Rutgers chops way into national championship picture

By Kristian Dyer  |   Tuesday, November 14, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!

It was not an easy week for a Rutgers team still not used to the media attention and hype that comes with being a part of the national championship picture. All week long, the Scarlet Knights endured questions about their strength of schedule and the ability of the team to compete with the high-octane offense of the Louisville Cardinals. Many questioned their ability to compete with a Louisville team that had seemingly steam-rolled through its schedule. And for much of the first half against the Cardinals, Rutgers blundered its way to proving its critics right.

With the stadium literally shaking with enthusiasm and most of the capacity crowd on its feet, Louisville started the scoring on its first possession of the game. An eight-play, 80-yard drive engineered by junior quarterback Brian Brohm was capped off by an Anthony Allen two-yard touchdown run. For Rutgers, the Cardinals' dominance on the offensive side of the ball on their initial march down the field was a microcosm of their first-half performance.

Rutgers utilized two big plays of its own in the first half to keep the score a respectable 25-14 in favor of the visitors. The Scarlet Knights appeared to play much of the first half with their foot off the gas.

Coach Greg Schiano said of his team's performance in the opening two quarters, "We had two big plays in the first half that we [as a defense] gave up, but we [as a team] didn't give up."

And "give up" they did not. In a tale of two halves, Rutgers adjusted during halftime, coming out after intermission with a more focused and concentrated effort on the defensive side of the ball. Through effective blitzing and constant pressure on Brohm, Rutgers shut down a Cardinals offense that was ranked second in the nation in total offense. Sacked, pressured and hit hard, Brohm did not appear to be the same quarterback who had dominated the first frame of the game.

"At halftime there was no great fever-pitch or talk. The reality of it was we actually played pretty good football in the first half," said Schiano. "We gave up the big play on the first play, they picked up one of our pressures and had a one-on-one where the receiver pushed off and caught the ball, and then they had a kick-off return for a touchdown. Three plays. Otherwise, we scored 14 points, we were playing good football, and we were moving the ball. I told them, 'guys, it will turn. Keep chopping away, things will turn our way,' and what the kids did is they trusted and they believed in that and they did it and it did turn our way."

If "good teams find a way to win," as the old adage goes, then Rutgers found its way to victory through a stifling defense that limited Louisville's offense to its worst output of the season. It was a total defensive effort in the second half that unsettled a Cardinals offense that had imposed its will on a Rutgers team that was ranked among the top 10 nationally in nearly every defensive category, even making Brohm look human at times. Brohm finished the game 13-for-27 for 163 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Even Kolby Smith, who appeared unstoppable throughout the first two quarters, struggled in the second half to make an impact, accruing only 17 yards on seven carries. A team that rattled off points almost effortlessly in the first half appeared battered and confused as the third quarter changed into the fourth.

"We have a system, without getting too technical, that affords me, the play caller in this situation, flexibility to where you want to bring certain pressures. It (the half-time adjustment) was progressive," said Schiano who acts as defensive coordinator. "It's the same blitz, just a little different in how we set it up, but that's practice and this is a game, under pressure, going against better players because you're not going against the scouting team anymore. But not one call on there was different from the game plan, it was just how we mixed-and-matched the plays how we wanted."

Louisville was limited to three first downs and less then 100 yards in total offense the entire second half.

The fourth quarter was a continuation of the defensive dominance in the third frame that had resulted in four straight punts by Louisville and a meager 17 yards in total offense. Following a three-and-out by the Cardinals, Rutgers utilized just over two minutes on the clock to tally its second score of the half, a 46-yard field goal by Jeremy Ito that knotted the score at 25.

Brohm, who appeared rattled most of the second half, then orchestrated a nine-play drive into Rutgers territory that was eventually stopped, forcing the Cardinals' sixth punt of the half. Deep in its own territory, the Rutgers' offense took the field, with destiny in its own hands.

The 11-play, 80-yard drive was an effective mix of the passing and running games, including a key third-down conversion by Mike Teel to Brian Leonard on a screen.

"It was a great drive. He had the third down to Brian (Leonard). I think it is a big drive," said Schiano. "You're on your own nine-yard line and you've got to go the length of field to win it or at least get it down there to be close for the kick to tie the football game. I thought Michael was really good last night." The drive worked the clock down to thirteen seconds, setting up Jeremy Ito for his second field goal attempt of the night.

Just prior to the snap, Louisville's William Gay jumped offside as Ito sent his kick end-over-end to the right of the uprights. Given a mulligan, Ito was the judge and jury as he kicked a 28-yard field goal with conviction.

"It was definitely a nail-biting moment," commented Leonard after the game. "I didn't know the guy (William Gay) went off-sides. I thought everyone was cheering because Ito made the field goal, but I almost started cheering when the guy went off-sides because I knew we had another chance and I knew Ito wouldn't miss two in a row.... I was still on my knees praying, but it went it in and it was the best feeling in the world."

For Rutgers, it was a game of resiliency that showcased the team's attitude and heart. Throughout the bye week and then leading up to last Thursday's marquee contest, Schiano underscored to the Knights that no matter how the game is going, they need to keep "chopping" to knock off Louisville.

"It was always an internal thing until now, but it represents something to our players," said Schiano about the "chopping metaphor. "It was no great work of thought; it just came to us. We were in a bad spot, in the middle of a forest, it's all dark and you can't see, and I told them to just start chopping. Get an ax and just start chopping it down. That's become synonymous with focus and staying on the mark and not getting distracted by everything that's going on. Our kids really believe in it, our staff does and I do. It means a lot to the kids when they do it. It's not just a word or a phrase, it's a mindset and that's what you need."

Now, Rutgers faces the task of traveling to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats at Nippert Stadium. One win shy of bowl eligibility, Cincinnati will host a favored Rutgers squad that must adjust to being on upset alert. Coach Mark Dantonio's team will be playing its fifth ranked team of the season, and the first within the 'Cats' friendly confines at Nippert this season. Standing at 5-5 on the campaign, all five of the Bearcat losses have been to teams with winning records. Cincinnati is undefeated at home this season.

The true test for the Scarlet Knights, now ranked sixth in the BCS, will be absorbing the euphoria from the biggest win in their program's history and not looking past an opponent seeking to hand the New Jersey school its first loss of the season. Rutgers, which sits alone atop the Big East standings and is one of four undefeated teams in the nation, has rarely played as the favorite over the past three decades. Yet, for Schiano and his program, the theme will be to keep chopping away at both their opponents and less-than-stellar legacy.

Kristian R. Dyer is a columnist for RealFootball365 who covers college football. He can also be found on ESPN.com and Rivals.com in addition to inside the pages of Blitz! Magazine. He can be reached for comment at KristianRDyer@yahoo.com
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report