Kyle Flood Receives Extension

Rutgers Director of Athletics (DOA) Julie Hermann has extended head football coach Kyle Flood's contract through the 2018 season, the school announced today. Flood's deal was set to expire after the 2016 season, and he will receive a slight raise and more money to spend on assistant coaches as part of this deal. His buy out will also increase from $700K to $1.4 million.

The timing of this is very curious, as it was widely reported that Hermann tried to fire Flood after last season, but could not raise the funds necessary to pay his buy out. I'm not sure how a 2-0 start with one of the wins coming against an FCS team changes anything, but then again Hermann is not the right person to lead Rutgers' athletics department and we already knew that. At minimum, extension talks should have waited until after this season. There has also been some speculation that super booster Dave Brown was pulling the strings on this deal-- which has supposedly been in the works since June when Flood hired Jimmy Sexton as his agent-- which only undermines Hermann.

I can't say I'm thrilled about Flood receiving an extension. Flood has gone to two bowl games and shared a conference championship in his two seasons as head coach, but he inherited a full cupboard from Greg Schiano and he himself has done nothing to prove he is the right man to lead Rutgers going forward. The team has collapsed down the stretch in both of his seasons at the helm, including three blow out losses and a loss to a dreadful UConn team in conference play a year ago, and that's not even mentioning what he's done recruiting wise. Flood has alienated seemingly every high school coach and player in New Jersey by revoking the scholarship offers of multiple committed recruits who visited elsewhere. Things were looking very bleak as recently as a month ago, and I'm not sure what has changed between then and now.

This move could set Rutgers back quite a few years if things do not change, but one of the few bright spots of this move is it could help recruiting a little bit moving forward. Flood's job security has supposedly been one of the obstacles the program has faced on the recruiting trail, and this will at least quell those qualms. Rutgers has a HUGE batch of recruits visiting this weekend for the showdown with Penn State (including the #1 2016 recruit in the nation according to 247 Kareem Walker), so maybe that explains the timing.

Flood is a really good guy and I truly hope he succeeds, but he certainly has to improve quite a bit to justify this extension. Moves like hiring Ralph Friedgen are a step in the right direction on the field, and maybe improved play and more job security will result in better results recruiting wise. How this extension works out will probably define Hermann's tenure as athletic director, regardless of whether or not she had anything to do with it.

Rutgers Players From PA and Penn State Players from NJ

Jared Odrick, Julian Pinnix-Odrick's brother and Dolphin, wearing a Rutgers sweater. He played DE at Penn State. pic.twitter.com/eQxH2ekDlS
— Tyler Barto (@Tyler_Barto) April 26, 2014

When you share a boarder with another program, you are going to compete for the same recruits as them, in your state and theirs. Florida State and Alabama do it, LSU and Texas A&M do it, Oklahoma and Texas do it, among countless other examples. That's just the way it is in college football and no matter who you are, you are going to win some battles and you are going to lose some battles. Rutgers and Penn State are no different than other neighboring states in that regard, so naturally Rutgers has a lot of players from Pennsylvania and Penn State has a lot of players from New Jersey.

The focus lately has been on what Penn State is doing recruiting wise in New Jersey, because quite frankly, James Franklin has been kicking Rutgers' ass on the recruiting trail this year. But Rutgers has hauled in quite a few blue chippers from Pennsylvania over the last few years as well. This week's match up will of course have future recruiting implications for both teams, as it could play a role in whether a recruit decides to become a Scarlet Knight or a Nittany Lion. This will be the first time the two programs have met since 1995, which was before players currently being recruited were born.

So which school has received a greater impact from players from their neighbor's own back yard? Let's take a look.

Penn State Players From New Jersey

If you're from NJ and got a full ride to Rutgers to play ball and didn't go there I'm not trying to hear how "you put on for Jersey"..
— Anthony Davis (@AnthonyDavis76) August 31, 2014

Including walk ons, the Nittany Lions have fourteen players from New Jersey.

Big Time Football Bill Belton Sr. RB Sicklerville
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: Belton is the Lions starting runningback, and he has 52 rushing yards through two games this season after rushing for 803 yards and 5 scores a year ago.

Jesse Merise Jr. CB Hillsdale
Rutgers Offer: No
At PSU: Walk on, not on two deep roster.

