Game 2: Football vs. Howard
Sep 05 | Football
RUTGERS (0-1) vs. HOWARD (0-1)
September 10, 2016 • 12:01 p.m. ET • Big Ten Network
High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.
• Notes: Game 2
• Coach Ash News Conference
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Big Ten Network
• Rutgers vs. Howard will broadcast on BTN with Scott Graham (play-by-play) and Ray Lucas (analyst) on 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 196 (* Home team broadcast)
• The Rutgers IMG Sports Network pregame show begins at 11 a.m. with host Marc Malusis. Game broadcast starts at noon with Chris Carlin, Eric LeGrand and David Milewski in the booth, while Anthony Fucilli will provide sideline coverage.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Rutgers and Howard will meet for the fifth time in the teams' history with the Scarlet Knights winning each of the previous four matchups.
• The Scarlet Knights have outscored the Bison 165-39, including a 26-0 shutout in 2012.
• Each of the previous four meetings between Rutgers and Howard have taken place at High Point Solutions Stadium.
HOME OPENER
• After opening the season on the road for the fourth time in five years, Rutgers returns home for its first game of the season at High Point Solutions Stadium. The Scarlet Knights are 101-36-10 all-time in home openers, including winning the last six by a margin of 244-38.
• Saturday will mark the first game at High Point Solutions as the Rutgers head coach for Chris Ash. Ash previously coached games in Piscataway in 2013 with Arkansas and in 2015 with Ohio State.
$100,000 KICKOFF RETURN CONTEST
• For the second-straight season, Rutgers students who attend the Scarlet Knights' home opener against Howard will have an opportunity to win a share of $100,000. If Rutgers football returns its opening kickoff for a touchdown against the Bison, 100 students will win $1,000 each in the contest presented by Autoland.
SCARLET KNIGHTS VS. BISON
• Rutgers has won each of the previous four meetings against Howard with a combined score of 165-39. All games have been played in Piscataway in the all-time series.
• Rutgers built a 24-point halftime lead in the last meeting in 2014 behind three touchdowns by Paul James and ended up winning by the count of 38-25.
• Rutgers and Howard were two of the three schools that President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at in the spring of 2016. Air Force was the third.
• Rutgers is a perfect 12-0 all-time versus teams from the MEAC, winning by a composite mark of 506-74.
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 (76 kick return, 56 receiving, 28 rushing) 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.
• Rutgers scored on all three of its trip inside the red zone.
PARTICIPATION NOTES AT WASHINGTON
• First career start (3): LT Tariq Cole, LB Greg Jones, LB Trevor Morris
• Collegiate debut (9): DB Sandy Anya, WR Dacoven Bailey, PK David Bonagura, WR Jawuan Harris, OL Jonah Jackson, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, PK Jared Smolar, RB Trey Sneed, DB Lawrence Stevens
• Rutgers debut with previous collegiate experience (1): DB Ross Douglas
• True freshman in action (5): WR Dacoven Bailey, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, PK Jared Smolar, DB Lawrence Stevens, RB Trey Sneed
NEWS AND NOTES
• Rutgers has played 1,314 games, the most in major college football. The program is in its 148th year and 147th season of action.
• Rutgers started it season with a ranked opponent on the road for the first time since 1985 at No. 14 Washington last week. The Scarlet Knights have four more teams on the schedule that appeared in the AP preseason top-25 poll: No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 12 Michigan State and No. 17 Iowa.
• Rutgers plays eight-straight weeks to start the season without a bye for the first time since 2008.
• Saturday's game will be the latest home opener on the calendar for Rutgers since also having a Sept. 10 home opener in 2005 versus Villanova.
• 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.
Quarterback
Chris Laviano
• Named starting quarterback for the season opener on Aug. 22 and passed completed 24 passes for 168 yards at Washington.
• 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.
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 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
• 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. Career yards per carry of 5.25 is sixth in school history with a minimum of 100 carries.
• Has three career 100-yard games. Leads all players on the roster with 1,197 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
• 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 160 all-purpose yards at Washington to bring his career total to 3,756, fifth-most in school history. Needs 76 yards to move into fourth place and 1,585 to claim the school record. The 3,756 career yards are 10th-most among active FBS players and most among active players in the Big Ten.
• Leads all active FBS players with 2,855 career combined kick return yards (2,487 kick return, 368 punt return).
• Had first career rushing touchdown at Washington and second overall on offense. Owns eight career touchdowns overall after adding in special teams scores (four kickoff return, two punt return). Also has one passing touchdown.
• Reeled in a career-high nine receptions at Washington. Leads the active roster with 72 career receptions. Picked up first career receiving touchdown versus Maryland to end 2015.
• 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 2,487 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 six 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 80 such plays in his career, totaling three last week, 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.
Vance Matthews
• Reeled in first career catch with an 18-yard reception at No. 16 Michigan.
• Added five tackles on special teams last season.
Andre Patton
• Leads active players on the roster with 704 career receiving yards.
• Converted a first down on 25-of-34 receptions last season.
John Tsimis
• Missed 10 games last season due to injury.
• Owns 25 career receptions for 254 yards.
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 finished tied for third in the Big Ten with 13 interceptions last season.
Defensive Line
Darius Hamilton
• Leads current team with 40 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.
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 catergory.
• Tied for third in the Big Ten with four interceptions last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Since 2009, Rutgers has blocked 44 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.
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.
Michael Cintron
• Had a long of 53 yards on eight attempts at Washington in first action as the starting punter. Pinned three inside the 20.
• 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."
