Daily Targum Football Wrap 11.03.17

Jon Spilletti Sports Editor

When the Rutgers football team comes up against another Big Ten team every Saturday, the running narrative going in is usually the same, save a few details.

The Scarlet Knights often have the disadvantage, coming up against a particularly strong rushing or passing offense, or a defense that stifles their own strong suits in the run game.

See trouble on Page 6

Gameday Page 2

KNIGHTS GAMEDAY

November 3, 2017

RUTGERS VS. MARYLAND

GAME 11: High Point Solutions Stadium, 3:30 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network

RADIO: Rutgers IMG Sports Network/WRSU

INSIDE

RU, UMD share in rebuilding process Jon Spilletti Sports Editor

If you ask fans and students, most would say the Rutgers football team’s biggest rival is Penn State — the chants, the proximity, that New Jersey-Pennsylvania divide.

Ver y rarely will someone say the same of Mar yland, a team that has had a similar trajector y to the Scarlet Knights over the past several years.

Both programs came into the Big Ten in 2014 with relatively successful seasons — Rutgers had its best campaign so far in the Big Ten with a Quick Lane Bowl win over North Carolina, and the Terrapins finished with their first and only winning record to date since joining the conference.

Maryland makes sense as a rival if the Knights even have one. For some on this team, labels like those aren’t important.

“I’m not worried about rivalry games,” said head coach Chris Ash.

“You’ve got to go win some games, and they’re created a lot of times off the field through recruiting and things like that. And then when you play competitive games on the field and they go back to back or back and forth, a lot of times fans create rivalry games for you.”

But on the eve of the second ever Rutgers wrestling-football doubleheader — an event that was supposed to take place at Yankee Stadium before the move back to High Point Solutions Stadium — it’s hard to leave this as a standard Saturday.

Before this year, it was a ritual for both teams to close the season against each other, doing so every year since joining the conference.

At all of those points, Rutgers and Maryland found themselves in roughly similar situations. At first, they found success in the Big Ten, each finishing in the top four of the East Division. In the years following and continuing into this campaign, it’s been a battle in adjusting to the demands of the Big Ten.

Coupling that steep climb with the sheer strength of the East, the Knights and the Terps have carved out spots toward the bottom half of the standings the past two years, and halfway through the 2017 season, it’s a pattern likely to repeat.

After improving by three wins from 2015 to 2016, Maryland strolls into Saturday with three games following — after Rutgers, it’s Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State.

With four wins to their name, the Terps are not far from a possible bowl game in terms of wins, but will be heavy underdogs in each game after Saturday’s.

As the Knights have shown, their adjustment to the conference has seen a jolt from last year, already surpassing last year’s win total with four games to go. That search for a bowl game proves just as elusive as Maryland’s, but there’s a strong belief among the players that it’s possible.

“There’s always belief,” said junior linebacker Trevor Morris.

“That’s the one thing that you can never give up on, what you as a team have a goal in and something set in mind. So that’s one thing we’re still gonna push for, still gonna try our best to get.”

Morris’s energy reflects a rebuilding process starting to gain some traction. The Rutgers hopeful has taken to the mantra adopted by Philadelphia 76ers fans and players — “Trust the Process.”

It absolutely is a process, and not many envy the jobs Ash and Maryland head coach DJ Durkin have in reconstructing programs in the Big Ten — in the East Division, no less.

But no matter how similar the paths turn out to be for the two sides, Ash is adamant that he pays no mind to anything outside of Piscataway. A team like Rutgers, in the position it is in, can’t afford distractions.

“I’m into preparing our football team, coaching our guys, developing our guys, recruiting to our University, our program,” he said.

