CFN Preview of Rutgers

CFN previews Rutgers:

What to watch for on offense: The receivers. After relying so much on Ray Rice to carry the offense, now Rutgers could have both first team All-Big East receiving slots occupied by Tiquan Underwood and Kenny Britt. It’s not like the offense will stop running the ball, but the bread will now be buttered with the passing game. With these two targets to work with, there’s no reason to go with anything else in tight games.

What to watch for on defense: Pressure in the backfield. There might be a slew of problems stopping the run early on, and the linebacking corps might be a bit suspect, but there should be no issues when it comes to getting to the quarterback and making plays behind the line. Greg Schiano’s defenses are great at attacking, and even though this is a relatively young, inexperienced group overall, the dogs will be sent early and often to try and be disruptive. Jamaal Westerman has Big East Defensive Player of the Year potential.

The team will be far better if… Teel is as productive in league games as he is against non-conference pushovers. Teel’s 2007 numbers look respectable overall, but more than half of his 20 touchdowns came against Buffalo, Navy, Norfolk State, and Ball State, while disappearing acts versus the Big East were too common. Part of the reason was the reliance on Ray Rice and the running game, but if the team is to regain its 2006 momentum, it needs Teel to be the main man and the reason why the offense works. More importantly, Teel now needs to rise to the occasion against the tougher teams on the schedule.

The Schedule: Picking up a loaded Fresno State at the last moment in the season-opener will show just how good the Scarlet Knights are from the start. Playing North Carolina and at Navy aren't going to be easy, and then there's October with the Big East schedule kicking off with three road games in four weeks playing at West Virginia, Cincinnati and Pitt. The other conference road game is at South Florida in November; hardly a breather. Fortunately there are two off weeks in November and three home games in the final four.

Best offensive player: WR Kenny Britt. Britt gave a hint of his potential as a freshman before erupting as a sophomore. A fluid, 6-4 target with a long stride, he abused Big East defensive backs for 62 receptions, a school-record 1,232 yards, and eight touchdowns. Often looking like a man among boys, Britt teamed up with Tiquan Underwood to form the most dynamic receiving duo in team history.

Best defensive player: S Courtney Greene. He covers. He fills the lanes and delivers punishment in run defense. He intimidates opposing receivers. Greene does a little bit of everything for the Knight D, including putting off the NFL Draft and returning for his senior season. A durable and complete defender who’s capable of playing free safety or strong safety, he led the team with 101 tackles.

Players to a successful season: The running backs. Rutgers won’t be shy about turning loose the passing attack, but any Big East team with championship aspirations knows it needs to run the ball. No single back is going to replace Rice’s production, so it’ll be up to multiple runners to pick up the slack. Kordell Young is the heir apparent, but he first needs to prove that his surgically repaired knee is healthy. Keep an eye on Mason Robinson, a Young clone, and Jourdan Brooks, a 255-pound pile driver.

The season will be a success if ... the Scarlet Knights return to that small group of Big East contenders right behind West Virginia. While going 8-5 and winning a second straight bowl game is respectable, falling behind Connecticut and Cincinnati in the league standings isn’t. The coaching staff believes Rutgers is the biggest threat to the Mountaineers, but now it must go out and prove it in tough road trips to Morgantown, Cincinnati, Tampa, and Pittsburgh.

Key game: Oct. 4 at West Virginia. It won’t take very long to learn if the Scarlet Knights are going to be Big East pretenders or contenders. It’s the Big East opener and a chance to pull off the program’s first win over the Mountaineers for the first time since 1994.