After Nebraska overcame a sluggish start in West Lafayette to defeat Purdue handily (28-10), the Huskers return home Saturday to face Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights will come into Lincoln at 4-0, their best start in over a decade. Most betting lines currently have Nebraska favored by between 5.5 and 7 points.
I talked to Larry Krayn, host of the Knight Watch Podcast, to get the Rutgers perspective on the upcoming game.
Interview with Larry Krayn, Host of the Knight Watch Podcast
Rutgers is 4-0, the school’s best start since 2012. What are the vibes like around the fan base right now? What are the expectations for the remainder of the season?
Having started 4-0 for the first time in many years, the vibe around the program right now is very good. That was evident in our gameday experience this past Friday night vs. Washington. The crowd and loudness, etc. is the biggest and best I’ve seen since 2014, and the blackout might have been the most consistent color matching I’ve ever seen at Rutgers, with Michigan 2014 being the only one that comes close in my memory. That all being said, expectations for this season were pretty high amongst the fanbase due to Rutgers turning the corner last season, and many starters returning for their senior seasons. The Defense has not necessarily been where many fans would want it thus far, and so there is a bit of “wait and see” going on right now. Expectations are to finish the season with 8-10 wins, but a lot will depend on the game this week, as well as how strong teams like Illinois remain later in the year.
Rutgers has the #12 rushing offense in the country. What has been the key to their success on the ground?
You’ve got a stable of effective running backs. Kyle Monongai runs like a beast on a mission. Not only can he absorb hits, but he can be shifty, and knows how to find a crease by setting up defenders after a few plays of going the other way. Sam Brown has a bit of a different style but showed glimpses his freshman year before dealing with injury. He can cut back and find lanes, and once he gets to the second level, he’s very difficult to bring down. That isn’t even mentioning guys like Antwon Raymond and Ja’shon Benjamin who have shown flashes. As with anything in football, it comes down the trenches too. Rutgers has done an impressive job finally getting their offensive line up to size, quite literally, and up to Big Ten caliber. The starting line features massive humans of NFL caliber like Hollin Pierce, and angry maulers like Bryan Felter. A friend who coaches in D1 recently told me that upon reviewing Rutgers’ tape, he was blown away with how far the line had come in the last handful of years. Rutgers is going to dominate the line of scrimmage against non-BIG teams, and be formidable in conference in that respect.
The Scarlet Knights beat Virginia Tech 26-23, followed by a 21-18 victory over Washington. What has head coach Greg Schiano done to help his team close the deal in close games?
This is an interesting question that has an obvious answer that I’ll get to, but first…