Saeed Blacknall Fr. WR Manalapan
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: The one time Rutgers commit who decommitted a week before signing day has been pressed into action as a true freshman, but he has yet to record a reception.

Anthony Smith So FS Dover
Rutgers Offer: No
At PSU: Walk on, not on two deep roster.

Brandon Bell So. LB Oakcrest
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: Bell is Penn State's starting strongside linebacker this year and he has recorded three tackles thus far.

Chris Gulla Fr. P Tom's River
Rutgers Offer: No
At PSU: Starting punter

Kyle Austin Fr. DB Robinsville
Rutgers Offer: No
At PSU: Walk on

Jason Cabinda  Fr. LB Felmington
Rutgers Offer: No
At PSU: Back up weakside linebacker

Wendy Laurent So. C Hamilton
Rutgers Offer: No
At PSU: Back up center.

Angelo Mangiro Jr. C Roxbury
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: First year as a starter at center after two years of playing as a reserve.

Brendan Mahon Fr. OG Randolph
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: New starter at left guard this year.

Mike Gesicki Fr. TE Manahawkin
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: Presumably going to red shirt this year.

Garrett Sickels Fr. DE Red Bank
 Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: A reserve.

Antoine White Fr. DT Millville
Rutgers Offer: Yes
At PSU: Presumably redshirting.

Austin Johnson So. DT Galloway
Rutgers Offer:No
At PSU: Starting nose tackle with four tackles after recording 14 tackles and a sack as a reserve a year ago.

Rutgers Players From Pennsylvania

Rutgers has eleven players from Pennsylvania

Desmon Peoples So. RB Cheltenham
Penn State Offer: No
At RU: Back up running back who has rushed for 91 yards after rushing for 16 a year ago.

Rob Martin Fr. RB Harrisburg
Penn State Offer: Yes
At RU: Eight rushing yards in a reserve role as a true frosh.

Dre Boggs Fr. CB Coatsville
Penn State Offer: Yes
At RU: Boggs missed the first two games of the season with an injury, but he figures to see playing time as a reserve when he returns.

Nick Arcidiacono So. TE Holland
Penn State Offer: No
At RU: 5 receptions for 44 yards last season, has yet to play this year because of injury.

Sam Bergen Sr. FB East Stroudsburg
Penn State Offer: No
At RU: Special teams contributor.

Kevin Snyder Sr. LB Mechanicsburg
Penn State Offer: No
At RU: Snyder has been a four year contributor, playing all three linebacker spots. He started all 13 games at will a year ago and starts in the middle this year. He has recorded 178 tackeles (17 for loss) and five sacks in his career.

Sebastian Joseph Fr. DL Stroudsburg
Penn State Offer: No
At RU: One career tackle as the back up nose tackle this season.

Chris Muller So. OG Perkiommenville
Penn State Offer: Yes
At RU: Muller started 12 games at right guard last year and is the starter there again this year. Powerful run blocker who is improving in pass protection.

JJ Denman So. OT Yardley
Penn State Offer: Yes
At RU: The former Penn State commit is the back up at right tackle and has received playing time in both games this year.

Taj Alexander Sr. OT Downingtown
Penn State Offer: No
At RU: Alexander is the starter at right tackle and has started 16 games and played in 26 in his career.

Tyler Kroft Jr. TE Downingtown
Penn State Offer: No
At Rutgers: Kroft is a second year starter at tightend, and he caught 43 passes for 573 yards and 4 scores on his way to being named a first team All Big East performer a year ago.

Charles Scarff Fr. TE Lancaster
Penn State Offer: No
At RU" Walk on tightend.

In terms of volume, Penn State has more players and more starters from New Jersey than Rutgers does from Pennsylvania, but in terms of production, I think Rutgers comes out ahead. Kroft is an all conference caliber performer and Snyder is one of their best defensive players, while Penn State's Jersey LBs are relatively inexperienced. Muller, Denman and Alexander have been better than Penn St's Jersey trio of lineman as well, and a large part of Penn state's volume comes from their walk ons  who do not play. I am of course biased, but it seems Rutgers receives a bigger impact from players from Pennsylvania than Penn State does from New Jersey players in 2014.

Big 10 Power Rankings

Rankings are based upon not only the first two weeks of the season, but expected performance for the remainder of 2014 as well.

