Rutgers Football: Time to Release the Kemoko Dragon

(Disclaimer: This is meant to be a playful comparison of Kemoko Turay with Game of Thrones, making parallels between Rutgers and the world George R.R. Martin created.  If you haven't read the books or watched the show, you should still understand where I am going with this.)

It's time my fellow RU faithful.  The world of Rutgers has been unpredictable, dangerous and destructive in recent days. Each bad day gets worse with the next.  When will it stop?  Our biggest rival is approaching and we appear to be a program in shambles.  There is little light ahead.  We have to relive the embarrassment and grief daily on ESPN and all over the internet.  A predicted loss this weekend and there will be little hope to save the season.  What can be done? Our two most talented warriors, Leonte Carroo and Darius Hamilton, are not present.  Who can possibly save us now?  There is an answer.  And his name is the "Kemoko Dragon".

It's time for his massive potential to mature into greatness.  The baby dragon showed flashes of dominance last season. His legend began to grow.  Barely recruited out of high school, Kemoko was not on anyone's radar.  You see people don' t believe in dragons.  And then in an instant, he stood tall, announcing himself to the world.  People started to talk about him, wondering who he was and how great he could be. Last season, on part-time duty, he had  7.5 sacks, 4 quarterback hurries, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and 3 blocked kicks.  The dragon saved the game against Michigan, blocking the potential game winning kick in the closing minutes, sealing the first Big Ten win in school history.  The dragon saved the game against Maryland, making the tackle for a loss on 4th down, sealing the biggest comeback in school history.  A winner picks the biggest of moments to emerge and announce their presence, asserting their will on the opponent.

For those of you that love Game of Thrones, hopefully you see the connection I am going for here.  Daenerys Targaryen was left for dead (Rutgers football team).  Sold off to nomadic warriors, roaming the grasslands, area to area (conference to conference).  Finally, there is hope that a better day is on the horizon and the Dothraki will rule the seven kingdoms (Big Ten).  And then tragedy occurs, their leader becoming bull headed and reckless (Drogo/Kyle Flood).  And suddenly, now Khaleesi (Rutgers football team) hits rock bottom.  All hope is lost.  So she decides to walk into the fire pit (Beaver Stadium) while everyone around her knows the end is upon her.  There is no surviving a fire pit.  But Khaleesi (Rutgers football team) believes, knows this is what must be done.

And she emerges miraculously, with baby dragons surrounding her.  People stare in disbelief, people who swore she was dead and could not survive.  Hope is reborn.  Struggles continue but hope is alive.  The baby dragons (Kemoko) are learning, still too young to dominate their world.  And then in Qarth (college football world), the baby dragons and Khaleesi are shackled, no longer having the opportunity to fulfill the promise that once existed.  And then it happened.  The dragons emerged, grown up and spitting fire, setting themselves and Khaleesi free.  And the dragons (Kemoko) lead Khaleesi (Rutgers football team) on a venture to rule the seven kingdoms (Big Ten).

It's time to release the Kemoko dragon tomorrow night in Happy Valley.  He has had his moments in the past and has been preparing  for this moment.  While he has 1 sack and 3 quarterback hurries so far this season, we have not seen the true Kemoko Turay.  Shackled by injury, preventing his true greatness from emerging.  Alas, he is no longer on the injury report.  The dragon is healthy.  He is hungry.  He is ready.  It's desperation city and hope is dwindling.  The only thing that will save us is a supernatural force that asserts their presence and takes over.  It is time to release the "Kemoko Dragon".  The time is now for him to realize his full potential and become a true star.  Rutgers needs him more than ever tomorrow night against Penn State.  Let them burn.