Iowa Football 2023 Schedule Breakdown: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Alright folks, let’s just get this one out of the way. I don’t want to talk about Rutgers any more than any of you want to read about them.
What more is there to say about the “pride” of Northern New Jersey? They have not had a winning season since 2014, which weirdly enough was their first in the Big Ten. They went 8-5 that year with Gary Nova—no relation to former ECW wrestler Nova—at quarterback. That year the Scarlet Knights only lost to Penn State by three in James Franklin’s first year at the helm.
Ever since they have been the laughingstock of the conference. The only time the national media addresses Rutgers is to laugh at their misfortunes or to simply ask what the heck they are doing in the conference. The answer is easy, to be a tuneup game once the conference does away with non-conference games.
The lowlights have been aplenty for the Scarlet Knights over the past decade. They’ve had three seasons in which they’ve won two or fewer games. In 2018 and 2019, they only managed to muster 13 points per game.
The 2016 season was arguably a more embarrassing season for Rutgers. They were blanked in four games, including a 78-point loss to Michigan and a 58-point loss to Ohio State the year prior.
My point of all of this is that Rutgers has historically stunk in the Big Ten. They’ve somewhat been “better” in recent years under returning head coach Greg Schiano, but don’t let the media fool you, it’s still been hard times. Last year they only won four games and just one in the Big Ten conference. This is a look at Rutgers football ahead of the 2023 season.
A legacy of defeat in the Big Ten
Why not pile on Rutgers more?
Since moving to the Big Ten, they have a 33-74 record. That’s not good at all, especially considering they haven’t strung together a winning season since 2014.
Greg Schiano still riding off of reputation
It’s crazy to think that a coach who is 12-22 over the last three years hasn’t received more criticism. I guess it’s because it’s a big step up from previous years at the program.
Chris Ash finished with an 8-32 record, leaving Schiano in a tough spot to restore this program in his return act. But, 12-22 is still not good. Schiano is the greatest coach in Rutgers football history, but that will only save him from criticism for so long.
No Offense
It’s hard to imagine that there was a worse offense in the conference than Iowa, but here it is. Rutgers only managed 17.4 points per game on offense last year. They were the 124th-ranked scoring offense in the nation. That’s not great.
Key Player: Gavin Wimsatt, Quarterback
If Rutgers wants to have any hope of improving in 2023, it starts with Gavin Wimsatt. Seen as one of the best quarterback prospects in school history, Wimsatt really struggled last year. He has a case to be the worst quarterback in a conference full of unproven signal-callers. He has to be better in 2023.
Key Player: Samuel Brown V, Running Back
Samuel Brown V looked like a potential star before getting hurt last year. He had some big performances, including a 101-yard game against Indiana. Registering 79 rushing yards on 15 attempts against Ohio State is nothing to sneeze at either.
Key Player: Kyle Monangai, Running Back
While Samuel Brown V brings a lot of explosiveness to the Scarlet Knights’ offense, Kyle Monangai is still the engine. He isn’t the most spectacular back, but he is a solid enough starting runner. He did have a big 162-yard performance against Michigan State.
Key Player: Max Melton, Cornerback
Max Melton is a player who has impressed a lot of draft scouts. The brother of former Rutgers wide receiver and seventh-round pick Bo Melton, Max had a breakout year at corner for Rutgers. He had two picks in 12 games with 10 pass deflections. Expect to see him in the NFL after a strong season in scarlet.
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