KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
On his first collegiate play from scrimmage for the Rutgers football team last Saturday, true freshman cornerback Blessuan Austin got off to a fast start. While Norfolk State attempted to set up a screen on the first offensive play of the game, Austin snuffed it out in the backfield and decleated Spartans running back Larry Bishop, separating him from the football. After a rush for no gain, the Scarlet Knights seemed to demonstrate that the matchup on paper would be reflected similarly on the field. SEE ISLAND ON PAGE 5
EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
GAMEDAY PAGE 2
KNIGHTS GAMEDAY
SEPTEMBER11, 2015
RUTGERS VS. WASHINGTON STATE GAME 2: High Point Solutions Stadium, 3:30 P.M. TV: ESPNU
RADIO: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
INSIDE
Rutgers refuses to overlook Cougars GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR
After squeezing by Washington State out west in a 41-38 shootout last year, it almost would have been absurd for anyone on the Rutgers football team to chalk up this Saturday’s rematch at High Point Solutions Stadium as a “give me” game. But that changed last weekend, to a degree, when the likes of lowly Portland State pulled off a 24-17 upset on the Cougars’ home turf in Pullman, Washington. Back over on the east coast in Piscataway, New Jersey, the Scarlet Knights strung together one of their most complete performances in recent memory in their 63-13 season-opening blowout of Norfolk State. Unlike Washington State (0-1), Rutgers (1-0) took care of the Division I-AA opponent it paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for the visit. The Knights controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, blasting the floodgates open in the second half for 35 unanswered points. And while the investigation on Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood lingers, the Knights have pushed the suspensions and arrests from last week behind them. But as much as third-year Washington State head coach Mike Leach and the Cougars appear to be limping into New Jersey with the sky falling from last week’s apocalyptic beginning to the season, Flood refuses to buy into the idea that Rutgers can ease off in its approach. “They are a very well-coached football team,” Flood said. “Coach Leach is one of the more prolific coaches
of the passing game in the history of college football. So it’s a tremendous challenge for us this week.” While many of the Cougars cited a lack of focus for the drastic result from week one, the Knights rallied amid off-field controversy to deliver a pounding on the field. Rutgers saw its quarterbacks combine to go 13-of-15 for 248 yards and four tochdowns through the air. On the ground, the Knights combined for 291 yards and four scores on 47 carries. After Portland State’s 258 rushing yards gashed the Washington State defense last week, Rutgers’ latest results on offense give reason to believe that things should only grow more difficult for the Cougars. If Rutgers can exploit Washington State with a heavy ground-and-pound attack, that could lead to a duplication of the deep bombs over the top from Chris Laviano to Leonte Carroo. After serving their first half suspensions last week, the sophomore quarterback found the senior wide receiver for three touchdowns in just the third quarter. Plays like those could be crucial for the Knights. As senior running back Paul James mentioned, keeping the Cougars’ offense off the field could be key for Rutgers to maintain control of the tempo throughout the course of the contest. “I think it’s really important. It keeps our offense on the field,” James said. “It keeps them off the field because that’s all they do is pass the ball a lot and it’s something that I feel like their defense doesn’t see a lot … having an air raid offense, they’re used to a lot of passing and everything with their
Head coach Kyle Flood and the Knights look to improve to 2-0 on the season when the Cougars come to Piscataway on Saturday. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / SEPTEMBER 2015
defense. So, the running game is something they don’t really see too much when they’re practicing. … I feel like that’s something we can use as a strong point to help us out.” While Flood pointed out the difference in the two styles of attack on the ground between Rutgers and Portland State, the fourth-year head coach crunched the film of Washington State’s opener and evidently found some key similarities in how the Knights could exploit a leaky Cougars rush defense. “What (Portland State) did was they ran the ball very effectively,” he said. “They run the quarterback quite a bit. They do it from spread sets quite a bit. Did we see some formations and things like that that looked like things we do? We did. Did they play a physical brand of football? They did. Is that something we like to do? That’s certainly something we like to do.” The offense is one story, but the Rutgers defense remains full of questions in the secondary. Flood wouldn’t put a limit on the amount of different defensive backs he might use — a number that could reach up to seven beyond starting freshmen cornerbacks Blessuan Austin and Isaiah Wharton. With that number growing and Leach’s trademark air raid attack still a potent threat, it keeps the inexperienced Knights honest, posing the question of whether or not we might see a duplication of last year’s Seattle shootout. Anthony Cioffi knows there is no concrete game plan to prevent that, but the junior free safety did mention that the Knights would need all hands on deck to slow the Cougars — who attempted 45 passes last week — when they fly into Piscataway on Saturday. “It’s just we really have to get the game plan down and really study their routes because they have a lot of different passing combinations and we just have to really lock down their tendencies and know what they do,” Cioffi said. “It gets difficult (with the inexperience of the freshmen), but they’re in this business, too, so it’s their job to prepare as well. And if we don’t do it alone, we do it as a group.”
