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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Football: No. 4 Ohio State takes high-scoring offense to matchup against Rutgers
Before 2014, Ohio State had never faced Rutgers in the Buckeyes’ 124-year history.
Since then, the Buckeyes have faced the Scarlet Knights four times, winning all four games by a combined score of 219-21.
Still even with the recent history, both teams come into the game 1-0 and defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said Ohio State will come in expecting a fight.
“It’s our job to beat them, and our job — my job is to make sure that the defense plays the way they’re capable of playing against them,” Schiano said. “And they’re better. You look at the offense, we’re game planning as we speak.”
Schiano, who was the head coach at Rutgers for 10 seasons, said even with heightened emotions, this is just another game on the schedule for him as an Ohio State coach.
“As far as it applies to game week, there is no factor,” Schiano said. “Is it sentimental? Sure it is.”
Rutgers comes into the matchup off a dominant 35-7 victory over Texas State in Week 1. The Scarlet Knights held Texas State to 169 total yards while forcing three turnovers in the victory.
Rutgers freshman quarterback Artur Sitkowski completed 20-of-30 pass attempts for 205 yards and a touchdown in the Rutgers victory, while throwing three interceptions in his first collegiate start.
Ohio State redshirt junior defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones said the defensive line’s mindset doesn’t change with a freshman under center.
“Our eyes light up regardless if he’s a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, I mean, he’s a quarterback, and we want the quarterback,” Jones said. “We’re going to get after him.”
Entire artile with staff's predictions: https://www.thelantern.com/2018/09/...h-scoring-offense-to-matchup-against-rutgers/
Before 2014, Ohio State had never faced Rutgers in the Buckeyes’ 124-year history.
Since then, the Buckeyes have faced the Scarlet Knights four times, winning all four games by a combined score of 219-21.
Still even with the recent history, both teams come into the game 1-0 and defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said Ohio State will come in expecting a fight.
“It’s our job to beat them, and our job — my job is to make sure that the defense plays the way they’re capable of playing against them,” Schiano said. “And they’re better. You look at the offense, we’re game planning as we speak.”
Schiano, who was the head coach at Rutgers for 10 seasons, said even with heightened emotions, this is just another game on the schedule for him as an Ohio State coach.
“As far as it applies to game week, there is no factor,” Schiano said. “Is it sentimental? Sure it is.”
Rutgers comes into the matchup off a dominant 35-7 victory over Texas State in Week 1. The Scarlet Knights held Texas State to 169 total yards while forcing three turnovers in the victory.
Rutgers freshman quarterback Artur Sitkowski completed 20-of-30 pass attempts for 205 yards and a touchdown in the Rutgers victory, while throwing three interceptions in his first collegiate start.
Ohio State redshirt junior defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones said the defensive line’s mindset doesn’t change with a freshman under center.
“Our eyes light up regardless if he’s a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, I mean, he’s a quarterback, and we want the quarterback,” Jones said. “We’re going to get after him.”
Entire artile with staff's predictions: https://www.thelantern.com/2018/09/...h-scoring-offense-to-matchup-against-rutgers/
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Actually, the combined score is 219-24:
09/30/2017 56-0 (away)
10/01/2016 58-0 (home)
10/24/2015 49-7 (away) Rutgers scored against some fans from the stands as time ran out to avoid the shutout
10/18/2014 56-17 (home)
Still, an average score of 55-8. With two straight shutouts, you'd like to think that Nick and the seniors would like to go through their career here without surrendering a point to Rutgers.
09/30/2017 56-0 (away)
10/01/2016 58-0 (home)
10/24/2015 49-7 (away) Rutgers scored against some fans from the stands as time ran out to avoid the shutout
10/18/2014 56-17 (home)
Still, an average score of 55-8. With two straight shutouts, you'd like to think that Nick and the seniors would like to go through their career here without surrendering a point to Rutgers.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
ACROSS THE FIELD: Q&A WITH RUTGERS BEAT WRITER JAMES KRATCH AS SCARLET KNIGHTS RETURN TO COLUMBUS
Before each week's Ohio State game, Eleven Warriors catches up with a media member who covers the opposing team to get his or her perspective on the Buckeyes' upcoming opponent.
This week, we caught up with James Kratch, who covers Rutgers for NJ Advance Media (NJ.com), to get his perspective on the Scarlet Knights in advance of their trip to Columbus for Saturday's game against the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium (3:40 p.m., BTN).
