On the Banks - Purdue At Rutgers Game CenterInsomnia for the sleeping giant.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50417/onthebanks-fav.png2017-10-25T12:19:42-04:00http://www.onthebanks.com/rss/stream/162715412017-10-25T12:19:42-04:002017-10-25T12:19:42-04:00Rutgers Tailgater of the Week: Purdue Edition!
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<p>This week’s tailgaters are Rutgers alums and family, tailgating for almost 30 years!</p> <p id="w8y6hx">It was an unseasonably warm and sunny day on October 21. As a result, the tailgating weather was perfect. For Homecoming. That’s never a guarantee. After all, there have been times in October when the weather was not what we would call optimal for tailgating.</p>
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<cite>Photo Courtesy of Eric J Browne</cite>
<figcaption>October 29, 2011- Playing West Virginia, and not the best weather for tailgating, but we were there!</figcaption>
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<p id="gkAAZV">Yes, the photo above is NOT Valley Forge, it’s an actual photo of the Scarlet lot that snowy day six years ago, and it shows the fortitude and loyalty of the tailgaters for Rutgers football.</p>
<p id="qlBND8">In any case, October 2017 has been FAR milder, and we had a great day to welcome Purdue to the historic confines of Rutgers for the first time. The group we chose as the tailgaters to recognize this year are habitants of the Yellow Lot, and have been tailgating together since the group graduated from Rutgers back in 1985 and 1986. Many of the core group were also members of the Chi Phi fraternity while at Rutgers. I got to speak to Glenn Marum, who was designated as the spokesperson of this group. He told me about 20-30 attend each game as part of their group. They’ve upgraded their equipment from their early days, and are glad that they now have nicer things with them and they’re also happy the food has definitely gotten better. Several of the group noted that the age of their fellow tailgaters has aged along with them. That’s not surprising, as the number of points earned that are needed to tailgate in the Yellow Lot has made being there more of a challenge in recent years.</p>
<p id="bJOkvl">Since this has been greater-than 30 year affair, it was also noted that they have gone from just the graduates and their significant others attending, to bringing children along, to their children being off to college. Now it is mainly the alums and their partners again. Ah, the circle of life...</p>
<p id="ll1R1W">One of the more interesting aspects is the home-made tables. They are similar to bar tables, in that you can stand at them, and are octagon shaped so you can have several at each one. They also a charging station, so you can attach your smartphone to them and charge up with the battery pack built into the base.</p>
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<p id="2kMlrc">Here you can see them using one of the tables for charging as well as food.</p>
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<p id="Hh2OC1">These tables break down easily for storing, too. Glenn demonstrated by pulling out his cordless drill and taking it apart in no time at all. Here’s a short video to show how easy they made it!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A great tailgate table at the Purdue game, being dismantled by Glenn Marum. They're like the pit crew at the Indy 500! <a href="https://t.co/PMzrCBdEfV">pic.twitter.com/PMzrCBdEfV</a></p>— Jim Hoffman (@RURahFan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RURahFan/status/923205609553612800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="DKUH07">A fun aspect of this tailgate is the custom playlist based upon the week’s opponent. Since this was against Purdue, state of Indiana-or-Purdue-based music filled the air, with songs by the Jackson 5, John Mellencamp, even songs like <em>Gary Indiana</em> (from <em>The Music Man</em>) and Train (for the Boilermakers) on the list. OK, so some are a stretch, but it’s a great aspect of their tailgate.</p>
<p id="ZrMyiY">They’ve been doing this long enough that they have reached another milestone in their tailgating career. Another member of the crew, Paul Neiheiser introduced me to the tailgate “legacy” in the form of his daughter Sarah, a 2016 graduate who along with her boyfriend Ahmed Farad, who also graduated in ‘16. They have now joined the tailgate that now encompasses multiple generations of alumni. Congratulations to the great group of tailgaters!</p>
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<figcaption>Paul, along with his daughter Sarah (r) and her boyfriend Ahmed (l)</figcaption>
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<h2 id="D7eug1">Additions</h2>
<p id="4JqZlw">While not tailgaters of the week, there was another group in the Yellow Lot that deserve to be noted. This group, who call themselves the Scarlet Party, decided to use their time tailgating to raise awareness as well as have a good time. Anyone who was going into the stadium from the Blue, Purple, Black, and Light Blue lots would have walked by their tailgate, which they strategically place each week along Scarlet Knight Way as you walk to the stadium from those lots.</p>
<p id="vIIOl3">I got to speak to Donna Canavan, who was the Scarlet Party’s quarterback this past week. The quarterback is responsible for the theme of the tailgate. Donna chose to focus on Breast Cancer Awareness through several great ideas and displays. She decided on this, and it fit the bill perfectly since Rutgers has also announced their push to focus on this issue as well along with RWJ Barnabas Health Care. The Scarlet Party’s displays included white pumpkins adorned with painted pink awareness ribbons, </p>
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<p id="KFCTVm">to an entire line of bras clipped to a clothesline. These were donated by women in Westfield after Donna posted the request on the group’s Facebook page.</p>
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<p id="mhjC17">They even had their own photo booth, where young fans could dress up in costumes, and take their picture along with a character for a donation. The proceeds from this went to <a href="http://isupportthegirls.org">isupportthegirls.org</a> and RWJ Barnabas. The funds to RWJ Barnabas was collected by Rutgers Athletics at the end of the day.</p>
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<p id="9s49JJ">Donna’s daughter is a sophomore at Rutgers, and the group is a close family of tailgaters. This is just a great event to support a wonderful cause, and they deserve the recognition for the great work they are doing to help.</p>
<h3 id="r0yufp">But Wait, There’s More...</h3>
<p id="4lhuJT">As those who attended the game were able to see at halftime, high school band students from around the state were welcomed to join the Marching Scarlet Knights this past weekend, and many joined them. These events don’t happen magically, and many hours of practice and preparation take place before you see the final product. Below, students from Ramapo Regional High School and Perth Amboy High School are headed to the stadium about three hours before game time to begin their preparation.</p>
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<figcaption>Ramapo RHS Students headed to HPSS</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Students from Perth Amboy HS heading to prepare for halftime</figcaption>
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<p id="XtqNVg">Speaking of the band, the drum line continues to visit the tailgating lots, and they always draw a crowd of admirers. This is around 9:00 AM right in the middle of Scarlet Knight Way...</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/RUMarchingBand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RUMarchingBand</a> drum line visits the Blue Lot on Saturday <a href="https://t.co/mqBlYOFdqF">pic.twitter.com/mqBlYOFdqF</a></p>— Jim Hoffman (@RURahFan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RURahFan/status/922939292258840576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2017</a>
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<p id="Qz6guK">Some Purdue fans were there as well. One of the best things about the Big Ten is they are famously fans who travel well, so there are always opposing fans there. I will say they are also among the nicest opposition fans I have encountered, though most are great guests. Our colleagues at Hammer And Rails had <a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com/2017/10/24/16533466/rutgers-in-the-big-ten-campus-review">nice things to say</a> about Rutgers fans as well.</p>
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<p id="n8A2bV">Megg Sherman is a well-known name among tailgaters, donors, staff, and even coaches and players. So I guess it is appropriate that her husband J.D. presented this sash and tiara for her to wear this weekend. I do have to add, however, that this is not an official Rutgers designation, it is solely self-declared!</p>
