*The following article was written by Dan Breslauer. Breslauer or D Bres/Bresnuts is the voice of Rutgers sports and can spit out any stat about Rutgers sports on command. He also bleeds scarlet. Bres will be going into his senior year at RU where he will be controlling all things WRSU. Bres is known for his Amir Vahedi like demeanor at the poker table, David Eckstein-esque defense at second base and his unhealthy consumption of tic tac's. He is also the MC of the HP Allstarz Fantasy Baseball Draft.*
Enjoy!
Well, the month of August is officially in full swing, so that must mean it’s time for a D-Bres prediction segment with the Rutgers football season about a month away from kickoff.
The Scarlet Knights program has made unheard of progress by a perception standpoint, since the days of 10-loss seasons and 50-point losses a little over seven years ago. Coach Greg Schiano has now taken RU to four straight bowl games, winning three of them and placing players in the NFL each of those years.
The graduation of Rutgers’ all-time leading passer, Mike Teel, and the early departure of all-world wide receiver Kenny Britt certainly temper expectations for a 2009 Scarlet Knights team looking to build on the 8-5 season of last year.
The Big East media isn’t convinced, ranking RU 5th out of eight teams in their yearly poll last week. However, No. 1 and No. 5 were separated by mere points, proving that there are two clear tiers in the conference this season.
Without further ado, we’ll break down RU’s season game-by-game, giving you nuggets about the schemes and players along the way. This is your Rutgers football fix…
Game 1: Rutgers vs. Cincinnati (Labor Day; Mon. Sept. 7, 4:00pm ESPN)
I said this last year, but there has never been a more anticipated opener in Rutgers football history. Not only is it on national television with only one other football game being played that day, but a few other factors make this an absurd opening day atmosphere.
Cincinnati has beaten Rutgers in three straight seasons, including snapping RU’s 9-0 start in 2006 and keeping them out of the Orange Bowl last season. The Bearcats are the defending Big East champs and the Scarlet Knights will be unveiling their new 52,000-seat stadium to the public on Labor Day.
The Bearcats graduate ten players from one of the best defenses in the country. They lose 13 of their top 15 tacklers, including the best six. Rutgers loses a four-year quarterback, two great receivers (Britt and Tiquan Underwood) and a few pieces on defense including safety Courtney Greene.
However, Rutgers returns all five guys on an offensive line that has ranked in the top ten in the nation in sacks allowed a few times in the last five years. Left tackle Anthony Davis is a top 20 draft pick in the 2010 draft if he leaves early and the running game for RU will be versatile with Joe Martinek, Jourdan Brooks and a hobbled Kordell Young.
The bottom line in this game is coaching—two-time Big East Coach of the Year Brian Kelly versus 2006 National Coach of the Year, Greg Schiano.
We will probably see fifth-year senior quarterback Domenic Natale start this game for RU unless freshman Tom Savage wins the job in camp, which I will be attending this week.
Emotion will play a huge part in this game. Cinci’s offense is explosive with quarterback Tony Pike and wide-out Mardy Gilyard. Rutgers counters with the best linebacker core in the conference with Ryan D’Imperio leading the way at the “mike” spot. It will be a sloppy game as all openers are, with defense winning it.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 20 Cincinnati 17
Game 2: Rutgers vs. Howard (Sept. 12)
I’m not going to spend as much time on these useless games, but I’ll add some thoughts in here. I wouldn’t be shocked to see packages for QB Jabu Lovelace in some of these early games with options and draws. Howard has a good band, but a bad football team.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 40 Howard 7
Game 3: Rutgers vs. FIU (Sept. 19)
A game on Rosh Hashana, which means no Bres in attendance, which stinks because the return of former RU assistant Mario Cristobal would have been fun to watch. FIU is terrible though, in the bottom 10 every year.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 37 FIU 3
Game 4: Rutgers @ Maryland (Sept. 26)
There is a big revenge factor in this game. Darius Heyward-Bey and Keon Lattimore led the Terps into Piscataway in 2007 and beat Rutgers up. Those two are gone now and Byrd Stadium will be rocking in late September.
