Rutgers Scarlet Knights:
A victory over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl put Rutgers at 7-6 and gave coach Greg Schiano his first winning season in his second tour with the Scarlet Knights, who should be better offensively. A new quarterback will help improve what was a pitiful passing attack. Schiano took advantage of a weak schedule last year to reach bowl eligibility, and he’s got a realistic shot to win six of the seven home games on this schedule, so bet on back-to-back bowl appearances.
Offense
The Scarlet Knights produced 10 touchdown passes all of last season, so Schiano grabbed Minnesota transfer Athan Kaliakmanis and handed him the starting job after spring practice. The “Greek Rifle” will open up what was a one-dimensional offense. The go-to guy will still be Kyle Monangai, a 5-foot-9 cannonball who led the Big Ten with 1,262 rushing yards. Monangai had six 100-yard games, including 163 yards against the Hurricanes in the bowl. Four seniors are set to start on the line, and the receiving corps looks capable with Christian Dremel returning and Dymere Miller transferring from Monmouth. Rutgers averaged 8.4 points in losses to Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State and Wisconsin, so it was a bully offense that was only effective against the worst defenses.
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Defense
Star cornerback Max Melton was a second-round draft pick by the Cardinals, yet the defense returns plenty of veterans and will again be strong. Edge rushers Wesley Bailey and Aaron Lewis are back along with senior linebacker Mohamed Toure, who totaled 93 tackles and 4.5 sacks. This will rank statistically among the league’s top defenses, partly because Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State are off the schedule.
Outlook
Not only do the Scarlet Knights avoid the Buckeyes, Ducks and Nittany Lions — the consensus top three teams in the conference — they also miss Michigan and Iowa on a schedule that looks like it was scripted by Schiano. The season begins with lightweights Howard and Akron, and Rutgers also should be favored at home against UCLA, Minnesota and Illinois. The roster is not incredibly talented, but this team will be Iowa-like in its ability to run the ball and play defense. While six wins is a safe bet and seven is a risky call, the prediction is a lean to 7-5.
Pick: Over 6 Wins
