Dave Wannstedt: Rutgers ‘will upset a team or two down the road’
Dave Wannstedt thinks Rutgers football has a chance.
Ahead of the Scarlet Knights (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) game this Saturday at No. 3 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten), Wannstedt talked big picture about where the Rutgers football program can go this year. Following Saturday’s 27-10 loss at Iowa, there is definitely a deflated sense around the program’s fanbase.
Two first-half turnovers, both of which resulted in Iowa defensive touchdowns, put Rutgers in an early hold.
For Wannstedt, the arrow is still pointed up on Rutgers and their head coach Greg Schiano. When Wannstedt was Pittsburgh’s head coach in the Big East, he would frequently lock horns with Rutgers and Schiano.
So during his weekly segment on the Big Ten Network, Wannstedt wasn’t discouraged by Rutgers’ loss in the Big Ten opener. Part of it is the quarterback shuffle at Rutgers where the Scarlet Knights had just one scholarship quarterback, Evan Simon, available against Iowa.
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Simon threw for over 300 yards in the loss with a touchdown and two interceptions.
“When you have two quarterbacks, you have none. When you have four, what’s the analogy there? He has got three or four…he’s always been that way! Even back in the days when I was at Pitt as a head coach and he was at Rutgers. There was a time he played two or three guys,” Wannstedt said on the Big Ten Network this week.
“But I’ll tell you what, the thing that got them a little bit was obviously they made some mistakes. Two of Iowa’s scores last week were off of turnovers. Greg Schiano’s teams are not going to be fancy. But they are going to be able to somewhat run the ball – last week was as tough as they’re going to see all year against Iowa’s defense. But when they turned it over, they gave themselves no chance.”
With three wins, Rutgers is halfway towards bowl eligibility. The Big Ten schedule is certainly daunting but there are some games that are within reach for the rebuilding Scarlet Knights.
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Plus, Wannstedt thinks they can knock off a team or two this season.
“They will have a surprise, they will upset a team or two down the road. This team – Greg is going to keep them and they’re going to get better,” Wannstedt said.
“Whether they have enough talent, that is where the pendulum is a little bit lopsided.”