This is going to be a tough test for RU—as a young secondary will certainly be thrown into the fire. Hopefully, CBs Logan Ryan and Darrell Givens (if he qualifies) are ready to play significant amounts of series by then because RU is going to need it.
Historically, ACC offensive lines have given RU fits and the Scarlet Knights have a slight out-of-conference letdown here.
Bres’ prediction: Maryland 24 Rutgers 21
Game 5: Rutgers vs. Texas Southern (Oct. 10)
If Tim Brown doesn’t catch four touchdowns in this game, yeah… they’re that bad. They lost to Arkansas State by 70 last year.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 45 TSU 7
Game 6: Rutgers vs. Pittsburgh (Fri, Oct. 16)
Wow, well a Friday niter in October against the preseason pick to win the Big East, Mr. Stache’s Pittsburgh Panthers.
LeSean McCoy is gone and so is LaRod Stephens-Howling. If RU is 1-0 in conference, the place will be absolutely nutty.
Watch for guys up front like George Johnson and Blair Bines to get to the quarterback regularly here and for Pitt cornerback Aaron Berry to get abused by Mohammed Sanu.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 31 Pittsburgh 17
Game 7: Rutgers @ Army (Fri. Oct. 23)
A trip to West Point in October is always beautiful. The Friday aspect takes a little away from it, but that’s fine.
Army is overmatched here and I expect some converted guys like Mason Robinson to have a big game here.
No more losses to service academies.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 30 Army 10
Game 8: Rutgers @ Connecticut (Oct. 31)
Halloween in East Hartford could be downright dangerous. The “Rent” is torturous and they hate Rutgers. HATE.
No more Donald Brown but this is a monstrous trap game that I’ve said could pose a problem since the schedule came out.
The Huskies get revenge as quarterback inconsistency shows for RU.
Bres’ prediction: Connecticut 21 Rutgers 20
Game 9: Rutgers vs. USF (Thurs. Nov. 12)
Ok, plain and simple… Rutgers doesn’t lose on Thursday night in Piscataway.
Matt Grothe has this date circled. He hasn’t beaten Rutgers in his career. When this game kicks off, it will be almost 25 months since a No. 2 USF team came into NJ and lost due to an insane performance from Ray Rice.
Here’s a dark horse for you in this one. Expect to see LB Damaso Munoz go crazy in this game. Going against some of his home state friends will fuel the fire that is inside this kid. He is ready to have a big year.
Grothe remains flustered against RU and Mike Ford still hasn’t lived up to the hype. Let’s hope Jim Leavitt chills with the Red Bull.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 30 USF 20
Game 10: Rutgers @ Syracuse (Nov. 21)
The Orange is the laughingstock of the Big East. How times have changed from the late 90’s.
Greg Paulus at QB won’t work and Joe Lefeged will let Doug Marrone know why Greg Robinson called him a headhunter.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 35 Syracuse 17
Game 11: Rutgers @ Louisville (Fri. Nov. 27)
The Cardinals are still very down. This is not the same program that came into Piscataway as the No. 3 team in the land on Nov. 9, 2006. And the rest is history at the birthplace of college football.
Without Hunter Cantwell at QB, the Cardinals are limited. Let’s not forget that RU put up 63 on them in 2008.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 30 Louisville 17
Game 12: Rutgers vs. West Virginia (Dec. 5)
The way it should be. Rutgers and West Virginia on a Saturday night in December in NJ tussling for the Big East title. RU has not defeated the Mountaineers since September of 1994 in the second game of the season.
While I don’t think the trend will change this year and Rutgers will fall just short of a BCS birth, this atmosphere would be beyond belief. I can only imagine the media coverage and hype leading up to this game on conference title weekend.
Noel Devine and Jarrett Brown are explosive as a duo. Brown has defeated RU twice in his career—in 3 OTs in 2006 and last season—both in Morgantown (filling in for an injured Pat White in each year).
At this point, you have to figure that either Natale or Savage will be experienced by some definition of the word. But no regular season snaps can prepare you for what Dec. 5 would be like if a conference championship is on the line.
RU falls short…
Bres’ prediction: WVU 27 Rutgers 20
The Scarlet Knights program has made unheard of progress by a perception standpoint, since the days of 10-loss seasons and 50-point losses a little over seven years ago. Coach Greg Schiano has now taken RU to four straight bowl games, winning three of them and placing players in the NFL each of those years.
