Game 3: Football vs. New Mexico
Sep 12 | Football
RUTGERS (1-1) vs. NEW MEXICO (1-1)
September 17, 2016 • 12:01 p.m. ET • ESPNews
High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.
• Notes: Game 3
• Coach Ash News Conference
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: ESPNews
• Rutgers vs. New Mexico will broadcast on ESPNews. Mike Corey (play-by-play) and Rene Ingoglia (analyst) will have the call.
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
WOR 710-AM, WCTC 1450-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM
Satellite Radio: * Sirius 106; XM 196 (* Home team broadcast)
• The Rutgers IMG Sports Network pregame show begins at 11 a.m. with hosts Marc Malusis and David Milewski. Game broadcast starts at noon with Chris Carlin, Ray Lucas and Eric LeGrand in the booth, while Anthony Fucilli will provide sideline coverage.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Rutgers and New Mexico will meet for the first time in the teams' all-time history.
• This marks the fourth member of the Mountain West Conference that RU will face. The Scarlet Knights previously met Air Force (1-1), Fresno State (0-2) and Hawaii (1-1).
• New Mexico head coach Bob Davie is 1-0 against Rutgers, defeating the Scarlet Knights in a game as head coach of Notre Dame in 2000.
HOMESTAND CONTINUES
• Rutgers continues its three-game homestand with a matchup against New Mexico. The Scarlet Knights are in the midst of playing five of six games at High Point Solutions Stadium and seven-of-10.
• Saturday's game wraps up regular season nonconference play, as RU starts Big Ten play next week versus Iowa. It will be the first conference season in program history with nine league games on the slate.
• Rutgers has won 12 of its last 15 games versus nonconference opponents and has had a winning record against such opponents each season since 2009. In addition, RU has had at least a .500 mark in nonconference play each year since 2003.
SCARLET KNIGHTS VS. LOBOS
• Rutgers will play New Mexico for the first time, as the Scarlet Knights have never played a team from the state in its history. This is the only game scheduled in the series.
FIRST WIN
• Chris Ash earned his first win as a collegiate head coach by beating Howard, 52-14. The Scarlet Knights scored 52 unanswered points and held the Bison to five yards of total offense in the second half.
• It was the seventh consecutive home opener won by the Scarlet Knights, as the team improved to 102-36-10 all-time in its first home game of the season.
• Five different players totaled at least 40 rushing yards to help Rutgers total 375 yards on the ground, the most in a game since having 404 at Army in 2007. The 375 rushing yards are the 13th-most by an FBS team in a game so far this season. RU had 18 first downs by rushing.
• Rutgers won the field position battle by starting on average at its own 40 compared to the 22 for the Bison.
• The game-time temperature of 89 degrees was the warmest for a Rutgers game since Aug. 29, 2013 at Fresno State (92 degrees). It was the hottest game-time temperature for a home game since Sept. 2, 2010 versus Norfolk State, which was also 89 degrees.
GRANT WINS PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN
• Janarion Grant earned his fourth career conference Special Teams Player of the Week honor and third in the Big Ten.
• Grant had an 84-yard return for his fifth career kickoff return touchdown, finishing the day with 248 all-purpose yards. He had 105 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground to finish the day with a career-best three touchdowns.
• He now has five career kickoff returns for a touchdown, tying Stan Brown (1968-70) from Purdue for the Big Ten record.
ROAD SEASON OPENER
• Rutgers began its season by travelling to the west coast for the third time in four seasons and suffered a 48-13 loss to No. 14 Washington. It was the first meeting between the teams on the gridiron.
• Janarion Grant highlighted the attack for the Scarlet Knights with 160 all-purpose yards with his first career rushing touchdown coming off a direct snap. Josh Hicks added 70 yards on the ground as the team out-rushed UW, 136-91, in the game.
• David Bonagura made his collegiate debut and converted two field goals and an extra point to finish the day 3-for-3 with seven points.
