Rutgers -16 over Tex St ****
this line has moved up and down...was -15,-16,-16.5...think its settled in -16
Think this is a +20 point win for Rutgers....home opener...this is Ash's 3rd year....new off coord in McNulty who returns to RU after a few yrs away...will run a more pro style offense instead of last yrs... has more weapons on offense...OL is back and pretty good...but RU has running back BC transfer Hillman who could be one of the B-10 top backs...and Blackshear a 5'9 breakaway back who scored only 3 td's last yr but avg 6 yds per carry ..these 2 in the backfield gives the Nites one off their strongest backfield in years...but the real star is their super frosh 6'5 qb Art Sitkowski who has a rifle of an arm...he is the savior of the program....Ash's top recruit this year...in the Scarlet-White spring game he blew everyone in Picataway off their seats throwing 3 td's passes...Gio R is the returning qb who was terrible last yr and will be a backup...Nites also have one of the top TE's in the B-10 in Washington...Last yr Rutgers was one of the worst offense ranking 263rd abg 18 pts...they had no passing game and in the last 10 games I think their wr's caught one or 2 Td passes....RU Wr's are young but they have a home run player in track star Bo Melton...who gets separation and spreads the field...big time deep threat.. last yrs offense was " slow,stagnant and had no big plays...since they couldn't pass the ball they just ran it...someone said on why they lost with their offense " we can't line up in a phone booth with 8 or 9 guys and expect to win"...not in the Big 10 with the great defenses...they were so limited playing a power game and so predictable...that's why they were one of the worst offenses in the country...
With Art Sit at qb and two outstanding backs with a Melton and few others wr's this offense can play with the Big 10 schools...add a top TE and Blackshear who can catch the ball out of the backfield and this team will score...
Defense....RU loses almost its entire DL....so this is a young group and must generate a pass rush...they are big and athletic but young...the back 7 are outstanding...solid LB's and def backfield...that is there strength...quick and athletic...but if the DL doesn't put pressure on the other team there will a lot of blitzes..against the Michigans and Penn St's they might be a problem with their huge +300 off line man...but Texas St doesn't have that...
Ash has tried to clean house with 15-20 players being arrested in the past...and were talking about felonies..not robbing students lap top in dorms...we're talking about kidnapping,stealing cars,home,drugs..there are still some players still lingering around but Ash has done a decent job... last yr Rutgers won 4 games ..they did beat Purdue 14-12,Illinois and Maryland...and that was with an ultra conservative attack...when they played their power run offense it was 3 and out and lost to Ohio St 56-0,Indy 40-0,and Mich St 40-7...
Think Rutgers wins big in their opener...last yr they beat Morgan St 65-0, the yrs before Howard 52-14, and Norfolk 63-13...they always play a weak team in their openers...but Tex St is way better then those teams...but Tex St has many problems and was also one of the worst scoring teams in the country last year...and think they will have big time problems in East Brunswick in 2 weeks...one possible problem is that in week 2 Rutgers plays at Ohio St....so could be look ahead game and not show the Buckeyes to much...if they get out ahead...but Ash has won 2 games his 1st yr and doubled that with 4 wins last yr...don't think Tx St offense can move the ball and score and RU offense can dominate Bobcats defense...back in a few days with Bobcats preview.. will day later in the next week NorthTexas-SMoo and Army-Duke..
this line has moved up and down...was -15,-16,-16.5...think its settled in -16
Think this is a +20 point win for Rutgers....home opener...this is Ash's 3rd year....new off coord in McNulty who returns to RU after a few yrs away...will run a more pro style offense instead of last yrs... has more weapons on offense...OL is back and pretty good...but RU has running back BC transfer Hillman who could be one of the B-10 top backs...and Blackshear a 5'9 breakaway back who scored only 3 td's last yr but avg 6 yds per carry ..these 2 in the backfield gives the Nites one off their strongest backfield in years...but the real star is their super frosh 6'5 qb Art Sitkowski who has a rifle of an arm...he is the savior of the program....Ash's top recruit this year...in the Scarlet-White spring game he blew everyone in Picataway off their seats throwing 3 td's passes...Gio R is the returning qb who was terrible last yr and will be a backup...Nites also have one of the top TE's in the B-10 in Washington...Last yr Rutgers was one of the worst offense ranking 263rd abg 18 pts...they had no passing game and in the last 10 games I think their wr's caught one or 2 Td passes....RU Wr's are young but they have a home run player in track star Bo Melton...who gets separation and spreads the field...big time deep threat.. last yrs offense was " slow,stagnant and had no big plays...since they couldn't pass the ball they just ran it...someone said on why they lost with their offense " we can't line up in a phone booth with 8 or 9 guys and expect to win"...not in the Big 10 with the great defenses...they were so limited playing a power game and so predictable...that's why they were one of the worst offenses in the country...
With Art Sit at qb and two outstanding backs with a Melton and few others wr's this offense can play with the Big 10 schools...add a top TE and Blackshear who can catch the ball out of the backfield and this team will score...
Defense....RU loses almost its entire DL....so this is a young group and must generate a pass rush...they are big and athletic but young...the back 7 are outstanding...solid LB's and def backfield...that is there strength...quick and athletic...but if the DL doesn't put pressure on the other team there will a lot of blitzes..against the Michigans and Penn St's they might be a problem with their huge +300 off line man...but Texas St doesn't have that...
Ash has tried to clean house with 15-20 players being arrested in the past...and were talking about felonies..not robbing students lap top in dorms...we're talking about kidnapping,stealing cars,home,drugs..there are still some players still lingering around but Ash has done a decent job... last yr Rutgers won 4 games ..they did beat Purdue 14-12,Illinois and Maryland...and that was with an ultra conservative attack...when they played their power run offense it was 3 and out and lost to Ohio St 56-0,Indy 40-0,and Mich St 40-7...
Think Rutgers wins big in their opener...last yr they beat Morgan St 65-0, the yrs before Howard 52-14, and Norfolk 63-13...they always play a weak team in their openers...but Tex St is way better then those teams...but Tex St has many problems and was also one of the worst scoring teams in the country last year...and think they will have big time problems in East Brunswick in 2 weeks...one possible problem is that in week 2 Rutgers plays at Ohio St....so could be look ahead game and not show the Buckeyes to much...if they get out ahead...but Ash has won 2 games his 1st yr and doubled that with 4 wins last yr...don't think Tx St offense can move the ball and score and RU offense can dominate Bobcats defense...back in a few days with Bobcats preview.. will day later in the next week NorthTexas-SMoo and Army-Duke..