Rutgers hasn't had much success in its first four games against Ohio State since joining the Big Ten, suffering a 56-17 loss in 2014, 49-7 loss in 2015, 58-0 loss in 2016 and a 56-0 loss last season. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a season-opening, 35-7 win over Texas State, though, and are expected to be better this season, former Ohio State assistant Chris Ash's third season as head coach.
How much progress have the Scarlet Knights made since Ash took over the program, who are Rutgers' players to watch and are they capable of making Saturday's game more competitive than years past? We asked Kratch for answers to those questions and more in this week's edition of Across The Field.
Q: What were your biggest takeaways from the Scarlet Knights' season-opening win against Texas State? Did anything stand out that's different about this team from years past?
Kratch: The roster is clearly more talented, but it’s young. There were a lot of silly penalties on defense and special teams that Rutgers can get away with against Texas State, but won’t be able to survive in Big Ten play.
The offense has much more big-play capability than a year ago, and Raheem Blackshear, Jonathan Hilliman and Isaih Pacheco give them a strong three-man running back group than could control games if the blocking is there up front.
The defense had a strong day and didn’t allow a score. There was more of a pass-rush, which is promising, but several takeaway opportunities slipped through Rutgers’ fingers. That’s been an issue in recent seasons, and can’t continue if the Scarlet Knights want to make a bowl game.
All that said, Texas State is not a good team. Obviously Ohio State is. Rutgers is going from zero to 100 this week, and is then at Kansas next week. So I’m not sure we will really know anything solid about this team until it comes back home later this month to play a good Buffalo team before fully stepping into Big Ten play.
Q: Chris Ash is now entering his third season as Rutgers' head coach. How would you assess his tenure thus far, and do you think the former Ohio State assistant coach has things moving in the right direction?
Kratch: Ash does have the program moving in the right direction, and he’s not going anywhere, despite his inclusion on some preseason hot seat lists. Ash had two years added on to his contract after last season, and he has the full support of athletics director Pat Hobbs, the administration and the boosters.
Ash has done a lot to clean up the off-field mess he inherited. On the field, Rutgers was 2-10 and winless in the Big Ten in his first year. The Scarlet Knights were 4-8 with three conference wins last year. That’s clear progress. Perhaps not as much progress as some fans want to see, but I think anyone who thought Rutgers was a two- or three-year turnaround was kidding themselves.
Rutgers has a realistic path to six wins and a bowl game this fall, but there’s little margin for error. Ash has made it clear a bowl game is the goal, and I think that would go a long way toward the program taking that next step forward. But I can also see 5-7 (or even 4-8) given the difficulties the schedule presents. If that happens, I think Ash will need to do a strong selling job to keep momentum going. It would also help if Rutgers can at least hang with some of the Big Ten’s top teams this fall. No one expects them to have much success this weekend, but I do think competitive games at home with Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State is a reasonable-enough lift.
I think there are several reasons for Rutgers fans to be optimistic about Ash and the program entering Year 3. He’s put together his best coaching staff yet, he’s shown he can adapt when things don’t work out, there’s a lot of promising young talent on the roster, recruiting is steadily improving and now there’s a shot at getting to postseason play. Ash just has to make sure things don’t get bogged down and milestones stop being reached.
Q: Artur Sitkowski is one of Rutgers' most highly touted recruits in years, and now he's starting at quarterback as a true freshman. How high are expectations for Sitkowski right now, and what has he already brought to the Scarlet Knights offense?
Kratch: The expectations for Sitkowski are certainly high, but not dangerously high. There is definitely a sense Sitkowski will be the quarterback Rutgers has waited years for and that top recruits will want to play with, and he can accomplish something special in the three – some in the program believe his potential path could mean going to the NFL early – or four years he is here. No one is really talking about Heisman Trophies or Big Ten titles at this point, though.
Another factor that is important: Sitkowski embodies the vision Rutgers has had for decades: He’s a New Jersey kid – his hometown of Old Bridge is a few minutes from campus – that grew up coming to the games and rooting for the Scarlet Knights. He was committed to Miami and he spent his senior year at IMG Academy, but he wanted to come home and build something at Rutgers while playing in front of his family and friends every week.