FIRST COLLEGIATE ACTION
• First career start (3): LT Tariq Cole *, LB Greg Jones *, LB Trevor Morris *
• Collegiate debut (15): DB Sandy Anya *, WR Dacoven Bailey *, PK David Bonagura *, DL Ron'Dell Carter, DB K.J. Gray, WR Jawuan Harris *, DB Damon Hayes, OL Jonah Jackson *, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams *, QB Tylin Oden, QB Giovanni Rescigno, OL Kamaal Seymour, PK Jared Smolar *, RB Trey Sneed *, DB Lawrence Stevens *
• Rutgers debut with previous collegiate experience (1): DB Ross Douglas *
• True freshman in action (8): WR Dacoven Bailey *, DB K.J. Gray, DB Damon Hayes, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams *, QB Tylin Oden, PK Jared Smolar *, DB Lawrence Stevens *, RB Trey Sneed *
* - occurred in season opener
NEWS AND NOTES
• Rutgers has played 1,315 games, the most in major college football. The program is in its 148th year and 147th season of action.
• Rutgers has outscored its first two opponents 27-0 in the fourth quarter and 48-14 in the second half.
• Rutgers started its season with a ranked opponent on the road for the first time since 1985 at No. 14 Washington last week, a team now ranked eighth. The Scarlet Knights have four more teams on the schedule that appeared in the latest AP top-25 poll: No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Michigan, No. 12 Michigan State and No. 13 Iowa.
• Rutgers plays eight-straight weeks to start the season without a bye for the first time since 2008.
• Rutgers last played an overtime game in 2013 at SMU (triple-overtime win) and is 5-6 all-time in overtime games.
OFFENSE
• Rutgers has transitioned to the spread offense in 2016 under offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer. He is the youngest play caller in the power five conferences at 28 years old.
• The school record for offensive plays run from scrimmage in a game is 95 set three times: 9/14/91 at Duke, 11/11/95 at Tulane, 10/1/11 at Syracuse (3OT). The season-high in 2015 was 83 against Kansas and Indiana. RU snapped the ball 88 times in the season opener at Washington and 76 times versus Howard.
• Rutgers has scored on all six of its trips inside the red zone this season, being one of 35 teams nationally with a perfect percentage.
• Rutgers is 4-of-5 on fourth down conversions.
Quarterbacks
Chris Laviano
• Named starting quarterback for the season opener on Aug. 22 and completed 24 passes for 168 yards at Washington.
• Had fifth career game with at least three touchdown passes against Howard.
• Has 19 career touchdown passes and needs six more to join program top-10 list.
• Played in all 12 games last season with 11 starts last season and went 187-for-307 passing for a 60.9 completion percentage - the best by an RU quarterback since Mike Teel in 2008 - and 16 touchdown passes.
• Totaled 2,247 passing yards to mark the eighth-most in a year in school history and placed seventh in the Big Ten with a 131.8 passing efficiency rating (third among returning Big Ten quarterbacks).
• Recorded 9-of-16 touchdown passes on first-down throws last season. Finished with a career-best four touchdown passes versus Maryland.
• Threw for a career-best 386 yards at Indiana, tied for the fifth-best mark in school history and sixth-best mark by a Big Ten quarterback last season. Went 7-of-8 for 105 yards in the fourth quarter to help engineer first career last-quarter comeback.
• Owns two career 300-yard passing games.
Tylin Oden
• Made career debut against Howard with 10 rushes for 58 yards (5.8 average), including a long of 30 yards.
• Led a season-long eight minute drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a field goal.
• First true freshman quarterback to see action since Gary Nova in 2011.
Giovanni Rescigno
• Ran for a 42-yard touchdown on first collegiate carry.
Running Backs
Justin Goodwin
• Started the season opener at Washington and had 95 all-purpose yards (49 rushing, 46 receiving). The 46 receiving yards were the most by a Rutgers running back since Desmon Peoples had 50 versus Tulane in 2014.
• Led all running backs with 13 receptions and 93 receiving yards last season.
• Owns three career games with at least 100 yards rushing, including 149 rushing yards and three total touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), adding the winning 17-yard run in triple overtime, in first extended action at SMU as a freshman in 2013.
Josh Hicks
• Had a game-high 70 yards rushing at Washington on 14 attempts.
• Averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season on 130 attempts to bring his career yards/carry to 5.6, third-best in program history with a minimum of 100 rushes.
• Picked up a first down on 9-of-11 carries on third down last season.
• Rushed for 202 yards in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl to become sixth Scarlet Knight in program history to reach 200 yards in a game.
• Owns four career games with at least 100 yards rushing.