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<p id="iRZhrf">Another item that I thought were worth sharing included a home-made candelabra (complete with LED lights for the candles and inside the bottle) from the Yellow lot. Bob and Pat Stevenson, are the proud owners of the candelabra. Bob’s a wood shop teacher at Parsippany Hills High School, so of course he crafted the item, with support from Pat.</p>
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<p id="74pee2">And Jay Harris, who showed up in the additions portion of our <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/9/21/16332614/tailgaters-of-the-week-morgan-state-edition-rutgers-football-high-point-solutions-stadium">Morgan State tailgate</a>, is back with one of the more interesting Scarlet Knight wigs I have seen. So, Jay, you’re the first “two-fer” this year as a Tailgater.</p>
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<p id="kWvcow">Finally, while not technically tailgaters, it was great to see families of players at the game. Sitting right near me in section 128 was quarterback Gio Rescigno’s family, and they were happy to show their Rutgers spirit for the game.</p>
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<p id="FrjZ6r">So, a lot of interesting things this week to share, I hope you all enjoyed them. We have a gift, courtesy of the Yankees and how unexpectedly deep they went into the American League Playoffs this year- an extra tailgate! As a result of <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/20/16511948/november-4-rutgers-wrestling-football-doubleheader-moved-to-hpss-maryland-big-ten">the move back to campu</a>s for the Maryland football/wrestling event, I’ll be sharing an extra tailgater of the week following the November 4 happening at Rutgers. Who knows, perhaps we will have some wrestling tailgaters!</p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/25/16537546/rutgers-tailgater-of-the-week-purdue-edition-big-ten-homecomingJimHoffman2017-10-24T05:30:23-04:002017-10-24T05:30:23-04:00Rutgers defensive report card against Purdue
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<figcaption>Rutgers held Purdue down all day. | Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Mix of A’s and B’s</p> <p id="C03d9u">Seven down, five to go, as we are more than halfway through the season. Rutgers is now 3-4 on the season. Makes me feel like John Daly’s pace on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk4Eq8IcQMk">“What’s my line?”</a> How did the units grade out against the Boilermakers? Let us know how you feel about the defensive performance with our poll and in the comments below. </p>
<p id="nrt6sZ"><em>Same format as we break down the defensive performance at each of the three levels organized by alignment, assignment, and technique. The players listed in each group are in order of how noticeable they were to me, but potentially not every player who saw action. </em></p>
<p id="6kMwx3"><strong>Defensive Line: B (Davis, Joseph-Day, Turner, </strong><strong>Wilkins</strong><strong>, Bateky, Turay, </strong><span><strong>Nash</strong></span><strong>, Lumor, Previlon) </strong></p>
<p id="1fKzXO"><strong>Alignment: </strong>Rutgers was able to remain in generally 40 (even 30) fronts with an occasional 50 look. The 3 down linemen with Turay standing up with a wide split proved vulnerable on the run BUT ... </p>
<p id="qsKgwK"><strong>Assignment:</strong> Rutgers defensive line was in total stop the pass mode to avoid chunk plays. The three down linemen forced Purdue to audible to a lot of run plays by just taking what Rutgers game them. This alignment allowed RU to bring pressure from a few different places early in the game, and the Boilermakers seemed to be affected all day by the threat. In the run game, they did get pushed back and I’m not sure if that had more to do with two-gap assignments more than usual.</p>
<p id="JJTzOX"><strong>Technique:</strong> The defensive line did not stop enough run plays in the backfield (2 tackles for loss) and had zero sacks. That said, they did have three men going against five or four against six. Would have been nice to see a few more free arms to take down ball carriers near the line.</p>
<p id="WeBVr5"><strong>Individual other player thoughts:</strong> Wilkins (5 tackles, 1 TFL) played hard. Bateky (9 tackles) made a lot of plays. Joseph (4 tackles) completed the trio with a decent effort. Previlon (4 tackles) contributed, too. Turner (2 tackles) had less opportunities. <span>Myles Nash</span> had the only QB hurry from someone other than Turay. <span>Darnell Davis</span> added three tackles, too. Lumor (2 tackles) did not register a hurry. <span>Kemoko Turay</span> (9 tackles, 3 QBH, 1 pass defended) did not have a sack, but was asked to be superhuman. He may not have been at that level, but his skill set allowed the defense to be more creative.</p>
<p id="00AiDh">Rutgers attempted to make Purdue one dimensional and they did. It almost felt like Super Bowl XXV when the Giants allowed Buffalo to run to avoid big pass plays. </p>
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<cite>Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Wilkins showed off his athleticism. </figcaption>
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<p id="wGkeWD"><strong>Linebackers: A- (Morris, Roberts, Douglas, Fogg)</strong></p>
<p id="Obdygo"><strong>Alignment:</strong> Ross Douglas was a key in this game, playing more third and mediums than usual. This did confuse Purdue a little bit as Rutgers normally plays a nickel in those situations. Rutgers backers also seemed (may have been just to the naked eye) that they were lined up deeper than usual.</p>
<p id="9GUBpT"><strong>Assignment:</strong> Due to the fronts often of three men, the fourth rusher was Turay or occasionally Douglas. Morris may have even had a blitz or two. Otherwise the LBs were in pass first, run second defense. The distances between defenders shrunk the farther Purdue went down the field and it seemed to help RU more than they were hurt by being out of breath. Douglas played in effect as a third safety at times. </p>
<p id="GJeCn8"><strong>Technique:</strong> Tackling was ok but they deserve extra credit for the extra distance required to run plus the number of times linebackers were matched up on fast even slot receivers. With time, those angles to backs will get better. Several Purdue gadget plays were runs rather than passes.</p>
<p id="NGeF2j"><strong>Individual other player thoughts: </strong><span>Ross Douglas</span> (6 tackles, 1 PBU) played a lot more than usual and was a key to the modified scheme. <span>Trevor Morris</span> (12 tackles, 1 PBU) continued solid play and could have been a star of the game yet again. Roberts (7 tackles) deserves credit for getting the team lined up against some hurry-up when RU was horrible at defending that earlier this year. Not sure how many snaps he played, Fogg’s tackle was on special teams I believe.</p>
<p id="r2Q9bD">This group could not have done more in this game yet again. Changing tactics meant more free blockers attacking them and the LBs held up. Fans clamoring for the freshmen has quieted a bit with the good play from upperclassmen the last two weeks.</p>
<p id="ONWJCk"><strong>Secondary: A- (Gray, Harris, Hayes, Wharton, Hester, Campbell)</strong></p>
<p id="HEDlru"><strong>Alignment:</strong> The percentages of base compared to nickel was skewed more toward a 4-3 than usual. </p>
<p id="hFezgi"><strong>Assignment:</strong> Rutgers was in man coverage with one, sometimes two high safeties. At times it may have even been a soft zone, Purdue receivers had so much separation. Like the linebackers they were playing super deep.</p>
<p id="Jo6TN8"><strong>Technique:</strong> Jawuan Harris whiffed on his first tackle attempt of the game deep down the sideline, but Gray picked him up. It was that kind of day as the unit wasn’t perfect and was beaten in coverage few times, but Purdue could not make the plays. It’s hard to know if they were trying to avoid penalties and therefore less aggressive. </p>
<p id="EwIqLx"><strong>Individual other player thoughts:</strong> Gray (10 tackles, 1 INT, 2 PBU) again was solid and continues to meet my high expectations of him. Harris (4 tackles, 1 TFL) struggled more than last week against a better passing club though he did make a huge tackle on the Boilers first red zone trip. Hayes (2 tackles, 1 INT) and Wharton (4 tackles, 3 PBU) did their jobs. Hester returned in limited action (2 tackles). Zane Campbell (1 PBU) was really picked on, though he held his own. On the TD he was in decent position, just a great catch by the receiver.</p>