the
NUMBERS PASSING H. Rettig RUSHING D. Peoples P. James RECEVING L. Carroo A. Patton M. Flanagan DEFENSE S. Hampton S. Longa K. Lewis
RUTGERS (1-0) CMP 81.8% NO. 18 15 NO. 3 3 2
YDS 110 YDS 118 82 YDS 129 47 24
TD 1 TD 2 0 TD 3 0 1 TKL 4 4 4
INT 0 LNG 25 16 LNG 56 24 13 SCK 0 0 0
AVG 110 AVG 118 82 AVG 129 47 24 INT 0 0 0
WASHINGTON STATE (0-1)
PASSING L. Falk RUSHING G. Wicks J. Morrow RECEVING G. Marks D. Williams J. Thompson DEFENSE J. Allison S. Luani P. Pelluer
CMP 65.9% NO. 14 8 NO. 6 5 3
YDS 289 YDS 63 33 YDS 76 86 33
TD 2 TD 0 0 TD 1 0 0 TKL 12 8 8
INT 0 LNG 22 11 LNG 39 32 14 SCK 0 0 0
AVG 289 AVG 63 33 AVG 76 86 33 INT 0 0 0
INJURIES OUT: DB Talib Abdur-Ra’oof, TE George Behr, P Tim Gleeson, DT Darius Hamilton, WR Jawuan Harris, WR Dontae Owens, RB Desmon Peoples, LB Nick Rafferty, LB Austin Rosa, FB Charles Snorweah, LB TJ Taylor, OL Jacquis Webb. DOUBTFUL: WR John Tsimis, CB Brian Verbitski. QUESTIONABLE: S Kiy Hester, DE Djwany Mera. PROBABLE: RB Paul James, CB Ronnie James, DE Kemoko Turay.
SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 28
Norfolk State Washington State Penn State Kansas Michigan State Indiana Ohio State Wisconsin Michigan Nebraska Army Maryland
W 63-13 3:30 p.m. 8 p.m. noon 8 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 8 p.m. TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct, 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 27
Portland State Rutgers Wyoming California Oregon Oregon State Arizona Stanford Arizona State UCLA Colorado Washington
L 24-17 3:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
Key Matchup
Cougars’ air raid vs. Knights’ secondary
Despite its upset loss, Washington State’s air raid scheme always presents cause for concern. The Cougars passed for 307 yards last week. With a young Rutgers defensive backfield, the Knights could be caught vulnerable against Mike Leach’s offensive attack.
For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @GarrettStepien and @TargumSports on Twitter.
DAILY TARGUM / AUGUST 2014
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: OFFENSE
LEONTE CARROO WIDE RECEIVER
KEITH LUMPKIN LEFT TACKLE
DORIAN MILLER LEFT GUARD
DERRICK NELSON CENTER
CHRIS MULLER RIGHT GUARD
JJ DENMAN RIGHT TACKLE
NICK ARCIDIACONO TIGHT END
ANDRE PATTON WIDE RECEIVER
CHRIS LAVIANO QUARTERBACK
SAM BERGEN FULLBACK
PAUL JAMES RUNNING BACK
Senior 6’-1”, 215 lbs.
Senior 6’-8”, 325 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-3”, 285 lbs.
Junior 6’-3”, 290 lbs.
Junior 6’-6”, 310 lbs.
Junior 6’-6”, 305 lbs.
Junior 6’-5”, 240 lbs.
Junior 6’-4”, 200 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-3”, 210 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 250 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 215 lbs.
BLESSUAN AUSTIN CORNERBACK
ANTHONY CIOFFI FREE SAFETY
DAVON JACOBS STRONG SAFETY
ISAIAH WHARTON CORNERBACK
True freshman 6’-1”, 185 lbs.
Junior 6’-00”, 200 lbs.
Junior 6’-0”, 195 lbs.
Redshirt-freshman 6’-1”, 210 lbs.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: DEFENSE
QUANZELL LAMBERT DEFENSIVE END
SEBASTIAN JOSEPH NOSE TACKLE
JULIAN PINNIX-ODRICK DEF. TACKLE
DJWANY MERA DEFENSIVE END
STEVE LONGA WLB
KAIWAN LEWIS MLB
QUENTIN GAUSE SLB
Sophomore 6’-6”, 240 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-4”, 295 lbs.
Senior 6’-5”, 275 lbs.
Senior 6’-4”, 265 lbs.
Junior 6’-1”, 225 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 230 lbs.
Senior 6’-1”, 220 lbs.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
GAMEDAY PAGE 3
KNIGHT NUGGETS BY THE NUMBERS
22
Leonte Carroo shattered the all-time Rutgers receiving touchdowns record last week with three touchdowns in the third quarter against Norfolk State. He could be looking to add to that come Saturday against the Cougars.
1
Washington State ranked No. 1 in the nation last year with 477.7 passing yards per game. While former gun-slinger Connor Halliday graduated, Mike Leach’s system could just be getting started with sophomore Luke Falk.
63
Rutgers tied the all-time program record for most points in a game with last week’s 63-13 route of Norfolk State. It was the most since the Knights blewout Louisville in a 64-14 home victory back in 2008.
13
The Cougars return all 13 offensive lineman from last year’s trenches. The number includes all five starters, including an All-Pac 12 selection in Joe Dahl.
BIG QUESTION WILL HAYDEN RETTIG MAKE AN APPEARANCE? Chris Laviano edged out Hayden Rettig for the starting job this week, but how long will it last? If Laviano struggles, head coach Kyle Flood could look to Rettig for a jolt after the LSU transfer started strong in his debut last week.
Hayden Rettig Sophomore Quarterback
THE ADVANTAGE GOES TO OFFENSE
While Rutgers enters with a balanced attack and tons of momentum on offense, Washington State’s air raid keeps the edge here. The Cougars will come at the young Knights secondary early and often, which could lead to big points.
