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Rutgers dropped their home opener 37-21 to No. 17 Indiana on Saturday to fall to 1-1 on the B1G season. Rutgers led 7-0, but Indiana scored the game’s next 23 points to take the lead for good.
Rutgers was coming off a Week 1 upset victory at Michigan State in the return debut of coach Greg Schiano. Schiano was proud that Rutgers fought until the end on Saturday, but he ultimately knows the team is judged by results.
“We’re running out of firsts. We had our first win together, today we had our first loss together, and I do love the way we compete,” Schiano said. “Certainly not one ounce of giving in, but it’s about winning and losing.”
Here’s the Week 2 report card for Rutgers.
Offense: D
After posting 38 points against Michigan State, the Rutgers offense regressed in Week 2.
Rutgers was woeful on third and fourth downs. The Scarlet Knights finished 3-for-14 on third-down conversions and 0-for-2 on fourth.
Rutgers amassed just 247 total yards.
Rutgers quarterback Noah Vedral had an uneven performance (21-of-34 for 129 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions). Vedral connected with Bo Melton for a 23-yard score midway through the first quarter and found him again on a 16-yard touchdown late in the fourth.
Noah ➡️ Bo = 🙌@RFootball strikes first vs. No. 17 Indiana. pic.twitter.com/sOPiNETPhT
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 31, 2020
Vedral threw 2 of his interceptions during the second quarter and the other at the beginning of the third.
“It’s usually a combination of things,” Schiano said of Vedral’s interceptions. “Protection wasn’t good enough. We got to have a clock in our head that we got to get rid of it. I didn’t have the get-off times, we track it, but I didn’t ask for them.
“Really, we’ll fix that in the course of this week. That was really the common theme, was the arm got hit. That’s encouraging if you can protect. They weren’t just throwing to the other team. We got to protect better. We got to make sure we understand that clock in your head.”
Outside of Melton, no Rutgers receiver had more than 32 yards.
Kay’Ron Adams (5 carries, 63 yards, 1 touchdown) was the lone bright spot for a Rutgers rushing attack that tallied 122 yards overall. Adams scampered for a 37-yard touchdown with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter, and the ensuing 2-point conversion (Vedral to Isaih Pacheco) trimmed Indiana’s lead to 23-15.
The unquestioned play of the game was a spectacular one that unfortunately ended up not counting. With Rutgers down 16 with 1:31 to go, they produced a stunning 8-lateral, 65-yard touchdown, only for it to be called back due to a determined forward pass by Shameen Jones.
It came back, but this team will #CHOP until the end. pic.twitter.com/iwaQHPLSA3
— Rutgers.Football (@RFootball) October 31, 2020
“A play like that, you just can’t go down with the ball,” Vedral said. “I haven’t seen the replay of the play. I wish it would’ve counted.”
Schiano marveled at Rutgers’ effort on the play.
“They refused to go down with the ball, which is not easy to do. How many times do you watch a game and see a guy go down with the ball? You see it all the time,” Schiano said. “They refused to go down with the ball. I thought it was a tremendous effort.”
Defense: D
The defense started out solid, with 3 points allowed in the first quarter, before giving up 17 in the second quarter and 17 more in the second half.
Rutgers forced 2 early field goals but ending up allowing Indiana into the end zone 4 times.
In the second quarter, Hoosiers quarterback Michael Penix Jr. rushed for a 1-yard score and connected with Ty Fryfogle for 15 yards. Penix continued to gash the Rutgers defense with a 2-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and a 1-yard touchdown pass in the fourth, both to Peyton Hendershot.
Hendershot’s second score capped a 4-play, 75-yard Indiana drive to extend their lead to 30-15.
After forcing a staggering 7 turnovers at Michigan State, Rutgers didn’t produce any takeaways against Indiana.
Brendon White (10) and Olakunle Fatukasi (9) led Rutgers in tackles. Defensive end CJ Onyechi recorded a sack.
The Rutgers defense had its sporadic moments, but overall it was a poor showing against the potent Indiana offense.
Special teams: C+
Rutgers kicker Guy Fava only saw action once and converted his lone extra point. Punter Adam Korsak was solid, with 5 kicks for 212 yards (42.4 average).
Rutgers’ Aron Cruickshank amassed 162 yards on his 7 kickoff returns, including an impressive 55-yarder.
The Scarlet Knights held Reese Taylor to 29 yards on kickoff returns and -1 yards on punt returns.
Rutgers returns to action in Week 3 when they travel to face No. 3 Ohio State next Saturday, with the time TBD.
Rolando Rosa brings his experience covering college football to Saturday Tradition. Follow him on Twitter @RolandoRosa3.