<p id="TBr3IE">The secondary was not tested as much as expected since there was so much success in the run game so Purdue did not pull as many gadget plays as they showed earlier this season. The Boilermakers did themselves no favors with all the drops, receivers could have caught the ball a lot but their QBs could have thrown it better, too.</p>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Purdue at Rutgers" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1xSjHAO9S-yb87X1tk1oMWH74_I=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9520597/usa_today_10359334.jpg">
<cite>Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>K.J. Gray had to do a lot more tackling at the second level. </figcaption>
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<p id="iK5XmW"><strong>Coaching: B+</strong></p>
<p id="E1GTqH">Jay Niemann is a third down defensive coach. He usually plays it straight up on first and second down, then has particular third down packages. He mixed it up more against Purdue with solid results. Both last year and this year, Rutgers has done a great job on third down conversion defense which now seems to be extending to early downs. Purdue achieved a lot of big chunks on first and second downs like Ohio State and even Nebraska did earlier this year. Then on third, the Boilermakers converted just three of fifteen third downs and one of four on fourth downs. </p>
<p id="nmiCr1">With each game the rebuilt secondary is trusted a little more, and using Ross Douglas a lot on third down was a great string to pull. It would be nice to have not given up so many rush yards, just way too many to give the coaches an A. That said, it’s a Big Ten win, so it’s hard to question much of the methodology when Rutgers is not a juggernaut. </p>
<p id="k3F9j1"><strong>Effort: A+</strong></p>
<p id="A8SpNl">The defense had a 4th down stop early in the second quarter which was bottled up two more times to stop 4th downs in the second half. Even though Purdue scored a late TD, it was not from lack of effort, it had to happen eventually. The offense put the defense in some bad spots and thank goodness Ryan Anderson is an above average punter that each time the defense held save the last drive, but then redeemed themselves with a game winning <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/23/16518306/the-play-that-made-the-game-kiy-hester-rutgers-football-purdue-boilermakers">2 point stop</a>. Defensive line was on fumes yet got enough pressure to disrupt Purdue on that last drive to force them to use every trick they had in the tank. The defense bent but never broke despite a string of five consecutive three and outs by the offense to end the game. </p>
<p id="iROgoZ"><strong>Overall grade: A-</strong></p>
<p id="PP9zG2">Purdue is better than Illinois and Rutgers still got the win. For that reason against a .500 Big Ten team, the grade has to be in the A range despite the yards. Every unit did what they had to do to secure it, barely. The intangibles raise the grade higher than averaging its parts. Rutgers seems to have a legit Big Ten defense, though is an incomplete football team overall. 12 points allowed, I’m still in shock.</p>
<p id="jEgWIG"><strong>Three stars:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li id="1Qlgw8">K.J. Gray (2nd week in a row)</li>
<li id="TuW3mJ">Ross Douglas</li>
<li id="v294LE">Jon Bateky</li>
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<p id="HjQ0GB"><strong>CAPTAIN OBVIOUS:</strong> </p>
<p id="NhTfsG"><strong>Reasons for pessimism:</strong> 1. Michigan will be out for blood. 2. Is Rutgers offense any better than the one that didn’t get a first down until the 4th quarter against Michigan at home last year? 3. What if Purdue just went for a long field goal rather than a 4th down conversion early in the 4th quarter? 4. What if Purdue didn’t drop roughly double digit passes? 5. Defense allowed 6.8 yards per carry? 6. How can you give up 279 rushing yards and win? 7. Six Purdue players had 10+ yard runs on the day 8. 474 total yards for Purdue to 217 yards for RU, wow 9. Can Rutgers hold any other opponent to only 12 points? Seems crazy. 10. Forget a tenth, RU just won <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/21/16513984/rutgers-beats-purdue-14-12-as-defense-shines-in-second-win-in-a-row-big-ten-chris-ash">again</a>!</p>
<p id="ITjpEs"><strong>Reasons for optimism: </strong>1. Rutgers proved Illinois was not a fluke. 2. Defense had two picks AGAIN, neither of which came from an expected starter at the beginning of the season AGAIN! (Gray and Hayes this time) 3. Defense allowed 12 points to a team who put up 28+ against 4 FBS teams earlier. 4. Purdue only had 195 yards passing, a team with a QB who threw for over 3,000 last year. 5. Only three 20 yard pass plays allowed. 6. Last week I was pessimistic Rutgers would be able to win a close game, but they did in a big way 7. Gio will hopefully get healthier 8. Same as last week, if you play in enough of these actual football games, other teams could give it away, like Purdue and Illinois. 9. <span>Janarion Grant</span> had one catch and they still won again 10. Team is 2-2 in Big Ten. 11. Other than OSU and PSU, are these other Big Ten offenses good either?</p>
<p id="mRgkVd">Dave wonders the same thing as last week, imagine if Rutgers beat EMU and was now 4-3? </p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/24/16479856/rutgers-defensive-report-card-against-purdue-jay-niemann-ross-douglas-kj-gray-big-tenRUready4Brazil2017-10-23T15:08:45-04:002017-10-23T15:08:45-04:00Rutgers v. Purdue: Special Teams Review
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<p>It wasn’t just the defense that played a key role in the victory on Saturday.</p> <p id="GXMB3L">The stadium was roaring, cheering on a defense that as usual, had kept their team in the game, despite less than stellar offense production. Rutgers was two points away from their second B1G victory of season, and the first back to back winning streak since joining the conference in 2014. My heart was in my throat, a feeling seconded by those around me. Was it really going to come down to a 2-pt conversion? Could the defense keep the Boilermakers out of the end zone one last time? My old Scarlet Knights wouldn’t have, and another close game and strident effort would have been for naught. These, however; were not the same old Knights. With less than a minute to go, the defense would put the pressure on Purdue QB David Blough, who scrambled and threw a pass that Kiy Hester was able to tip with KJ Gray knocking it away. </p>
<p id="gwVZ75">Chris Ash had prepared his team for this situation, and the Knights were able to showcase what they had learned in practice. Ash spoke about the 2-point play after the game:</p>
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<p id="rOkfGF"><strong>“</strong>No, we had a two-point play, defensively, that we work all the time. We've never been in a two-point situation yet, so we haven't had to call it. But there are certain things that teams do in those situations that we practice all the time. We called them over, we wanted a time-out to see what they were lined up in, we talked about the options that they typically would do in that situation. They did one of them exactly like we thought. We gave them three options that they would possibly do, and they did one of them and we defended it. Was able to get pressure in the quarterback's face, he threw the ball up and they didn't catch it.”</p>
<p id="ialnr4">“Just the cumulative reps of practice that we put into those situations that they had pretty good idea of what they were going to do. Once they started the motion, we knew exactly, and our players adjusted, covered the guys down and got pressure in the quarterback's face, and it worked.”</p>
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<p id="FBseQh">BUT. It wasn’t over yet. Noooo. Why? Now after miraculously stopping the 2-pt conversion attempt, the win was hanging on recovering an onside kick. I didn’t know if I could watch. Apparently, I didn’t have to keep one hand over my eyes. Not only would the special teams unit recover the kick, but Purdue would commit another costly error by kicking the ball less than 10 yards, which would have caused them to have to re-kick it anyway. Rutgers would off course decline the penalty, and a few moments later, QB Gio Rescigno took a knee to seal the second conference win of the season for Rutgers. <strong>WE DID IT! </strong></p>
<p id="nGJFpf">Special Teams play was a huge factor in this game, second only to our stellar defense. We are back to the Schiano era here, and while a conservative offense may not always make for the most exciting game, Chris Ash proved today there are many ways to win a football game. Here is what he had to say about the team after the game:</p>
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<p id="s96oxe">“Obviously this is a first, being in here, back-to-back victories, so it's a good feeling. Really excited about our players. Again, we didn't play a great game, but we made the plays we needed to on defense and special teams to win the game, and it's okay to win games like that. But it wasn't pretty.”</p>
