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Scarlet Knights Game Preview  Text Size:    

 

Game 3 - Ohio  

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RUTGERS vs OHIO

HOMECOMING

Date: Sept. 16, 2006

Kickoff Time: 3:30 p.m.

Site: Piscataway, NJ

Stadium: Rutgers Stadium (41,500)

GAME NOTES

Television:The game will be televised regionally by MSG. Bob Picozzi will handle the play-by-play while Doug Graber will provide color analysis.

Radio: Each of Rutgers’ 12 games this season will be broadcast on the Rutgers Radio Network and can be heard on WOR (AM-710) and WCTC (AM-1450) with Chris Carlin as the play-by-play announcer and former Rutgers TE Tim Pernetti handling color analysis. Anthony Fuccilli will serve as the sideline reporter. Rutgers’ student station, WRSU (FM-88.7), will also broadcast the game. The game can also be heard on the Internet at www.scarletknights.com, the official athletics website of Rutgers University.

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For the first time since 1981, Rutgers has an opportunity to start the season 3-0 as the Scarlet Knights host Ohio Saturday at Rutgers Stadium on Homecoming. The Scarlet Knights (2-0) dominated Big Ten foe Illinois in all three phases of the game last Saturday in a 33-0 win over the Illini.

Ohio also secured an impressive victory of its own last Saturday with a 33-25 win at Northern Illinois to open Mid-American Conference play for both schools. The Bobcats (2-0) are in search of their first 3-0 start to a season since 1976 when Ohio opened the season 4-0.

"R†House

Rutgers has played some of its best football at home over the last two seasons. RU is 5-2 at home since 2005, including a 33-0 shutout of Illinois on Sept. 9. The Scarlet Knights finished 4-2 at home in 2005, tying for the most wins (4-1 in 1994) in the “new†Rutgers Stadium.

Defensive Domination vs. Illinois

In the 33-0 win over Illinois on Sept. 9, the Scarlet Knights recorded their first shutout since Sept. 14, 2002 vs. Army (44-0).

The 126 yards of total offense by Illinois was the least by a Rutgers opponent since Oct. 2, 1993, when the Scarlet Knights allowed 118 yards in a 62-0 victory over Temple.

Welcome to Piscataway

The last two teams to visit Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway - Cincinnati in the home finale in 2005 and Illinois in the 2006 home opener - combined for just 43 rushing yards in the two games.

Rutgers has totaled 14 sacks in its last two home games and held the opposition to nine points in the two victories.

Rutgers’ opponents are a combined 2-for-24 on third downs in its last two home games.

Three for the Price of One

Rutgers scored in all three phases of the game - offense, defense and special teams - in the 33-0 shutout win over Illinois.

It marked the second time in the Greg Schiano era RU scored in all three phases in a game. The last time was in RU’s 31-9 victory at Syracuse on Oct. 15, 2005.

RU’s special teams blocked a punt for a touchdown vs. the Illini while Devin McCourty returned an interception for a 38-yard TD defensively.

No Fly Zone

Rutgers’ pass defense was stingy to say the least vs. Illinois. Rutgers surrendered just 60 passing yards, marking the lowest number of passing yards by an RU opponent since Buffalo also recorded 60 passing yards in the 2003 season opener on Aug. 30, 2003.

LEONARD

Heisman Trophy Candidate Brian Leonard

Heisman Trophy candidate and All-America fullback Brian Leonard entered his senior season near the top of several Rutgers all-time lists. Here is a look at his standing and what he needs to break the school record.

Category Totals Place Behind Leader

TDs 40 1st -

Scoring 242 2nd 19

AP* Yards 4,023 2nd 1,317

Receptions 178 2nd 14

Rec. TDs 13 T-4th 4

Rush. Yds. 2,387 6th 727

Rush. TDs 27 5th 7

Rec. Yds. 1,636 7th 886

* All-Purpose

Touchdown Leonard!

Brian Leonard is third among active players in the NCAA in all-purpose touchdowns with 40. Leonard has 27 career rushing touchdowns and 13 receiving touchdowns.