“Everybody’s situation is different ... I’m focused on our football team.”

the

NUMBERS RUTGERS (3-5, 2-3) PASSING CMP YDS G. Rescigno 52.2% 300 RUSHING NO. YDS G. Edwards 119 521 R. Martin 65 289 RECEVING NO. YDS J. Washington 21 196 J. Grant 16 167 G. Edwards 11 79 DEFENSE T. Morris D. Roberts K. Gray

DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / NOVEMBER 2017

INT 0 LNG 74 22 LNG 48 35 18 SCK 0 0 1

MARYLAND (4-4, 2-3) AVG 60 AVG 4.4 4.4 AVG 9.3 10.4 7.2 INT 0 0 2

Sept. 1 Sept. 9 Sept. 16 Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Oct. 14 Oct. 21 Oct. 28 Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25

PASSING Bortenschlager RUSHING T. Johnson L. Harrison RECEVING D. Moore T. Jacobs J. Veii DEFENSE A. Brooks J. Carter J. Woods

CMP 50.7% NO. 97 90 NO. 51 25 7

YDS 857 YDS 662 370 YDS 745 293 43

TD 9 TD 4 1 TD 8 4 0 TKL 53 52 46

INT AVG 4 107.1 LNG AVG 74 6.8 29 4.1 LNG AVG 52 14.6 46 11.7 11 6.1 SCK INT 0 1 3.5 0 0 2

SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE

For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

Head coach Chris Ash leads a team a lot like Maryland in its rebuilding process, improving steadily from past years.

TD 1 TD 6 2 TD 1 1 0 TKL 66 64 49

Washington Eastern Michigan Morgan State Nebraska Ohio State Illinois Purdue Michigan Maryland Penn State Indiana Michigan State

L 30-14 L 16-13 W 65-0 L 27-7 L 56-0 W 35-24 W 14-12 L 35-14 3:30 p.m.

Noon TBA TBA

Sept. 2 Sept. 9 Sept. 23 Sep. 30 Oct. 7 Oct. 14 Oct. 21 Oct. 28 Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25

Texas Towson UCF Minnesota Ohio State Northwestern Wisconsin Indiana Rutgers Michigan Michigan State Penn State

W 51-41 W 63-17 L 38-10 W 31-24 L 62-14 L 37-21 L 38-13 W 42-39 3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

TBA TBA

Key Matchup

Ty Johnson vs. Rutgers run defense

Maryland running back Ty Johnson is a big-play machine, and the last time he played at High Point Solutions Stadium, he ran for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns on just two carries. He rushed for 168 yards against the Knights last year. Rutgers has not done a good job stopping the run in Big Ten plays this year and there is the potential for Johnson to have yet another big game when the two teams take the field on Saturday.

Rutgers Athletics Creed We are Scarlet Knights, the most PASSIONATE fans in college athletics.

We CHEER our teams, win or lose.

We STAND when our teams enter and exit the field of play.

We WELCOME our opponents and their fans as guests in our university home.

We RESPECT all student-athletes and celebrate their efforts.

We know our ENTHUSIASM on game day helps to recruit the nation’s best.

We STRIVE to make everyone’s experience enjoyable.

We are the STATE UNIVERSITY and BIG TEN proud.

This is RUTGERS.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: OFFENSE

MO JABBIE WIDE RECEIVER

TARIQ COLE LEFT TACKLE

DORIAN MILLER LEFT GUARD

MICHAEL MAIETTI CENTER

MARCUS APPLEFIELD RIGHT GUARD

KAMAAL SEYMOUR RIGHT TACKLE

JEROME WASHINGTON TIGHT END

DAMON MITCHELL WIDE RECEIVER

GIOVANNI RESCIGNO QUARTERBACK

JANARION GRANT WIDE RECEIVER

GUS EDWARDS RUNNING BACK

Freshman 5’11”, 197 lbs.

Junior 6’6”, 320 lbs.

Fifth-year senior 6’2”, 294 lbs.

Freshman 6’1”, 292 lbs.

Junior 6’5”, 308 lbs.

Sophomore 6’6”, 312 lbs.

Junior 6’4”, 258 lbs.

Graduate transfer 6’2”, 213 lbs.

Junior 6’3”, 228 lbs.

Fifth-year senior 5’10”, 178 lbs.

Graduate transfer 6’1”, 235 lbs.

DAMON HAYES CORNERBACK

KIY HESTER STRONG SAFETY

KJ GRAY FREE SAFETY

ISAIAH WHARTON CORNERBACK

Sophomore 6’1”, 198 lbs.

Junior 6’0”, 208 lbs.

Sophomore 6’1”, 205 lbs.