DEFENSE
Sophomore running back Josh Hicks and junior wide receiver Janarion Grant have a unique frienship. Both Floridians also happen to be key playmakers for Rutgers. THE DAILY TARGUM / DECEMBER 2014
Knights share tight bond on, off field
As much as Rutgers may have trouble with the pass, Washington State’s defense could not stop the run for its life against Portland State last week, yielding 258 yards on the ground. The Knights’ front seven, on the flipside, is much stronger.
TYLER KARALEWICH
COACHING
The relationship between junior wide receiver Janarion Grant and sophomore running back Josh Hicks goes beyond more than just normal teammates. Grant said he would give the shirt off his back for Hicks. And Hicks has literally given Grant a coat when it’s been too cold. They stand less than one inch in height apart, with the advantage going to the more seasoned of the duo. They both hail from the western coast of Florida, near Tampa, less than an hour away from each other. With a noticeable southern twang in their voices, both Floridians sport dreaded braids in their hair. While one has 45 pounds on the other and they play two different positions, both have emerged as stars for the Rutgers football team. Grant and Hicks are best friends. And it’s been like that since Grant hosted Hicks on his official visit when they found out they had so much in common. “We’re really close – we come from the same area surrounding Tampa, Florida,” Grant said. “I hosted him when he came up here for his official visit before his freshman year. That’s how we connected, way back then. We hang around each other ever y day after class, after practice or by each other during the games — that’s just the kind of brotherhood that we have.” Besides for physical stature and where they live, Grant and Hicks materialized as key players starting as early as their individual freshmen years. Their value to Rutgers is something they also share. Grant, a dynamic receiver and kick returner, affects the game in multiple facets. Heralded as one of the more valuable players on the Knights by Flood in the past, Grant’s value shows in what he did in the season opener alone against Norfolk State. When the Spartans kicked off to Rutgers at the end of halftime, it was Grant who took the ball 80 yards for a touchdown. He added another 50 return yards in the game while also catching a pass for six yards.
As Mike Leach’s hot seat boils after Washington State’s 24-17 loss to Portland State, Kyle Flood remains strong on the field in September at 11-1 all-time. Headto-head, Flood holds the advantage after beating Mike Leach in Seattle last year.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior Janarion Grant proved why the Rutgers special teams unit has the potential to change the complexion of a game. Last week, Grant took an 80-yard kickoff return to the house to open the second half and ignite the Knights’ route.
X-FACTOR
Last year, Leonte Carroo went for it all on the first play of the game against the Cougars on a 78-yard touchdown to start the game. When he touched the field last week, he immediately made his mark with three touchdowns in one quarter.
MOMENTUM
With Rutgers returning to the field after a complete 63-13 blowout and Washington State on the heels of an embarrassing 24-17 loss to a Division I-AA program, the Knights hold the clear advantage here.
RUTGERS WINS IF
WSU WINS IF
THE KNIGHTS THE COUGARS CONTAIN COUGARS LIMIT THE POTENT PASSING KNIGHTS ON THE ATTACK
GROUND
Rutgers can’t afford a repeat of last week’s opening drive — that won’t cut it against WSU. The young secondary needs to grow up fast for RU to go 2-0.
If the Cougars manage to slow the Knights on the ground, tons of pressure will be placed on Chris Laviano. Is he ready to direct this offense on his own?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “(Josh Hicks will) probably just watch me or look at my highlights if he wants to learn anything.”
JANARION GRANT Junior Wide Receiver
TARGUM’S FINAL VERDICT RUTGERS WINS, 45-35 After going back-and-forth all game long, Rutgers separates itself midway through the fourth quarter as the up-tempo offense continues to take off under Ben McDaniels.
CORRESPONDENT
“Janarion is a special guy,” Flood said following the game against Norfolk State. “You saw it in the past and you certainly saw it today when he took the opening kickoff back and he’s one of those players that every time he touches the ball, he’s got an opportunity to score. And those guys are special and he did it again today on special teams and he’s going to have a big role as a wide receiver for us, as well.” Hicks, who was named the Quick Lane Bowl MVP last season for Rutgers, came out of nowhere last season as a redshirt-freshman following the injury to senior running back Paul James. Hicks ran for 202 yards on 10.6 yardsper-rush and a touchdown against North Carolina. While Flood always mar vels at the impor tance of Grant, he also expresses the significance
“I like to elude people more, but just because he’s a running back he’ll tell me he’s going to run me over.”
JANARION GRANT Junior wide receiver
of Hicks’ transition to a key running back. “I think he’s a more experienced player,” Flood said of Hicks. “He’s a very talented runner. Running back is a position that you can affect the football game at an early stage of your career. Josh did that last year for us. But now he’s got more experience. And as you get more experience, you become a better pass protector, you become a better receiver and you understand how you fit into some of the pass concepts even when you’re not going to get the ball.” The chemistry between Grant and Hicks may have started off the field on Hicks’ official visit, but it continued on the field last season. Hicks played a key role on special teams as the up back on kick return. In other words, Hicks was the player who stood in front of Grant and blocked for the explosive returner. Sometimes, Hicks would have to make the decision to have Grant collect a touchback, something that was always hard for him.