<p id="iFmpJt">“Punting the way we did to flip the field position was outstanding. Not only the snaps, the punter, but the coverage, also, was great for most of the day out there, and it was just a big, big part of the victory, and couldn't be happier for Ryan Anderson and that punt team and the way they're playing right now.”</p>
<p id="9bDi3P">“Really excited about our team. We challenged them several weeks ago after the Ohio State game to bounce back and show tremendous grit and resolve and brotherhood, and they've done that, and it's on to the next one, and we'll celebrate this one for 24 hours, and we'll come back tomorrow and clean up the things that we didn't do very well and keep getting better and move on to the next challenge.”</p>
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<p id="JX8SUC">Props to Special Teams MVP Ryan Anderson for proving once again he is one of the best pick ups this past off-season. True freshman Justin Davidovicz has also consistently pinned our opponents deep in their own territory. The Knights proved this Saturday to be a much improved team on defense and special teams. </p>
<p id="CxcJs6">I agree, Coach Ash, it is okay to win games that way, and its takes a good coaching staff to play to their teams current strengths. To me, the difference between this game, and the disappointing losses to EMU and Nebraska is that Rutgers has finally figured out how to win. For their key role in helping the team to do just that in this game, special teams play for me grades out at a <strong> solid B+ grade. </strong>This is based on week over week improvement, their ability to limit big plays, and keeping the Knights in the game with great field position. </p>
<p id="MTP8Ia">Next week will be a tough match up, and despite Michigan having the same record in conference play as our Knights, we would be fooling ourselves to think the depth charts are even close. Improvement and consistency will be the name of the game on all sides of the ball, and for now I will relish in the feeling of another W on the scoreboard.</p>
https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/23/16518306/the-play-that-made-the-game-kiy-hester-rutgers-football-purdue-boilermakersCara_Sanfilippo2017-10-22T16:02:19-04:002017-10-22T16:02:19-04:00OTB Round Table: Reactions To Rutgers' Win Over Purdue
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<figcaption>Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Some of our writers give their thoughts on the first Big Ten winning streak since joining in 2014</p> <p id="OdUPb3">Rutgers has now won back to back Big Ten football games for the first time ever. The Scarlet Knights have now exceeded their win total from last season and sit at 2-2 in the Big Ten standings, tied for fourth place with Michigan. Our staff share their reactions and thoughts to beating Purdue on Saturday. </p>
<p id="5bril9"><strong>Cara Sanfilippo:</strong> Ahhh. Omg. Yessss. Still celebrating and recovering my heartrate over here. I really didn’t think going in this would happen, and I’m so happy to be wrong. Listen, I know enough about football to know that we definitely could have played better today, especially on offense. There are those on social media that are already complaining about it. But guess what, right now I don’t care. We were 8 point underdogs who beat a team that was close to beating an undefeated, top 5 team last week. Somehow our pieced together secondary managed to somewhat minimize the Boilermakers pass game. The fans represented this week and supported a team that has never given up. I love, and sometimes love to hate, this team and I’m so happy for them. So in the words of Coach Ash, I’m taking 24 hours to celebrate and then we can analyze the areas of improvement: A win is a win is a win, and even if it wasn’t pretty, I’ll take it.</p>
<p id="8Jjxon"><strong>Patrick Mella: </strong>Well, a win is a win right? Rutgers did not look good but if you can win the games you don’t perform well in that’s a good sign, no? Outside of the rushing touchdown from Edwards early, there wasn’t much offense to speak of. Give credit to Coach Kill for going back to the Blackshear wheel route after Gio missed him wide open the first time around. I love the toughness of Gio as he did not look 100% out there, but he made the plays that mattered. I think the expression “bend but not break” is a great way to describe this defense. I was disappointed with the lack of pressure on both Purdue quarterbacks but they got the job done. The defensive backs limited big plays and functioned well as a group. Kemoko Turay played okay, but to me if you’re the type of defensive player people are talking about going to the next level, at some point there should be a game where you take over. Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t play poorly by any means, but I find myself waiting for him to absolutely dominate a game the way you’d expect a player to do so with NFL aspirations. But this is a day to be positive and enjoy the win. If you’re Rutgers, you look at this game as one that you were able to get the victory in without playing very well. That should serve as motivation for the team going forward as the schedule only gets more difficult from here. They will surely not be picked as a favorite the rest of the season but that really allows them to play as loosely as possible from here on out. Grab one more win and I think this season (as bleak as it looked a few weeks ago) would be considered productive. </p>
<p id="4wAWvw"><strong>Jim Hoffman: </strong>What a lousy homer I am! I picked Rutgers to be beaten by a 23-20 score. Boy, am I glad to be wrong. But anyone in that stadium knows it was a VERY near thing, and it had the feel of defeat being snatched from the jaws of victory yesterday. The offensive production was abysmal. It seemed we were back to last season’s run-run-pass-punt offensive scheme.</p>
<p id="t03XUF">However, I was very impressed with both special teams and the defense. Special teams did a great job taking advantage of Ryan Anderson’s strong punting and they stopped any big returns, often pinning Purdue’s offense deep in their own territory. The defense had a definite bend-but-don’t-break mindset, where they seemed to be letting Purdue march down the field time after time, only to stiffen up in the red zone and stop them short of the end zone. I’m thrilled with their work.</p>
<p id="rLJ41n">If we can somehow get some offensive production, we may be in business here, ladies and gents!</p>
<p id="0bmU6s"><strong>David Brown:</strong> Rutgers played extremely well on defense. The secondary was fantastic, especially KJ Gray. Offense is still a big question mark. Though Gus Edwards made an amazing 74 yard run, the offense was very pedestrian. One throw to Blackshear was the only big play through the air and gave RU enough points to win. I need to see more QB play with more passes longer than five yards. Jerry Kill is very conservative and it’s hampering the talents of their athletic receiver core. That’s my main concern is their offense from this point on, but the defense improved tremendously. First back to back B1G wins and least points given up in the B1G for Rutgers. MVP should be the punter Ryan Anderson, who kept Purdue away from the end zone numerous times. Great win for RU.</p>
<p id="0SH5Nh"><strong>Bob Cancro: </strong>Someone in the comments sections this week, more or less went off of something I said in my prediction. This was a test for Ash. I questioned, maybe I just asked, if he could get this team ready for two weeks in a row and repeat what happened in Illinois. He did. Purdue came in here with a lot of things going for it and we came into the game with a lot of questions. This isn't Chris Ash’s final test, but he passed a really big hurdle this week. He got his team ready to play, and it was a very important win for Rutgers. I'm going to give him credit. It wasn't pretty, but who cares how pretty or ugly it is when you win. Let's all savor this and enjoy it.</p>