Junior 6’1”, 205 lbs.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: DEFENSE

KEMOKO TURAY DEFENSIVE END

SEBASTIAN JOSEPH NOSE TACKLE

JON BATEKY DEF. TACKLE

KEVIN WILKINS DEFENSIVE END

TREVOR MORRIS WLB

DEONTE ROBERTS MLB

ROSS DOUGLAS SLB

Fifth-year senior 6’5”, 252 lbs.

Fifth-year senior 6’4”, 305 lbs.

Junior 6’3”, 300 lbs.

Junior 6’5”, 306 lbs.

Junior 6’1”, 232 lbs.

Junior 6’1”, 235 lbs.

Fifth-year senior 5’10”, 205 lbs.

November 3, 2017

Gameday Page 3

Head coach Scott Goodale leads his Rutgers side into another year nationally ranked, with Suriano leading the charge for the Knights, taking the top spot among Rutgers wrestlers at No. 3 in the 125-pound weight class. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017

NJ native Suriano returns home to wrestle for Rutgers Robert Sanchez Correspondent

The move from Penn State to Rutgers is never an easy one. The Scarlet Knights do not like the Nittany Lions and vice versa. It is that simple. But that is the move sophomore Nick Suriano is making this year for the Rutgers wrestling team.

Suriano — a Paramus, New Jersey-native who is ranked No. 3 in the 125-pound weight class — transferred from Penn State at the end of last year to return home

and wrestle for his home state of New Jersey.

“This is what I wanted, this is my home so I’m ready to light it up for New Jersey wrestling fans and fans all across the country who have followed me throughout my career,” Suriano said.

And it would be an understatement to say the Knights are happy to have him too. Last year at Penn State, Suriano finished 16-3 as a true freshman with two of his three losses coming due to injury. His only other loss came against Iowa’s

Thomas Gilman last season, who was the 2017 Big Ten champion and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) runner-up in his weight class.

Before that, Suriano produced arguably the greatest high school career in New Jersey history. He won four NJSIAA Individual State Championships at Bergen Catholic and finished his scholastic career a perfect 159-0.

“I have high expectations for myself, and I have a team of people that are hungry behind me,” Suriano

said. “There are kids on this team that have high goals as well, and I think that our coaching staff is doing an awesome job preparing us for a tough season. I’m happy to be apart of this team and to see how far I can take it and how far we can go.”

Rutgers comes into the season ranked No. 12 — a ranking Suriano and much of the team thinks is too low.

But the Knights are eager to show their fans and the world what they can do and prove some people wrong — especially Suriano who will be making his homecoming.

Sophomore 125-pounder Nick Suriano enters the season ranked No. 3 in the nation and will wrestle his first match for Rutgers on Saturday against Maryland. He transferred from Penn State to return to his home state during the offseason. TWITTER

“I wanna blow the roof off the place,” he said. “I wanna show them who I am on the mat. I’m back in Jersey, they saw me in high school but I feel as if I’ve progressed, I’ve stepped it up a notch and I think it’s gonna be exciting for the fans to see.”

Rutgers’ first match on Saturday, November 4 was supposed to take place at Yankee Stadium as part of the “Battle in the Bronx” doubleheader with the football team. But after the Yankees had to cancel due to its extended run in the postseason, the match is now scheduled at High Point Solutions Stadium.

The outdoor environment will be something new for Suriano to deal with as he has never wrestled outside before, but he does not seem too worried about it.

“It’s gonna be awesome,” Suriano said. “I’ve never competed outside so it’s gonna be a little different for me too but I think it’s gonna be amazing. I hope there’s thousands of fans there, I hope it’s loud, I hope it’s a cool event.

I know a lot of people are coming out to watch me and to see Rutgers and see how we do and I think we’re gonna put on a display, I think we’re ready to go.”

With the season set to start and all the talk about preseason rankings, Suriano and the rest of the Knights are only focused on themselves and are ready to start the season.

“Yeah there’s a lot of names, there’s a lot of ranks, a lot of events but I don’t get caught up in all that because I’m my own person,” Suriano said. “I’m me and I gotta worry about me and if I’m at my best, I’m not concerned with them. I just wanna go out and live and compete how I do.”