But this season, Hicks is too valuable for Flood to risk with the lead blocking responsibility. Just because Hicks isn’t out there doesn’t mean he can’t be into each kick return. “I wasn’t out there (on the field) for Janarion’s kick return,” Hicks said. “I was pumped for J, though, when he returned the kick for a touchdown. Me and him are really close and he’s just like a brother to me. We live less than an hour away from each other — that’s my brother.” The brotherhood extends to one common denominator between the two Floridians — they hate the cold. Grant said it might be the thing he hates the most about going to school in New Jersey. It is hard for Hicks to disagree. But for each other, Grant said they are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for each other. “We most definitely hate the cold,” Grant said of the biggest similarity with Hicks. “It’s really tough. People keep saying, ‘You’re going to get used to it,’ but nah, I don’t know about that. I can never get used to it — too cold. With us being up here, we’ll help each other out if we don’t have anything to handle the cold. He’ll give me a coat or I’ll give him what he needs.” What does the future hold for the two emerging talents of the Rutgers football team? Flood said both Knights offer value to the team that is unrivaled, but admitted Hicks had room to grow in only his second season. Grant agrees with Flood. If Hicks wants to develop from a bruising, explosive running back and expand, Grant thinks Hicks should take some notes from his play. “I like to elude people more, but just because he’s a running back, he’ll tell me he’s going to run me over,” Grant quipped. “I’m kind of quick, so I use that to the best of my ability to get around defenders. But if he has to, he’ll use a move. I’m not going to teach him anything, though. He’ll probably just watch me or look at my highlights if he wants to learn anything.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TylerKaralewich and @TargumSports on Twitter.
GAMEDAY PAGE 4
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
ATTACK AND
Leonte Carroo looks to counter Cougars’ air raid attack with deep threat of his own for Rutgers’ offense
RECORD Senior wide receiver torched WSU defense on first play from scrimmage last year CONTINUED FROM BACK said. “I’ll just leave it at this — he left with the most catches, I left with the most touchdowns.” These days, nothing seems to be able to stop the senior wide receiver. Sitting out the first half of last week’s 63-13 route of the Spartans seemed to have only bottled up Carroo’s impulses to rip off huge plays and ignite the offense. When he returned in the third quarter, he exploded. On the receiving end of three touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano, Carroo hauled in three catches for 129 yards in just one quarter. None of that suprised fellow wideout Janarion Grant. “When (Carroo) came in we knew just what was gon’ happen, nothing ever changed,” the junior said. “He works hard each and every day, so we know what to expect from him, nothing less.” “It was difficult, mainly, to watch knowing that I’m not out there with my teammates and I was disappointed I couldn’t be out there,” Carroo said. “But as far as going out there and getting ready for the second half, I’m a guy who’s played with a lot of experience. I’m a competitor at the end of the day, so I knew I was gonna go out there and be ready right away. I was just very emotional, anxious to get out there.” Stretching the defense for game-changing plays is nothing new to Carroo. In fact, just last year when the Knights opened the season in
After sitting the first half of the season opener against Norfolk State, senior wide receiver Leonte Carroo broke out for three touchdowns. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / SEPTEMBER 2015 Seattle at Washington State, the Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) product picked up right where he left off from his breakout sophomore season when he tallied nine touchdowns in just nine games. On the first play from scrimmage for Rutgers, Carroo ran a double-go route before a pass from former four-year starter Gary Nova found his breadbasket. From there, Carroo took it 78 yards to the house, starting the season on the right foot as the Knights eventually outlasted the Cougars in a 41-38 shootout. It led to a career year for the Edison, New Jersey, native, who received First Team All-Big Ten honors after racking up 10 touchdowns and 1,086 yards on 55
catches — a conference-best 19.7 yards per catch. Kyle Flood doesn’t expect to see Carroo rattle off another three scores through the air in one quarter this weekend when Washington State comes to Piscataway with retribution in mind, but the fourth-year head coach wasn’t surprised by his captain’s performance in the season opener. “Well, Leonte (Carroo) is a good player and I don’t think that’s a surprise to anybody. I’m sure when he came out in the second half, he was highly motivated,” Flood said. “One of the things that makes Leonte the player that he is he loves to compete, and when he doesn’t get an opportunity to compete on the first half, you
can pretty much assure yourself he’ll be ready to go in the second half and he certainly was.” From a mental standpoint, Carroo’s attitude and mannerisms are as humble as they come. But when he lines up on the field for the Knights at the No. 1 wide receiver slot opposite of the opponent’s best cornerbacks — sometimes seeing double and triple-teams — nothing can break his focus. “I’m a guy that likes to call myself a pretty selfish receiver. I want the ball all the time,” Carroo said. “If there’s an opportunity we’re gonna call a double-go and there’s a chance I can get the ball on the first play of the game, then by any means, I’m gonna take that.”
Senior running back Paul James, who has had to do enough from walking on to the football team to battling back from injuries time after time, commended Carroo for the work he does when no one is watching. “I think, really, just his work ethic. He wants to be that great and he really works for that, so it’s great to see,” James said of Carroo. “He didn’t play the first half, just comes in there, steps on the field, first play he was in, he had a great block on the (defensive back). And then second play I’m pretty sure went for a touchdown. … I feel like he just works really hard to be that. There’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes that people don’t see that he does that makes him that great.” While he certainly takes pride in that, Carroo doesn’t take all of the credit. Watching and rooting for Rutgers right around the block in Edison throughout his childhood, he’s watched the best of the best that have come through Piscataway. Now, as he stands with them in the record books, he still acts as if he has a long way to go. “Like I said before, it has nothing to do with me. It’s definitely people who was probably near me into this direction, into this day — my family, my friends, God, mostly importantly, past Rutgers receivers that I look up to,” Carroo said. “Mohamed Sanu, Kenny Britt, guys that have came here — Brandon Coleman — that have taught me and led me and showed me how to become a great Rutgers wide receiver. … I owe it all to them.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @GarrettStepien and @TargumSports on Twitter.