<p id="BdExIW"><strong>Aaron Breitman:</strong> I went into detail about how winning ugly is a beautiful thing <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/22/16515224/winning-ugly-is-a-beautiful-thing-for-rutgers-football-big-ten-illinois-purdue-michigan-chris-ash">here</a>, but there are a couple other things that stick out. Rutgers won back to back conference games as the underdog. When is the last time that happened? The last time Rutgers won back to back conference games was in the Big East in 2012, but that team was not an underdog that often. The point being Rutgers just won two games the oddsmakers didn’t figure them to win and that’s satisfying. This is what proving people wrong looks like. Another thing to think about is that the Maryland game is even more important now and it’s a big deal that <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/20/16511948/november-4-rutgers-wrestling-football-doubleheader-moved-to-hpss-maryland-big-ten">the game was moved</a> back to High Point Solutions Stadium. Playing in front of your home crowd in your own stadium instead of in a converted baseball field in front of a mixed crowd farther away from the field is a big plus. If Rutgers can beat Maryland, they virtually guarantee they won’t finish in last place in the Big Ten East. Rutgers is 2-2, Maryland is 1-3, and Indiana is 0-4. If Rutgers can win at least three Big Ten games and finish in fifth place, it would be a big step forward this season. It’s possible now and that should be the goal in terms of the next box to check off during this rebuild.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Volume Up - Retweet if you helped take over the BTN broadcast (sorry ref) with this R...U chant <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RutgersRah?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RutgersRah</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFootball</a> <a href="https://t.co/G5N91yubm7">pic.twitter.com/G5N91yubm7</a></p>— Rutgers Athletics (@RUAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUAthletics/status/922117865813225472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">B1G WIN yesterday in front of our home fans‼️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHunt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHunt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Homecoming?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Homecoming</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/10STRONG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#10STRONG</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/mzqRNge5PG">pic.twitter.com/mzqRNge5PG</a></p>— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball/status/922146025430798337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2017</a>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/22/16514382/otb-round-table-reactions-to-rutgers-win-over-purdue-illinois-maryland-chris-ash-big-ten-footballOTB Staff2017-10-22T09:33:42-04:002017-10-22T09:33:42-04:00Winning Ugly Is A Beautiful Thing For Rutgers Football
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Purdue at Rutgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S8eLICT9BAp1VvIueFgItnRY7CI=/0x0:3024x2016/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57255037/usa_today_10358715.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Stats and style points don’t matter as much as the final score, which ultimately determines real progress</p> <p id="a4gO3V">The statistics from yesterday’s <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/21/16513984/rutgers-beats-purdue-14-12-as-defense-shines-in-second-win-in-a-row-big-ten-chris-ash">14-12 victory</a> for Rutgers over Purdue paint a very clear picture:</p>
<p id="hNQOMV">Purdue gained 474 yards on offense, Rutgers only had 217 yards.</p>
<p id="WVDV56">Purdue threw for 195 yards while Rutgers threw for 87 yards.</p>
<p id="BdZ9fi">Purdue rushed for 279 yards, five more than Rutgers did in their win over Illinois and 149 yards more than the Scarlet Knights ran for yesterday. Of the 130 yards Rutgers rushed for, 74 of them came on the Gus Edwards touchdown on the second play from scrimmage in the game. Their 3.5 yards per carry average in the game was actually just 1.5 yards per carry when taking out that big run from Edwards. </p>
<p id="Y6LnLN">Purdue had 25 first downs and Rutgers had just 8.</p>
<p id="9gjEBN">Purdue won the time of possession battle, 32:06 to 27:54.</p>
<p id="gz9T3R">The picture shows that Purdue dominated the game in many ways. And yet, Rutgers won due to minimizing mistakes and making the two biggest plays of the game. Purdue committed two turnovers and Rutgers had zero. Purdue committed 8 penalties, while Rutgers was flagged just 4 times. Purdue had two drives end inside the Rutgers 10 yard line and had to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. Purdue was just 3 of 15 on third down conversions and only 1 of 4 on fourth down attempts. At the end of the day, Rutgers held an edge in the statistical categories that mattered most and it resulted in them winning the game. Minimizing mistakes and two big plays on offense were the difference in the outcome.</p>
<p id="y55a37">It doesn’t matter that it was an ugly win, because the final result is all that matters. Chris Ash said as much in the opening of his press conference after the game:</p>
<blockquote><p id="o4NEM0">“Obviously this is a first, being in here, back-to-back victories, so it's a good feeling. Really excited about our players. Again, we didn't play a great game, but we made the plays we needed to on defense and special teams to win the game, and it's okay to win games like that. But it wasn't pretty.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="WSMu8M">When Ash was asked about the lopsided statistics in Purdue’s favor, he quickly referred to the only one that mattered at the end of the game:</p>
<blockquote><p id="MC9GxF">“I don't look at them right now. I'm not looking at them. You can look at them, you can make all the assumptions you want. There's one that matters today, and we've got that W.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="1uxyp7">Rutgers started the season 1-4 and went into its bye week after a 56-0 shellacking at the hands of Ohio State. The season was on the brink of no return and fans had a right to be legitimately concerned that a nightmare 1-11 season was possible. Rutgers was on a 16 game Big Ten losing streak and there were grumblings growing louder that Chris Ash was not going to turn things around. All of a sudden, Rutgers is 2-0 in October and has its first Big Ten winning streak ever in their fourth season in the conference. Ash was asked what changed in the past two weeks and his answer signaled the importance of how hard and long it takes to change the culture in a program:</p>
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<p id="4V85aV">“You don't win those games in the last eight days, you just don't. You win games in the off-season, back of the off-season, spring ball, summer conditioning, training camp. That's when you win these games. You just don't want to lose your team during tough times and adversity, and that's really, I guess, a testament to our players is we have been through some tough times. We didn't start off great. We were 1 and 4, some close games, some tough losses, and we stayed together, and we kept battling and kept fighting and kept getting better.”</p>
<p id="iCm5ud">“The formula doesn't change for winning games. We've got to go play really, really hard, and we've got to do our job. We've got to play four quarters of football. We've got to be good up front on both sides of the ball. We weren't today. But again, just because one part of that doesn't work, that doesn't mean you can't win games, and that's really what it was about today. You know, all three phases weren't clicking together for four quarters today, but we still did what we needed to in one phase or the other, made a few more plays that allowed us to win the game, and that's all that matters.”</p>
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<p id="MBEq4R">The biggest takeaway from yesterday’s game for me is that winning ugly is an absolutely necessary step in rebuilding Rutgers football. It’s no secret this is a flawed team. The offensive line was manhandled by the Purdue front seven yesterday, who should have paid rent for living in the Rutgers backfield as much as they did in the game. The passing game continues to be anemic. The defensive line did not generate consistent pressure against the Purdue offensive line like we had hoped they would and the run defense was atrocious in this game. Injuries have taken a toll on a roster that was already lacking talent and depth. The coaching staff has been labeled as more conservative than a room of older British women at a tea party. </p>
<p id="gwAMgg">The reality is that the program has made real progress in the second season with Chris Ash at the helm. There is still a long way to go, there have been mistakes for sure and he is still learning on the job, but the culture he has built is starting to blossom. This team didn’t quit on him, his staff, or themselves entering the bye week at 1-4. They’ve now won the second most conference games in a season since Rutgers joined in 2014. The team has already won more games than last season and almost half of the schedule remains to be played. It doesn’t matter that the wins have come against two of the worst teams in the West division, or that Rutgers struggled at times against both of them. These wins are important for perception, recruiting, and most importantly, reinforcing the culture established under Ash and marking true steps forward in the rebuilding process.</p>
