Rutgers QB Teel hits a defensive back

[GarySJ]

And for once, it's not with an errant pass:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iBUPS5rFiOkDqLEoD-9CSYz4Lj-gD93B8GS00

Rutgers QB Mike Teel not suspended for punch

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Quarterback Mike Teel will not be punished for throwing a punch at teammate Glen Lee in the waning seconds of Rutgers' loss to Navy on Saturday.

Coach Greg Schiano insisted Sunday in a telephone conference call that the incident "was over and done with," and that he felt there was no need to suspend his beleaguered fifth-year starter.

"In my eyes, it could be a great teaching opportunity, as what not to do when frustration sets in and bubbles over," Schiano said. "But Mike has apologized for what he did. There's no excuse for what Mike did. It was inappropriate behavior and not something I or my coaching staff condones. But to make that the reason (to suspend Teel) doesn't make sense. We're a close-knit group and it was just an event that bubbled over. There is no reason to make any change."

The loss was the Scarlet Knights' third straight, dropping the team to 0-3 for the first time since Schiano took over as coach in 2001.

Shortly after Navy kicked a go-ahead field goal, Teel threw an interception that iced the Midshipmen's 23-21 win in Annapolis.

As Teel was coming off the field, Lee, a reserve defensive back, was trying to encourage him to keep his head up and come off the field.

Teel apparently took exception to what Lee said and threw a punch at the sophomore.

"I know what Glen was trying to do," Schiano said Sunday. "He was trying to tell Mike that we don't hang our heads. Glen's intent was great. It was just taken the wrong way."

After the game, Teel told reporters that he was truly sorry for going after his teammate.

"I apologize for losing my cool," Teel said. "He was telling me to keep my head up and to get off the field. He was doing the right thing and what I did was so totally wrong."

Lee put the incident in the past, calling the Scarlet Knights "a family."

"We speak as a family, act as a family and play as a family," Lee said. "We're family. Everything we do, we do as a family. It was a family oriented thing."

Teel has struggled mightily over the Scarlet Knights' first three games, throwing just one touchdown pass while getting intercepted six times. Teel was basically kept under wraps Saturday, completing just 13-of-20 passes for 130 yards, his lowest passing production since a lopsided 31-3 loss to West Virginia last October.

Despite Teel's difficulties, Schiano is sticking with his quarterback.

"Mike gives us the best chance to win right now," Schiano said. "Things haven't gone right for us or for Mike. Maybe he's lost a little confidence on things he used to do before. We need to do a better job of helping him out. There are things that Mike is doing well and things that he's not doing very well. We will continue to evaluate the quarterback position and if someone gives us a better chance to win, then he'll play."

Rutgers, which has played in three straight postseason bowl games, will try for its first win of the season when it faces Morgan State at home on Saturday.

[nobull.Bulls]

Man i bet he misses ray rice

[Jamie]

Teel's giving Sean Glennon a serious run for his money as the "worst starting senior QB in America". He looks totally lost without a running game.

WOW, check out this headline - calling them "lowly Rutgers".

http://www.trentonian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20131287&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=178120&rfi=6

[GarySJ]

WOW, check out this headline - calling them "lowly Rutgers".

They have to call them that because they've been good the last couple years. Before that, "lowly Rutgers" was redundant.

[crambone]

Rutgers sucks.  We should trade Rutgers for ECU and get some respect back to our conference.

Oh, and switch Sryacuse with Memphis.

[twillybull]

Anyone have a link to the video?  I saw it once on sportscenter... it was a pretty weak looking punch. 

[USF Bulls Football]

How the heck does this happen?

I was honestly kinda worried about their passing game with our 'new' corners. But geez, if they cant beat Navy.... Lets be real, they have a very good rushing attack, but zero passing game and whatever is less than zero in terms of their defense.

[Bullpride08]

It happens fairly easily when a team like Buttgers, and Schiano get good quickly, and do not capitalize on recruiting.  The problem is Schiano and Rutgers are still in NJ, famous for the state that everyone wants to leave and that includes recruits.  Go down the Rutgers top 25 players...you'll find that RU had some trouble the last five years keeping any of that talent in state.  They've done better recently, but have struggled, especially when you get to that middle-tier recruit that will need to be that anchor for your team, but maybe not a superstar, Rutgers was done in Miami trying to yank those guys out. 

Their 07 and 08 classes look real good so with some patience they should rebound, but their 04-06 were classes were all highly overrated with many players that were top notch who never made it on campus or busted.  They landed Ray Rice, Teel, and Britt in that time frame but also saw busts or guys that never made it on campus and went JC and star elsewhere like Markus White, Tim Brown, Etienne, McClain, Messam, Barfield, Beljour, Jones, Lewis, Linton, Graves, and Miller.  Just way to many strike-outs in that period which is why they're struggling.

Although if they can stick it out and wait another year then they should develop nicely again with some great young talent like Antonio Lowery, Abreu, Justin Francis, Farrington, DC Jefferson, David Rowe, Eddie Poole, Anthony Davis, and Art Forst. 

But in the mean time, Schiano has got to quit his foolish pride, recognize that Teel was only good because a highly lethal running game the past two years that was anchored by an OL with three NFL starters in Zuttah, Fladell, Sosa, and Green.  Highly talented bunch blocking for Rice, and Leonard.  What he needs to do is work in Jabu Lovelace a bit more, spread things out, and run a hybrid spread for now.  Teel is a straight drop back with zero mobility.  With zero running game, or quality running backs, that's easy for any team to t-off on.  Go QB sneak, afte sneak, after sneak.  Teel is a senior, and behind Lovelace they have Jefferson so Schiano better get use to it.  Or he can stick with Teel, go 4-8, if they're lucky, scrap Jefferson and move him to another position then use that top notch drop back guy they're bringing in and have him try to do it without a dominant running game.  We shall see which side wins out.

[crambone]

He looks like a little girl trying to slap her dolly...

[Feld44]

Very weak!