Electing to return for his senior season, Leonte Carroo, left, has gotten off to a hot start on the final leg of a memorable career. But even after solidifying himself in as the program’s all-time touchdowns leader, he approaches the game as if he still has room for improvement. EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
GAMEDAY PAGE 5
DEFENSE
Freshmen link up at cornerback, upperclassmen at safeties lend guidance for Washington State offense
ISLAND Austin, Wharton step up as pass-heavy offense enters Piscataway for Saturday CONTINUED FROM BACK But the next three plays for Norfolk State went for 75 yards, all three being pass plays of 32, 27 and then 16 yards on a touchdown heave from Greg Hankerson to DeAndre Sangster, who hauled in the trifecta of completions. Austin was burned on two of the pass plays, serving as his welcome moment. On the opposite side of the field, redshirt-freshman cornerback Isaiah Wharton serves as Austin’s carbon copy. Wharton tallied the second-highest tackle total in week one and he earned a pass break-up of his own to match Austin’s on the game’s opening offensive play. Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood took note of the young secondary’s struggle on the opening drive, but was encouraged with the performance of Wharton, Austin and company as the game wore on. “I thought the secondary in the beginning of the game had some things that we needed to clean up,” Flood said. “I thought the coaches did a really good job with the guys on the sideline and I think as we got those things cleaned up, they played better as the game went on.” Wharton and Austin, along with the rest of the young secondary, settled in after the first drive, limiting Norfolk State to 124 passing yards the rest of the game. Another redshirt freshman, free safety Saquan Hampton, bailed his co-rookies out twice on the first drive, making two touchdown
Blessuan Austin was the only true freshman to start for the Knights last week against Norfolk State, recording a pass break-up on his first play. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / SEPTEMBER 2015 saving tackles en route to a four-tackle day, which tied for the team lead with linebackers graduate transfer Kaiwan Lewis and junior Steve Longa. Longa led the team in tackles in his first two years on the Banks, totaling 225 tackles over the course of his career in Piscataway and he intimated that the young guns have stuck out to him during the spring and summer camps. “I think Bless is one guy who stood out and Saquan Hampton. Those are the two guys that stood out to me,” Longa said of the off-season training. “Bless got better everyday. He cares. He cares about football, he loves football and he wants to get better. And when somebody cares they’re going to end up just fine. And Hampton, he also got better, he was out there making plays at the safety position. He has got range and he gets the game, it’s natural to him.” High praise from a defensive leader like Longa carries weight, but the Knights’ weak side linebacker is aware that slip-ups can cause much more trouble for
Rutgers this Saturday when it faces the air raid offense of Mike Leach and Washington State. The Cougars led the nation in passing yards last season, averaging 477.7 yards per game. But the Knights know first-hand the kind of firepower Wazzu wields, having defeated the Cougs, 41-38, in a shootout in Seattle last fall to open the 2014 campaign. Junior starting safeties Anthony Cioffi (free) and Davon Jacobs (strong) serve as the most experienced defensive backs on a Rutgers roster full of young defenders. A 6-foot, 195-pound junior, Jacobs totaled 34 tackles in 2014 to go with an interception last fall. “I feel like when we fell behind we picked it up and sharpened up,” Jacobs said. “Just the little things like alignment and some technique stuff, which is all fixable. That’s really nothing, I think we can get that fixed real quick.” The Knights had better get it fixed and fast, because Washington State plays at a feverish pace, ticking off 70 to 80 offensive plays from scrimmage per game.
And after a 24-17 opening week loss to Division I-AA program in Portland State, the Cougars come to town with atonement on their minds. “It’s time to take it up to the next level,” Longa said. Leach’s dynamic passing attack is designed to stretch the defense, which will force the freshman corners to play on an island. But for Austin, that’s exactly how he likes to play. “When I lock a guy down — blanket coverage — I’m all over him, he can’t even get into his route,” Austin said. “That’s definitely the type of corner I wanna be, along with being physical and coming out ahead.” Wharton on the other hand is quieter in his confidence, deferring to the leadership provided by the veterans in the defensive backfield. “It helps me from a corner standpoint to know I got veteran safeties behind me that are giving me the correct calls,” Wharton said. “So, I know what to do quicker and get in line faster and play faster.”
While Wharton and Austin are busy on their respective islands, Anthony Cioffi will be looking for the football. The Springfield, New Jersey, native intercepted two balls last year and picked one off last week against Norfolk State to help insure victory in the Knights opener. Although he has a penchant for takeaways, be it picking quarterbacks or prying footballs loose from opposing ball-carriers, Cioffi knows positioning is the key to turning teams over. “I just wanna make plays and be in the right position to make plays for the team,” Cioffi said. “All of it is going to come when you do your assignment.” He evidenced those sentiments against the Spartans when he gambled on a flat route in the first half, tipping the ball on it’s way to Sangster for a decent gain. “I should’ve broke on the man,” Cioffi said. “It would have put me in a little better position. You create takeaways when you’re in the right position.” Cioffi and Jacobs should cushion the younger corners when they fall, but it was clear that the pair of freshman charged with containing Leach, when he’s on the hot seat, are more polished than a week ago. “It just goes to show you, that’s the difference between practice and the game. When a guy goes out there in a game environment for the first time, almost inevitably you see something that didn’t show up in practice because it’s a game environment and they are a young player, and that’s why you don’t see a lot of freshmen that go out there and play,” Flood said. “But I thought they got better as the game went on and I’m excited about the kind of players they are going to become.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @KevinPXavier and @TargumSports on Twitter.