NCAA Active Career Touchdown Leaders

1. Michael Bush, Louisville 41

1. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois 41

3. Brian Leonard, Rutgers 40

Leonard in the NCAA Rankings

Brian Leonard is in the top 10 in four additional active career categories. He ranks 2nd in rushing attempts, 5th in receptions, 8th in rushing touchdowns and 9th in rushing yardage.

Leonard is the nation’s leader in active receptions for a running back with 178 career receptions.

NCAA Active Career Rushing Att. Leaders

1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma 615

2. Brian Leonard, Rutgers 596

3. Stevie Hicks, Iowa State 588

4. Robert Merrill, TCU 567

5. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois 548

NCAA Active Career Rushing TD Leaders

1. Michael Bush, Louisville 39

2. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois 36

3. Eugene Gross, Middle Tenn. State 32

3. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma 32

5. Lonta Hobbs, TCU 31

6. Courtney Lewis, Texas A&M 30

7. Terry Caulley, Connecticut 29

8. Brian Leonard, Rutgers 27

NCAA Active Career Reception Leaders

1. Vincent Marshall, Houston 204

2. Eric Deslauriers, Eastern Michigan 190

3. Ryne Robinson, Miami (Ohio) 185

4. Steve Odom, Toledo 184

5. Brian Leonard, Rutgers 178

NCAA Active Career Rushing Leaders

1. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois 3,603

2. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma 3,337

3. Robert Merrill, TCU 2,771

4. Terry Caulley, Connecticut 2,608

5. Courtney Lewis, Texas A&M 2,584

6. Ken Darby, Alabama 2,579

7. Michael Bush, Louisville 2,508

8. Lonta Hobbs, TCU 2,406

9. Brian Leonard, Rutgers 2,377

HARRIS

Harris Tops among Active Tight Ends

Senior tight end and Mackey Award candidate Clark Harris is the nation’s active leader in receptions and receiving yards for tight ends.

Harris has 114 receptions for 1,585 yards and 10 touchdowns over his career. His 10 career touchdown receptions place him in a tie for second nationally among tight ends.

NCAA Active Receptions Leaders (TE)

1. Clark Harris, Rutgers 114

2. Zach Miller, Arizona State 103

2. Samuel Smith, Florida International 103

4. Scott Chandler, Iowa 81

5. Joe Newton, Oregon State 77

NCAA Active Receiving Yards Leaders (TE)

1. Clark Harris, Rutgers 1,585

2. Matt Herion, Nebraska 1,192

3. Zach Miller, Arizona State 1,128

4. Samuel Smith, Florida International 1,045

5. Scott Chandler, Iowa 985

Leonard, Harris Carry Impressive Streaks

Brian Leonard and Clark Harris entered their senior seasons ranked not only near the top of the nation but among the BIG EAST's all-time leaders in consecutive games with a reception. Leonard has at least one catch in all 36 games he has played in during his career.

The fullback caught multiple balls in each game last season, recording four or more catches in 10 contests. His 36-game reception streak is the third-best in BIG EAST history.

Harris upped his reception streak to 32 games with four receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown vs. Illinois.

Consecutive Games with at least One Reception - BIG EAST

Player Team Games Years

1. Khori Ivy West Virginia 40 1997-00

2. Reggie Wayne Miami 37 1997-00

3. Brian Leonard Rutgers 36 2002-present

4. Latef Grim Pittsburgh 34 1998-00

5. David Saunders West Virginia 33 1995-96, 98

6. Clark Harris Rutgers 32 2003-present

7. Tres Moses Rutgers 31 2001-05

RICE

RU’s Favorite Dish - Instant Rice

Ray Rice has quickly developed into one of the top running backs in the nation just two games into his sophomore season. Rice, who rushed for 1,120 yards as a true freshman in 2005 - the fifth-best mark among true freshmen backs in the nation last season - has recorded four consecutive 100-yard games

Rice, who ran for 201 yards in the season opener at North Carolina, finished with 108 yards on 23 carries against Illinois. The streak is the third longest in school history. "JJ" Jennings holds the school record with seven straight 100-yard performances, while three Scarlet Knights have registered five consecutive 100-yard games. He has totaled 612 yards on 98 carries in the past four contests for an average of 6.0 yards per carry during that span.