Robert Martin
• Made season debut last week with 83 yards rushing on 16 carries versus Howard.
• Led the team with 763 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns and 141 rushing attempts in 2015.
• Ranked 10th in the Big Ten with 63.6 rushing yards per game.
• Picked up 5.41 yards per carry to rank sixth in the conference and 58th nationally. Averaged 5.0 yards on first down and 6.7 on second down.
• Has three career 100-yard games. Leads all players on the roster with 1,280 career rushing yards.
• Led Rutgers with seven rushing touchdowns as a freshman, the most for a Rutgers true freshman since Justise Hairston had eight in 2003.
Wide Receivers
Carlton Agudosi
• Collected second career receiving touchdown versus Howard.
• Averaged 18.4 yards per catch on 17 receptions last season. Reeled in the longest team passing play of the year of 58 yards versus Ohio State.
• Picked up 72 yards on three receptions in the fourth quarter at Indiana, including two third-down receptions on game-winning drive.
Janarion Grant
• Had 248 total yards versus Howard to bring his career total to 4,004, fourth-most in school history. Needs 640 yards to move into third place and 1,337 to claim the school record. The 4,004 career yards are ninth-most among active FBS players and most among active players in the Big Ten. Leads the league with 408 so far this season. Has 10 career games with at least 150 all-purpose yards.
• Leads all active FBS players with 2,974 career combined kick return yards (2,606 kick return, 368 punt return).
• Had fifth career kickoff return for a touchdown against Howard to tie Purdue's Stan Brown (1968-70) for the Big Ten record.
• Had first career rushing touchdown at Washington and added two more versus Howard. Owns 11 career touchdowns overall after adding in special teams scores (five kickoff return, three rushing, two punt return, one receiving). Also has one passing touchdown.
• Reeled in a career-high nine receptions at Washington. Leads the active roster with 74 career receptions. Picked up first career receiving touchdown versus Maryland to end 2015.
• Rushed for a career-high 105 rushing yards versus Howard to become the first Rutgers wide receiver to top the century mark on the ground since Jeremy Deering had 166 yards versus Syracuse in 2010. Had a long rushing attempt of 58 yards, second-longest in the Big Ten this year. Averages 11.0 yards per carry over 24 career tries.
• Finished second last season in the Big Ten with 1,583 all-purpose yards (984 kick returns, 352 receiving, 167 punt returns, 80 rushing) last season. Averaged 131.92 yards per game to rank No. 20 nationally.
• Recorded a school-record 984 kickoff return yards, tops in the conference. Returned three kickoffs for touchdowns to rank second in the country. Added 167 punt return yards to total 1,151 combined kick return yards, second nationally.
• Has a school-record 2,606 career kickoff return yards.
• Returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown versus Washington State, the first Rutgers player to do both in the same game in the modern era.
• Owns seven career kick returns of at least 70 yards.
• Had a team-leading 31 plays gaining at least 20 yards last year (21 kickoff return, five receiving, three punt return, two rushing), with four going for touchdowns. Recorded 84 such plays in his career, totaling seven this year, 34 in 2014 and 12 in 2013.
• Named Second Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third Team All-Big Ten by the coaches as a return specialist in 2015.
• Named to the preseason Hornung Award watch list.
Jawuan Harris
• Had first two receptions of career against Howard, including a 29-yard touchdown catch - the longest scoring grab so far this season.
• Named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team as a baseball player this past spring after stealing 37 bases, a total that led the league and ranked fifth nationally.
• First Rutgers athlete with a home run and a touchdown in the same calendar year since Jim Cann in 1989.
Andre Patton
• Leads active players on the roster with 751 career receiving yards.
• Recorded at least one touchdown reception in each of the last four seasons.
• Converted a first down on 25-of-34 receptions last season.
Tight Ends
• Nick Arcidiacono and Matt Flanagan combined for 23 receptions, 202 yards and three touchdowns last season. Arcidiacono had a career-high four receptions at Washington.
DEFENSE
• Rutgers implements the rugby-style tackling technique.
• Rutgers has allowed just 62 yards of total offense in the second half through two games.
• Rutgers finished tied for third in the Big Ten with 13 interceptions last season.
Defensive Line
Darius Hamilton
• Leads current team with 41 games played, 24.5 career tackles-for-loss and 10.5 sacks.