The graduation of Rutgers’ all-time leading passer, Mike Teel, and the early departure of all-world wide receiver Kenny Britt certainly temper expectations for a 2009 Scarlet Knights team looking to build on the 8-5 season of last year.
The Big East media isn’t convinced, ranking RU 5th out of eight teams in their yearly poll last week. However, No. 1 and No. 5 were separated by mere points, proving that there are two clear tiers in the conference this season.
Without further ado, we’ll break down RU’s season game-by-game, giving you nuggets about the schemes and players along the way. This is your Rutgers football fix…
Game 1: Rutgers vs. Cincinnati (Labor Day; Mon. Sept. 7, 4:00pm ESPN)
I said this last year, but there has never been a more anticipated opener in Rutgers football history. Not only is it on national television with only one other football game being played that day, but a few other factors make this an absurd opening day atmosphere.
Cincinnati has beaten Rutgers in three straight seasons, including snapping RU’s 9-0 start in 2006 and keeping them out of the Orange Bowl last season. The Bearcats are the defending Big East champs and the Scarlet Knights will be unveiling their new 52,000-seat stadium to the public on Labor Day.
The Bearcats graduate ten players from one of the best defenses in the country. They lose 13 of their top 15 tacklers, including the best six. Rutgers loses a four-year quarterback, two great receivers (Britt and Tiquan Underwood) and a few pieces on defense including safety Courtney Greene.
However, Rutgers returns all five guys on an offensive line that has ranked in the top ten in the nation in sacks allowed a few times in the last five years. Left tackle Anthony Davis is a top 20 draft pick in the 2010 draft if he leaves early and the running game for RU will be versatile with Joe Martinek, Jourdan Brooks and a hobbled Kordell Young.
The bottom line in this game is coaching—two-time Big East Coach of the Year Brian Kelly versus 2006 National Coach of the Year, Greg Schiano.
We will probably see fifth-year senior quarterback Domenic Natale start this game for RU unless freshman Tom Savage wins the job in camp, which I will be attending this week.
Emotion will play a huge part in this game. Cinci’s offense is explosive with quarterback Tony Pike and wide-out Mardy Gilyard. Rutgers counters with the best linebacker core in the conference with Ryan D’Imperio leading the way at the “mike” spot. It will be a sloppy game as all openers are, with defense winning it.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 20 Cincinnati 17
Game 2: Rutgers vs. Howard (Sept. 12)
I’m not going to spend as much time on these useless games, but I’ll add some thoughts in here. I wouldn’t be shocked to see packages for QB Jabu Lovelace in some of these early games with options and draws. Howard has a good band, but a bad football team.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 40 Howard 7
Game 3: Rutgers vs. FIU (Sept. 19)
A game on Rosh Hashana, which means no Bres in attendance, which stinks because the return of former RU assistant Mario Cristobal would have been fun to watch. FIU is terrible though, in the bottom 10 every year.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 37 FIU 3
Game 4: Rutgers @ Maryland (Sept. 26)
There is a big revenge factor in this game. Darius Heyward-Bey and Keon Lattimore led the Terps into Piscataway in 2007 and beat Rutgers up. Those two are gone now and Byrd Stadium will be rocking in late September.
This is going to be a tough test for RU—as a young secondary will certainly be thrown into the fire. Hopefully, CBs Logan Ryan and Darrell Givens (if he qualifies) are ready to play significant amounts of series by then because RU is going to need it.
Historically, ACC offensive lines have given RU fits and the Scarlet Knights have a slight out-of-conference letdown here.
Bres’ prediction: Maryland 24 Rutgers 21
Game 5: Rutgers vs. Texas Southern (Oct. 10)
If Tim Brown doesn’t catch four touchdowns in this game, yeah… they’re that bad. They lost to Arkansas State by 70 last year.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 45 TSU 7
Game 6: Rutgers vs. Pittsburgh (Fri, Oct. 16)
Wow, well a Friday niter in October against the preseason pick to win the Big East, Mr. Stache’s Pittsburgh Panthers.
