Rutgers: Returns to its sloppy ways as bowl hopes

[bullwark]

Just when you thought Rutgers was over its bumbling ways, that Ryan Hart had finally shaken the turnover bug and that Greg Schiano seemed to be getting the knack of this game-coaching thing, the Knights pulled a Lee Corso yesterday.

As the ESPN analyst would say: Not so fast, my friend.

Sure, Rutgers is still bowl eligible. Nothing the Knights do the rest of the season will change that. But after practically handing South Florida a 45-31 victory yesterday at Rutgers Stadium, thanks to six turnovers, Rutgers' bowl prospects are a lot more precarious than they were before the day began.

With a game at Louisville on Friday, Rutgers, now 6-3 overall, could easily be 6-4 heading into its season finale against Cincinnati on Nov. 26. That would turn that game into a must-win situation, at least as far as the Insight Bowl is concerned.

And who knows how a pressing Rutgers team that needs to win will react that Saturday?

"I talked to the guys as a team (after the game)," Hart said. "I said, 'Listen, 6-5 does not guarantee us anything. Nothing is guaranteed. A lot of teams go home in December at 6-5.' They understand that."

Whatever wiggle room Rutgers had for the rest of the season was undone largely because of those six turnovers, with four leading to 28 South Florida points. Hart, the school's record-setting senior quarterback, was responsible for five of them, including three interceptions that gave him yet another school record (but one he can undoubtedly do without): Most career interceptions, with 50. He tied for the national lead in that category last year but had just three coming into this game.

"It was 6-0 in the turnover battle," Schiano said. "It would have almost had to be a miracle for (Rutgers) to win."

And yet, the Knights still had victory within their sights after Ron Girault and Corey Barnes combined to block a 22-yard field-goal try with 6:39 to play and the Bulls holding a 37-31 lead.

One score and Rutgers, which spotted USF a 21-0 first-quarter lead thanks to two Hart turnovers, could have taken the lead.

Hart, though, couldn't make it out for the pivotal drive after suffering a shoulder injury on the previous series. That forced Schiano to turn to redshirt freshman Mike Teel, who had missed nine straight quarters because of a shoulder injury of his own.

The rust caught up with Teel when he made an ill-advised pass after being forced out of the pocket. The pass, intended for Shawn Tucker, was intercepted at the Rutgers 46 yard line by Mike Jenkins with 4:02 to play.

South Florida (4-3 overall, 2-1 Big East) turned that into a nine-play scoring drive that ended with quarterback Pat Julmiste scoring on a 1-yard sneak. When the Bulls tacked on the 2-point conversion, they suddenly had control at 45-31 with 1:44 to play.

"I was trying to make a play. I shouldn't have made the throw," Teel said.

By then, the damage was done. Hart's five-turnover game started with an overthrown pass to Tucker in the first quarter that was intercepted by Johnnie Jones and returned 32 yards for a score. On the next series, Hart was blindsided and fumbled, with Terrence Royal scooping up the ball and returning it 11 yards for another score.

Still, Rutgers battled back.

"We never thought, not once, that we were going to lose -- no matter how much we were down," Barnes said.

Schiano took the blame for a decision that led to a USF field goal and enabled the Bulls to take a 31-14 halftime lead. Faced with a fourth- and-one from the Knights' 33 yard line, South Florida took a delay of game penalty to get more room to punt. But Schiano declined the penalty. The Bulls took a timeout, decided to go for it, made the first down and got a 20-yard field goal from the drive with four seconds left in the half.

"Not a very good decision," Schiano said. "That was a little bit of a bonehead move. I made a mistake."

For Rutgers, he wasn't in the minority yesterday with that.

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1131260020162700.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

[Grateful Dad]

Great article!  I was impressed on a lot of planes bout this game.  Julmiste got it together in both passing and rushing.  That was great to see.  Our offense was not one dimensional this time.  I would criticize the play calling, but I will wait until I am better than a coach who gets paid for calling plays.  Until then I will learn.  I thought that this game would be much closer and even feared that we would lose handily, but I am also impressed with the knowledge of most of the other posters here who accurately predicted the outcome and can analyze our and other teams intelligently.  Until I can do that also, I will learn.

I graduated in 1994, when I was 39, so I am a lot older than most who post here.  I really didn't want a football team because USF's reputation was being built solely on academics.  We have some of the best programs in the nation and that not only makes me very proud, but adds value to my diploma.  But I have to tell you, since this team started nine years ago I am riveted to the screen or my seat at ray jay.  I am so proud of my team and university.  I graduated with an MS from UCF, but they are not even on my radar screen.  USF used to be a sleeper university.  We knew we had something, but nobody would listen.  We knew that we would someday be THE premier university in Florida, but we got laughed at for that belief.  There are less people laughing now and more believing.  Our football team is putting us on the map faster than the team from any other university.  Credit needs to go to Jim Leavitt for building a Cinderella team from what was once considered a commuter university.  Credit also needs to go to you fans -- those whose knowledge of the game baffles me (how do you acquire so much knowledge?) -- and those whose faith in this team will not ebb and flow with victory and defeat.

My hat is off to the coaching staff, the team, its fans and the administration who had the foresight to know that the time was right for football at USF.  We have a great future ahead of us and it is with pride that I tell people that I graduated from USF.

[The Sheriff]

Love the good words abbadad! Well written and well said.

[E.T.]

It's just good to beat another "Knight"  8)