The dream has always been that if Rutgers can convince New Jersey’s best recruits to stay home, and do it together, the sleeping giant can finally rise from his 149-year slumber. The Scarlet Knights got a taste of it with Greg Schiano, but for myriad reasons it wasn’t sustained. The hope is being in the Big Ten can be the catalyst for a more lasting run once Ash can get the program back to where it was.
It’s only been one game, but Sitkowski has already transformed the Rutgers offense in many ways. New offensive coordinator John McNulty’s pro-style scheme was a big enough change itself, but Sitkowski has the arm to make throws Rutgers just couldn’t make in recent seasons, particularly when it comes to pushing the ball downfield. Rutgers is placing an emphasis on big plays. The Scarlet Knights didn’t get any against Texas State, but their best hope to hang around Saturday is likely to replicate the success Oregon State had in that department.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-kratch-as-scarlet-knights-return-to-columbus
Before each week's Ohio State game, Eleven Warriors catches up with a media member who covers the opposing team to get his or her perspective on the Buckeyes' upcoming opponent.
This week, we caught up with James Kratch, who covers Rutgers for NJ Advance Media (NJ.com), to get his perspective on the Scarlet Knights in advance of their trip to Columbus for Saturday's game against the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium (3:40 p.m., BTN).
Rutgers hasn't had much success in its first four games against Ohio State since joining the Big Ten, suffering a 56-17 loss in 2014, 49-7 loss in 2015, 58-0 loss in 2016 and a 56-0 loss last season. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a season-opening, 35-7 win over Texas State, though, and are expected to be better this season, former Ohio State assistant Chris Ash's third season as head coach.
How much progress have the Scarlet Knights made since Ash took over the program, who are Rutgers' players to watch and are they capable of making Saturday's game more competitive than years past? We asked Kratch for answers to those questions and more in this week's edition of Across The Field.
Q: What were your biggest takeaways from the Scarlet Knights' season-opening win against Texas State? Did anything stand out that's different about this team from years past?
Kratch: The roster is clearly more talented, but it’s young. There were a lot of silly penalties on defense and special teams that Rutgers can get away with against Texas State, but won’t be able to survive in Big Ten play.
The offense has much more big-play capability than a year ago, and Raheem Blackshear, Jonathan Hilliman and Isaih Pacheco give them a strong three-man running back group than could control games if the blocking is there up front.
The defense had a strong day and didn’t allow a score. There was more of a pass-rush, which is promising, but several takeaway opportunities slipped through Rutgers’ fingers. That’s been an issue in recent seasons, and can’t continue if the Scarlet Knights want to make a bowl game.
All that said, Texas State is not a good team. Obviously Ohio State is. Rutgers is going from zero to 100 this week, and is then at Kansas next week. So I’m not sure we will really know anything solid about this team until it comes back home later this month to play a good Buffalo team before fully stepping into Big Ten play.
Q: Chris Ash is now entering his third season as Rutgers' head coach. How would you assess his tenure thus far, and do you think the former Ohio State assistant coach has things moving in the right direction?
Kratch: Ash does have the program moving in the right direction, and he’s not going anywhere, despite his inclusion on some preseason hot seat lists. Ash had two years added on to his contract after last season, and he has the full support of athletics director Pat Hobbs, the administration and the boosters.
Ash has done a lot to clean up the off-field mess he inherited. On the field, Rutgers was 2-10 and winless in the Big Ten in his first year. The Scarlet Knights were 4-8 with three conference wins last year. That’s clear progress. Perhaps not as much progress as some fans want to see, but I think anyone who thought Rutgers was a two- or three-year turnaround was kidding themselves.
Rutgers has a realistic path to six wins and a bowl game this fall, but there’s little margin for error. Ash has made it clear a bowl game is the goal, and I think that would go a long way toward the program taking that next step forward. But I can also see 5-7 (or even 4-8) given the difficulties the schedule presents. If that happens, I think Ash will need to do a strong selling job to keep momentum going. It would also help if Rutgers can at least hang with some of the Big Ten’s top teams this fall. No one expects them to have much success this weekend, but I do think competitive games at home with Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State is a reasonable-enough lift.
I think there are several reasons for Rutgers fans to be optimistic about Ash and the program entering Year 3. He’s put together his best coaching staff yet, he’s shown he can adapt when things don’t work out, there’s a lot of promising young talent on the roster, recruiting is steadily improving and now there’s a shot at getting to postseason play. Ash just has to make sure things don’t get bogged down and milestones stop being reached.