For updates on the Rutgers wrestling team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

Gameday Page 4

November 3, 2017

KNIGHT NUGGETS

BY THE NUMBERS

44.3

30.4

Following a strong game against Michigan, Rutgers punter Ryan Anderson re-took the Big Ten lead in punting yardage with 44.3 yard per kick. The next clasest punter sits at 43.0 yards per punt

Going into Saturday’s game, Rutgers has the second-best third down defense in the Big Ten, only allowing its opponents to convert on 30.4 percent of their opportunities.

277.9

745

The Terrapins’ passing defense has left a lot to be desired through the first eight games of the season, as it has allowed 277.9 passing yards per game, adding up to 2,223 in total.

Junior wide receiver D.J. Moore has totaled 745 receiving yards so far this season, good for 16th best in the country. Moore has collected 51 receptions, and his 8 touchdowns put him in the top 10 for receving touchdowns.

BIG QUESTION CAN GIO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MARYLAND’S PASS DEFENSE? As mentioned, Maryland has the worst passing defense in the Big Ten. Rescigno is averaging less than 100 passing yards per game. Will he be able to finally break out against a weaker defense on Saturday?

GIOVANNI RESCIGNO Junior Quarterback

THE ADVANTAGE GOES TO OFFENSE

Maryland has been consistently better on offense against power-five teams,scoring 51 points against Texas and 42 against Indiana. The Terps are very effective at running the ball and are better than Rutgers in that aspect.

DEFENSE

Maryland has the worst passing defense in the Big Ten and Rutgers has been much more effective in that respect, despite a number of injuries. While their run defense isn’t the best, the Knights are overall a better defense.

COACHING

The fact of the matter is that DJ Durkin has done more in his two years at Maryland than Ash has done in his two at Rutgers. He brought the Terps to a bowl game in his first season and has them headed in the right direction.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Rutgers special teams are much improved from last season. The Knights lead the Big Ten in kickoff coverage and punting yardage and Janarion Grant is one of the best returners in the nation.

X-FACTOR

This is a tough one, but Maryland has two established playmakers in wide receiver DJ Moore and running back Ty Johnson. Those two combined make more of a difference than Janarion Grant, who may not be 100 percent healthy.

MOMENTUM

While Rutgers is coming off a 35-14 loss to Michigan, Maryland is coming off of a hard-fought 42-39 victory against Indiana. The win put the Terps back on track after three straight losses before that.

MARYLAND WINS IF

RUTGERS WINS IF

THE KNIGHTS NEUTRALIZE MARYLAND’S RUNNING GAME

THE TERPS CAN STOP RUTGERS FROM PASSING THE FOOTBALL

Terps running back Ty Johnson has performed really well against Rutgers in the past. If the Knights can stop him, they can win this game.

Maryland gives up the most passing yards in the Big Ten. Rutgers passes for the fewest. Something has to give and that’s the Terps’ key to victory.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I’m not worried about rivalry games ... a lot of times fans create rivalry games for you.”

CHRIS ASH Head Football Coach

TARGUM’S FINAL VERDICT RUTGERS WINS, 38-35 Maryland’s running attack will give Rutgers problems, but the Knights will be able to take advantage of the Terps’ defense and Rutgers wins in a shootout.

Junior linebacker Trevor Morris has been the target of running backs throughout the season, and that will likely be the case with Ty Johnson. DECLAN INTINDOLA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / OCTOBER 2017

Stopping RB game is priority for RU Griffin Whitmer Associate Sports Editor

Saturday’s game against Maryland represents a chance for the Rutgers football team to prove its worth in the Big Ten. Going into the season, the feeling was that the Scarlet Knights would be able to handle Illinois and Purdue, but the Terrapins were a program on the rise with strong recruiting classes putting them ahead of Rutgers in the rebuilding process.

But Mar yland’s star ting and backup quar terbacks both went down with season-ending injuries and the team is down to its third-string quar terback in Max Bor tenschlager.

All of a sudden, a victor y is ver y much within reach for the Knights.

Despite the quarterback play, the Terrapins boast a star running back in Ty Johnson that has given Rutgers fits in the past and will likely be a featured part of the offense on Saturday.