<p id="Tr2Yl1">We knew the schedule had aligned well and that playing Illinois and Purdue in back to back games was <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/6/19/15821574/two-game-stretch-october-rutgers-football-making-progress-season-purdue-illinois-big-ten-chris-ash">a major opportunity </a>to prove this team was improving. It doesn’t matter how ugly either game was, the most important thing is that Rutgers won both games. Part of any rebuild is learning how to win and with the current state of the roster, winning ugly is the only realistic way they will be victorious on Saturdays the rest of this season. Winning ugly is a good thing, because the alternative provides no tangible progress. </p>
<p id="odh6fC">The Eastern Michigan game is a perfect example. Fans were talking before the game how important it was for Rutgers to win convincingly to show real progress is happening. I <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/9/5/16246150/the-search-for-respect-for-rutgers-football-starts-with-beating-eastern-michigan">wrote at the time</a> that margin of victory doesn’t matter for a program that was currently on a 10 game losing streak. They just needed to win. Unfortunately, Rutgers lost and this season looked like it was becoming a trip towards disaster as the only destination. While it’s fair to groan that if Rutgers had just won that game, they’d be 4-3 right now and have a chance at a bowl game, program rebuilds do not travel in a consistent, positive trajectory. There are ups and downs, sometimes when you least suspect that they will happen. Sometimes players, coaches, and teams learn how to win and get better through the adversity they created and are surrounded by. They have climbed out of the depth’s of hell that was the loss to Eastern Michigan and they’ve won back to back Big Ten games. Style points are irrelevant. </p>
<p id="piL97c">Credit Ash for getting the most out of this team the past two games and changing the narrative around the Big Ten. Only eight out of fourteen teams have multiple conference wins and Rutgers is one of them. It doesn’t matter who they beat or how they won them. For a program that has finished in last place for two consecutive seasons and was unanimously picked last again this year, all that matters is winning games and proving everyone wrong. </p>
<p id="jc9Lhn">Rutgers is tied with Michigan at 2-2 for fourth place in the Big Ten East, ahead of next week’s matchup. That fact alone helps to change the perception of Rutgers football, who won just one conference game the previous two seasons. </p>
<p id="7Zwli5">I’ve said before this rebuild is going to require time and patience, which is still very true. It’s also okay to enjoy these triumphs along the way, because winning ugly is a necessary part of Rutgers football changing the narrative permanently, both in the Big Ten and within all of college football. Most people don’t look at the stats, they see the final score. The past two weekends, college football fans have seen the score ticker on their television screens and saw that Rutgers was the winner. That’s progress!</p>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/22/16515224/winning-ugly-is-a-beautiful-thing-for-rutgers-football-big-ten-illinois-purdue-michigan-chris-ashAaron Breitman2017-10-21T15:45:54-04:002017-10-21T15:45:54-04:00Rutgers Beats Purdue 14-12 As Defense Shines In Second Straight Victory
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<figcaption>Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It wasn’t pretty, but an ugly win is still a win!!!!</p> <p id="TRajvw">We are going streaking! On homecoming, Rutgers beat Purdue in a hard fought 14-12 victory in which the defense held strong and led the team to its first winning streak since joining the Big Ten in 2014. It is the first time the program has won back to back conference games since 2012. The offense struggled and Purdue outgained Rutgers by 257 yards (474-217), but Jerry Kill’s unit produced two big plays that were the difference in the game.</p>
<p id="Bk0rMb">On just the second snap from scrimmage, running back Gus Edwards broke a tackle and ran free for a 74 yard touchdown. It was exactly the start Rutgers needed after the defense stopped Purdue on their first drive. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just hopped on the Gus Bus. Didn't need to discuss much.<a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFootball</a> opens the game with some fireworks! <a href="https://t.co/r4eXMRIEwu">pic.twitter.com/r4eXMRIEwu</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/921771680091041792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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<p id="MNYq1x">The only other notable offense play in the first half was this great call and catch by Nakia Griffin-Stewart on a 3rd and 1. What a one handed grab it was, but it didn’t amount to any points.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's going to be tough to top this Nakia Griffin-Stewart <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFootball</a> catch today.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTNStandout?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTNStandout</a> <a href="https://t.co/WZILzRxHX6">pic.twitter.com/WZILzRxHX6</a></p>— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RutgersOnBTN/status/921777924705079296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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<p id="nN1nz7">As for the defense, credit them for bending, but not breaking. Purdue was just 1 of 8 on 3rd down conversions in the first half and held them both on a goal line stand, as well on a 4th and 2 on the Rutgers 45 yard line. Limiting Purdue to just a field goal in the first half while the offense struggled was so big in keeping Rutgers in the lead at the break. </p>
<p id="wOPqKp">After both teams traded three and outs on their opening possessions of the second half, the Rutgers offense finally woke up. Jerry Kill opened up the play calling some and Jerome Washington had a huge catch on a play action call on the drive. Robert Martin had a couple big runs as well before the drive stalled on the Purdue 37 yard line and it was 2nd and 20. </p>
<p id="4CDvDk">After Gio handed off to Gus Edwards, who took it up the middle for just 2 yards, the home faithful started booing the conservative call. It looked like Gio checked down at the line of scrimmage and made the wrong adjustment. Thankfully, on 3rd and 18, he redeemed himself. After stumbling in the first half with Raheem Blackshear wide open on the sidelines, missing a big opportunity, Kill called the same play and this time Gio found Blackshear in stride, who rumbled downfield and into the end zone for a big time touchdown, putting Rutgers up 14-3 midway through the third quarter.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TOUCHDOWN <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFootball</a>!<br><br>Raheem Blackshear gives the Scarlet Knights a two-score lead. <a href="https://t.co/314Z0i0Sz6">pic.twitter.com/314Z0i0Sz6</a></p>— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RutgersOnBTN/status/921802153638973441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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<p id="cOoGJm">Purdue had some big runs on their next drive, but they stalled in the red zone again and Rutgers held them to another field goal after being inside the 10 yard line. </p>
<p id="Xe9cJj">After Rutgers was conservative the rest of the game, clinging to a 14-6 lead, the defense was tremendous in stopping Purdue when they had to.</p>
<p id="Vl06He">Chris Ash opted to punt it away in the Purdue territory early in the 4th quarter, continuing to task his defense to hold the lead. Purdue took over on their own 10 yard line. They ran all over Rutgers once more, until stalling yet again near the red zone at the 30 yard line. Purdue coach Jeff Brohm went for it on 4th down for the third time in the game, this time 4th and 1 and Rutgers stopped them again. After trading non-productive drives again, Purdue threw deep on the first play of the drive and Damon Hayes had a big time interception on the Rutgers 40 yard line. </p>
<p id="iE31HX">Gio Rescigno has a lot of guts and was clearly playing at less than 100%. His mobility was limited and when he did try and run, it was clear he wasn’t going to be effective. Offensive coordinator Jerry Kill continued to call a run heavy game that wasn’t very successful, as they averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on 37 attempts.. Despite the struggles on offense, Rutgers won the game behind their defense, which made several big plays and stops when this team needed them most. </p>
