Rutgers heads into ‘Shoe to take on a very talented and very favored Ohio State football team. While most people think the Buckeyes will walk through this game, there are a few things that could this one to be closer than anyone expects.
But before we jump into the three things, the first thing I want to point out is that without fans, the games have been a little odd. We can see that teams most certainly feed off the fans and that energy has to be somewhat self-created. Rutgers coming into Columbus could lull this team a little if it is not competitive.
Alas, back to three reasons why the Scarlet Knights could pose some issues for Ohio State.
NEXT … Greg Schiano, Malik Barrow, and Brendon White are known at OSU
Greg Schiano, Malik Barrow, and Brendon White all spent time at Ohio State
Ryan Day on White: “He’s playing that free safety position. I think what they’re asking him to do is it fits his skill set really well and he’s going to have a good career there. We always really loved Brendon and wish him nothing but the best and think he’s got a lot of talent.”
— Garrett Stepien (@GarrettStepien) November 5, 2020
Most fans will remember the name Brendon White from the 2018 season. White was the Defensive Player of the Game in the 2019 Rose Bowl, and throughout the second half of the season, he played really well. White ended up transferring to Rutgers though after his playing time decreased in 2019 as Ohio State went with a one-high safety, effectively limiting the ability for White to get on the field.
Malik Barrow is another former Buckeye who actually retired after tearing his ACL. Well, Barrow came out of retirement and ended up in New Jersey with White. Both White and Barrow know these players, this coach, and the culture, maybe even some plays.
Adding in that Greg Schiano was the defensive coordinator just a couple of years ago, there is some familiarity with the program. While they may not know everything, every little bit of insight helps. Hopefully, Ryan Day has adjusted for anything tipping of the hat, so to speak.
NEXT … The linebackers are good if they are consistent
The Scarlet Knights have a good linebacking corps when they are on
🔴 LB Spotlight 🔴
Olakunle Fatukasi – Rutgers
• Fatukasi is one of the top Linebackers in the #BigTen who people don't give enough recognition to. In his career he's totaled 107 Tackles, 5 Tackles for Loss, 4 Pass Breakups and 1 Forced Fumble. pic.twitter.com/IiQHYA7qS5
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) August 21, 2020
Just looking at stats, one would think the Rutgers defense is not good. However, while the program is currently in a complete rebuild, the one thing Rutgers does have is linebackers. One of the best linebackers in the Big Ten, Olakunle Fatukasi, leads a very competent corps that can be very good when focused and rolling.
Against Indiana, the linebackers were pretty solid against the run. While they had some ups and downs and were not great in coverage, they held up fairly well. If Ohio State gets over-confident and starts trying to force the run, which has not been great this season, Rutgers does indeed have the ability to stop it.
This corps is surprisingly pretty good.
NEXT … Nothing to lose
Rutgers literally has nothing to lose
This is the best football play ive ever seen. The Schiano diffrence pic.twitter.com/CdOO7PLx34
— PFTCommenter (@PFTCommenter) October 31, 2020
Rutgers was not expected to win much this season. However, here we are and they’ve already won more Big Ten games than they have in two years. Okay, it’s just one game (1-1), but still … progress. I’m not saying this team is shocking the world, but it has nothing to lose and is playing for experience and fun. That type of team can be dangerous. Just ask Michigan State.
If you watch the video above you will see Rutgers played all the way to the end of the game and was literally doing everything it could. Greg Schiano is always a little bit of a wild card and the way his team is playing for him makes this team more dangerous than past years. If the Buckeyes look past Rutgers, a team this loose could put a scare in the program one week after Halloween.
