they have been one of the worst college football teams ever. new coach, new players and they just may have a chance to crack the top 25. they have a stud 1st or 2nd round pick in RB/FB in Leonard
2006-08-11 09:19:40 · 8 answers · asked by Justlookin 3 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
The Scarlet Knights are finally a football team. Greg Schiano has fought desperately to gain credibility. Coming into last seson, the State College of New Jersey has just 4 winning seasons over the past 24 years. Their only bowl game was the 1978 Garden State Bowl (which they lost to Arizona State). Last year Rutgers pounded through to a regular season record of 7-4 and made it to the Insight Bowl (which they lost, coincidentally, to Arizona State).
But don't change the name of the student center to Schiano Hall just yet. Four of those seven victories were over Villanova, Buffalo, Syracuse and Cincinatti (none of whom would be considered football powerhouses last season or this year). And the Knights got appropriately thumped by West Virginia, South Florida, and Louisville. And that was on a season that they returned 17 starters.
Rutgers will not be the creme-de-la-creme of the Big East. In a conference of eight schools, the Knights should be thrilled to finish fourth. More likely, they will be the fifth or sixth best, as West Va, Louisville, a better Pitt, and South Florida will again top the league.
Yes, Leonard is solid at FB, and Offensive Coordinator Ver Steeg knows how to build a rushing attack, but don't expect to crack the top 25 (they might not make it to another bowl this year). High expectations will kill a team that is struggling to gain credibility. Just celebrate the victories, and be pleasantly surprised when good things befall the Knights. If you set your expectations to high, then you can only be disappointed when they fail to reach them. To be a top tier program, they first need to transition to middle-of-the-pack. Give it a few years before you expect a run at the polls.
2006-08-11 09:48:41 · answer #1 · answered by Tiller 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Rutgers has made tremendous strides over the past few years. They are starting to be recognized nationally and teams can no longer play them going in unprepared expecting to walk all over them. Running back Raymell Rice last year ran for over 1100 yards as a true freshman, and they have very solid players all across the board. They've been recruiting very well in Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and Virginia as well as New Jersey over the last 3 years. They've been starting to steal some highly tauted players from bigger schools like Virginia Tech, Miami, Syracuse and Penn State. They're talent is at a all time high, and the players are staring to believe.
A great season for the Scarlet Knights would be going 8-4. But no matter what they'll win at least 6 games and make a bowl for the second time in 27 years.
2006-08-11 16:47:21 · answer #2 · answered by Dun Dun 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, they haven't been one of the worst teams ever (that would be Wake Forest) but they had their first winning season in 13 years last year.
As for their chances this year, the schedule isn't exactly great. They have a decent chance of winning at North Carolina and should beat a bad Illinois team at home. As for the two big boys in the Big East, they get Louisville at home but have to go to West Virginia. They need to survive the three-game road stretch from late September through late October to have a shot at a bowl again. I wouldn't be surprised to see them at 7-5 again.
S2 @North Carolina
S9 Illinois
S16 Ohio
S23 Howard
S29 @South Florida
O14 @Navy
O21 @Pittsburgh
O28 Connecticut
N9 Louisville
N18 @Cincinnati
N25 Syracuse
D2 @West Virginia
2006-08-11 16:45:55 · answer #3 · answered by TheOnlyBeldin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rutgers is getting better every year!!! Leonard is a stud!! i think they will go 7-5 go to low level bowl, but with their recruiting their fruits will really come bare in next 2 or 3 yrs. But they will always be 4th fiddle in the Big East in recruiting to W Viriginia, Louisville, and Pitt
2006-08-11 18:09:59 · answer #4 · answered by mr_loony_toonz 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've heard that legend before...but I don't think there is any actual proof that they do have a team...
2006-08-11 16:28:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
rutgers has a football team ?
2006-08-11 16:25:25 · answer #6 · answered by el.tuco 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
what i think about them every year..they Stink!
2006-08-11 16:25:10 · answer #7 · answered by tara t 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
they make me sick
2006-08-11 16:28:51 · answer #8 · answered by sara k 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