Redshirt-freshman Isaiah Wharton tallied three tackles and a pass break-up in his first career start, a 63-13 win over Norfolk State last Saturday. Wharton, along with Austin on the other side, will be asked to slow down Washington State’s air raid offense Saturday at 3:30 p.m. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / SEPTEMBER 2015
GAMEDAY PAGE 6
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
COAST TO
Starters settle in on offensive line KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
The offensive line is still a work in progress for the Rutgers football team, but the Scarlet Knights in the trenches were able to glean some confidence from their 63-13 opening week blowout of Norfolk State. After losing Betim Bujari, who started all 13 games at center last season, head coach Kyle Flood looked for someone to step up. Enter Derrick Nelson, the junior offensive lineman assigned to fill Bujari’s shoes. Nelson played in only four games in 2014 and with inexperience plaguing both sophomore quarterbacks, starter Chris Laviano and last week’s starter Hayden Rettig, it was crucial for Nelson to get acclimated quickly. After the Spartans chewed up the Knights defense with a fiveplay, 75-yard drive for a touchdown on the opening series, Rutgers answered back with a score of it’s own. But it wasn’t until the second offensive series, with Rutgers in the redzone, that Nelson announced his arrival to the 47,353 fans in attendance. Rettig took the snap from Nelson and dropped in the pocket only to find his receivers were covered. Rettig scrambled to his right and turned downhill toward the endzone, hurdling a Spartan on his way in for his second score and first rushing touchdown of his career. But it was Nelson’s pancake block that sprung the sophomore quarterback into the endzone. “It was a good play. I was really excited for Hayden, it was designed like that and it turned out it was pretty effective,” Nelson said of the block that spurred Rutgers to a 14-7 lead, while pinpointing when he was able to settle down in his first start. “After the pre-game jitters come to a close and you start feeling the chemistr y with the offensive line, things started to gel.”
Junior right guard Chris Muller engaged in competition with Nelson throughout the spring and summer camps. But after starting all 13 games in 2014 at guard, Flood felt most confident with Nelson at center. Muller got rolled up in the second half of week one and in a somewhat puzzling move, the 6-foot-6, 310-pounder trotted back out on the field after the game had been decided. But as always, he will be ready to go Saturday against Washington State. “It’s all about conditioning, especially on these hot days,” Muller said. “(Strength and conditioning) Coach (Jeremy) Cole has got us in the best shape I’ve ever been in, so I could have played 20 quarters if football was that long of a game.” Although Flood said later in the week that he planned to continue to play up to seven different lineman during the course of a game, at Monday’s press conference, he drew a line of demarcation for the starting five. “I still feel like we have five starters,” Flood said. “I believe there is a separation there.” The leader of the offensive line is not debateable. Keith Lumpkin is the guy the other linemen look to when things become difficult. Lumpkin, a fifth-year senior, started all 13 games at left tackle last season and his charge is to protect the blind side of starting quarterback Chris Laviano when the Cougars come to town Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Lumpkin certainly has the length and size needed to play one of the most important positions on the offensive side of the ball at 6-foot-8, 325 pounds. But his vocal leadership rarely comes in the form of tough love. The offensive line committed a few silly penalties in week one, including a false start by Lumpkin, but he says when addressing these mistakes the player knows when he messed up.
“You just talk to them, something calm. You don’t ever wanna be overly aggressive towards someone because that just frustrates them more. Obviously they’re frustrated because they jumped offsides or (had) a little penalty,” he said. “You don’t wanna commend them, but you don’t wanna be overly aggressive. So, you just tell them, ‘You’re good, don’t worry about it. Put it behind you and move on.’” In the second quarter Paul James fumbled the football while climbing through the Spartans secondary, but there Lumpkin was to fall on it. Flood commended Lumpkin for the heads up play while praising the Montclair, New Jersey, native for his effort and play throughout the contest. “I thought Keith Lumpkin really played like a fifth-year senior left tackle should play,” Flood said. “I was very pleased with how Keith played, not just in his performance but in his effort and in his ability to finish plays.” Regarding the fumble, the head coach said there would be no special prize for his senior left tackle. But that didn’t take away from the significance of the play Lumpkin made. “It’s not necessarily a sticker on the helmet, but it’s a big play in the game,” Flood said. The average size of a Rutgers offensive lineman is 6-foot-5, 304 pounds. If the Knights are going to have success against Mike Leach and Wazzu, Rutgers’ titans of the trenches will be a major reason for it. They were successful in week one, but their head coach wants more. “I’m pleased with what they did,” Flood said. “I really believe we can be better. And I think we can be better in the run game, I think we can be better in protection.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @KevinPXavier and @TargumSports on Twitter.