The Big 10 had an absolutely brutal week 2, as teams dropped high profile nonconference game while others struggled against FCS foes. It was basically the worst case scenario for the league whose national perception has been falling fast for a few years now. Many in the media are now declaring the conference's chance at getting a team in the four team playoff "dead," but that's completely ridiculous. There are still 13 weeks left in the season, and crazy things always happen in college football. I would be shocked if a one loss Big 10 team was left out of the playoffs. On to the rankings.

1. Michigan State

Sparty looked good for three quarters before ending up on the wrong side of Oregon's snowball. The worst thing you can do against the Ducks is go three and out on offense, and Michigan State did just that on three successive possessions, allowing Oregon to come back and win by 19 after trailing by 9. The frenzied pace Oregon plays at is no joke, and when your defense isn't getting a break, they are going to destroy you that pace.

Other than not being able to keep up with the pace, I thought Michigan State played well. Their front seven was stout against Oregon's run game, and Conor Cook and Tony Lippett looked like one of the top passing combinations in the league. Their rushing attack and pass protection against the blitz did leave a lot to be desired and their secondary was burnt a few times after biting on play acion fakes, however. This is still a very good team and they will be in the playoff if they run the table from here on out. Losing at Oregon should not be  knock out blow.

2. Ohio State

Ohio State's offense has looked putrid with out Braxton Miller, but I'm giving Urban Meyer the benefit of the doubt here. He is one of the best offensive minds in college football, and I have a hard time believing they won't figure something out. Virginia Tech has a very good defense, and they were just too much for the young Buckeye offensive line and JT Barrett to handle. (On a related note, how the hell is Bud Foster not a head coach yet? Maybe everyone just assumes he will take over for Beamer when he retires?) Runningback concerns after losing Carlos Hyde to the NFL persist, but their wide receivers and defensive line are outstanding and they have talent elsewhere. This ranking is more of a belief in their talent and coaching more than what they've actually done thus far.

3. Nebraska

The Huskers needed an insane effort from star running back Amer Abdullah to bail them out against McNeese State in the final minute to win last Saturday. It was a step in the wrong direction after thumping FAU in their season opener. Abdullah may very well be the best player in the conference and they have a solid offensive line, but this isn't the same Blackshirt defense Nebraska is accustomed to and Tommy Armstrong, while a good runner, has struggled to complete 50% of his passes.

4. Wisconsin

The Badgers lost a heartbreaker opening weekend by blowing a big lead against LSU, as the Tigers final exposed their flaws.

They of course have a dominant offensive line as usual, blocking for a very good but banged up back in Melvin Gordon and Jersey native Corey Clement. But Tanner McEvoy has looked pretty bad when throwing the ball and their receiving crop is pretty unimpressive after losing Jared Abbedaris to graduation. The defense has suffered a few injuries up front, and they are pretty young, but they should remain solid as Gary Anderson continues to install his 3-4 scheme.

5. Michigan

The Wolverines were embarrassed by Notre Dame last week and Brady Hoke's seat only gets warmer. Their offensive line is a disaster for the second year in a row, although they are starting true freshman this year instead of senior first round picks, and they can not run the ball. Devin Gardner can really sling it when he has time to throw and Devin Funchess is perhaps the most dangerous receiver in the conference. Their front seven on defense will be strong against the run, but they have had some trouble at corner in the early going. This team, like Ohio State, is given the benefit of the doubt based on talent so far.

6. Iowa

Iowa was my pick to win the west before the season started, but they have not played well in narrow wins over Northern Iowa and Ball State. Their running game, which was expected to be their strength has struggles, and likely top 10 draft pick left tackle Brandon Scherff is now hurt and expected to miss a few weeks. Their passing game, while inefficent, has been better than expected and their secondary and defensive line looks strong while are inexperienceed at linebacker.

7. Penn State

The Nittany Lions have Christian Hackensburg, probably the best quarterback in the conference, and a strong front seven on defense, but they have some major flaws as well. They can not run the ball at all, as their offensive line is young and getting pushed around and their stable of backs including Big Time  Football Bill Belton haven't been able to overcome that.

8. Rutgers

The secondary has to improve, but they have got off to an encouraging start. It look like Ralph Friedgen has fixed Gary Nova and Paul James has looked terrific running behind a very powerful and experienced offensive line. They have dangerous threats in the passing game in the expolisve Leonte Carroo and the solid Tyler Kroft. Darius Hamilton and Steve Longa are beasts in the middle against the run, but that secondary and Kyle Flood remain major question marks if not weaknesses.