Rice’s Last Four Games

Date Opponent Carries-Yards-TD

11/26/05 Cincinnati 24-195-2

12/27/05 Arizona State 20-108-0

9/2/06 North Carolina 31-201-3

9/9/06 Illinois 23-108-1

Totals 98-612-6

200-Yard Rushing Games at Rutgers

Player Att.-Yds.-TD Opponent (Date)

1. Terrell Willis 35-232-2 Temple (11/12/94)

2. JJ Jennings 30-230-2 UMass (10/6/73)

3. Terrell Willis 37-221-4 at Army (10/16/93)

4. Ray Rice 27-217-0 at UConn (10/22/05)

5. JJ Jennings 40-214-1 Colgate (11/25/72)

6. Terrell Willis 35-207-2 Navy (9/16/95)

7. Curt Edwards 37-205-1 William & Mary (10/18/75)

8. Ray Rice 31-201-3 at North Carolina (9/2/06)

Starting on the Right Note

Ray Rice became the first Rutgers player since Jacki Crooks in 1998-99 to rush for 100 yards or more in three straight games with 201 yards in the season-opener at North Carolina. Rice, who ended the 2005 campaign with two 100-yard performances, busted out in a big way in 2006 vs. the Tar Heels.

Thanks Ray

Ray Rice has provided some of his best rushing efforts in games Mike Teel has started at quarterback. In five games with Teel as the starting quarterback for Rutgers, Rice has averaged 122.8 yards per game, including two, 200-yard performances. With Teel under center, Rice has gone over the century mark in three of Teel’s five starts.

SCHIANO

Schiano Agrees to New Seven-Year Contract

Head coach Greg Schiano agreed to a new seven-year contract last December that will run through the 2012 season.

Schiano, now in his sixth season as head coach at Rutgers, led the Scarlet Knights to their first winning record since 1992, and their first bowl appearance in 27 years, in 2005. The Scarlet Knights concluded the 2005 campaign with a 7-5mark overall and a third-place finish in the BIG EAST Conference.

In Schiano’s tenure, 16 Scarlet Knights have been named to All-BIG EAST teams, including 11 in the past two seasons, and two have been named Special Teams Player of the Year.

The Scarlet Knights have also shown significant accomplishment in the academic arena under Schiano’s guidance. In the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) report that was released in February, the Rutgers football program was rated the fourth highest in the country, behind only Stanford, Navy and Duke. Of the 56 teams competing in bowl games last year, the Scarlet Knights have the second highest APR.

Schiano is Nation’s Seventh Youngest Head Coach

When Greg Schiano was hired as Rutgers' head coach on December 1, 2000, he was the youngest head coach in the nation - a distinction he held for three straight years. Now, with five years of head coaching experience under his belt, Schiano is still the seventh-youngest head coach in Division I-A.

Nation’s Youngest Division I-A Head Coaches Age

1. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (12/2/74) 31

2. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin (9/28/69) 36

3. Ron Prince, Kansas State (9/18/69) 36

4. Al Golden, Temple (7/4/69) 37

5. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State (8/12/67) 39

6. Shane Montgomery, Miami (Ohio) (3/14/67) 39

7. Greg Schiano, Rutgers (6/1/66) 40

Schiano’s Recruiting Proves Fruitful

Since taking over as head coach on December 1, 2000, Greg Schiano has introduced six recruiting classes at Rutgers, with 130 new players seeing action under his watch. Below is a breakdown of the classes by year and state:

2001 21 members 7 FL, 13 NJ, 1 MO

2002 22 members 10 FL, 9 NJ, 1 NH, 1 Ontario, 1 NY

2003 23 members 7 FL, 10 NJ, 1 CA, 1 MN, 2 CT, 1 NY, 1 PA

2004 19 members 4 FL, 11 NJ, 1 CA, 1 Ontario, 1 NY

2005 22 members 5 FL, 10 NJ, 5 NY, 1 PA, 1 Quebec

2006 23 members 6 FL, 9 NJ, 4, NY, 3 PA, 1 MA

Totals 130 members 39 FL, 62 NJ, 12 NY, 5 PA, 1 MA, 1 MN, 1 MO,1 NH, 3 CA, 2 CT, 3 Canada

TEEL

Winning Ways Continue for Teel

Mike Teel has been consistent in the most important statistic for quarterbacks - winning games.

As a starter at Rutgers and Don Bosco Prep, Teel is 28-1 as his team’s starting quarterback.

Teel was 24-0 at Don Bosco, including back-to-back state championships. At Rutgers, Teel is 4-1 as the Scarlet Knights’ starting QB.

Now Appearing for RU ...

TB Kordell Young, WR Tim Brown, WR Kenny Britt, and FB Jack Corcoran were the latest true freshmen to see their first collegiate action, making their debuts on Sept. 9 vs. Illinois. Junior OL Dan Mazan, senior OL Mitar Rudanovic, redshirt freshman QB Jabu Lovelace, redshirt sophomore Marc Orosz and redshirt freshman OL Dave McClain also saw their first collegiate action vs. Illinois. Through the season’s first two games, 18 Scarlet Knights have seen their first collegiate action, including nine true freshmen.

First-Time RU Performers in 2006

Name Year Debut Game

Blair Bines Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Kenny Britt Fr. Illinois (9/9/06)

Tim Brown Fr. Illinois (9/9/06)

Dennis Campbell R-Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Ryan D’Imperio Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Jack Corcoran Fr. Illinois (9/9/06)

George Johnson Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Zaire Kitchen Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Edmond Laryea Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Jabu Lovelace R-Fr. Illinois (9/9/06)

Dan Mazan R-Jr. Illinois (9/9/06)

Devin McCourty R-Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Dave McClain R-Fr. Illinois (9/9/06)

Damaso Munoz R-Fr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Marc Orosz R-So. Illinois (9/9/06)

Mitar Rudanovic Sr. Illinois (9/9/06)

James Townsend Jr. North Carolina (9/2/06)

Kordell Young Fr. Illinois (9/9/06)

Secondary Coming of Age

In 12 games in 2005, Rutgers’ secondary contributed four interceptions. In just two games in 2006, the RU defensive backfield has equaled that mark with four picks.

Senior CB Manny Collins picked off two passes in the opening game of the year at North Carolina while redshirt freshman DB Devin McCourty collected his first career INT against Illinois and returned the pick 38 yards for a touchdown. Senior CB Derrick Roberson also recorded his first INT of the season in the win over Illinois.

Under Pressure

After recording one sack in the season opener at North Carolina, the Rutgers defense posted five sacks in the 33-0 victory over Illinois. RU finished second nationally in sacks last season with 47. Since Greg Schiano took over as the team’s defensive coordinator, RU has posted 53 sacks in 14 games.

Leonard, Tucker, Foster and Meekins Named Captains

Seniors Brian Leonard and WR Shawn Tucker were named offensive captains, while senior DT Ramel Meekins and junior DT Eric Foster were named defensive captains, head coach Greg Schiano announced midway through the Scarlet Knights' preseason camp. Captains were determined in a team-wide vote during training camp.

ITO

The Judge

Junior PK Jeremy Ito has continued his excellent streak after connecting on his last 12 field goal attempts. The Groza Award watch list kicker made good on all four field goal attempts in the Insight Bowl, including a career-long 52-yarder to earn a spot on the Rivals.com All-Bowl team.

Ito led the BIG EAST and ranked 12th nationally in field goals per game (1.67) in 2005. He was also second in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (74.1) in 2005, while finishing fifth in the league and 27th nationally in scoring (8.33 pts./g).

FOSTER

Foster Returns from Knee Injury

Eric Foster has returned to his starting role on the Rutg