After reiterating his preference to play up to seven linemen on offense, head coach Kyle Flood pointed to the likes of Keith Lumpkin solidifying his starting five. THE DAILY TARGUM / AUGUST 2014
After earning a scholarship in the off-season, former walk-on Matt Flanagan has shown flashes of promise at a wide-open position. THE DAILY TARGUM / SEPTEMBER 2014
Sophomore tight end grows into position TYLER KARALEWICH CORRESPONDENT
With senior wide receiver Leonte Carroo collecting three touchdowns on three catches, a quarterback controversy coming to a close and an explosion of offense from the Rutgers football team in a 63-13 win against Norfolk State, it’s easy to forget about who scored the first touchdown for the Scarlet Knights. The Knight who did might be one of the biggest mysteries to anyone other than someone on Rutgers coaching staff and players. But the guy who ran a 10-yard slide route for a 13-yard touchdown to even the score 7-7 in the first quarter might not go unnoticed any longer. It’s already been a season of firsts for sophomore tight end Matt Flanagan in the early parts of the football season. After earning his first-career start last weekend against Norfolk State, Flanagan made the most of it by scoring his first-career touchdown roughly six minutes into the game. This all comes after the walk-on earned a scholarship this past offseason. For head coach Kyle Flood, all of the lists of first that Flanagan accomplished are a testament to his hard work to improve his craft meeting the opportunity in the game. “With the tight ends, I think everyone always notices the catches and touchdowns, which is exciting for him and his family,” Flood said. “But he’s become a more consistent blocker — that’s the most important thing. When you get those tight ends, if they are not effective enough at blocking, then all they are is slow receivers. That’s not what anyone is looking for. We need them to be complete players and I think he’s done that.” For Flanagan, starting his first game was something he prepared a long time for. Last season, with former Knight Tyler Kroft at cemented as the starter, Flanagan picked up a great deal of knowledge as one of the primary backups and in preparation for the game. Now, with Kroft gone, Flanagan thinks the nervous feeling has subsided a little.
“It was fun getting my first start,” Flanagan said. “I’ve had to know what the starting tight end does in all our preparation and all throughout last year. Now, it’s kind of you getting ready for the starting tight end role — and that’s who you are going to be when you are going out on Saturdays.” While Flanagan earned the start at tight end, junior Nick Arcidiacono assured that there never is any animosity between any of the tight ends. He knows how close they are in the tight end room and how they all compete. Even if one Knight starts, Arcidiacono said that everyone earns a chance to help the team in different formations and whatever game situation presents itself. “We’re real close,” Arcidiacono said. “We are all similar players and I know we are all out here working hard. We have a couple guys in the tight end room that can come out here and get the job done. We are a really strong group. We push each other and help each other out. We are all kind of interchangeable and in the mix at all times.” The sincere emotion Arcidiacono showed when talking about how excited he was for Flanagan scoring his first career touchdown further proves the relationship the position group shares. “I was so pumped when Flan got his first touchdown — I was going nuts,” Arcidiacono beamed. “It was awesome and I was real happy for him.” No matter what happens this weekend against Washington State, Flanagan said he’s prepared for whatever role Flood and the coaching staff has to give him. But, there is one thing he is unsure about. Flanagan doesn’t know how to top the first week of the season. “Things have been going pretty well for me so far,” Flanagan said with a smile. “We’ll just have to see what happens this weekend.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TylerKaralewich and @TargumSports on Twitter.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015
GAMEDAY PAGE 7
COAST
RU supports both quarterbacks GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR
No one will know whom Rutgers head football coach Kyle Flood would have named as the starting quarterback for the Scarlet Knights’ season opener, but the sophomore who leads the first team offense out on its opening drive might have had the upper hand all along. Pointing to the overall body of work, the fourth-year head coach gave Chris Laviano the green light over Hayden Rettig when Rutgers (1-0) set its depth chart on Monday for the week of preparation leading up to Saturday’s home contest with Washington State (0-1). Will Rutgers fans see Rettig again when the second game of the fall kicks off at 3:30 p.m. at High Point Solutions Stadium? That part isn’t absolutely certain. “Chris (Laviano) is the starting quarterback right now,” Flood said. “And I don’t want any player in our program looking over their shoulder worried that they would be pulled out of a game because they made a mistake. Right now, Chris is the starting quarterback.” Neither Laviano or Rettig have been made available to the media since training camp on Aug. 25. Laviano dazzled when he returned from his first half suspension in the third quarter, flinging three touchdown passes and 138 yards on a perfect 4-for-4 day. Rettig, in his collegiate debut, completed 9-of-11 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown through the air in addition to two carries for 17 yards and a touchdown on the ground when he started the game’s opening half. While Flood shied away from considering the LSU transfer’s playing time against the Cougars and has been against the use of a two-quarterback system since the Knights reported to training camp
back in August, he didn’t rule out the availability of Rettig now and in the future. “Any player who is a competitor is going to be disappointed,” Flood said. “… But Hayden is a great teammate and somebody that also understands that he’s ver y close to being the starting quarterback and those things can happen real quick. So, he’ll be ready. We’re fortunate that we have got two guys on our team right now that played at a high level in a college football game.” After hauling in all three touchdown passes from Laviano, Carroo expressed his excitement to line up wide with the Glen Head, New York, native under center and engineering the offense this weekend. But Carroo, who set the program’s all-time receiving record after his three scores went for 129 yards, keeps both quarterbacks in mind when it comes to preparation in practice. Knowing that either is capable of playing at any given time, the Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) product said he maintains a strong relationship with both signal-callers. “As a receiver, you know that, even though Chris (Laviano) is the starter, you know that doesn’t mean you shy away from Hayden (Rettig). … You still continue to get reps with both quarterbacks,” the senior wide receiver said. “And, whoever’s out there, you just gotta know that you have a relationship with both of them and you have trust in them and they have trust in you to get the job done. At the end of the day, (whether Laviano or Rettig is) the quarterback, he’s the Rutgers quarterback, so he has to get the job done.” But as first-year offensive coordinator Ben McDaniels toys around with the pro-style offense’s tempo and speed, the explosiveness Laviano and Carroo bring to
the table could be a key aspect to keep an eye out for. After connecting on a pair of deep strikes for 55 and 56 yards, respectively, Laviano found Carroo one last time when Rutgers marched its way inside the 20-yard line. With the Norfolk State defense gassed at this point of the drive, Laviano quickly fired a bubble screen to Carroo, who did the rest on an 18-yard catch-and-run for the tandem’s third score. While Rettig burned two timeouts in the first half during his time as the offense’s orchestrator, Laviano never se emed to skip a beat when it came to the pace of the offense. Both quarterbacks may clearly deserve more time running the system as the season progresses. But right now, according to senior running back Paul James, Laviano’s grip on the offense’s speed and his overall leadership at the position makes him stand out. Against a Washington State air raid is bound to aim and fire on a Rutgers secondary that could play up to seven freshmen rotated around the defensive backfield, the Knights will need to do everything they can to keep up. And with those two key attributes, Laviano could be the one to keep Rutgers afloat. “I think that helps, but I think he’s a great leader,” James said of Laviano’s ability to run the offense at a quick pace. “He really knows the offense, he really understands it and I feel like that helps him out a lot. And a lot of the guys love him. We love him across the board, so he really could get out there and lead us and that helps that trust that we have with him and that trust that we have as a team. It really helps him at quarterback.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @GarrettStepien and @TargumSports on Twitter.
