2015 Opponent Previews: Rutgers

[Saunders]

SBNation: What should Rutgers football's standard be in the Big Ten?

 

About nine years ago, Rutgers appeared in its first bowl in 27 years and only its second ever. Greg Schiano's reputation has had its ups and downs since, but in 2005, the former Miami defensive coordinator became Rutgers' savior. After the program won 11 games in the five-year Terry Shea era (five of which came in one season), Schiano took over at age 35 and went 3-20 in his first two years. But the Scarlet Knights won nine games over the next two, and in year 5 came the breakthrough. The next year, Rutgers won 11 games and finished 12th in the AP poll.

For most programs, we have a level of reasonable goals in our heads. They can change over time -- our estimation of what Kansas State might be capable of, for instance, has changed drastically over the last three decades -- but we have an idea. Some teams should be happy with bowl bids. Others should aim for the occasional division title. Others feel like failures for winning fewer than 10 games. For Rutgers, expectations have changed, but it's hard to figure out where the bar is at this point. The Scarlet Knights have been to nine bowls in 10 seasons and have won nine or more games four times, and their success (and strategic location) earned them a spot in a bigger conference.

And in their first season in the Big Ten, they treaded water, finishing a decent 8-5 (3-5 in conference) with a win over Michigan and a bowl romp over North Carolina. But they got obliterated in every battle versus a good team and finished 81st in the F/+ rankings. After ranking 41st or better in four of six seasons, they haven't ranked better than 58th in the three years since Schiano left for an NFL job. They're still winning, and they certainly boast a rather athletic team. But recruiting, thought to be a Kyle Flood specialty, hasn't surged, and the general feeling around the fanbase is one of restlessness. (That hasn't been aided by woeful public relations.) A local fanbase might not be the most reliable barometer for reasonable expectations, but ... what exactly should we be expecting from Rutgers?

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/5/21/8631391/rutgers-football-2015-preview-schedule-roster

Magazine says: 5-7 (1-7) 7th in Big Ten East

 

 

Scout.com

 

Rutgers managed to move into the new digs and get comfortable, but it’s still not going to be easy to enjoy life in the Big Ten quite yet.

 

The Scarlet Knights did their part early on to give the new league a present as the only team for a long while with a win – 41-38 over Washington State – over a team from a Power 5 conference. And then they kept battling in a tough three point loss to Penn State, a fight for a two point win over Michigan, and even showed up big in their bowl appearance with a whack job on North Carolina.

 

But there was one really, really big problem Rutgers won’t be able to overcome anytime soon – the Big Ten’s big boys.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1549236.html

 

 

Athlon Sports: Rutgers

 

After Rutgers first season in the league, fans in the Big Ten still don’t know what to make of the Scarlet Knights. Kyle Flood got a lot out of his team last fall but enters his important fourth season with increased pressure and a rebuilt depth chart. In a brutal division, returning to a bowl game should be a reasonable goal.

 

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25/rutgers-scarlet-knights-2015-preview-and-prediction#sthash.kbWaGV7U.dpuf

 

 

More to come...

[Saunders]

Added Scout preview.

[Saunders]

Added Athlon.