Team Scarlet bests Team White in Rutgers football's final spring scrimmage
The Rutgers football team competed in its annual Scarlet-White scrimmage game to close out the spring practice session, and Team Scarlet came away with a 30-24 victory on Saturday at SHI Stadium on Busch campus. It was a chance for the Scarlet Knights to display some of their veteran and young talents on both sides of the ball.
The game featured several different contributors up and down the depth chart and also included five quarterbacks playing.
In the first half, senior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis ran the show for Team White. He went 10-for-17 in the passing game with a game-high 147 yards and two touchdown passes. He formed some nice chemistry with senior wide receiver Naseim Brantley, who led all receivers with 73 yards and a touchdown. Kaliakmanis looked confident and accurate in leading the offense and looked to gain an edge in the quarterback battle with his arm.
On the opposite side, senior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt led the Team Scarlet offense in the first half, completing 8 of his 16 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown pass. He also showed out with his legs, rushing for 64 yards on five carries and two touchdowns. Wimsatt converted a third down on a read option and took it 37 yards to the house in the second quarter to give Team Scarlet the lead.
Senior wide receiver Nasir Montgomery led the way in receiving for Team Scarlet, catching four passes for 54 yards and a score.
Two younger players also made an impact in the rushing game in the first half, as senior running back Kyle Monangai and junior running back Samuel Brown V did not play. Freshmen running backs Edd Guerrier and Gabriel Winowich led Team White and Team Scarlet, respectively, to emphasize the run game in the first half. Guerrier carried the ball 11 times and ran for 63 yards and a touchdown, while Winowich toted the rock 13 times for 48 yards.
The teams were tied at 21 after one half of play.
In the second half, sophomore quarterback Ajani Sheppard took over for Wimsatt and freshman quarterback AJ Surace took over for Kaliakmanis. Sheppard completed 5 of his 9 passes for 63 yards, while Surace went 2-for-6 for 19 yards and an interception to fellow freshman defensive back Kaj Sanders.
The passing game was opened up much more than in the 2023 Spring Game and in the 2023 season in general, as all quarterbacks took chances down the field and looked confident doing so. On the other hand, several veterans were missing, so there is not too much to take from the game. Still, it was a good glimpse into how Rutgers will look in a much-anticipated 2024 campaign.
"We got out of the spring game totally healthy, which is the most important thing," said head coach Greg Schiano. "It was really a good spring. We made progress."
For more updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TargumSports on X.
To view more of Alec Crouthamel's work, follow @aleccr12 on X.
