Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2016 NCAA Football Preview
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
Big 10 Conference – East Division
2015 Record – 4-8
ATS – 4-8
2016 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating Rank
East Division – #6
Conference – #12
2015 Recap
It was a forgettable campaign. Only one season removed from an 8-win season and a bowl victory, Rutgers could only manage four wins all year, and those triumphs were against Norfolk St, Army, Kansas and Indiana. The secondary was decimated by injuries. The head coach got suspended. They had a three-game stretch where they lost by a combined score of 146-33. Good times.
OFFENSE
Chris Laviano returns at QB but he will be without his biggest weapon at WR in Leonte Carroo (3rd round NFL DC). There are some other options for QB including the 2015 backup Hayden Rettig so we need to keep a close eye on the competition. It is unclear to us who the best choice is for the new power spread offense. Who knows ? It just might end up being TCU transfer Zach Allen at the controls.
The good news for the Scarlet Knights is that the running game should be fine. Rutgers has averaged over 160 yards rushing each of the past two seasons and have a big and experienced offensive line returning in 2016. Robert Martin and Josh Hicks are back at RB and both guys averaged over 5 yards a pop last season. If they get a WR to emerge as a true #1 this offense will be productive.
DEFENSE
It was not pretty last season. Rutgers had a ton of injuries in the back end of their defense, but even so, they were ranked last in the Big 10 in sacks per game, last in pass efficiency defense and they also gave up 186 yards rushing per game and 64% completions. There is a lot of work to do but they have the makings of a much improved stop unit. The defensive line has some talent and the secondary returns all four starters. Now of course, you can say returning seven starters to a bad defense may not be a plus, but we think they are going to be a lot better this season. However, they are not out of the woods yet because they are reloading at LB and need to find sacks from somebody. Barring another rash of injuries we can see them being an average big 10 defense and nowhere near as bad as last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
JUGGERNAUT ALERT – WR/PR/KR Janarion Grant returned THREE kickoffs for TDs last season and threw in a punt return TD for good measure. The defense and running game should keep them in more contests this season and Grant just might make the difference in at least one decision.
The kicking game is a big concern. Rutgers will have a new punter and long snapper this season. And who knows what will happen when they line up for field goals. The starting PK job is still up for grabs.
MEGALOCKS ATS Value Rating (10) 7.5
MEGALOCKS says:
It is a bit difficult to be too high on a team ATS when they have a first year head coach. Not to mention a team that gave up 35 points per game last season. That being said, despite the schedule being a bit difficult (Washington, Iowa, Ohio St, Michigan in first six games), we think the Scarlet Knights can do some damage as an underdog against the number.
Overall, we give the SCARLET KNIGHTS an 7.5 ATS Value Rating (Very Good) this season. Good offensive line and running game. Decent defensive line. 16 returning starters. When you combine all of that with the memories of last season’s debacle, Rutgers has to make it on our watch list to start the season. If they get steamrolled week one at Washington it may set up even more value for the first half of the season.
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News
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