9. Minnesota

They will have a terrific defense for the second year in a row under Jerry Kill, but they can not throw the ball at all. Lucky for them, David Cobb has been dominant running the ball.

10. Maryland

They turned the ball over six times against South Florida last week and were lucky to escape with a win. CJ Brown has been shaky at QB, but Stefan Diggs is perhaps the best playmaker in the conference. Injuries have been a major problem for them under Edsall as well, so depth could end up being an issue for them later in the season.

11. Indiana

Their defense was very bad last year, but they had an explosive offense. They've only played one game this season, against FCS Indiana State, but it appears that they will have an expolisve offense and a bad defense once again. They could be in line to go to a bowl game for the first time in a while this year.

12. Illinois

Like the Hoosiers, they have an expolsive offense and a bad defense. Oklahoma State tranfer Wes Lunt has led them to two shoo out wins in the early going.

13. Northwestern

They have now lost 9 straight after starting 5-0 last year. Ugly home losses against Cal and Northern Illinois looked bad, and star runningback Venric Mack left the program. They do have former Rutgers wide out Miles Shuler though.

14. Purdue

Bad, bad football team all around.

Rutgers Sloppy in Win Over Howard

In Rutgers' final tune up for their big 10 opener against Penn State, the Scarlet Knights took care of business against Howard, winning by a score of 38-25. It was not a particularly well played game by the team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but it probably wasn't as bad as it looked. The coaching staff understandably kept things extremely vanilla and took it easy on some of their star players, and I would not be the least bit surprised if the players started looking forward to this week's show down with that team from Pennsylvania after jumping out to a 31-7 half time lead against their MEAC opponent. The backups --many of whom were getting their first tast of college experience-- played a big hand in uglifying the final stat line as well.

After going three and out on their opening possession, the Scarlet Knights offense caught fire. Paul James and Desmond Peoples moved the ball methodically down the field behind a powerful offensive line, but they had to settle for a field goal after a personal foul penalty set them back. Kyle Fedderico connected from 42 yards out to get Rutgers on the board mid way through the first. On their next possession Ralph Fridgen dialed up a perfect play call against the blitzing Bison defense, as Nova hit James on a swing pass, and James exploded 69 yards (hehe) down the sideline for the team's first touchdown of the day. James would later punch in a seven yard score behind a booming lead block from the pulling Chris Muller, and score again through the air after powering through some arm tackles in the open field. It was another outstanding day for Rutgers' junior tailback, and he was given the second half off.

Gary Nova was very efficient in this one, tossing four touchdown pass and no interceptions, while averaging close to 15 yards per attempt. It's easy to dismiss touchdown passes to runningbacks, but his second touchdown toss to James was a check down after scanning the defense. That's a good sign, taking what is there and not forcing it down field. He also threw a beautiful post pattern between two defenders to Leonte Carroo for a 38 yard score, and a 14 yard corner to John Tsimis in the end zone for the offense's final score of the afternoon. Andrew Turzilli, Tyler Kroft and Carlton Agodosi all hauled in their first receptions of the season, and fullback Michael Burton (who played a lot of tightend in this one) recorded a 22 yard reception on a bootleg. All in all, the first team offense did a great job, dominating an FCS defense that they should dominate.

The second team offense was another story. The line was getting beat, and two of Chris Laviano's three passes were dropped. This unit needs to improve a lot. If there are some injuries, it could spell trouble for the offense,

I wouldn't call the defense's game a complete disaster, but it was very troublesome. Howard marched rigt down the field on their opening possession and scored a touchdown, as Aquanis Freeman broke free for a twenty yard score. The defense then tightend things up a bit, forcing two successive Bison punts, before Quinton Gause was able to force a fumble that was then recovered by Nadir Barnwell. Howard then started to gain chunks of yardage through the air, got into the redzone, and dropped a would be touchdown pass, before having to settle for a field goal after a blitzing Jonathan Aiken notched a sack. The three point attempt was blocked by Kemoko Turay and again recovered by Barnwell. Howard got a poor snap off and their own ineptitude was the only thing that kept them off the board here. Howard again moved the ball into RU territory on their final possession of the half, before running out of time and coming away with nothing.