LeSean McCoy is gone and so is LaRod Stephens-Howling. If RU is 1-0 in conference, the place will be absolutely nutty.
Watch for guys up front like George Johnson and Blair Bines to get to the quarterback regularly here and for Pitt cornerback Aaron Berry to get abused by Mohammed Sanu.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 31 Pittsburgh 17
Game 7: Rutgers @ Army (Fri. Oct. 23)
A trip to West Point in October is always beautiful. The Friday aspect takes a little away from it, but that’s fine.
Army is overmatched here and I expect some converted guys like Mason Robinson to have a big game here.
No more losses to service academies.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 30 Army 10
Game 8: Rutgers @ Connecticut (Oct. 31)
Halloween in East Hartford could be downright dangerous. The “Rent” is torturous and they hate Rutgers. HATE.
No more Donald Brown but this is a monstrous trap game that I’ve said could pose a problem since the schedule came out.
The Huskies get revenge as quarterback inconsistency shows for RU.
Bres’ prediction: Connecticut 21 Rutgers 20
Game 9: Rutgers vs. USF (Thurs. Nov. 12)
Ok, plain and simple… Rutgers doesn’t lose on Thursday night in Piscataway.
Matt Grothe has this date circled. He hasn’t beaten Rutgers in his career. When this game kicks off, it will be almost 25 months since a No. 2 USF team came into NJ and lost due to an insane performance from Ray Rice.
Here’s a dark horse for you in this one. Expect to see LB Damaso Munoz go crazy in this game. Going against some of his home state friends will fuel the fire that is inside this kid. He is ready to have a big year.
Grothe remains flustered against RU and Mike Ford still hasn’t lived up to the hype. Let’s hope Jim Leavitt chills with the Red Bull.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 30 USF 20
Game 10: Rutgers @ Syracuse (Nov. 21)
The Orange is the laughingstock of the Big East. How times have changed from the late 90’s.
Greg Paulus at QB won’t work and Joe Lefeged will let Doug Marrone know why Greg Robinson called him a headhunter.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 35 Syracuse 17
Game 11: Rutgers @ Louisville (Fri. Nov. 27)
The Cardinals are still very down. This is not the same program that came into Piscataway as the No. 3 team in the land on Nov. 9, 2006. And the rest is history at the birthplace of college football.
Without Hunter Cantwell at QB, the Cardinals are limited. Let’s not forget that RU put up 63 on them in 2008.
Bres’ prediction: Rutgers 30 Louisville 17
Game 12: Rutgers vs. West Virginia (Dec. 5)
The way it should be. Rutgers and West Virginia on a Saturday night in December in NJ tussling for the Big East title. RU has not defeated the Mountaineers since September of 1994 in the second game of the season.
While I don’t think the trend will change this year and Rutgers will fall just short of a BCS birth, this atmosphere would be beyond belief. I can only imagine the media coverage and hype leading up to this game on conference title weekend.
Noel Devine and Jarrett Brown are explosive as a duo. Brown has defeated RU twice in his career—in 3 OTs in 2006 and last season—both in Morgantown (filling in for an injured Pat White in each year).
At this point, you have to figure that either Natale or Savage will be experienced by some definition of the word. But no regular season snaps can prepare you for what Dec. 5 would be like if a conference championship is on the line.
RU falls short…
Bres’ prediction: WVU 27 Rutgers 20
Final Rutgers record: (9-3; 5-2 in Big East play)
Projected bowl game—Champs Sports Bowl OR Meineke Car Care Bowl:
Let’s hope for a packed house in P-way on Labor Day… the newly-expanded stadium deserves a proper welcome On the Banks. I think most Rutgers fans would be just fine with a 9-3 season… only time will tell what 2009 has in store for the Scarlet Knights. I never would have believed that Rutgers could ever go to five straight bowl games…
Projected bowl game—Champs Sports Bowl OR Meineke Car Care Bowl:
Let’s hope for a packed house in P-way on Labor Day… the newly-expanded stadium deserves a proper welcome On the Banks. I think most Rutgers fans would be just fine with a 9-3 season… only time will tell what 2009 has in store for the Scarlet Knights. I never would have believed that Rutgers could ever go to five straight bowl games…
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