I don't know what's more distressing: not knowing what's up, exactly, with the status of Tom Savage for Saturday, or the resulting uncertainty preventing me from launching into a full-scale "remember Andre Waters, right" diatribe. Hopefully, Savage plays. However, if the medical staff doesn't clear him, he should not under any circumstances. By the way, I'm planning to liveblog the game this weekend. Do people want to see a Cover It Live chatroom, or maybe something with Twitter? Anyone even care?
One secondary storyline going into Saturday is the zero-sum recruiting competition between Maryland and Rutgers. MD does recruit New Jersey heavily, although they've fallen off a bit lately (the article doesn't mention that they also have a few players from across the NY state line. Of course, now Rutgers is trying to get a player or two each year from the Baltimore/DC area, a trend that started with Joe Lefeged. Marylanders still remember that hit on Steffy? Shouldn't they be sending Lefeged thank you cards for it?
Keith Sargeant linked a transcript of Coach Friedgen's Tuesday presser yesterday, and I'm kinda dumbfounded by the whole thing. At least Schiano actually seems to utter genuine opinions about opponents, hackneyed and cloaked in coachspeak as they may be. The Fridge basically recited statistics from the Rutgers media guide verbatim (not even feigning an effort), which is oddly impressive in addition to being completely confounding. Fridge mentioned D'Imperio playing in that contest, although he was injured and only saw spot duty, with Damaso Munoz looking overmatched against the run at middle linebacker. I know he has to defend his former players, but it was odd to read him defend the overmatched Jordan Steffy elsewhere too.
As far as complete non-events go, Jenn Sterger is coming to Rutgers Stadium for the USF game.
It's a homecoming for Kenny Britt this Sunday, when the Titans visit the Jets. With Troy Williamson headed to injured reserve, the Jaguars called up Tiquan Underwood from their practice squad.
I don't agree with Keith Sargeant's thoughts in near the end of his Q&A with the Washington Times beatwriter about the current state of the football program. Yes, Rutgers suffered a bad loss a few weeks ago (to a very good, and very underrated Cincinnati team). Still, it's only one game in a season of twelve or thirteen. Probably the toughest opponent the team will see this year. For 90% of programs, that'll happen from time to time. It's important to be patient, and have realistic expectations. The team is going to pick it up later in the year like they always do.
Rutgers has a top 40 program at the moment, and isn't going to take the next step over night. Not if it has designs on building a foundation for lasting success instead of being a flash in the pan. They're in that eight win range every year, barring turnover luck and player progression spikes ala the 2006 season. Between the football stadium expansion, and all the young talent on the roster (I mean, really, possibly the first blue chip quarterback of Greg Schiano's tenure), it's hard not to be optimistic going forward.
As per a Rivals thread, the College Football Hall of Fame is moving from South Bend to Atlanta. Atlanta?!?! Home of the most apathetic, bandwagon sports fans in the Continental 48? They do realize that the first college football game ever played was in New Brunswick, right? Guess it serves Rutgers for paving over the spot with a parking lot.
Rutgers reseachers received a NIH grant to study prostate cancer with MRI technology.
The unapologetic thief, Bruce Ratner, announced plans yesterday to sell the Nets to a Russian billionaire. Still holding out hope that legal challenges will run out the clock on this one.