On their opening drive of the second half, Dave Milewski sacked Bison QB Greg McGee, forcing a punt that would be blocked by Anthony Cioffi, bursting in off the edge. The first team defense's penultimate series of the day was extended by a very questionable late hit called against Steve Longa and Howard took advantage by scoring their second touchdown of the afternoon. A sack by Turay and a three and out punctuated the starting defense's mixed results day. The second team defense was a total disaster. They were completely undisciplined and allowed Howard's zone read attack to run all over them and score two garbage time touchdowns. That's just unacceptable.

Julian Pinnix-Odrick also added a sack, giving Rutgers four on the day. The pass rush was not the problem with the defense. They were very sloppy, missing tackles and not staying in their gap (Turay in particular did not contain the edge on Howard's first touchdown). There were quite a few big plays, but the lack of fundamentals are disturbing. This defense has talent, but Joe Rossi and company need to polish this up. They have a lot of work to do before facing TTFP this week.

Rutgers offense fared very well in their last game situation before conference play, but the defense still has a lot to work on. Rutgers stayed healthy in this one and did not give away too much scheme wise and that's the most important thing. A lot of the mistakes they made Saturday are correctable, and it's up to the coaching staff to get this team ready for their inaugural Big 10 game a few days from now.

Rutgers 2014 Season Preview: Offensive Line

I don't know why Alexander and Lumpkin were cropped out of this picture

The offensive line seemed to be one of Rutgers' greatest strengths heading into last season, but the unit ended up falling well shot of expectations. The big uglies got off to a nice start, but really fell apart down the stretch. The coaching staff made some very questionable line up decisions upfront, benching all Big East guard Antwan Lowrey, moving all Big East left tackle Kaleb Johnson to guard and inexplicably benching Betim Bujari towards the end of the season, and they did not appear to work out at all. This season, Rutgers returns all five starters on the offensive line, but the position seems like a question mark, despite all the experience they have returning.

Betim Bujari has been the anchor of Rutgers offensive line for the last two seasons at the center position. It was when he was injured and subsequently benched when healthy that things started going south for this position group, and I don't think that is a coincidence. Bujari is a very intelligent player and he plays a vital role in making calls at the line and setting up protections. He is solid as both a run blocker and a pass protector and he is adept at double team blocks and getting to the second level. For the second consecutive season, he was named to the preseason watch for the Rimington Award given to the best center nationally.

Returning at left guard is four year starter Kaleb Johnson, and this is the first time he will start at the same position in successive seasons. Although he was very good as a tackle, the coaching staff felt that his best position as guard, and that's where he is a fairly highly regarded pro prospect after another very good season as a junior. Johnson is a well rounded lineman, providing the toughness and strength to move people at the point of attack and the athleticism to pull, execute reach blocks and protect the passer. He is arguably the top NFL prospect on the team, and he very well could earn some all Big 10 recognition with the big season he is expected to have.

Opposite Johnson at right guard is Chris Muller. Muller was a heralded recruit and he had some ups and downs in his red shirt freshman campaign that saw him start 12 games. Muller is a very good run blocker who has the strength, power and nastiness to move big defensive lineman out of the way and create a hole with extreme prejudice. However, he struggled mightily in pass protection and not only allowed some sacks and pressures, but committed a number of holding penalties when he got beat. He played in a run heavy offense in high school, so he was pretty raw last year and should be better this year. Muller has a ton of upside and it's on new offensive line coach Mitch Browning to help him achieve that potential.

At left tackle is Keith Lumpkin, who checks in at a massive 6'8'' and posses rare athleticism for a player that size. His length and athleticism should make him an outstanding pass blocker, but he struggled at times last year with his technique and gave up a few sacks. Like with Muller, this is a guy who has a very high ceiling and will need Browning to push him there to achieve it. If he added some strength to help him in the run game and he worked out the kins in his pass blocking technique, he will be a guy who will catch the attention of pro scouts.

And finally at right tackle is Taj Alexander. The converted defensive lineman has started a bunch of games for the Scarlet Knights the last two years and the coaches really seem to like him. He is a bit undersized for a right tackle, and he doesn't fit the traditional road grater mold,, but he is very athletic and can seal the edges in the run game and provide solid pass protections.

