Game 4: Football vs. Iowa
Sep 19 | Football
RUTGERS (2-1) vs. IOWA (2-1)
September 24, 2016 • 12:01 p.m. ET • ESPN2
High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.
• Notes: Game 4
• Coach Ash News Conference
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: ESPN2
• Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Anthony Becht (booth analyst) and Rocky Boiman (field 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 135, XM 195 (* 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 Iowa will meet for the first time in the teams' all-time history.
• Rutgers will face three teams in the Big Ten West Division for the first time this season in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. Purdue and Northwestern are the only remaining West Division teams that RU has not played.
• Since joining the conference, Rutgers is 0-4 against teams in the Big Ten West Division.
COACH TO CURE MD
• This week the Rutgers and Iowa coaching staffs will wear special arm patches in honor of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coach to Cure MD program. In its ninth year, coaches around the country will join together to raise funding and awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
• Fans are encouraged to donate by texting "CURE" to 90999 or visiting www.CoachtoCureMD.org.
• The partnership between the AFCA and Parent Project MD has raised more than $1.2 million.
BIG TEN OPENER
• Rutgers is set to open Big Ten play with a game against Iowa, a member of the West Division.
• Rutgers is scheduled to play nine conference games for the first time in school history, as members of the East Division will play five home games and four road contest during league play.
• The Scarlet Knights will play at High Point Solutions Stadium for the third-straight week and are in the midst of playing five of six games at home.
SCARLET KNIGHTS VS. HAWKEYES
• Rutgers and Iowa are set to meet for the first time on the gridiron, having never previously met.
• The Hawkeyes will be the ninth Big Ten opponent the Scarlet Knights will face since joining the league for the 2014 season. RU has never played Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern and Purdue in a Big Ten game, but has Illinois and Minnesota on the schedule later this season.
• Head coach Chris Ash was born in Ottumwa, Iowa.
• Defensive coordinator Jay Niemann, who was born in Avoca, Iowa, and played football at Iowa State, is the father of current Iowa linebackers Ben and Nick Niemann.
• Offensive line coach AJ Blazek played for Kirk Ferentz and earned two letters at center for the Hawkeyes (1999-2000). He earned All-Big Ten honors in 2000 as a captain and was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Blazek started his coaching career in Iowa City as a student assistant (2001) and a graduate assistant (2002-04), also earning his master's degree during that time.
• Rutgers is 1-0 against Kirk Ferentz after winning 40-17 over his Maine Black Bears at Rutgers Stadium on Oct. 12, 1991.
COMEBACK WIN OVER NEW MEXICO
• Rutgers closed out nonconference play by rallying to defeat New Mexico, 37-28, in the first meeting between the programs. RU has won 13 of its last 16 nonconference games. The Scarlet Knights have a winning record outside of the league every season since 2009 and went at least .500 since 2003.
• The Scarlet Knights rallied back from a 21-point deficit in the first quarter for the first time since Oct. 31, 1992 versus Virginia Tech. RU permitted just seven points in the final three quarters and had a stretch of scoring 31 unanswered points.
• Jawuan Harris (75-yard reception) and Robert Martin (80-yard rush) each had long touchdowns to give Rutgers two offensive plays from scrimmage of at least 75 yards for the first time since Oct. 20, 2001 versus Navy.
• Janarion Grant had a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown and a passing touchdown to make it six scores accounted for this season.
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 15th-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 following week two action.
• 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 (4): LT Tariq Cole *, WR Jawuan Harris, 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 (3): QB Zach Allen, DB Zane Campbell, 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 1,316 games, the most in major college football. The program is in its 148th year and 147th season of action.
• Rutgers has overcome a deficit of at least 21 points and rallied to win a game in three-straight seasons. RU came back from down 21 versus New Mexico in week three this season and won after down 25 points at Indiana in 2015 and at Maryland in 2014. The 25-point rally is the school record.
• Rutgers has outscored its first three opponents 33-7 in the fourth quarter and 57-21 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 ninth. The Scarlet Knights have three more teams on the schedule that appeared in the latest AP top-25 poll: No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Michigan, No. 8 Michigan State. Iowa was ranked No. 13 after two weeks of action.
• 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 eight of its trips inside the red zone this season, being one of 23 teams nationally with a perfect percentage.
• The offense had over 300 total yards of offense in each of its first three games for the first time since 2012.
• Rutgers is 4-of-5 on fourth down conversions.
• Nine of the 10 touchdown scoring drives have lasted under three minutes, with four under one minute.
Quarterbacks
• Five different players have taken a snap behind center this season: Chris Laviano, Janarion Grant, Giovanni Rescigno, Tylin Oden and Zach Allen.
Chris Laviano
• Named starting quarterback for the season opener on Aug. 22 and completed 24 passes for 168 yards at Washington. Has started the last 14 games.
• Connected with Jawuan Harris for a career-long 75-yard touchdown pass to start comeback versus New Mexico.
• Had fifth career game with at least three touchdown passes against Howard.
• Has 20 career touchdown passes and needs five 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.
