7/10
Rutgers' RB Brian Leonard
responded well to an increased workload at practice, helping his chances of returning to the lineup. The Knights' leading rusher and second-leading receiver missed the Syracuse game with a thigh injury and has been limited in practice for more than two weeks because of it.
WR Marcus Daniels
(knee) appears doubtful, but LB Quintero Frierson (ankle) continues to show improvement and has a chance to play against Vandy. LB Devraun Thompson (knee) practiced yesterday.
======
Rutgers: Frosh tackles tough assignment
Thursday, October 07, 2004
BY TOM LUICCI
Star-Ledger Staff
The only thing that seems to exceed Jeremy Zuttah's enormous ability these days is his unabashed confidence. Put the two together and Rutgers finally appears to have one of those potentially dominant offensive linemen for whom the program has been searching almost as long as the school has been playing football.
If there were any doubts about that, and about whether Zuttah's performance would ever match the hype he arrived with, they were put to rest Saturday.
What other 18-year-old true freshman could have handled the situation that Zuttah was thrown into against Syracuse -- not only surviving with his confidence intact but emerging from it ready for more?
Only a special one.
"Right now I feel I can play an entire game," Zuttah said after seeing his first extensive action along the offensive line against Syracuse. "Maybe even two."
Don't put it past Zuttah. He may be that good.
When starting right tackle Sameeh McDonald went down with a knee injury in the first quarter against the Orange and sophomore Pedro Sosa hiccuped with false starts on his first two plays filling in, Schiano turned to Zuttah.
On the road, in a big game, Zuttah was put at right tackle, even though he'd practiced only sparingly there.
Five months removed from his high school graduation, he performed well enough that he could get his first start Saturday when Rutgers (2-2) plays at Vanderbilt (1-3). With McDonald expected to be sidelined several weeks, this could be Zuttah's chance to become a fixture on the offensive line.
"I thought I did pretty well," said the 6-4, 285-pounder from J.P. Stevens High in Edison. "I hadn't taken that many tackle reps since camp. But I thought my run blocking was very good. My pass blocking was good except for third down. I wasn't used to the silent count being out there on the corner. It's just something I have to get better at."
The offense certainly didn't seem to suffer, with Rutgers amassing 490 yards, the third-highest total in Greg Schiano's four years as head coach.
Syracuse tried to exploit the matchup at times -- and did -- but Zuttah more than held his own.
"Jeremy Zuttah is kind of freakish in his strength for an 18-year-old kid," said Schiano. "That's why it allows him to compete at this level more quickly than most."
And nothing seems to faze Zuttah, either. He was adaptable enough and talented enough to be tried at all five offensive line positions in preseason camp, because Schiano knew he had to find a way to get Zuttah on the field.
Ideally, the plan was to ease him in, let him see some spot duty, maybe gain some confidence. McDonald's injury changed all that.
"You need experience. It's hard to just jump in there at a new spot," Zuttah said.
But he did.
Originally, left guard looked to be where Zuttah's future was. That was until the Syracuse game. Now either he or Sosa -- who saw his first collegiate action with those two plays against the Orange -- will start at right tackle Saturday.
"I'm more confident (at guard) because I've had more reps at it," Zuttah said. "As I get more at tackle, I will be more confident there."
Since his arrival at Rutgers, Zuttah's goal has been to play immediately. He dismissed any suggestions of redshirting, feeling he was good enough to contribute right away. With some true freshmen, this might be a case of being careful what you wish for. Not Zuttah.
"I have a great deal of confidence in Jeremy," said Schiano. "He has a chance to be a special player."
