College Football Predictions – Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2020 College Football Preview
July 2020
OCTOBER 2020 – Schedule notes updated.
2019 Recap
Record – 2-10
ATS – 4-8
The Scarlet Knights won their August opener vs Massachusetts in handy fashion (W 48-21) and then proceeded to lose ten of their next eleven games. Many of those losses were in blowout fashion, and there was a four-game stretch in which they scored a TOTAL of fourteen points. The highlight of the campaign was their upset ten-point win over a good Liberty team.
Greg Schiano is back in town to lead the team. What can we expect out of the Scarlet Knights this year?
2020 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating
East Division – TBD
Big 10 – TBD
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2020 Outlook
OFFENSE
The offense was PURE FILTH a season ago, and some may say that is an insult to PURE FILTH. Rutgers scored a mere 13 PPG (2nd last FBS) and managed just 273 YPG (also 2nd last FBS). That marked the 4th consecutive season of scoring fewer than 20 PPG. The Scarlet Knights, as a team, had a horrid 7-15 TD to INT mark LY and the hope is that one of their two experienced QBs (Artur Sitkowski, Johnny Langan) can show growth under new OC Sean Gleeson (Oklahoma St). The WR/TE group is a mystery but at least leading WR Bo Melton returns (427, 14.2, 2 TD). The best news on offense relates to a promising RB group that returns leading rusher Isaih Pacheco (729, 7 TD LY). Two starters return up front.
We’ll call for mild improvement with the new OC but it seems certain they are destined for another putrid go of it on this side of the ball.
DEFENSE
Twas another tough season on defense LY for the Scarlet Knights as they allowed 30+ PPG for the fifth time in six years (36.7, last Big Ten). They were abysmal vs the run (201 YPG, last Big Ten) and 11th in the conference in pass efficiency defense (25-6 TD to INT). You want PENETRATION? Nope. They were last in the Big Ten in sacks and TFL/game. Sweet. New DC Robb Smith has 8 returning starters to work with and the LB group looks pretty solid with the return of last year’s #1, #2, and #5 tacklers. The secondary boasts three returning starters but there’s still concern up front where the talent pool is sketchy. It’s still unclear as we approach press time if the Scarlet Knights will roll with a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment. Our BIG TEN INSIDERS suggest that it may be prudent to get as many LBs on the field as possible.
We’ll call for moderate improvement but this is still clearly one of the worst defenses in the conference.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Good looking!
Rutgers has a rock solid kicking combination with the return of PK Justin Davidovicz (20/26 FG L2Y) and ace punter Adam Korsak. THE HITS KEEP COMING with the transfer of KR Aron Cruickshank who had a PAIR of return TDs for Wisconsin in 2019. Avery Young was also effective on KR LY.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The Scarlet Knights draw Purdue (A) and Illinois from the Big Ten West which is a good break. The three killer East division games (Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St) are well spread out.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing heinous noted.
Season Win Total
TBD
MEGALOCKS says:
TBD
MEGAmazing Tidbits
From our friends at Wikipedia……….
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team is notable for playing in the first ever intercollegiate football game in 1869, in which they defeated Princeton by a score of 6–4. For this reason, Rutgers has been described as “the birthplace of college football.”
MEGALOCKS Outlook:
It’s good to see Greg Schiano back in charge. It’s going to be a LONNNNNNNG rebuilding project and they have the misfortune of being in the rugged Big Ten East. We expect the offense to struggle mightily in the first half of the campaign but wouldn’t be shocked to see some improvement down the stretch. The defense will be better. They’ll probably pick up a win along the way, but their primary focus will be building an identity and preparing to make a bigger move forward in 2021.
Want more Rutgers football ?
WEBSITE
https://scarletknights.com/sports/football
FORUM
https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/forums/rutgers-football.20/
https://247sports.com/college/rutgers/Board/Rutgers-Football-102431/
NEWS
http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/
http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/rutgers/
https://www.thescarletspotlight.com/
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/164/rutgers-scarlet-knights
TWITTER
Hashtag – #CHOP
Accounts to follow