And to say Johnson has given the Knights fits would be a huge understatement.

In 2015, when Rutgers blew a 21-point lead to lose the season finale, Johnson had two carries.

The first carr y? A 43-yard touchdown run. The second? A 44yard touchdown.

Maryland went on to win that game, 46-41.

In last year’s season finale, he ran for 168 yards on just 11 carries, good for 15.3 yards per carr y.

“He’s a guy that makes a lot of people miss. It’s gotta be a team tackling effort,” said defensive coordinator Jay Niemann. “It’s about great angles, great technique, but it’s also about people getting off their blocks and getting to the football ... It’s gonna be a group effort and it (has) gotta be a situation where you swarm (to the football).”

Junior linebacker Trevor Morris was on the field when Johnson torched them a year ago and has been right in the middle of what has been a disappointing Rutgers run defense this season.

And despite leading the team in tackles this season, Morris is often targeted by opposing running games, forcing him to elevate his level of play.

He remained confident in the linebackers and defensive line, as he noted that they are ready for any challenges Maryland throws at them.

“They have good running backs obviously,” Morris said.

“We just need to focus on us and that’s stopping the run. We look in the mirror and we know that we haven’t been able to do that.

We showed signs that we can do it so we just really need to focus and emphasize this week stopping the run.”

On paper, the matchup does not favor the Knights, as the Terrapins have the fifth-best rushing offense in the Big Ten, averaging 173 yards per game. Meanwhile, Rutgers is second-to-last in the conference, yielding just over 181 yards per contest.

Saturday will be a big test for a unit on the defense that has not been very good, especially in conference play. The pressure is on Morris and junior middle linebacker Deonte Roberts to neutralize Maryland’s offensive strength and give their team a chance to win.

“We gotta really stop the run, I know they have a good running back, that’s a challenge that we accepted and we’re just gonna have to get after it,” Morris said.

The pressure isn’t entirely on the linebackers though, as the defensive line has not played at a high enough level.

Despite moving defensive tackle Kevin Wilkins to defensive end to give the line three starters that are over 300 pounds, the unit has struggled to get penetration in the backfield and has especially struggled to get to the opposing quarterbacks.

While Wilkins has put up a good number so far — he leads the team with five tackles for loss — he noted that defensive line coach Shane Burnham is never pleased with the output of his players.

“Coach Burnham, he’s one of those coaches that’s never really satisfied,” Wilkins said. “Some people may look at that as a bad thing, but it’s actually a good thing because you always find a way to improve something.”

For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @Grif finWhitmer and @TargumSpor ts on Twitter.

B1G BOUT November 3, 2017

Gameday Page 5

No. 12 Rutgers opens season at High Point Solutions Stadium against UMD in 1st leg of doubleheader

double

Suriano, DelVecchio, Ashnault, Lewis, Pagano, Gravina among ranked competitors for Rutgers continued from back Now being held in Piscataway, Rutgers will wrestle in front of its home crowd outdoors, a familiar sight to fans after last year’s “Battle at the Birthplace.”

The Knights are coming off of a strong season that ended with a 12-5 record and a No. 12 ranking in the country. The team feels that even though it did not crack the top 10, which it thinks it deserves to be in, it will prove to the scouts that it is a top team in the country.

Rutgers finished off strong last March, with then-junior 141-pounder Anthony Ashnault and senior 149-pounder Ken Theobold representing the Knights at the NCAA Championships and giving the program two All-American wrestlers in back-

injury. Lewis claimed the 70kg tito-back seasons for the first time 125-pounder Nick Suriano from but was unable to compete due tle at the U23 World Team Trials Penn State. The Paramus, New to injury. in program history. during the offseason and secured Junior 165-pounder John Van Unfortunately for Rutgers, Jersey native returns to his home a spot on the U23 team.

Ashnault will miss some time state, where he saw extremely Brill and junior 174-pounder Jordan Besides for this one match to start off the year after having positive results in his four years Pagano, who both made their first event at High Point Solutions appearances in the NCAA Champioffseason surgery. Redshirt of high school.

Stadium, Rutgers will wrestle its Suriano went 159-0 with four in- onships last season, also return for freshman Michael Van Brill is exhome meets at the Rutgers Athpected to fill Ashnault’s absence dividual state championships com- this strong crop of competitors. letic Center. But for this week, an “Coming in, personally, I feel bined with four team championin the 141-pound weight class. outdoor setting in the first meet Head coach Scott Goodale ships, becoming the first wrestler really good,” Pagano said. “Betcenters attention around a team ter than I felt coming in last year. is entering his 11th year at the in the state to reach such a feat. that has built helm of the excitement wrestling around the team, which “I think as a team coming in, we look a lot better than we looked last year.”

Rutgers comhas produced munity over six All-Amerjordan pagano the past few icans over Junior 174-pounder years. As the the past four team continues seasons and to perform, finished in the that enthusiasm will grow more “It feels awesome,” Suriano Just mentally and physically feel top-10 rankings twice since 2009. and more.

“We’ve had a pretty big off- said. “I want to thank my coach- a lot stronger than I did last year.

“Having over 2000 season tickseason,” Goodale said. “After es for supporting this decision, I think as a team coming in, we ets hold already is pretty excitwrestle-offs, we start our week my family for supporting this look a lot better than we looked ing,” Goodale said. “It makes for preparation as we lead into the decision, the Big Ten for ap- last year. I think we’ve got talent an unbelievable wrestling atmothroughout the whole lineup and I Maryland match on Nov. 4. An- proving this.” sphere at the RAC. We look forLast season with the Nittany think we’re going to do really well thony Ashnault is still out at this ward to bringing the best teams in time, but we are looking forward Lions was no different for Suria- this year.” the country into this arena.”

This season will set the return to having him back when he de- no, who finished 16-3 overall as a freshman, including 12-2 in dual of senior 157-pounder Richie Lewcides it is best for him to return.”

For updates on the Rutgers The biggest story from the action and 8-1 in Big Ten match- is, a standout for the Knights in wrestling team, follow @Targumoffseason was without a doubt the es. Suriano was seeded at No. 3 in the 2015-16 season, who did not Sports on Twitter. transfer acquisition of sophomore the 2017 NCAA Championships compete all of last season due to

Junior 174-pounder Jordan Pagano broke into the national rankings midway through last season, and he enters the 2017-2018 campaign at No. 16 after a 27-12 record last year. He feels he is coming into this year a lot better than last year, and the same goes for the entire team. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017

Gameday Page 6

BLACKOUT

November 3, 2017

Rescigno, wide receivers come up against struggling Maryland passing defense in Saturday matchup

trouble

Rutgers has to improve its output on receiving end in order to get past poor Maryland secondary continued from FRont

Rutgers (3-5, 2-3) welcomes Maryland (4-4, 2-3) into High Point Solutions Stadium this Saturday at 3:30 p.m., and this time around, there is a unit advantage belonging to the Knights that could be strong enough to catapult them over the visiting Terrapins.

Though it has been the worst of the two types of offenses for Rutgers, it has an opportunity to blow past Maryland through the air.

The Terps come into the weekend with the 112th ranked passing defense in the country, having allowed 2,223 passing yards, averaging out to 277.9 yards per game.

It is a statistic worth exploiting for the Knights despite their inabilities throughout the season to get their pass game going in any game.

“I think we can take advantage of it especially after watching film and knowing what kind of game

Rutgers has shown glimpses of junior left tackle Tariq Cole. “So Durkin’s going to bring them from plan that we have going in ... I think we have a good opportunity being able to put together strong we’re gonna have to protect for a all over the place.”

Maryland’s greatest weakness this week to improve in the pass drives down the field in games — longer time and give Gio, or whogame,” said junior quarterback what it has yet to do is do it on a ever’s playing, a chance to throw is with its passing defense while the Knights’ greatest weakness is with the ball.” consistent basis.

Giovanni Rescigno.

That sentiment was echoed by its passing play. The team has gone Much of that — at least against Considering the running game has shared the burden of much Michigan — could be attributed to the offensive coordinator Jerry Kill, entire games without wide receiver who knows the Maryland coaching yardage — pairing that with gaping ofof the offense to date, it is hard- lack of protection given to Rescigno.

The quarterback was sacked five staff will throw all that it has at the fensive line issues could create more ly a surprise that the team has yet to produce 200 passing yards times over the course of the contest, quarterback to disrupt whatever problems to deal with going forward.

To head coach Chris Ash, it is passing game he develops over the in a single game this season, losing 25 yards in total. not for a lack its highest mark beof trying. He ing 198 against Eastpraises the ern Michigan. work ethic of But in Rutgers’ de“I think we have a good opportunity this week to improve in the pass game.” the players on feat to Michigan last this team week weekend, there were Giovanni rescigno after week, but shades of cohesion Junior Quarterback he recognizes from quarterback to that often does receivers in the secnot come with ond half that had not the strongest been there for much performances once Saturday hits. It Before the effort against the course of the game. of the season.

It has been a theme all week — is mending that divide that will carry An 11-play, 75-yard drive result- Wolverines, the Knights had only ing in a touchdown saw the Knights allowed six sacks through their first Rescigno cannot get the ball to his Rutgers over the Terrapins.

“Effort and execution have to utilize multiple weapons, turning seven games. Coming up against a receivers without the help of the get matched together, and we’ve to junior tight end Jerome Wash- middle-of-the-road sacking team in line in front of him.

“The bottom line is that we got- got to really clean up the details and ington and freshman wide receiver Maryland, with 15 on the year, it Hunter Hayek for 30 and 21-yard would not take much for the Rut- ta continue to protect the quarter- discipline how we do things if we’re receptions, respectively. Graduate gers’ offensive line to struggle to back,” Kill said. “I think that’s the going to go and win games here most important thing and make down the stretch,” he said. transfer running back Gus Edwards help out its quarterback.

“We gave up too many sacks, sure we protect them because they provided the yardage through the For updates on the Rutgers footmiddle, eventually crossing the end and they’re probably gonna try and got a good defensive line and good zone to collect his sixth rushing get to us faster, quicker than that, linebackers that come after you. ball team, follow @TargumSports quicker than they usually do,” said And (Maryland head) coach (DJ) on Twitter. touchdown of the season.

Junior quarterback Giovanni Rescigno has an opportunity to boost his passing numbers against Maryland as he comes up against the struggling past defense against the Terrapins. Rescigno has only thrown for one touchdown so far this season. DECLAN INTINDOLA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / OCTOBER 2017

November 3, 2017

KNIGHTS GAMEDAY

Gameday Page 7

RUTGERS VS. MARYLAND

MATCH 1: High Point Solutions Stadium, Noon TV: Big Ten Network

RADIO: Rutgers IMG Sports Network/WRSU

SCHEDULE Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 19 Dec. 1 Dec. 8 Dec. 29 Jan. 7 Jan. 12 Jan. 19 Jan. 21 Jan. 28 Feb. 2 Feb. 4 Feb. 9 Feb. 16 Feb. 18

RUTGERS

Maryland Journeymen Duals Army Invitational Lock Haven Iowa Midlands Champs.

Ohio State North Carolina Hofstra Nebraska Penn State Northwestern Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin Princeton

Nov. 4 Nov. 12 Nov. 18 Dec. 2 Dec. 7 Dec. 10 Dec. 29 Jan. 5 Jan. 7 Jan. 12 Jan. 14 Jan. 21 Jan. 28 Feb. 11 Feb. 18

Noon All Day 9:30 a.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

All Day Noon 7 p.m.

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

2 p.m.

8 p.m.

2 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

1 p.m.

MARYLAND

Rutgers Campbell/GMU Stanford Northwestern Wisconsin Iowa Midlands Championships Ohio State Nebraska Navy Harvard/Brown Penn State Illinois Minnesota Rider/Ohio

Noon 1 p.m.

TBA 3 p.m.

8 p.m.

1 p.m.

All Day 7 p.m.

2 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Noon 4 p.m.

2 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

Key Matchup

Mike Van Brill vs. No. 14 Ryan Diehl Redshirt freshman Mike Van Brill will be tested in his first competitive match in a Rutgers singlet, as he comes up against one of Maryland’s three ranked wrestlers in Ryan Diehl. Van Brill slots into the lineup as No. 5 Anthony Ashnault is sidelined recovering from offseason surgery.

BIG QUESTION How will team adapt to outdoor setting?

Head coach Scott Goodale had his team prepared for the outdoors last year against Princeton, and Rutgers has the experience over Maryland wrestling in the cold air.

SCOTT GOODALE Head Coach

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “...This is my home so I’m ready to light it up for New Jersey wrestling fans and fans all across the country...”

NICK SURIANO 125-pounder

TARGUM’S FINAL VERDICT RUTGERS WINS, 26-10 After beating Maryland handily last year, Rutgers should come out of this with the win, especially now with Suriano and Lewis.

Senior 133-pounder Scott DelVecchio holds high expectations for his final year on the Banks, looking to solidify his No. 11 national ranking. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / FEBRUARY 2017

Senior has high hopes for last year Robert Sanchez Correspondent

For fifth-year senior Scott DelVecchio, this is it — his last year on the Rutgers wrestling team. So it makes sense he wants to make the most of it.

“I think personal and team are both the same expectations,” DelVecchio said. “That’s just to win everything and in a perfect world go undefeated and be a national champ and I guess that’s the goal, team-wise win everything and win a team tournament.”

But to get there, the No. 12 Scarlet Knights first have to prove some of their doubters wrong.

It starts with that ranking.

“I think for the most part we feel like we’re better than that (No. 12 ranking),” DelVecchio said. “But I think everyone is just ready to prove that, and we’re just ready to get the season started and go out there and show people what we’re capable of.”

DelVecchio, who enters the season at No. 11 in the 133-pound

weight class, owns a collegiate career record of 63-34. Back in high school, DelVecchio finished with a 160-10 record at South Plainfield, where he was teammates with fellow classmates Anthony Ashnault and Dylan Painton.

Like most of the Rutgers team, DelVecchio was disappointed not to get the chance to wrestle at Yankee Stadium in what would have been a great experience.

The November 4 doubleheader against Maryland will now be held at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter where the mat is set up, DelVecchio will wrestle on it.

“To be out there at Yankee Stadium would have been really cool for the team and for the fans,” DelVecchio said. “But at the end of the day wrestling is wrestling, you know, lay the mat out wherever you want to lay it out and we’ll wrestle on it.”

The outdoor atmosphere for Saturday also does not seem to affect the veteran DelVecchio.

“It’s wrestling,” he said. “So whether we’re in a gym or on a football field or on a baseball field, whether it’s hot, cold whatever it is, it’s the same mentality. You go out there, and you tr y to win.”

Regardless, DelVecchio and the rest of the Knights cannot wait to get their season started and are expecting a good match against Mar yland.

And whether it is Maryland or any other team, Rutgers is expecting to come out on top.

“We kind of expect the same thing out of every team and that’s just they’re gonna come and try to win the same way we’re gonna come and try to win,” DelVecchio said. “We just expect to be better on that day. Overall, we know they’re gonna come out here and wrestle their best and we’re just gonna try and wrestle better.”

For updates on the Rutgers wrestling team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

NICK SURIANO 125 lbs.

SCOTT DELVECCHIO 133 lbs.

MIKE VAN BRILL 141 lbs.

ELEAZAR DELUCA 149 lbs.

Sophomore

Senior

Redshirt freshman

Fifth-year senior

JOHN VAN BRILL 165 lbs.

JORDAN PAGANO 174 lbs.

NICK GRAVINA 184 lbs.

KEVIN MULLIGAN 197 lbs.

RAZOHNN GROSS HWT

Junior

Junior

Fifth-year senior

Redshirt freshman

Senior

RICHIE LEWIS 157 lbs.

Fifth-year senior

Coby Green Correspondent

The Rutgers wrestling team will kick off its 2017 campaign this Saturday afternoon, the first matchup of a doubleheader with the football team.

The No. 12 Scarlet Knights will host Maryland in the season opener at High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday at noon. Originally, both the wrestling match and football game were going to be played at Yankee Stadium, a heavily anticipated event that was moved back to New Jersey because of the Yankees’ deep run in the 2017 Major League Baseball postseason.

See double on Page 5