<p id="Q89pOn">While Purdue racked up a lot of yardage, especially on the ground (279 yards), their offense was just 3 of 15 on third down and 1 of 4 on 4th down conversion attempts. They also committed eight penalties for 50 yards, several of them crippling the Purdue offense in key spots. While the Rutgers defense allowed almost 500 yards against the Boilermakers, they made plays when they had to. None were bigger than forcing an incompletion on Purdue’s 2 point conversion attempt with 25 seconds left trying to tie the game. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">BALLGAME!<br><br>That's two in a row for Chris Ash and <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFootball</a>. <a href="https://t.co/pXXGFiXxxM">pic.twitter.com/pXXGFiXxxM</a></p>— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RutgersOnBTN/status/921819222287814656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">You just can't match the raw emotion of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CollegeFootball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CollegeFootball</a> on the radio! <br><br>LISTEN to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCarlin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisCarlin</a> & Co. react to <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFootball</a>'s game-sealing defensive stop vs. Purdue: <a href="https://t.co/jvu0xl26Ma">https://t.co/jvu0xl26Ma</a></p>— IMG Audio (@IMGAudio) <a href="https://twitter.com/IMGAudio/status/921822704373764096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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<p id="5jwXWv">Ryan Anderson also played a big part as the punter came through with several big, booming kicks to pin Purdue deep in their own territory.</p>
<p id="wwqkKi">I know people are upset by the conservative play calling in this game, but it was obvious Gio was not healthy. Chris Ash pushed all his chips into the middle of the table and bet on the defense. Rutgers played a field position battle and dared the Purdue offense to beat them. The bottom line is the strategy worked and Rutgers is now 2-2 in Big Ten play and 3-4 overall this season. Both wins against against Illinois and Purdue were ugly, but they were monumental wins in the sense that this program badly needed positive results and proof things are headed in the right direction. This is a big development and much needed boost for recruiting. </p>
<p id="VuJLkJ">There is now hope that Rutgers isn’t done winning conference games this season. Although next week is a tall task playing at Michigan, they will now return home the following week to play Maryland (3-4; 1-3) after the game was switched yesterday from Yankee Stadium back to Piscataway. </p>
<p id="iiQhmG">It was great to see this team fight hard and capitalize on their momentum from their victory the week before. I picked them to lose in a blowout and I'm thrilled to be wrong. I was most concerned about Rutgers defending the pass and they did a great job in this game. After losing to Ohio State 56-0, this team has shown great character and resolve in bouncing back with two victories.</p>
<p id="NZ0LDu">Rutgers minimized their mistakes (4 penalties, no turnovers) and played tough football. This is a flawed team on offense, but Rutgers found a way to win. They gave the home faithful something to cheer about on Homecoming. There will be plenty more to analyze from this game, but it’s time to savor another Big Ten victory as Rutgers moved to 2-0 in October! </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">MOOD in Lit-scataway: <a href="https://t.co/KJWRS59iHZ">pic.twitter.com/KJWRS59iHZ</a></p>— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RutgersOnBTN/status/921819984959098880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/21/16513984/rutgers-beats-purdue-14-12-as-defense-shines-in-second-win-in-a-row-big-ten-chris-ashAaron Breitman2017-10-21T11:15:01-04:002017-10-21T11:15:01-04:00The “Run To Victory On Homecoming” Game Thread: Purdue At Rutgers
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Morgan State at Rutgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7XD2SQMTa5uxnu1ruoI9xaRzezY=/277x0:4908x3087/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57247313/usa_today_10284093.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<h3 id="6wd8JG">How To Watch, Stream & Listen</h3>
<h4 id="uJBBGp">Purdue (3-3; 1-2) At Rutgers (2-4; 1-2) </h4>
<p id="AjcTzn"><strong>Where:</strong> High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey</p>
<p id="VVJgtm"><strong>Kick-off: </strong> Saturday, October 21st at noon ET (Homecoming Game)</p>
<p id="WhVNya"><strong>TV:</strong> Big Ten Network - Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, and Lisa Byington</p>
<p id="VlgQgi"><strong>Stream: </strong><a href="https://www.btn2go.com/game/purdue-at-rutgers-on-10212017">BTN2GO </a></p>
<p id="9q9AQx"><strong>Radio:</strong> Rutgers IMG Sports Network with Chris Carlin, Ray Lucas, Eric LeGrand and Anthony Fucilli - WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 113, XM 196</p>
<p id="iinM1m"><strong>Current Spread: </strong>Purdue -10</p>
<p id="6pk6zB"><strong>Series History:</strong> This is the first meeting between the two schools</p>
<p id="IWuYqf"><strong>Common Opponents:</strong> None</p>
<p id="wgcPyO"><strong>SB Nation Ohio State site: </strong><a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com/">Hammer And Rails</a></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">From Millville to Montclair... from Pennsauken to Neptune, it's Football Homecoming in New Jersey! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RutgersGameday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RutgersGameday</a> <a href="https://t.co/fi8SBJqIRB">pic.twitter.com/fi8SBJqIRB</a></p>— Rutgers Athletics (@RUAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUAthletics/status/921723368415559680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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<p id="CTDn6B"><a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/20/16507306/game-7-preview-purdue-at-rutgers-chris-ash-jeff-brohm-big-ten-homecoming"><strong>Game Preview</strong></a></p>
<p id="A8GOdJ">This game is a huge opportunity for Rutgers to gain some real momentum and prove real progress is happening this season. Purdue is much improved, but certainly a beatable opponent. It’s homecoming on campus and the crowd should be into the game from the opening kickoff. Hopefully, Rutgers can come out fast and take control of the game early on. Expect offensive coordinator Jerry Kill to try and control the line of scrimmage and time of possession with the run game. Purdue’s offense will surely attack through the air and test the Rutgers defense to stop them. It’s a contrast in styles and each team’s strengths are the other’s weaknesses. It should be an interesting game. Let’s hope Rutgers can begin their first ever Big Ten winning streak today! </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get ready for kickoff by checking out this weeks Pre-Purdue Motivational <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHunt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHunt</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/rHZ7aoCAQQ">pic.twitter.com/rHZ7aoCAQQ</a></p>— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball/status/921745927592853505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2017</a>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/21/16513392/the-run-to-victory-on-homecoming-game-thread-purdue-at-rutgers-chris-ash-big-ten-footballAaron Breitman2017-10-20T15:23:10-04:002017-10-20T15:23:10-04:00Game #7 Preview: Purdue at Rutgers
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<img alt="Ohio State v Rutgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/d5UXvg2nPk7zE9yYH4J289xEp2w=/0x0:3500x2333/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57240269/860908276.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>How To Watch, Advanced Stats & Keys To Victory</p> <h3 id="6wd8JG">How To Watch, Stream & Listen</h3>
<h4 id="uJBBGp">Purdue (3-3; 1-2) At Rutgers (2-4; 1-2) </h4>
<p id="AjcTzn"><strong>Where:</strong> High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey</p>
<p id="VVJgtm"><strong>Kick-off: </strong> Saturday, October 21st at noon ET (Homecoming Game)</p>
<p id="WhVNya"><strong>TV:</strong> Big Ten Network - Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, and Lisa Byington</p>
<p id="VlgQgi"><strong>Stream: </strong><a href="https://www.btn2go.com/game/purdue-at-rutgers-on-10212017">BTN2GO </a></p>
<p id="9q9AQx"><strong>Radio:</strong> Rutgers IMG Sports Network with Chris Carlin, Ray Lucas, Eric LeGrand and Anthony Fucilli - WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 113, XM 196</p>
<p id="iinM1m"><strong>Current Spread: </strong>Purdue -9.5</p>
<p id="6pk6zB"><strong>Series History:</strong> This is the first meeting between the two schools</p>
<p id="IWuYqf"><strong>Common Opponents:</strong> None</p>