Rutgers does not have a sixth lineman who can back up every position, but they still have some quality depth up front on offense. The trio of red shirt sophomores Derrick Nelson (center), Ryan Brodie (guard) and JJ Denman (tackle) were big parts of the outstanding 2012 recruiting class Rutgers brought in and they figure to get their feet wet at the college level before potentially stepping into starting roles a year from now.
Red shirt freshman Dorian Miller --the lone offensive lineman from the 2013 recruiting class-- could see some playing time as well, and Kyle FLood's biggest recruiting victory in the 2014 period Marcus Applefieldcould be the future at left tackle.

I am cautiously optimistic about the offensive line. Obviously Big 10 defenses are known for having very good defensive lines so they will be challenged week in and week out, but I think they will be up for it. Browning has a ton of talent to work with and if he can polish these players who have strong tool sets, it's easy to envision the offensive line being one of the team's greatest strengths like it was supposed to be last year.

Rutgers 2014 Season Preview: The Runningbacks

It has been quite a while since runningback was a strength for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have had one 1,000 yard rusher since Ray Rice's final season in 2007 (Jawan Jamison in 2012), and their overall rushing numbers as a team since Rice's departure have been down right putrid. Part of that is because of the is because of the offensive line's well documented struggles, but they haven't exactly gotten great play from their runningbacks over the last six seasons either. But things figure to change for the better at the position this season.

Paul James went from walk on to lightly used scholarship player to back up to starter during his first three seasons in Piscataway, and he is on the verge of becoming a well known player across the nation in his red shirt junior campaign. James does not have the flashy size or speed but he is a perfect fit for Rutgers offense. James posses tremendous vision, balance, patience and quickness, giving him the ability to find the hole in the Knights' zone blocking system, make one cut and run. James rushed for 881 yards (5.65yards per carry) last season and scored 9 touchdowns in 10 games. The only thing that could prevent him from being one of the top rushers in the Big 10 this year will be health, which was a big problem for him last season. He suffered a number of leg injuries of various degrees last season, and I wonder if he will reeive a limited number of carries a game to aliviate the durability concerns.

Backing up James should be sophmore Justin Goodwin, but he has been moved to the defensive side of the bll for......some reason. Goodwin had a strong freshman season in 2013, rushing for 521 yards and 5 touchdowns as James' back up, but it is unknown whetether they will use him on both sides of the ball or just on defense, If his offensive days are in fact donw, that will be a shame because he, like James, is a perfect fit for their offense with outstanding vision and shiftiness. Yes, Rutgers needs help at defensive back, but they really arein no position to give up depth at runningback considering James' injury issues. It's just robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Desmond Peoples seems to be the actual back up, and he does not have a ton of experience heading into his red shirt sophmore season, Peoples is a smaller back, but he is very fast. I don't know how much of a load he will be able to carry should James go down or if he will be able to run up the middle like a traditional back, but his speed on the outside and ability to catch the football make him an intriguing weapon.

Two of the few bright spots in Rutgers2014 recruiting class --Rob Martin and Josh Hicks-- could contribute right away as true freshman. Hicks has impressive speed to go along with some power, while Hicks is more  in the mold of James and Goodwin.

Senior Savon Huggins has not been practicing and he seems likely to redshirt this season because of an injury. He has been a disappointment, but you never want to lose depth. He will have one last shot to turn his career around in 2015.

Very few teams in college football use a fullback anymore, but Rutgers is one of them and they have a great one. Senior Michael Burton will be a fourth year starter, and he can do it all. He is a powerful lead blocker who can knock defenders back at the point of attack, and he can catch the ball out of the back field and provide surprising speed as a ball carrier, good enough that he can sub in at tailback on occasion. It's a shame the the fullback position is so unheralded, because I feel that his is one of Rutgers best players and he does not get the attention for it.

Backing up Burton is Sam Bergen and Jacob Kraut, who was one of only 5 fullbacks ranked by Rivals.com in the 2014 recruiting period.

 The offensive line will have some say in this of course, but I think Rutgers is finally in position to have a strong rushing attack again, thanks to their backs. Paul James should eclipse the 1000 yard mark, health permitting, and Michael Burton should clear out the holes for which ever runningback he is lead blocking for. I have no idea what to expect out of Peoples as the back up, but I think either Martin or Hicks could step in as the back up and provide a positive impact right away. James and Burton may not be Leonard and Rice, but they are damn good in their own regard and could carry the Scarlet Knights to their best rushing performnce since the days those two were on the banks.

