Game Day: Rutgers vs. Tulane
Sep 27 | Football
By Tom Luicci
Scarletknights.com
RUTGERS (3-1) vs. TULANE (1-3)
WHEN: Today
Kickoff at Noon.
WHERE: High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, N.J.
TV: ESPNews
RADIO: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
710-WOR, 1450-WCTC, 88.7 FM WRSU, Sirius channel 93, XM channel 208
SERIES: Rutgers leads the series 4-2, with the schools last meeting in 2012 in the head coaching debut for both Kyle Flood and Tulane's Curtis Johnson. The Scarlet Knights claimed a 24-12 victory in the Superdome that year.
WHEN RUTGERS HAS THE BALL: The adjustment to an offense without Paul James starts here, with Justin Goodwin and Desmon Peoples taking over as the co-feature backs. Both should have opportunities to produce immediately against a Tulane defense that appears to take risks, producing plenty of turnovers but allowing an average of 35.8 points and 414.8 yards per game (203 of it on the ground).
Though James' absence looms large, there's some encouraging news on offense with wide receiver Andre Patton set to make his season debut and backup tight end Nick Arcidiacono back at full health. That will give offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen more flexibility than he has had for most of the season - with Patton's return possibly alleviating some of the extra attention leading receiver Leonte Carroo has been getting.
For the most part, though, the emphasis figures to be on the running game, just as it was last week against Navy, when Rutgers produced its highest rushing total (284 yards) in seven seasons.
That approach allowed quarterback Gary Nova to turn in an efficient, turnover-free performance against the Midshipmen, and while he will have openings to make plays in the passing game against this Green Wave defense there is also plenty of risk involved because of Tulane's penchant for interceptions and producing turnovers.
Rutgers is also still looking to get its tight ends more involved in the offense, with Tyler Kroft - last year's leading receiver - having just five catches to this point.
WHEN TULANE HAS THE BALL: Big-play potential seems to be the characteristic of the Green Wave's offense, with redshirt freshman running back Sherman Badie (averaging 7.3-yards per carry) breaking off runs of 90 and 73 yards already this season and wide receiver Xavier Rush (averaging 26.4 yards per catch) having three touchdown catches of 60 yards-plus.
Badie, Lazedrick Thompson and all-purpose back Dontrell Hilliard operate behind a hefty offensive line that averages 309.2 pounds and features five 300-pounders. But the hot and cold performances of redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Lee have resulted in erratic offensive play.
Lee has started all four games and has thrown for 833 yards and eight touchdowns, but his inexperience is evident. He also has eight interceptions, is completing just 47.4 percent of his passes and has been sacked nine times.
Tulane often relies on its mistake-generating defense to make up for some offensive deficiencies, with the unit coming up with six interceptions so far - about the same pace as last season when the Green Wave picked off 19 passes and ranked No. 6 nationally in that category. The defense has forced multiple turnovers in all four games this season and in the past 13.
But the offensive goal is clear: Balance. Tulane has attempted 145 passes (despite playing catchup at times this year) compared to 153 rushing attempts. Badie leads the ground attack with 349 yards and two touchdowns.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A clear edge here for Rutgers, since Tulane's special teams have not been a factor through the first four games. The Green Wave's numbers: A 4.0-yard average on punt returns, a 15.0-yard average on kickoff returns, a kicker who is 1-for-4 on field goal attempts with misses from 21 and 27 yards and a punter averaging just 34.8 yards.
The Scarlet Knights have yet to see the dangerous Janarion Grant cut loose on punt or kickoff returns, with freshman Josh Hicks hinting at some big-play potential in the latter. Kyle Federico is 5-of-7 on field goals while the punting has been passable. Rutgers, of course, features the nation's most effective punt and kick block teams, too.
DID YOU KNOW?
Tulane linebacker Nico Marley, the team's leading tackler, is the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley. Nico Marley's dad, Rohan Marley, was a standout linebacker at Miami in the early 1990s.
