Ground Game Paramount For Rutgers Football in 2015

After a red-hot non-conference showing, Rutgers had a challenging first season in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights posted a 3-5 conference record, but represented the Big Ten well in the postseason when they defeated North Carolina, 40-21, in the Quick Lane Bowl. The Scarlet Knights rolled for 340 yards rushing against the Tar Heels, 202 of them coming from freshman running back Josh Hicks. The game served as a microcosm of what Rutgers’ offense should look like in 2015.

The rushing attack took a huge blow in 2014 when junior leading rusher Paul James tore his ACL early on in the season. This forced head coach Kyle Flood to shift to a running back by committee with sophomores Desmon Peoples and Justin Goodwin, while running a pass-heavy offense with senior quarterback Gary Nova and junior wide receiver Leonte Carroo. 

Now that Nova has graduated, the passing game will need some time to rebuild and reload. It certainly helps that Carroo decided to forgo the NFL Draft to return for his senior season. However, backup Chris Laviano only attempted 28 passes last season, so it will take awhile to adjust to game speed as well as build chemistry with Carroo and the receiving corps. This is why it is imperative that the team establishes the ground game early on in the season. 

With the anticipated return of James, and the development of Peoples, Goodwin and Hicks, Rutgers will have multiple weapons in the backfield to do just that. If Rutgers can establish its offensive identity by wearing down its opponents with its ground game, it will be easier for Laviano to settle into the passing game. Once this happens, the offense could be turning some heads in the Big Ten this season.