Rutgers Fills Out Coaching Staff

 Rutgers' seven week search for a defensive coordinator came to its' merciful conclusion shortly after Ralph Friedgen was hired as offensive coordinator, with interim defensive coordinator Joe Rossi having the interim tag removed. Rossi was the Scarlet Knights' special teams coordinator the past two seasons, and he was the defensive coordinator at Maine prior to that.

Rossi ran the defense through out bowl preparation, but he really did not change anything scheme wise from what Dave Cohen had been running the entire season. The defense did not play poorly in the Pinstripe Bowl, but they weren't exactly great either. It's not really fair to judge Rossi based on this one game because it was a small sample size, first of all, and two weeks isn't enough time for a complete overhaul.

I think that Rossi is capable of becoming a pretty good coordinator, but this is a pretty risky move for Kyle Flood. Rossi has only coached at the FBS level for two seasons, and there were a few very good coordinators available. Former Rutgers defensive coordinator Robb Smith, former Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani, former Penn State linebacker coach Ron Vanderlinden all supposedly interviewed for the position and former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley was available as well. Vanderlinden (now at Air Force) and Bradley (now at West Virginia) would have been pretty cheap hires, and passing over Smith seemed like a monetary issue. It was reported that Smith was on the verge of accepting the position, but right after Fridgen was hired, he chose to take the same position with Arkansas, presumably because there wasn't enough money left over to offer him. That's concerning, and an example of Julie Hermann not fully committing to the football program.

I would guess that Rossi was promoted in part to bring back the fast, attacking style of defense that Rutgers has had so much success running in the past and went away from last season. That type of scheme best suits their personnel and there should not be much of a transitional period, as it would be with any of the a fore mentioned candidates. Rossi is a smart coach who will bring a lot of energy back to the defensive side of the ball, but this seems like such a boon or bust hire to me, because of his relative lack of a track record. Then again, I felt the same way about Smith's hiring a few years ago, and that of course worked out for the best. Hopefully this does too, Rossi could be a rising star. I am not a fan of  NJ.com's Rutgers football coverage lately, but this is a very good profile on Rossi.

Replacing Cohen as the linebackers coach and Rossi as the special teams coordinator is former Rutgers assistant Bob Frasier, who left after the 2011 season to join Greg Schiano's staff in Tampa Bay. Frasier was the defensive coordinator (though we know who really ran the defense when he was here) and linebacker coach previously on the banks. He did a very good job coaching linebackers during his first tenure, and I would expect him to do the same this time around. Rutgers has had one of the best special teams unit in the country for a few years now, and Frasier was here for part of that. He doesn't bring a lot of juice recruiting wise, but if he is able to coach linebackers like he did his first time around and continue the great special teams play, he will be a fine hire.

The final addition Kyle Flood made to his staff this offseason was Ben McDaniels as the wide receiver coach. McDaniels --whose brother Josh was the head coach of the Denver Broncos-- was the assistant quarterbacks coach with the Buccaneers last season, and on his brother's staff in Denver prior to that. His only college coaching experience was as a grad assistant at Minnesota from 2004-05. McDaniels has worked exclusively with quarterbacks, but he is perfectly capable of coaching receivers, the two positions go hand in hand. I'm really not sure what to make of McDaniels, but it's easy to be optimistic about this hire. His NFL experience is obviously a plus, and he is a younger coach with very strong ties in Ohio (he coached at a couple Ohio high schools and his dad is a legendary coach in the state), so I think he will be an asset on the recruiting trail.

Additionally, former Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel was added as a graduate assistant and he will work with the wide receivers. Teel coached quarterbacks at Wagner (FCS) and Kean (D3), and he obviously is very familiar with the program and knowledgeable about the passing game. I've always been a big fan of Teel, so hopefully this eventually leads to him getting a full time position on the staff.

I'm going to take a wait and see approach to some of these hiring, but none of them seem bad and Rutgers' coaching staff has pretty clearly improved this offseason. Friedgen is deservedly the headliner of the new crew, but Frasier will no doubt be a solid addition and McDaniels and Rossi are high upside guys (weird writing that about coaches) who will probably be upgrades over the coaches they are replacing. Rutgers is about to take a big step up in competition level, and they made somewhat of a step up on the coaching staff front too.