• The first three-time captain in Rutgers football history.
• Named to the preseason Outland Trophy watch list.
Julian Pinnix-Odrick
• Had two sacks against Howard for first career multiple-sack game. Also tied the team high with a career-best six tackles, adding a pass break-up and quarterback hurry.
• Named a team captain.
Linebackers
• Rutgers graduated all three of its starting linebackers from 2015, with Deonte Roberts (one start) returning as the only player with starting experience.
Secondary
Anthony Cioffi
• Recorded seventh career interception at Washington. Needs three more to move into program top-10 list in the category.
• Leads the active roster with 12 career pass break-ups.
• Tied for third in the Big Ten with four interceptions last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Since 2009, Rutgers has blocked 45 kicks (field goals & punts) on special teams, the most by any team in the NCAA during that span. The Scarlet Knights have blocked multiple kicks every year since 2007.
• Tyreek Maddox-Williams blocked a punt against Howard to make it 22 deflected punts since 2009.
• Dacoven Bailey leads the team with four special teams tackles.
Kickers
David Bonagura
• Had seven points in his first game at Washington, the most by a Rutgers kicker in their collegiate debut since Jeremy Ito had 13 in a 2004 win over Michigan State. Had a long field goal of 38 yards.
• Converted seven extra points and a 28-yard field goal versus Howard.
Michael Cintron
• Had a long of 53 yards on eight attempts at Washington in first action as the starting punter.
• Pinned 5-of-12 punts inside the 20-yard line this season.
• Boomed a 57-yard punt in first career attempt last season at Wisconsin.
ASH ANNOUNCES 2016 TEAM CAPTAINS
Rutgers football head coach Chris Ash announced that fifth-year seniors Darius Hamilton, Chris Muller, Derrick Nelson and Julian Pinnix-Odrick will serve as 2016 team captains for the Scarlet Knights. Hamilton earns the honor for the third-straight year, making him the first three-time captain in the history of Rutgers football dating back to 1869.
THE HUNT
Throughout the Rutgers football facilities are signs that read "The Hunt."
"The Hunt" is really the theme of the team," said Ash. We're basically chasing the other teams in the Big Ten. We can't make any secret about that. To chase them, we gotta go hunt every single day. Whether it's in the weight room, out in the indoor (bubble) with our special workouts or in practice.''
KNIGHTED = READY FOR COMBAT
Another tradition borrowed from head coach Chris Ash's time at Ohio State, Scarlet Knight players will have black stripes running along the crown of their practice helmets. Only when a player has that stripe removed will they see game action.
"The black stripe is a symbol that when it's removed from your helmet, you are game ready, you're combat ready to go play," said Ash. "The players know that if they have a black stripe on their helmet, they will not play in a game here. They're not ready. They're not ready in terms of their ability, in terms of their trust level and a lot of other things that can go into it."
SCARLET KNIGHTS WORK TO BE 10 STRONG
One of the mantras seen around the Rutgers football program is "10 Strong" which refers to the 10 position groups on the team: Quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, cornerback, safety and specialist. Head coach Chris Ash stresses the importance of all those units working at a high level in unison to reach peak performance.
"That really is one of the ultimate goals of the program," said Ash. "We're not going to talk about winning, we're not going to talk about championships, we're not going to talk about red-letter games and things like that. We're going to talk about the process of getting 10 strong. We have 10 position groups of the football team when you count the offense, defense and the specialists together. If we can get 10 units operating at maximum capacity, then we're going to have a chance for success. That's really what it's all about for us."
LIFE BEYOND THE GAME
Rutgers head coach Chris Ash instituted the "Life Beyond the Game" program, designed at preparing football players for their careers after their college playing days have ended.
"The percentage of our guys going to the NFL is very small," said Ash. "Even if you do go to the NFL, your lifespan there could be very short and then what are you going to do for the rest of your life? Universities have programs set up to help the general students population with alumni, but I think it's our obligation to help student-athletes in their life after football.''
PLAYER NUTRITION
Upon taking over the Rutgers football program, head coach Chris Ash hired Allison Kreimeier, the team's first full-time director of performance nutrition who's responsible for making sure players understand the do's and don'ts of eating right and staying hydrated.
"There is so much that we're putting into sports science and nutrition. We're trying to promote the right type of lifestyle that helps you maximize performance."
