When you lose the last nine games and finish 2-10, there should be nowhere to go but up.
Right?
That’s what second-year Rutgers coach Chris Ash is looking for from his Scarlet Knights.
“I really like our football team right now,” Ash said at the team’s August 13 media day. “We talk a lot about these players are like our sons and we treat them like our sons. And we all love our sons, but sometimes you don’t necessarily like being around your son. We really like being around these guys.
“They have a great attitude. They are committed; they are invested. We not only love them, but we really like being around them every single day that we get that opportunity here in training camp. And when you can say that about your team, it’s a good spot to be in.”
The Knights won two of their first three games in 2016. But they then lost multi-threat Janarion Grant in the fourth game and things went downhill from there.
They lost their final three games by a combined score of 119-13. They lost back-to-back games to Michigan and Ohio State, 58-0 and 78-0.
Grant, back for his redshirt senior year, will again flash his return and offensive skills that saw him score six touchdowns in four games, returning both a kick and a punt for touchdowns. He is tied for the FBS career record with eight return TDs.
While Grant is set to be a major factor, the Knights still hadn’t named a starting quarterback by mid camp. New coordinator Jerry Kill had hoped to have one well in advance of the Sept. 1 opener — at home — against No. 4 Washington.
“We’re getting closer to naming a quarterback,” Ash said. “We’re not going to go all the way up until game week at all. We’ll get it done.”
Graduate transfer Kyle Bolin, holdover Giovanni Rescigno and freshman Johnathan Lewis were the candidates.
Ash liked the way his running back situation was coming along, and having healthy defensive end Kemoko Turay to anchor the defense also has to make this team better in 2017.
MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: WR/RET Janarion Grant — He already has tied the FBS record for return touchdowns with eight and also helps the offense in all areas. He went down with a leg injury in the fourth game of last season and is back for another shot at his senior year. He is first in school history with 2,606 return yards and fourth in all-purpose yardage with 4,251. Asked what it’s like to be mentioned with Rutgers names like Ray Rice, he said this spring, “It’s a lot. It can be overwhelming if you let it be overwhelming. You just have to stay positive and don’t let that get to you. Don’t get the big head. Just stay level and grounded, and work to be the best and be the first one they talk about.”
BREAKOUT STAR: DE Kemoko Turay — He had 7.5 sacks and three blocked kicks in 2014 but has had only four sacks the past two seasons. If he gets back to form, he will be Rutgers’ best defensive player. “I’m the new Kemoko,” he said. “So I’m not worried about the old Kemoko. I’m ready to grind and show off. That’s my mentality.” Said coach Chris Ash: “Kemoko has really matured and really focused on being a good teammate. He’s really focused on being the best player that he can be. He wants to be an all-around good player, an every-down player. Early on in his career, he was satisfied with just being a third-down guy; go out there and rush the passer. And that would be great if that’s all did he and he did it well. But we want and need him to be an every-down player, and that’s what he wants, also.”
NEWCOMER TO WATCH: RB Raheem Blackshear — The freshman chose Rutgers over Michigan State and enters what should be a deep position for the Scarlet Knights. “I think it’s a very competitive group and it’s a group that will be improved from last season,” coach Chris Ash said. Asked which freshmen were jumping out at the coaches in camp, Ash said, “Raheem Blackshear at running back has really stood out. He’s going to be a guy that’s going play for us.”
–QB Tommy Wyatt, a transfer from Temple, was working out at wide receiver.
–P Ryan Anderson, a graduate transfer from Division III, was leading the race to be the team’s starter.
–WR Amir Mitchell is returning from an ACL tear in the spring. Coach Chris Ash said the team hopes to have him back “sometime in the middle of the season.”
–K Andrew Harte, a transfer from Minnesota, can compete immediately because he comes in as a walk-on. “I feel a lot better about our kicking situation right now,” coach Chris Ash said, “with who’s on campus and the competition that’s been created.”
–K David Bonagura was 10 of 14 on field goal attempts last season, but only 1 of 4 from 40 yards or longer. Rutgers averaged just 55.3 yards per kickoff — six yards less than its opponents — and recorded a Big Ten-low four touchbacks. “Based on what I’ve seen in practice, I like where our kickers and punters are at right now,” coach Chris Ash said. “I’ve mentioned a lot about our special teams ineptness last year. We have to make sure that our kickers and punters are obviously improved, but our coverage people have to be better. We have to get down the field, we have to get off blocks, we have to eliminate space. We have to make tackles. That’s what makes you a good kicking (coverage) team or not, it’s not just the kickers.”
–WR Damon Mitchell, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, has joined his brother, Ahmir, in Piscataway. “He’s going to have a huge role in our football team,” said coach Chris Ash. “He’s been a great addition to our roster as a graduate transfer coming in from Arkansas. He’s big, physical. Where it really shows up is on special teams. His history at Arkansas is he was an outstanding special teams player, and in practice, he has shown that he’s going to do that for us, also.”
–Rutgers and Minnesota do not play in the regular season this year.
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