In the fourth season under head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers football took a big step forward as a program in the Big 10
Rutgers Football. It has a significant place in the history of the college version of the sport, being known as the place that started it all.
But in recent years, the school has not been near the apex of the college football world. Instead, it was near the bottom, considered a laughingstock for many years in the 2010s.
Luckily for Rutgers, an old friend, Greg Schiano, arrived in New Brunswick to help right the ship of the historic program. After four years at the helm of Rutgers, Schinao has helped to reestablish the Scarlett Knights as a legitimate program and, hopefully, has them set up for long-term success in a crowded Big 10. But we will get to all of that soon enough.
For now, follow along as we recap the 2023 CFB Season for the Rutgers Scarlett Knights.
Scheme
Under Schiano, Rutgers is an extremely run-heavy program on offense. Wanting to control the flow of the game and apply pressure in the trenches, Rutgers ran the ball 484 times in 2023. That number is extremely high when compared to the team’s passing attempt numbers, which sit at 294. Additionally, the offense aims to be multi-dimensional when running the ball; the team’s quarterback, Gavin Wimsatt, was second on the team in carries with 112.
On defense, Rutgers employs a talented group that can compete with the best teams in the sport. The Scarlett Knights sport a formidable defensive line, boasting a unit that can both get after the quarterback and shut down the running game. Most impressively, Rutgers has a secondary that can give quarterbacks fits and shut down opposing passing attacks. Led by NFL Draft prospect Max Melton, the unit sported a PFF coverage grade of 87.5 and the ninth-best yards per pass in the FBS at 6.2.
Beginning of the Season
The Scarlett Knights got off to a fast start in the 2023 College Football Season, winning three of their first four games. Rutgers defeated Northwestern 24-7, beat Temple 36-7, and edged out Virginia Tech 35-16. They then got blown out by Michigan by a score of 31-7.
In those victories, Rutgers did not run for any less than 100 yards and had two games of over 200 yards rushing as a team. Running back Kyle Monangai had touchdowns in all three games, highlighted by dominant games against Temple and Virginia Tech. He racked up 308 yards and averaged over 5 yards per carry in both games.
On defense, Rutgers only allowed over 200 yards passing once in its three victories. It also forced turnovers in all three of its wins, giving the offense ample opportunity to capitalize on the opposition’s mistakes.
Middle of the season
After the loss to Michigan, Rutgers continued their good play over the middle of the year.
The Scarlett Knights won games against Wagner and two Big 10 opponents in Michigan State and Indiana. Their only loss in this four-game stretch was against another Big 10 opponent, the Wisconsin Badgers.
Once again, Kyle Monangai led the way for the Rutgers offense. The running back had 344 yards in the three wins and two touchdowns. Monangai also worked for his yardage, notching 25 missed tackles forced in the victories.
However, a reoccurring issue reared its head over this stretch. Even with a dual-threat in Gavin Wimsatt, Rutgers was not throwing the football effectively.
In all four of their games in this stretch, the Scarlett Knights did not eclipse 200 yards passing. Wimsatt also had three interceptions over this stretch and created against Indiana, having 39 yards in the team’s victory.
As a result, the formula for this Rutgers team became apparent. Play solid defense, control the clock and game flow on offense, and only pass the ball when absolutely necessary. After a solid start to the year, the question would be if Rutgers could finish strong.
End of the season
Against four tough Big Ten opponents, Rutgers lost their footing in considerable fashion to end their regular season.
Once again, despite passing troubles, Kyle Monangai’s 159 rushing yards and a stout defense helped keep the Scarlett Knights in the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ultimately, Wimsatt’s lack of effective passing sank Ruthers in this game.
Rutgers was then uncompetitive against Iowa and Penn State, mustering a total of six points across the two games. With Monanagai stuffed on the ground, averaging just 3.0 and 2.4 yards per carry in the two games, the Rutgers passing attack could not get anything rolling for the overall offense.
The Maryland game was the opposite of what Rutgers had been used to in the 2023 season. Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa carved up the defense, throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns. Ultimately, the running game made the score a bit more manageable at 42-24; Monangai had 118 yards on 5.9 yards per carry, while Wimsatt had two touchdowns.
Bowl game
After a four-game losing streak to close out their regular season, Rutgers closed out their season with a Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl victory over the Miami Hurricanes.
Down 17 at one point of the game, Rutgers turned a blocked punt into a touchdown and utilized their rushing attack to seal a positive end to their 2023 campaign.
As per usual for the Rutgers offense, Kyle Monangai led the way on the ground with 25 carries for 163 yards and a touchdown. The performance was enough to notch him the game’s MVP honors, capping off a great season where he was the engine of the Scarlett Knights’ offense.
Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt also added two rushing touchdowns, showcasing the ideal method the Rutgers program wants their offense to operate.
Recruiting outlook
According to 24/7 Sports, Rutgers has the 49th-best recruiting class in the country, between the University of Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech. The Scarlet Knights have four four-star recruits and 24 three-star recruits.
In their class of 29 commits, Rutgers currently has five transfers and 24 freshmen. The high ight of the transfer group is four-star wide receiver Dymere Miller. Playing previously at Monmouth University, Miller is ranked 131 overall out of all transfers and the #27 ranked wide recover transfer.
The freshman class focuses on the offensive side of the ball; only nine commits out of the 24 are defensive players. The stand out is another wide receiver, this time Antonio White.
Attending Parkview High School in Georgia, White was the 227th-ranked player in the 2024 class and the 18th-ranked receiver in Georgia.
Overall, the recruiting class looks to address Rutgers’s offensive struggles beyond its running game. With multiple receivers, offensive linemen, and quarterbacks, significant legwork is being put in to balance out the team.
Conclusion
2023 was a step forward for Rutgers in multiple ways. Their defense showed a ton of promise, staying talented offenses for quarters or games at a time. Their rushing attack showed explosiveness and an ability to carry the team when necessary.
There is still plenty of work to be done, though. In the era of the transfer portal, a team can never have too much depth, and Rutgers needs to add some to every area of their team. Additionally, the offense needs an element of balance in the passing game to help keep its rushing attack effective.
Greg Schiano has his team moving in the right direction, and this past season showed more than enough evidence of it. The work is not done, though, and for Rutgers to make legitimate noise in 2024, they still have many areas to improve on this offseason and beyond.
