Rutgers football Closes Out Season Saturday at Maryland
Only one game remains in the 2022 season for the Rutgers Scarlet Knight. One last chance to get that second win of the year in the Big Ten, and fifth win overall, and with it a chance to go into the off-season on a high note after a rough year of football.
A season that started out with so much promise after a 3-0 start to the 2022 campaign, Rutgers has gone 1-7 since, with all of those games coming in Big Ten play.
They can change the narrative a bit when they pay a visit to College Park, and the slip-sliding Maryland Terrapins at 12 noon on Saturday.
Maryland (6-5, 3-5) has lost three straight in their own right.
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has been consistent in his message that his Scarlet Knights are getting closer — even as this young group learns on the go — acknowledging it is difficult to chase powers like Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State at the same time.
“We are chasing a moving target and really we’re chasing moving targets,” Schiano said following Rutgers 55-10 loss to Penn State last week. “And just because when the divisions end a year from now, you’re still competing for the same championship. If you ever are here and you’re not competing for the championship, then you probably ought to go find an island somewhere and call it a day. We’ll be competing for the championship. I’m confident of that. I said it: We’ll be a better football team and we are a better football team than we were at the beginning of the year.”
They can show how close they really are with a win on Saturday at Maryland.
The Terrapins are tough, no doubt about that. Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has been bothered by knee injuries, which was evident in poor outings against Penn State and Wisconsin, but he bounced back a week ago, throwing for 293 yards and two touchdowns in a 43-30 loss to Ohio State.
Last year Tagovailoa threw for 312 yards in a 40-16 win over Rutgers.
Rutgers defense is going to have to tune up the pressure on Tagovailoa, keep in the pocket and force him to make uncomfortable throws in order to slow down Maryland.
On the flip side it will be fascinating to see if Rutgers opens it up a bit offensively. It is the last game of the year, so why not?
Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt struggled against Penn State last week completing only 10 passes in 29 attempts. Two weeks ago he was just shy of 60 percent complete in a 27-21 loss to Michigan State. Rutgers would love to see Wimsatt duplicate that effort from two weeks ago on Saturday.
If he does that means Rutgers has a chance to pull it out.
Look for Rutgers to lean heavily on running back Kyle Monangai (400 yards on 99 carries), and receivers Sean Ryan (424 yards 3 TDs), Aron Cruickshank (377 yards 2 TDs) and tight end Johnny Langan (242 yards receiving) to get the job done on the offensive end if Rutgers is going to win. All four of those players were spectacular early in the year when Rutgers got off to a hot start.
It will also be the last game for punter Adam Korsak, who has been selected as a Ray Guy Award Semifinalist.
According to Rutgers Athletics: “Korsak leads the roster with 57 games of experience, downing 142 career attempts (41.9 percent) inside the 20-yard line. The Aussie holds the NCAA records with 14,876 career punting yards and 339 career attempts. In punts this season from the Rutgers 40 and closer (27 attempts), has downed 13 inside the 10, 19 at the 15 or closer and four at the 20 (two touchbacks) with nothing higher than the 21. The average drive start for the opponent in the situation is the 12.”
Inside the series:
Rutgers is 7-10 all time against Maryland, with the Terrapins winning last year 40-16 at the end of the regular season last year. Rutgers is 2-2 against Maryland under head coach Greg Schiano.
Listen to the game on 93.5 FM 1450 AM Fox Sports New Jersey, beginning at 10:30 a.m. with Rutgers GameDay.