Rutgers Football Vs. Ohio: Three Things to Watch Tonight
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For Rutgers fans, the college football season officially begins tonight. A time of hope, tempered somewhat by the Scarlet Knights not meeting the high preseason expectations from last season. Let's examine three key areas to watch tonight as the Knights look to begin the season on a high note.
The Defense
The Knights face an immediate challenge in an Ohio Bobcats squad that won 11 games in 2024, winning the Cure Bowl against Jacksonville State after securing the MAC Championship with a 38-3 drubbing of Miami (coincidentally, Rutgers' opponent next week).
2024 saw a traditionally stout Rugers defensive unit, depleted by injury and lack of depth, struggle significantly, to the point where former defensive coordinator Joe Harisymiak rebuilt it "down to the studs" during last year's bye week following a woeful performance in Los Angeles, where USC moved the ball at will, easily putting up 42 points. Rutgers enters the 2025 season with an offense not seen on the banks since the Mike Teel days. However, make no mistake: if the unit is going to compete against the level of competition the Knights face this season in the Big Ten, a stingy defense will be one of the key reasons.
This season, Rutgers employs two co-defensive coordinators. Robb Smith is back for his third stint with Greg Schiano. Smith will be joined by Norwood, NJ native Zach Sparber, who comes over from a successful stint at James Madison, coaching a linebackers unit for one of the better defenses in the nation. In addition to his co-defensive coordinator duties, Sparkber will oversee a linebackers unit that was frequently out of position last season, allowing huge chunk plays on the ground.
Graduate Student Parker Navarro is a classic dual-threat quarterback, throwing for over 2400 yards and 13 TDs last season with Ohio, and rushing for 1,024 yards, averaging nearly seven yards per carry. Rutgers DC Smith has a history of liking to blitz, but expect the Knights to focus on keeping Navarro in the pocket, relying on linemen Walker, O'Neill, and Weaver to apply pressure without the help of blitzers.
The Rutgers secondary is once again, the strongest unit on the squad with sophomore Kaj Sanders, junior Bo Mascoe, and senior Al-Shadee Salaam joined by highly touted transfers, safety Jet Elad (UNLV), and corners Cam Miller (Penn State) and Jacobie Henderson (Marshall). If the defensive line can apply pressure, this unit should thrive.
Running Backs Usage
The Bobcats were a top-ten rushing defense statistically in 2024, allowing only 97 yards per game. Expect Rutgers rusher C.J. Campbell to get the bulk of first-half carries, with Antwan Raymond used in goal-line situations to power into the endzone, and Ja'Shon Benjamin to provide a change-of-pace spark off the bench.
If Rutgers finds itself in a close game, can the running backs grind out yards when needed without all-time Knights great Kyle Monangai to carry the load? And if the score is close, which running back among the trio will the coaches lean on to move the chains?
A.J. Surace
If the game goes well tonight for Rutgers, and Athan Kaliakmanis has time in the pocket behind a revamped offensive line, the Knights should be able to score early and often with a talented stable of receivers. If they get some breathing room in the second half, expect to see AJ Surace take a significant amount of snaps. The more game experience the Pennington, NJ, sophomore gets early in the season, the better prepared the team will be later in the season if Surace is needed to spell Kaliakmanis for any length of time.
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John Catapano graduated from Rutgers in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, covering the women’s field hockey and soccer teams for the campus paper, The Daily Targum. After college, he moved to Los Angeles, got a job at Walt Disney Television, and has worked in media ever since. John currently works with the Wasserman Media Group in their Brooklyn, NY office, collaborating with brands, influencers, and athletes across the globe. When the pandemic struck in 2020 and Catapano began working remotely, he resumed writing by contributing to a Rutgers fan blog. He covered various sports, highlighted human interest stories, and focused on topics that Scarlet Nation wanted to discuss. It’s never easy being a Rutgers fan, but with over 500,000 alumni living worldwide and a passionate fanbase, covering the Scarlet Knights is always engaging.