2022 Opponent Preview Series: Get to Know Rutgers
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Boston College doesn't have a cakewalk to start the season like it did last year. Instead, we'll really know what kind of Eagles team we're getting through four weeks.
That starts with a season opener against a Rutgers program that, despite not having posted a winning record in the second chapter of Greg Schiano's coaching tenure in Piscataway, appears to be on the rise.
Thanks to an Academic Progress Rate that was tops among FBS teams with five wins, the Scarlet Knights got to replace Texas A&M in the TaxSlayer Bowl last year. Even though Wake Forest wiped Rutgers, 38-10, Schiano's team being in the national spotlight was a good thing for a program that hadn't piled up more than four victories in a season since 2014.
Rutgers has secured back-to-back top-40 recruiting classes and could bag another this cycle.
There's more work to be done, but the arrow is finally pointing in the right direction for the Big Ten bottom dweller.
In the first installation of Eagle Action's 2022 opponent preview series, we will break down the Scarlet Knights.
WHEN IS BC PLAYING RUTGERS?
Saturday, Sept. 3, 12 p.m.WHERE IS BC PLAYING RUTGERS?
Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.SERIES HISTORY
BC leads the all-time series, 20-6-1, and has won its last 11 games against Rutgers, a streak that started in 1995. At the time, both programs were in the Big East. Rutgers moved to the Big Ten in 2014 after a transition year in the AAC. BC, meanwhile, switched to the ACC in 2005. The matchups between the Northeast schools haven't been close recently. In fact, over their last eight games, BC has won by an average of 21.5 points. But, before BC and Rutgers squared off in 2019, they hadn't seen each other since 2004—the Eagles' final season in the Big East. The Eagles emerged victorious in the 2019 showdown, 30-16. BC did most of its damage on the ground. Bell cow AJ Dillon led the way with 150 yards and two scores on 32 carries.BREAKING DOWN THE 2022 SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers' 2021 Record: 5-8 (2-7 Big Ten), 6th in East DivisionOffense: Rutgers had a hard time punching the ball into the end zone last season. The Scarlet Knights were 12th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (19.7 points per game). Against conference opponents, they mustered just 13.7 points per contest. Moving the sticks was a significant issue for Rutgers, which ranked seventh-to-last in the country in third down conversion rate (31.6%).
That was partly the byproduct of an offensive line that, at times, struggled to protect quarterback Noah Vedral. Rutgers, which returns just two starters from last year's offensive line, was seventh in the Big Ten in 2021 in Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade (66.7). It doesn't help that the Scarlet Knights lost left tackle Raiqwon O'Neal—the team's top pass blocker last season—to UCLA and left guard Cedrice Paillant to Marshall. Rutgers did use the portal to fill some of those holes up front, however. Willie Tyler (ULM) could slide into a tackle spot, and Mike Ciaffoni (Colorado State) and Curtis Dunlap (Minnesota) will compete for time at guard.
Isaih Pacheco, Rutgers' leading rusher from last year, is out the door. The Scarlet Knights will lean heavier on Kyle Monangai and Aaron Young, who combined for 440 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground in 2021. Both caught 10 or more balls, too. Who will be quarterbacking the Scarlet Knights is always an important question. It's been Vedral the last two years, and he's the most experienced, given that he went from UCF to Nebraska to Rutgers and has thrown for 3,830 yards and rushed for nine scores in his soon-to-be six-year career. But maybe redshirt freshman Gavin Wimsatt beats him out in fall camp. Wimsatt is a former four star who was the No. 10 dual threat in the Class of 2021. Rutgers' top-two receiving targets from 2021, wideouts Bo Melton and Shameen Jones, are gone, but Syracuse transfer Taj Harris will make for a good WR1.
Defense: There isn't much Rutgers is bringing back on defense. The Scarlet Knights are returning only five starters on that side of the ball, a big reason why they rank 72nd nationally in overall returning production, according to ESPN's Bill Connelly. But their secondary is the highlight of defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak's group.
Cornerback Kessawn Abraham was second on the team with a 70.8 PFF coverage grade last season, although he didn't allow a single touchdown. Abraham gave up just 26 catches on 50 targets, yielding a 52% reception percentage, per PFF, while registering 10 pass break-ups. Safety Avery Young is another name to know. Young was third on the team with 60 total tackles. He also posted a pair of sacks and a forced fumble. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior is solid against the run. Young logged a 75.7 PFF run defense grade last season.
Rutgers is going to need more support in that department. In 2021, opponents averaged 161 yards per game on the ground. Rutgers was tied for 79th in the country in run defense. What was worse, though, was the Scarlet Knights' lack of pass rush. They were tied for 94th in the FBS with 1.77 sacks per game and ranked 95th in PFF pass rush grade (69.2). Unfortunately for Rutgers, it won't have its top returner, in terms of generated pressures, as junior defensive end Mohamed Toure—who notched 31 pressures and 4.5 sacks last year—suffered a season-ending injury this spring. Some D-Line combination of Aaron Lewis, Ifeanyi Maijeh and Mayan Ahanotu will have to step up to replace and surpass Toure's production.
Rutgers is expected to run a 4-2-5 defense so the linebacking corps probably won't be the heart of Harasymiak's scheme. Nonetheless, it's still important. The position group had to stomach the loss of Olakunle Fatukasi, Tyshon Fogg, Tyreek Maddox-Williams and Drew Singleton. Tyreem Powell appears to be a lock for one of the spots. He had the second-lowest missed tackle rate (4.5%) of any Rutgers player with more than 200 snaps last season, per PFF.
Special Teams: Rutgers has to figure out its place kicker situation. Valentino Ambrosio, who made 21-of-27 field goals and 45-of-47 PATs in his two years as the Scarlet Knights starter, hit the portal this offseason. Guy Fava seems to be the next man up as he's the most experienced in the group. He's kicked in three games for Rutgers, converting all six extra points and both field goals he attempted. Then there's incoming freshman Jai Patel, who could give Fava a run for his money in camp. Australian senior Adam Korsak is back to punt. He averaged 45.8 yards per boot last season, good for fifth in the Big Ten.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
17 — turnovers forced by Rutgers in 2021, which was tied with BC for 57th in the FBS.5 — Scarlet Knights attempted nine or more passes last season. Cole Snyder, Evan Simon and Wimsatt all threw it more than 20 times, in addition to Vedral.
9 — total Big Ten wins for Rutgers over the last seven seasons. The Scarlet Knights went winless in league play three times in that span.
ESPN FPI
The database gives BC a 70.3% chance of beating Rutgers in Week 1.OUTLOOK
Rutgers is taking the necessary steps to climb out of a deep hole in an ever-growing conference. That said, it's very possible the Scarlet Knights miss out on a bowl game this year. Their schedule isn't kind, and that starts with a tough season-opening draw on the road. There are a lot of connections between BC and Rutgers, especially among the coaching staffs. BC head coach Jeff Hafley served under Schiano, first at Rutgers and then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another notable one is that BC offensive coordinator John McNulty was Rutgers' OC twice. McNulty's second stint was much less successful and lasted less than two seasons. He'll get a shot at his old program to kick off his stay in Chestnut Hill.The Eagles should take care of business, but that doesn't mean Rutgers is the pushover it used to be.