• Averaging 5.5 yards per carry during career over 223 attempts, tied for the third-best mark 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
• Had career highs with 21 rushes for 169 yards in win over New Mexico, including a personal-best 80-yard touchdown dash. It was the longest rush for Rutgers since Mohamed Sanu had a school-record 91-yard carry in 2010 versus Tulane. The 80-yard run is also the longest by a Big Ten player this season.
• Made season debut 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 four career 100-yard games. Leads all players on the roster with 1,449 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
All-Purpose Yards
• Had 154 total yards versus New Mexico to bring season total to 562, fourth-most in the nation. Total leads the Big Ten.
• Fourth in school history with 4,158 yards, a total that is seventh-most among active FBS players and most in the Big Ten currently.
• Needs 486 yards to move into third place and 1,183 to claim the school record.
• Has 11 career games with at least 150 all-purpose yards, including all three this season.
• Has a team-leading nine plays gaining at least 20 yards this season and 86 such plays in his career. Had 31 last year, 34 in 2014- and 12 in 2013.
• Finished second last season in the Big Ten with 1,583 all-purpose yards (984 kick returns, 352 receiving, 167 punt returns, 80 rushing). Averaged 131.92 yards per game to rank No. 20 nationally.
• Had a school-record 337 all-purpose yards versus Washington State last season.
Kick/Punt Return
• Has eight career kick return touchdowns (five kickoff, three punt) with one of each in 2016. The total ties for first in the nation for active career non-offensive touchdowns.
• Had fifth career kickoff return for a touchdown against Howard to tie Purdue's Stan Brown (1968-70) for the Big Ten record.
• Leads all active FBS players with 3,086 career combined kick return yards (2,606 kick return, 480 punt return). Seventh this season with 307, most in the Big Ten.
• Has a school-record 2,606 career kickoff return yards. Ranks fifth with 480 career punt 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.
• Recorded a school-record 984 kickoff return yards last season, tops in the conference.
Receiving
• Ranks eighth in the Big Ten with five receptions per game.
• 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 last season.
• Averages 10.2 yards per catch during career.
• Had a career-long 53-yard reception versus Michigan in 2014.
Rushing
• 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 9.8 yards per carry over 28 career tries.
• Had first career rushing touchdown at Washington and added two more versus Howard. Fourth in Big Ten with four rushing scores this season.
Jawuan Harris
• Led the team in receiving yards for the second-straight week against New Mexico, totaling 94 yards on three catches. Had a 75-yard touchdown reception, the longest by a Scarlet Knights since Andrew Turzilli had an 80-yard catch and score versus Michigan in 2014.
• Had first two receptions of career against Howard, including a 29-yard touchdown catch.
• 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 779 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 is second in the nation in red zone defense, having allowed points on just 3-of-7 trips against.
• Rutgers finished tied for third in the Big Ten with 13 interceptions last season. The Scarlet Knights have a pick in each game this year and in the last six dating back to 2015.
Defensive Line
Darius Hamilton
• Leads current team with 42 games played, 25.5 career tackles-for-loss and 10.5 sacks.
• Had a career-high 10 tackles versus New Mexico.
• The first three-time captain in Rutgers football history and one of nine actively at the FBS level.
• Named to the preseason Outland Trophy watch list.
Julian Pinnix-Odrick
• Led the game with a career-high 12 tackles versus New Mexico, adding 1.5 sacks and a pass break-up.
• Had two sacks against Howard for first career multiple-sack game. Also tied the team high with a six tackles, adding a pass break-up and quarterback hurry.
• Ranks second in the league and 13th nationally with 1.17 sacks per game this season, having 3.5 overall.
• Leads the team with 20 tackles, with 15 against the run.
• 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
• Rutgers ranks sixth in the nation and first in the Big Ten with 32.50 yards per kick return.
• 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
• Has made 6-of-7 field goals for a .857 mark, which ranks fifth in the conference and 24th nationally.
• Made all three attempts versus New Mexico, including a career-long of 41 yards.
• Made all 12 extra point attempts this season.
• 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.
Michael Cintron
• Had a long of 53 yards on eight attempts at Washington in first action as the starting punter.
• Pinned 7-of-19 punts inside the 20-yard line this season. Downed a punt at the one-yard line versus New Mexico.
• Boomed a career-best 57-yard punt in first career attempt last season at Wisconsin.
BIG TEN BATTLE IN THE BRONX
The Rutgers University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Sept. 13 it will host the "Big Ten Battle in the Bronx," a football and wrestling doubleheader between the Scarlet Knights and Maryland, at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017. The wrestling match, which will be the first in the history of the Stadium, will take place first, before head coach Chris Ash leads the football team into action later that day.
"Never before has a doubleheader such as this taken place at a venue so iconic," said Director of Athletics Patrick Hobbs. "We are thrilled to provide our fans this one-of-a-kind experience while enhancing the Big Ten brand in the world's media capital. This is certain to be a very special day. We are thankful to the New York Yankees, the Big Ten Conference and the University of Maryland for helping to make it possible."
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."