<p id="jJcCY7"><strong>SB Nation Ohio State site: </strong><a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com/">Hammer And Rails</a></p>
<h2 id="Fw8tgq">Purdue Statistical Leaders</h2>
<p id="vvf0I9"><strong>Passing: </strong><em>Elijah Sindelar </em>- 63 of 119 pass attempts, 52.9%, 769 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT; <em>David Blough</em> - 62 of 90 pass attempts, 68.9%, 688 yards, 7 TD, 4 INT</p>
<p id="bzVs0c"><strong>Rushing:</strong><em><strong> </strong></em><em>Tario Fuller</em> - 43 carries for 261 yards for 6.1 yards per rush, 2 TD’s ; <em>D.J. Knox</em> - 28 carries for 152 yards for 5.4 yards per rush</p>
<p id="BxlQEI"><strong>Receiving: </strong><em>Anthony Mahoungou</em>- 16 receptions for 253 yards, 1 TD; <em>Cole Herdman </em>- 11 receptions for 250 yards, 2 TD; <em>Jackson Anthrop</em> - 23 receptions for 228 yards, 4 TD; <em>Brycen Hopkins</em> - 15 receptions for 224 yards, 3 TD</p>
<p id="2SzFrs"><strong>Defense: </strong><em>Ja’Whaun Bentley - </em>46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, 3 pass deflections, 1 INT; <em>Markus Bailey</em> - 41 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT; <em>Danny Ezechukwu</em> - 22 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, 2.0 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 INT</p>
<p id="m22mlA"><strong>Kicking: </strong><em>Spencer Evans</em> - 4 of 6 on FG attempts, Long of 49 yards, 9 of 10 on XP attempts;<em> J.D. Dellinger</em> - 4 of 7 on FG attempts, Long of 40 yards, 8 of 8 on XP attempts</p>
<h2 id="vMDLT4">Purdue Statistical Comparison Versus Rutgers</h2>
<p id="HvLUFG"><strong>S&P+ Advanced Stats Profiles:</strong><a href="https://www.footballstudyhall.com/pages/2017-purdue-advanced-statistical-profile"> Purdue</a> <strong>I </strong><a href="https://www.footballstudyhall.com/pages/2017-rutgers-advanced-statistical-profile">Rutgers</a></p>
<p id="yHIIqZ"><strong>Rutgers Advanced Stats Win Probability</strong> - 40% <em>(per </em><a href="https://www.footballstudyhall.com/"><em>Football Study Hall</em></a><em>)</em></p>
<p id="k6KWuW"><strong>S&P+ Offensive Ranks:</strong> Purdue 70th; Rutgers 120th</p>
<p id="rhRXXy"><strong>S&P+ Defensive Ranks: </strong>Purdue 43rd; Rutgers 36th</p>
<p id="tF7GJd"><em>(conference ranks noted below)</em></p>
<p id="OJ97QC"><strong>Scoring Offense:</strong> Purdue 26.2 ppg (10th); Rutgers 24.0 ppg (12th)</p>
<p id="V8UpaW"><strong>Scoring Defense:</strong> Purdue 20.2 ppg (8th); Rutgers 25.5 ppg (9th)</p>
<p id="3zuLia"><strong>Matchup Mismatches: </strong>Purdue Passing Offense 246.8 yards per game (6th) v. Rutgers Passing Defense 229.8 yards per game (11th); Rutgers Rushing Offense 174.0 yards per game (6th) v. Purdue Rushing Defense 175.0 yards per game (13th)</p>
<p id="4cpDBP"><strong>Average Time Of Possession:</strong> Purdue 28:46 (11th); Rutgers 31:43 (5th)</p>
<h2 id="JflXOc">Keys To The Game</h2>
<h3 id="KTlPKL">Minimize Mistakes</h3>
<p id="BCaPiL">Rutgers was fortunate they played Illinois last week in the sense that they lost three fumbles and committed eight penalties. That would have resulted in a loss against most, if not all other Big Ten opponents. They cannot afford sloppy play in this game and they need to come out sharp and focused from the opening kickoff. For this team to show real progress this season, they need to cut down on such costly mistakes and stop giving their opponents an advantage. While it’s not realistic to expect zero miscues, Rutgers needs to make sure they minimize the damage when they do happen. </p>
<h3 id="3IJq04">Run It Down Their Throats</h3>
<p id="leKgy7">The Rutgers <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/20/16506210/ground-and-pound-depth-at-running-back-rutgers-purdue-football-jerry-kill-big-ten">ground game</a> came through against Illinois and it needs to be fully charged against Purdue for any hope of beginning a much desired winning streak in conference play. The offensive line did a great job of opening up holes for the backs to run through last week and need to do the same in this game. The front seven of Purdue could be a bit beat up from facing Wisconsin last week, who grounded out over 300 yards rushing against them. Rutgers needs to bring a certain physicality and mentality to the Purdue game in order to have a chance. That's a step this offense needs to take to have success the rest of the way against Big Ten competition. Rutgers needs to win the time of possession battle and control the game, keeping the Purdue offense off the field. They aren't the most talented, but if they can outwork and physically assert themselves running the ball, Rutgers will win more conference games this season. Saturday's game is certainly an opportunity to do so.</p>
<h3 id="ApaABE">A Few Big Plays</h3>
<p id="qVa3rd">As important as the run game is in establishing control of the game, Rutgers needs a few big plays as well to win.. The reality is that while Wisconsin ran for over 300 yards against Purdue, they only scored 17 points and produced just a field goal after the first quarter. Rutgers needs a big play or two from all three units in this game. Can Jerry Kill find a way to get Janarion Grant the ball in open space? Will Rutgers complete a pass downfield longer than 15 yards? Can one of the backs, perhaps Raheem Blackshear, run for a big gain? Aside from those possibilities, the defense needs to force turnovers and shorten the field for the offense. It would be great timing for Rutgers to produce a big play or two in the return game as well. We know Rutgers will try and control time of possession by running the ball, but they need big plays to lead to points to actually win this game.</p>
<h3 id="HUIykP">Ground The Air Attack</h3>
<p id="hG1KlQ">The Purdue passing attack is what scares me most about this game. As good as Jawuan Harris and K.J. Gray were last week, they are inexperienced enough to be exploited by the Purdue offense. Their entire turnaround has been sparked by the improved offense under head coach Jeff Brohm. Expect him to attack Rutgers early and often through the air, something Illinois did not do. The best way to counter this is for the Rutgers front seven to generate a disruptive pass rush on a consistent basis in this game. Purdue has allowed 20 sacks through six games, the most in the conference. The more the Rutgers defensive line is present in the Purdue backfield, the better. I really hope DC Jay Niemann strays from the normal and calls for more blitzes in this game. Can someone make sure Kemoko Turay doesn't forget to put his cape on before the game? He is needed more than ever in this contest. Another area that Rutgers needs to show improvement with is the linebackers in pass coverage. Purdue loves utilizing their tight ends, Cole Herdman and Brycen Hopkins, in the passing game. Trevor Morris and Ross Douglas need to play well in defending them on pass plays. Regardless, if the secondary doesn’t play well, I’m worried this could get ugly.</p>
<h3 id="t0qqM6">Toughness & Heart</h3>
<p id="uydqvP">For me, these factors will have a huge impact on the outcome of this game. Rutgers simply needs to play with an edge against Purdue and take the game to them. It’s possible Purdue is due a stinker. This is their second straight road game, a rare trip to the east coast, are a week removed playing the best and most physical team in the Big Ten West in Wisconsin, and they haven’t played a bad game all season. However, Rutgers needs to force the action by coming out aggressively and playing physical football. Establishing the run game will help, but the defense needs to play hungry too and manhandle the Purdue offensive line. Chris Ash and the staff need to have this team ready to play because this game is winnable, but if they come out flat and don’t set the tone early on, the outcome will be predictable and disappointing. The talent disparity shouldn't be that significant. I want to see Rutgers truly want this game more than Purdue and will themselves to victory. It’s homecoming against an opponent that’s beatable, making this no better of a time for this team to leave their heart and guts out on the field Saturday. If they do, they can win and prove real progress is happening at Rutgers this season.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It all starts with great combat<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHunt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHunt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThreeStripeKnights?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThreeStripeKnights</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/YgGHPMJRqi">pic.twitter.com/YgGHPMJRqi</a></p>— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/RFootball/status/921071088062394369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2017</a>
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https://www.onthebanks.com/2017/10/20/16507306/game-7-preview-purdue-at-rutgers-chris-ash-jeff-brohm-big-ten-homecomingAaron Breitman