Q: Artur Sitkowski is one of Rutgers' most highly touted recruits in years, and now he's starting at quarterback as a true freshman. How high are expectations for Sitkowski right now, and what has he already brought to the Scarlet Knights offense?
Kratch: The expectations for Sitkowski are certainly high, but not dangerously high. There is definitely a sense Sitkowski will be the quarterback Rutgers has waited years for and that top recruits will want to play with, and he can accomplish something special in the three – some in the program believe his potential path could mean going to the NFL early – or four years he is here. No one is really talking about Heisman Trophies or Big Ten titles at this point, though.
Another factor that is important: Sitkowski embodies the vision Rutgers has had for decades: He’s a New Jersey kid – his hometown of Old Bridge is a few minutes from campus – that grew up coming to the games and rooting for the Scarlet Knights. He was committed to Miami and he spent his senior year at IMG Academy, but he wanted to come home and build something at Rutgers while playing in front of his family and friends every week.
The dream has always been that if Rutgers can convince New Jersey’s best recruits to stay home, and do it together, the sleeping giant can finally rise from his 149-year slumber. The Scarlet Knights got a taste of it with Greg Schiano, but for myriad reasons it wasn’t sustained. The hope is being in the Big Ten can be the catalyst for a more lasting run once Ash can get the program back to where it was.
It’s only been one game, but Sitkowski has already transformed the Rutgers offense in many ways. New offensive coordinator John McNulty’s pro-style scheme was a big enough change itself, but Sitkowski has the arm to make throws Rutgers just couldn’t make in recent seasons, particularly when it comes to pushing the ball downfield. Rutgers is placing an emphasis on big plays. The Scarlet Knights didn’t get any against Texas State, but their best hope to hang around Saturday is likely to replicate the success Oregon State had in that department.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-kratch-as-scarlet-knights-return-to-columbus
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Bill Lucas
Assistant Coach
Flight for Columbus leaves at 12:55. My son will be with me for this trip.
I vow not to drink wine until 2:30 AM like I did last week. I was late for the tailgate and had to park a long ways away. That will not happen this week.
I vow not to drink wine until 2:30 AM like I did last week. I was late for the tailgate and had to park a long ways away. That will not happen this week.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
RUTGERS CORNERBACK BLESSUAN AUSTIN TO MISS SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST OHIO STATE
Rutgers will be without one of its best players when the Scarlet Knights play Ohio State in Columbus on Saturday.
Blessuan Austin, who is considered to be the Scarlet Knights' top cornerback and arguably their top NFL prospect, has been ruled out for Saturday's game due to a knee injury, Rutgers coach Chris Ash told reporters on Thursday.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...tin-to-miss-saturdays-game-against-ohio-state
Rutgers will be without one of its best players when the Scarlet Knights play Ohio State in Columbus on Saturday.
Blessuan Austin, who is considered to be the Scarlet Knights' top cornerback and arguably their top NFL prospect, has been ruled out for Saturday's game due to a knee injury, Rutgers coach Chris Ash told reporters on Thursday.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...tin-to-miss-saturdays-game-against-ohio-state
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Just sayin': (Assuming that you have tickets for the game) hopefully you are flying tomorrow. If it is Saturday, you sure are cutting it pretty close. Last Saturday that flight (if it is UA 6167) was 38 minutes late:
Scheduled Arrival: 9/01/18 2:09 pm
Actual Arrival: 9/01/18 2:47 pm
Landed 38 minute(s) late.
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I wish I could say that I did that on purpose just to see if anyone was paying attention...yeah, that's what it was, and I'm sticking to it.
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Bill Lucas
Assistant Coach
Flying in to CMH tomorrow. Hanging out with friends tomorrow night. I always fly in the day before the game. Tailgate starts at 6 am. I can’t disappoint that group two weeks in a row.
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Bill Lucas
Assistant Coach
First time I’ve ever had B deck seats and I’ll be happy for them this week.
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scarletmike
Researching the Magic!
I was in B24 towards the back for the New Mexico State game back in '09 and being under cover was definitely a nice feature, but I would gladly take those seats for any game. Didn't have an obstructed view, and could surprisingly see most of the video board.
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