Sophomore Chris Laviano makes his first career start Saturday against Washington State. Head coach Kyle Flood and the Knights also voiced confidence in sophomore quarterback Hayden Rettig’s abilities. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / SEPTEMBER 2015
While most eyes are on Leonte Carroo, junior wide receiver Andre Patton has quietly had a strong start to the season for the Knights. THE DAILY TARGUM / DECEMBER 2014
Junior’s production paces Knights’ offense KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
He was not named an All-American last year, nor did he garner any all-conference honors. If you thumb through his career statistics for the Rutgers football team, few numbers will jump off the page. He didn’t make an appearance on any of the 2015 preseason watchlists that reporters love to reference either, but junior wide receiver Andre Patton might be the most important player on the Scarlet Knights’ offense. “We’ve got multiple receivers that I think that can really affect a football game,” said Knights head coach Kyle Flood. “Andre (Patton) did a phenomenal job. Andre was our Player of the Week on offense.” Patton finished the opener with three catches for 47 yards, but the most important of his receptions came at a crucial point early in the game. After Norfolk State had marched down the field on the game’s opening series, Rutgers trailed, 7-0. A scramble by sophomore quarterback Hayden Rettig kept the drive alive when he rushed upfield for a 12-yard gain to pick up a first down. On the very next play Rettig fired a jump ball that Patton scaled the skies to stab, collecting the ball to his body while ensuring cornerback Sandy Chapman couldn’t wrestle it away for a 24-yard gain. Fittingly, it was the first completion for Rutgers in 2015. Moments later, Rettig found sophomore tight end Matt Flanagan for a 13-yard touchdown and the Knights never trailed again. “My main focus coming out of the huddle was just to execute,” Patton said. “Hayden (Rettig) gave me an opportunity and I just had to go out there and make a play.” With the attention that defenses will pay to preseason All-Big Ten selection and school record holder in receiving touchdowns (22) Leonte Carroo, the outcome of many games this season could hinge on the performance of Rutgers’ No. 2 target. “He was Player of the Week, partially because of some of the catches he made, partially because of his impact in the run game with how physical he was blocking corners, blocking safeties and ultimately we had some other people maybe could have
gotten that award,” Flood said of Patton. “I love the way he started the game. From the very first play, he was trying to impose his will on the opponent, and with Leonte (Carroo) not being available, obviously other people have to step up and he took it upon himself to do that.” Junior wide receiver Janarion Grant has spent three years on campus with Patton. After Grant ran Norfolk State’s second half kickoff back for an 80-yard touchdown, the route was on. “Everybody contributes and it’s important for each and every receiver to catch the ball and make good plays because that’s what we do,” Grant said. “We’re receivers and we’re built for that.” Patton is not one for superlatives, but that won’t stop Flood from heaping them upon the kid from the first state. “Andre has really done a nice job of moving to the next level,” Flood said, while cautioning he needs to see Patton continue to perform at a high-level. “Now he’s got to be consistent doing it week-to-week. We saw flashes of it last year and we had some games that he really affected and now I think he’s getting to that point where if he can continue to do it, he can show that he can be a guy who affects every game.” He’s more steak than sizzle. If Carroo and Grant are home run hitters, Patton is the singles hitter who moves the runner over when the team needs it. And don’t expect his mindset to change. All he wants to do is his job. “I feel like our team, defense and offense, if we go out there and do our job and execute and do what we’re supposed to — if we play as a family — then I feel like we’ll go out there and we’ll go toe-to-toe with them and we’ll come out with the win,” Patton said. “My role is pretty much the same as it was in camp. As the second receiver or whatever you wanna call it, you know, whether they double-team Leonte or not, I still have a role to play and I still have to go out there and do my job whether it’s blocking or running routes and receiving the ball.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @KevinPXavier and @ TargumSports on Twitter.
GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR
When Leonte Carroo broke the Rutgers football program’s all-time receiving touchdowns record last Saturday in the season opener against Norfolk State, a certain Scarlet Knights legend paid homage. On Twitter, the Rutgers all-time receptions leader (210 in three seasons) and current Cincinnati Bengals standout Mohamed Sanu called Carroo the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all-time). Carroo, who said Sanu also personally reached out to him via text message to send his congratulations, laughed off the debate. “I mean, we’re two different types of receivers,” he SEE RECORD ON PAGE 4
EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR