(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Key Players Returning:
QB Noah Vedral, RB/KR Isaih Pacheco, WR/KR Aron Cruickshank, WR Shameen Jones, WR Bo Melton, OG Cedrice Paillant, OG Reggie Sutton, OT Raiqwon O’Neal, DE Mike Tverdov, DE C.J. Onyechi, NT Julius Turner, LB Olakunle Fatukasi, LB Tyshon Fogg, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, LB Mohamed Toure, CB/PR Trey Avery, FS Naijee Jones, FS/PR Avery Young, SS Christian Izien, PK Valentino Ambrosio, and PT Adam Korsak.
Key Players Departing:
S Brendon White.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: CB Alijah Clark (Camden, New Jersey), and LB Khyri Banton (Newark, New Jersey).
3 Star Recruits: ATH Jordan Thompson (Morris Plains, New Jersey), WR Carnell Davis (Melbourne, Florida), DL Ryan Keeler (La Grange Park, Illinois), CB Shaquan Loyal (Newark, New Jersey), ATH Shawn Munnerlyn (Columbus, Ohio), OT Tyler Needham (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), RB Al-Shadee Salaam (East Orange, New Jersey), and DE Cam’Ron Stewart (Reading, Pennsylvania).
2020 Results:
G01 at Michigan State W 38-27
G02 #17 INDIANA L 21-37
G03 at #3 Ohio State L 27-49
G04 ILLINOIS L 20-23
G05 MICHIGAN L | 3OT 42-48
G06 at Purdue W 37-30
G07 PENN STATE L 7-23
G08 at Maryland W | OT 27-24
G09 NEBRASKA L 21-26
Misc. Team Information:
2020 Record: 3-6 (5th in Big Ten East)
Home: 0-5
Away: 3-1
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 3-6
Non-B10: 0-0
Head Coach: Greg Schiano
Rutgers: 71-73
Career: 7-29
Bowls: 5-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Noah Vedral (136-221, 1253 yards, 61.5%, 5.7 avg., 9 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing: Isaih Pacheco (116 car., 515 yards, 4.4 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Bo Melton (47 rec., 638 yards, 13.6 avg., 6 TD)
TDs Scored: Bo Melton (9)Sacks: Mohamed Toure (4.5)
Tackles: Olakunie Fatukasi (90)
Tackles For Loss: Mike Tverdov (11.5)
Interceptions: Christian Izien (4)
Pass Deflections: Tre Avery (6)
Forced Fumbles: Avery Young (3)
Kick Returns: Aron Cruickshank (25 ret., 671 yards, 26.8 avg., 2 TD)
Punt Returns: Avery Young (10 ret., 41 yards, 4.1 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Valentino Ambrosio (9-11 fg/fga., 82%, 15-16 xp/xpa., 42 pts.)
Punting: Adam Korsak (48 punts, 2062 yards, 43.0 avg., 21 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 00 Noah Vedral (GR/TR)
RB: 1 Isaih Pacheco (JR)
WR: 18 Bo Melton (SR)
WR: 7 Shameen Jones (RS SR)
WR: 2 Aron Cruickshank (JR?TR)
TE: 5 Jovani Haskins (GR/TR)
LT: 71 Raiqwon O’Neal (RS SO)
LG: 54 Cedrice Paillant (JR/TR)
OC: 66 Nick Krimin (RS SR)
RG: 70 Reggie Sutton (RS SO)
RT: 58 David Nwaogwugwu (RS SO/TR)
KR: 2 Aron Cruickshank (JR/TR)
PK: 1 Valentino Ambrosio (JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 97 Mike Tverdov (RS JR)
NT: 50 Julius Turner (RS SR)
DT: 88 Ifeanyl Maijeh (GR/TR)
DE: 26 C.J. Onyechi (RS JR)
LB: 58 Mohamed Toure (RS FR)
LB: 8 Tyshon Fogg (SR)
LB: 3 Olakunle Fatukasi (SR)
CB: 21 Tre Avery (RS SR/TR)
CB: 16 Max Melton (FR)
FS: 2 Avery Young (JR)
SS: 00 Christian Izien (RS SO)
PR: 2 Avery Young (JR)
PT: 94 Adam Korsak (RS SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/02 TEMPLE OWLS | Rutgers leads the series 20-16. The Scarlet Knights won (23-20) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/11 at Syracuse Orange | Rutgers leads the series 12-30-1. The Scarlet Knights won (23-15) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
09/18 DELAWARE BLUE HENS | Rutgers leads the series 15-13-1. The Scarlet Knights won (24-7) the last meeting between schools in 1973.
09/25 at Michigan Wolverines | Rutgers trails the series 1-6. The Scarlet Knights lost (42-48 OT) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series win (26-24) was at the inaugural meeting between teams in 2014.
10/02 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES | Rutgers trails the series 0-7. The Scarlet Knights have lost each of the prior meetings, dating back to 2014, by an average of 43 points per game.
10/09 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Rutgers trails the series 4-8. The Scarlet Knights are 1-6 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (0-27) was in 2019.
10/16 at Northwestern Wildcats | Rutgers leads the series 3-1. The Scarlet Knights lost (15-18) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
10/30 at Illinois Fighting Illini | Rutgers trails the series 2-5. The Scarlet Knights are 1-4 since renewing the series in 2016, and their last series win (35-24) was in 2017.
11/06 WISCONSIN BADGERS | Rutgers trails the series 0-3. The Scarlet Knights lost (17-31) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/13 at Indiana Hoosiers | Rutgers trails the series 2-5. The Scarlet Knights lost (21-37) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (55-52) was in 2015.
11/20 at Penn State Nittany Lions | Rutgers trails the series 2-29. The Scarlet Knights are 0-7 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series win (21-16) was in 1988.
11/27 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Rutgers trails the series 7-9. The Scarlet Knights are 3-4 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (7-48) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 4-5
Non-B10: 2-1
Overall: 6-6 (6th in Big Ten East)
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