and physical toughness during spring practices.

According to Noonan, the two tackles are on an equal level and are good friends off the field.

“We’re real close, we live together and we always talk football. He just loves football and it pays off,” the Philadelphia native said. “Scott’s a great player. He’s younger, but he’s real mature in the sense that he’s a mature player at a young age. He plays with such good technique that not everyone has at a younger age.”

Equal footing is exactly where the two stand on the stat sheet, with both recording nine tackles through three games. But it is not about the stats.

It is about the entire defensive line being on the same page, which in turn can spark the whole team.

“We always say that it’s up to us up front. Everything starts up front,” Noonan said. “If we practice hard, then we get the O-line going and it’s a trickle down from there. We are a hungry group that absolutely is always trying to get better.”

As one of the stronger groups on the Rutgers football team, the defensive line’s dedication and hunger translates to success on the field. It is a job that Vallone embodies with his focus and hard work.

“He’s just so focused on what he has to do and on the chop,” said fellow defensive tackle Eric LeGrand. “He’s always on task and goes out and tries and prepares his hardest every week.”

Vallone’s statistical outburst against the Tar Heels turned heads, but to Schiano, the

JOVELLE ABBEY TAMAYO / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Sophomore defensive tackle Scott Vallone recorded seven tackles, including one and a half sacks, in the loss against North Carolina.

defensive tackle’s season as a whole is impressive.

“If you want to talk about Scott’s whole year right now, he’s playing good football,” Schiano said. “If he can continue to get better, he can be a very, very, very good lineman at this level in this league.”

Being a good lineman in this league does not live and die by the stat line for Schiano and Vallone. Being a good lineman at

this level depends on taking Vallone’s work ethic from the practice field to the spotlight — all while enjoying the ride.

“Obviously, going into the game you’re focused on the game and your job and the opponent,” Vallone said. “But after the game, you have those guys in the locker room and hopefully after a good win you get to hang out a little bit … so that will be fun. But first you have to take care of the game.”

F R EE

SAFET Y With their hard-nosed style, Khaseem Greene and Joe Lefeged are vital to Rutgers’ defense.

RAMON DOMPOR / ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR