Will Kay’Ron Adams see an increased role moving forward?

In a game where Rutgers was held in check offensively, they were able to get a lift from Kay’Ron Adams.

Rutgers managed just 247 yards of total offense during a 37-21 loss to Indiana. They gained 122 yards on the ground led by an unlikely candidate. Adams did not touch the ball in Week 1 against Michigan State, but was given a chance on Saturday and might have earned a bigger role.

“I thought Kay’Ron gave us a little spark, that’s for sure,” Greg Schiano said following the loss. “Sometimes it’s like that. I thought Isaiah ran hard. I thought Aaron ran hard. Sometimes guys get a little groove going.”

On Saturday, Adams was the back with the hot hand. He rushed five times for 62 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown burst. He provided a much-needed spark on an afternoon when Isaih Pacheco was held to just 26 yards on 10 carries. Aaron Young was given the ball only once.

Rutgers has a chance to use a committee at running back. Pacheco is their clear leader in the backfield but Adams showed that he can contribute as well. Noah Vedral is a capable runner at the quarterback position and Johnny Langan has been used on quarterback draw plays.

“I mean, to be frank, just because certain guys get carries or don’t get carries, we have real confidence in all of our running backs,” Schiano said. “We just kind of Coach Hoffmann and Coach Gleeson, we talk about it throughout the game. Somebody has a hot hand, we let them roll. If we’re looking for a spark, we know we have other good players and we’re going to let them play.”

Gleeson has plenty of options to work with on the offensive end but it is all about putting it together. The offensive line also plays a big role moving forward.

The Scarlet Knights are scoring 29.5 points per game through two weeks but are dead last in yards per game. They are gaining just 261.5 yards per contest with 113.5 of them being on the ground. The offense is imperfect but after just two games, it is not time to panic.

“Every week you play in the Big Ten, you’re playing a good team,” Schiano said “So get ready. If you’re not ready to play at optimal level, it’s going to be hard to move the ball, hard to stop them, hard to be effective in the kicking game. This is the top of the food chain. We have to learn how to live and perform at the top of the food chain.”